December 10, 2008 09:51 PM UTC

Musgrave: Thanks, Everybody! Seriously!

• 18 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

In a Denver Post guest column published a few minutes ago, outgoing Rep. Marilyn Musgrave expresses gratitude so heartfelt that, well, it took her five weeks of ridicule in national media to find the proper words. Reproduced after the jump in its entirety, because we’ve probably beaten her up enough.

Thank you, Colorado

I want to thank the people of Colorado for the opportunity they afforded me to serve them in Congress over the past six years. I cannot sufficiently express my gratitude to the volunteers, staff and voters who honored me with their trust.

When I was first elected to public office, I recall my son telling me “Mom, don’t change” I promised him I would not and as I conclude my time in Congress I know I lived up to the promise I made to my son and the people of Colorado. I was first elected to Congress to stand for conservative principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and traditional values.

I placed those core principals above politics regardless of the consequences to my political career at every turn. I recall vividly as a freshman member of Congress receiving a call from the president asking me to support a huge new entitlement program for Medicare. The vote was coming down to the wire and he needed my support to pass the program. I told him “no” that day on the phone. I was the only Republican freshman member to do so.

Over my three terms in Congress I would tell the leaders in my party no again and again when their proposal called for spending we couldn’t afford, expansion of the powers of the federal government or new regulations and red tape. I am proud I bucked my party to oppose the Wall Street bailout, and expansion of government controlled healthcare.

Over the course of my political career I was advised many times that I needed to compromise my principles to win re-election. I don’t know what the outcome would have been if I had backed away from protecting the unborn, or traditional marriage, or if I had supported massive government spending increases for programs such as SCHIP, or Medicare part D. Perhaps I would be returning to Congress for a fourth term. However, I never forgot the promise I made to my son not to change.

I have the greatest respect for our system that gives the right to the people to change their leaders and the direction of their government. I do believe, however, that a public office is a public trust and elected officials should not change their principals and beliefs simply to court votes to stay in power. Public officials need to take tough stands and let the chips fall where they may.

The new Congress and president come to Washington at a crucial time, when families across the country are worried about falling home prices, rising unemployment and uncertainty overseas. Now is the time to put the last election behind us and do what is best our nation, not what is popular or what is best for a political party. We can only hope that the unprecedented interest in the recent elections will result in greater accountability for our elected officials. Our newly elected leaders face great obstacles, and my prayers will be with all of them.

Thank you again to the people of Colorado who gave me the opportunity to serve. Although I will not be in the next Congress to continue my service, I will continue to work for the same principles I promoted during my time in public office and I will always work to serve my local community, our state, and our nation.

God bless.

Marilyn Musgrave is a U.S. congresswoman representing the 4th District of Colorado.