In some small measure, I can relate to and sympathize with the resentment that lifelong politicians must be feeling as Mr. Trump is on track to become the 45th President of the United States, arguably the highest prize our “one Nation under God” offers a career politician.

If you, like me, have had someone come into your workplace, seemingly from nowhere, without having paid his/her dues, without having labored over many years–decades even–to gain credentials and experience to earn a collateral or supervisory position, I submit that you would be resentful, too.

When someone was hired with an alternate route teaching certificate to share the job I was doing, but without the years of coursework and certifications, I was “ticked,” to put it mildly–especially when that person was undermining processes and programs I had sacrificed so much time, energy, and personal resources to establish–processes and programs I felt I had the right to see continued. Procedures I was sure, based on my expertise, were best for the students.

My professional and personal moral choice became clear. Either I openly or passively aggressively tried to undermine the unqualified newbie, exposing the truth of the interloper’s unpreparedness and incompetence, or I respect our differences, look for collegial strengths, offer mentoring, and when necessary—offer respectful correction.

As a woman of faith, I choose the latter route, but not without emotional cost, since I was so personally opposed to the other person’s style. In the end, I had to admit that there actually were some things from our different backgrounds and experiences that, when taken and made my own, actually improved my performance. Still, my preference was that the other person never had been hired; I found the person’s work ethic and style unacceptable.

Please. You have every right to be resentful. You have every justification for believing that you know better how to be in government–you have the proven experience to back it up. The truth is, just as I was forced to share responsibilities with someone I viewed less than my equal, I cared about the students. Some of those who had exclusively been my responsibility were transferred to the other person. I still cared about them. I still wanted what was best for them. Even though I believed with every fiber of my being that I could do better for them, I had to face facts. They were no longer exclusively mine. The best way to impact their well-being, I had to admit to myself, was to help the other person—not to fail for my self-satisfaction—but to be superlative.

Although my experience is only slightly analogous, I implore you, for the good of the people who trust you to govern wisely for them, as well as for our entire Nation, to please transform all the justifiable resentments and concerns into a determination to serve from within, to impact through respectful coaching and criticism and not to make the American people pay by having a Democratic President who will, at the least, appoint Supreme Court Justices who will undermine our Constitutional form of government.

In every Presidential election year that I can remember (and I’ve lived through many!), we have been told that the stakes are higher than ever. Surely, with the threats to our national security being what they are, I implore you–I beg you–please work from within to help Mr.  Trump and his administration make this country safe, strong, secure for all Americans–including your constituents. Yours will be a tremendous sacrifice, calling for heroic humility, and I pray that God will reward you as only He can for dying to yourself in favor of giving us all a better America.

(In all honesty, I would not want to look in the mirror on November 9 and have to confess to myself that I am responsible for the election of Hillary Clinton. The momentary satisfaction in having put down Donald Trump, preventing him from obtaining a distinction you count him unworthy to obtain, will pale next to the dissatisfaction that you will live under a President Obama extended term of office.)

Please pray about what you are doing and saying between now and November 8, and on that day, please be statesmen. Warts and all, Donald Trump–with proper mentoring from you and Cabinet guidance– is heads and shoulders over HRC. I believe in the Republican Party as the best hope for America; I hope and ask that you do, too.

God bless you.

Sincerely,
Barbara Krawiec