Jordanian Interior Minister gives update on deadly church shooting in Karak

A Nation at Risk: Vote for Our Country, Not for a Party<br>By Esther Lee Yao, Ph.D.<br>Former TX GOP Congressional Candidate, 1992<br>I am speaking out today for one reason: I love America.<br>I have devoted much of my life to public service and to the ideals that make this nation exceptional. I have served under Republican presidents and the US Congress, participated in the Republican Party, and ran for Congress as a Republican. I understand what political loyalty means.<br> <br>But there comes a time when love of country must come before loyalty to any political party.<br>I believe that time is now.<br>America is at a crossroads. We face serious challenges at home and abroad, and we cannot afford to ignore them or allow partisan politics to prevent us from confronting them honestly.<br>Our nation is at risk—and we, the American people, have the power to change its direction.<br>A Nation at Risk<br>Families are struggling with the rising cost of living. Inflation and affordability have placed enormous pressure on working Americans and seniors. The costs of food, housing, medical care, and everyday necessities have become increasingly difficult for many Americans to bear.<br>Tariffs and international conflicts can add further uncertainty to an already difficult economic environment. The war with Iran and other conflicts remind us that America&#39;s decisions have consequences far beyond our borders.<br>Health care remains another urgent national problem. No American should have to fear financial ruin because of illness or face impossible choices between medical care and necessities.<br>These problems will not be solved by political slogans.<br>They require courage, competence, common sense, and leadership.<br>Our Government Must Serve the People<br>We must also take a hard look at Washington.<br>Too many Americans have lost faith in Congress. Too often, political leaders appear more interested in winning the next election than solving the problems that will determine our children&#39;s future.<br>We need a serious national conversation about term limits, campaign-finance reform, government accountability, and the influence of money in politics.<br>Public office is supposed to be a public trust.<br>It should never become a permanent career in which political survival takes priority over serving the American people.<br>We Need Courageous Leadership<br>America needs leaders who are willing to think beyond the next election.<br>We need a new generation of leaders with practical visions, independent judgment, courage, and integrity.<br>We need leaders who will ask:<br>What is best for America?<br>Not: What is best for my party?<br>Not: What will help me win the next election?<br>But simply:<br>What is best for the United States of America?<br>That should be our standard.<br>My Republican Record<br>I do not speak about public service as an outsider.<br>My Republican credentials are longstanding:<br>• Alternate Delegate from TX to the Republican National Convention, 1984<br>• Delegate from TX to the Republican National Convention, 1992<br>• TX Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress, 1992<br>• Political appointee under Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush and the US Congress<br>• Lifelong Republican activist and public servant<br>My experiences have taught me an important lesson:<br>Party is temporary. America is permanent.<br>No party is bigger than our Constitution.<br>No politician is bigger than the country.<br>Put America First<br>I am not asking Americans to abandon their principles. I am asking Americans to remember their highest principles.<br>We should not vote simply because a candidate has an “R” or a “D” next to his or her name.<br>We should ask whether that candidate has the character, judgment, competence, courage, and vision necessary to serve the American people.<br>We must be willing to think independently. We must be willing to question our own political assumptions. And when necessary, we must be willing to cross party lines for the good of our country.<br>That is not betrayal.<br>That is patriotism.<br>America has survived wars, economic crises, political divisions, and uncertain moments because ordinary Americans refused to give up on the extraordinary promise of this nation.<br>We can do it again.<br>The future of our country will not be decided by politicians alone. It will be decided by millions of Americans who walk into voting booths and make a choice.<br>So, I ask every American:<br>Don&#39;t vote out of habit.<br>Don&#39;t vote out of fear.<br>Don&#39;t vote simply because a political party tells you how to vote.<br>Vote for America.<br>Vote for integrity.<br>Vote for courage.<br>Vote for responsible leadership.<br>Vote for the future of our children and grandchildren.<br>Vote for our country—not simply for a party.<br>I still believe in America and the American people. And I believe that together, we can turn our nation away from division and decline and toward renewed strength, unity, opportunity, and hope. For that reason, I support James Talarico for the US Senate from TX.<br>God bless America! (Oct 5, 2026)