OPINION: Sen. Burr, congrats on doing the bare minimum

As the majority of Republicans voted to find President Donald Trump not guilty of citing an insurrection at the Capitol, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr went against party lines and voted to convict and consequently impeach the now-former president. In response to this, the North Carolina Republican party voted unanimously for the censure of Sen. Burr. While many Democrats are seemingly quick to applaud Burr and the other six Republicans for siding with them, I believe it is safe to say that this is too little, too late.

Seven out of the needed 17 Republicans voted to formally convict Donald Trump of insurrection; however, only one of those seven faces voters in elections within the upcoming year. Sen. Burr has already stated that he has no intention of running for a Senate seat again, with the 2016 election being his last. So, why should we applaud a senator for doing the bare minimum, especially when he finally has absolutely nothing to lose?

Initially, Burr voted against impeachment, as he deemed it unconstitutional to impeach a president who was no longer in office. However, on Feb. 15, 2021, Burr shocked many as he did make the decision to convict Trump of incitement of insurrection. It is interesting to see that an insurrection incited by the former president was finally enough for Burr to prioritize common sense over party lines. While American citizens should be glad that a few Republican senators chose to vote for impeachment, it is nothing to praise the senators over.

Americans have seen countless instances of Republicans turning a blind eye to events that create a negative perception of the GOP (e.g. Trump’s first impeachment, Trump’s mock of a disabled reporter, Trump’s second impeachment). Instead of taking responsibility for the rash and irresponsible decisions of their former president, they create excuses to “avoid” the repercussions. 

Need a specific example? See Trump’s incitement of the Capitol riots be blamed on antifa — a far-left group. Repeatedly, Republicans sought a scapegoat to blame for the belligerent actions that took place during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, as if the Trump flags and other Trump memorabilia were not enough to identify the group responsible. It has also been fact-checked by multiple sources that antifa was not responsible for the riot, as much as Republicans wish to believe it was.

If the Republican Party wants to be respected and produce a candidate that can construct compromisable legislation with the Democratic Party, then they will have to start taking responsibility for their actions. This entails not denying responsibility, not shifting responsibility and not taking partial responsibility. Burr stands as a perfect example of the latter.

While it is relieving to see that some Republicans are able to admit wrongdoings at the fault of their party, it is the bare minimum requirement of an elected public official that should not be praised. Thankfully, Sen. Burr will not be running for the Senate again; however, it remains more important than ever that students vote for candidates who will both take responsibility and do an effective job in Congress. Any senator who voted not to convict Trump in either impeachment trials should not be reelected.