I

t’s a sad day when we realize we’ve been duped. Someone said one thing yet did another. That’s exactly the situation with our very own Senator Tom Tillis. Elected on the Republican platform, his true colors have been revealed these past two weeks. He has proven he’s a RINO, Republican In Name Only.

Tillis was elected to Congress in 2020 after a hard-fought campaign against Cal Cunningham, a good-looking attorney, former state legislator, and former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Cunningham was winning according to the polls until it was discovered he had a moral problem. Evidence of “sexting” with at least two women was released, sending some voters over to Tillis, who still only barely won the race. I can’t help but wonder if Tillis sent a thank you note to Cunningham after the election. Short of the savory texts sent by Cal, Tillis might well still be here at home.

Last week Tillis was one of only twelve Republican senators that voted with the Democrats to pass the (Dis) Respect for marriage bill. This new law opens the floodgates for legal action against any business or religious organization that stands for the traditional view of marriage. We have Tillis to thank for his part in this law that undermines our religious liberties.

Now, less than a week later, Tillis has joined with AZ Senator Kristin Sinema, to propose a bill giving amnesty to over two million illegal aliens called “DACA’s. This mess began when Obama issued an executive order in 2012 allowing them to stay here. Finally, in July 2021, NINE YEARS LATER, the courts ruled Obama’s action was unconstitutional. This latest ruling has since gone back and forth between courts and is still in limbo. Ultimately, it will most likely be litigated by the Supreme Court.

Studies done by independent researchers have verified that granting amnesty to these illegals results in more illegal immigration. Our border is already wide open with thousands flooding into our country daily. Recent peer-reviewed research by economist Christopher Albert as well as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) shows these policies have produced job losses and lower wages for Americans to the tune of $530 billion. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why a business doesn’t hire a native when illegals will work for less.

Why, then, does Tillis make a move that hurts American workers? Why, with just a few weeks to go during this lame-duck session of Congress, does he suddenly jump on the Democrat bandwagon to encourage more illegals to violate our laws? Doesn’t he realize that such a law will result in adding millions of voters to the Democratic rolls? Is that a smart move for a Republican senator? What does this say about his concern to represent the people of North Carolina who sent him to Washington in the first place? He even admitted that passage of this bill is a “long shot.” Then why introduce it now? Because he knows it has zero chance of passing when Republicans take control of the House in January. That in and of itself says “RINO!”

It is beyond my comprehension that our Republican leader stands up in the last few days of this Congressional Session to propose a bill that causes American workers to lose jobs, be paid less for their work, encourages more illegal aliens to break our laws by sneaking into our country, and adds voters to the Democratic party. What is he thinking?

If Tillis is trying to make a name for himself, it’s working. Political pundits across the country have responded to his actions, even to the point of saying he is a “Republican acting stupidly.” He has become a disgrace to North Carolinians.

Since he’s acting like a Democrat, let him go ahead and announce he’s changing parties. Why pretend to be a Republican when he opposes the Republican platform? At least then, Republican voters would not expect him to follow Constitutional law. We wouldn’t be surprised when he does the opposite of what he promised to do for us.

Unfortunately, we have four more years to endure his treachery. The good news is we can vote out this RINO when his term is up and put in a Real Republican. For me, unless he changes his ways, that time can’t come soon enough.

Renee C. Scheidt lives in Salisbury.