Ted Lieu’s response 

“Thank you for reaching out. I understand your frustration. The problem with your petition is that you do not correctly identify the problem. Republican Speaker Johnson has put Republicans on vacation for six weeks. It helps him and Republicans when you muddle things by blaming all of Congress, instead of laying blame squarely on the Republican Speaker. 

Republicans control the White House, the Senate and the House. They would love nothing more than to have the American people be confused.

I’ve flown back to DC for 5 weeks even though Republican Speaker Johnson cancelled session, so I support your sentiment. But the petition helps Republicans by implying somehow it’s an everyone problem when it is not. It is a Republican shutdown.”

My response 

“Thank you for taking the time to reply. I truly appreciate your willingness to engage, but I must respectfully disagree with the notion that this shutdown and government dysfunction can be laid entirely at the feet of one party. Two wrongs do not make a right, and deflecting blame helps no one — not the people struggling to make ends meet, not the nation, and certainly not democracy itself.

You are an elected official. You already hold the position of leadership that many citizens, including myself, can only appeal to. So I ask you: please do not wait for ordinary voters to fix what those in power are capable of addressing. You have both the authority and the platform to speak up louder, to lead rather than follow, and to break through the noise of partisan blame. The people who voted for you did so believing you would rise above party loyalty and act in the nation’s best interest.

Do not play their game — expose it. Take this petition and bring it to the media. Use your voice to amplify what so many Americans are feeling: frustration, exhaustion, and disappointment in the very leaders who are supposed to serve them. Leadership requires courage, not comfort. If your current strategy is to remain silent or restrained, I must tell you honestly — democracy demands more. It needs leaders who act with moral conviction, not those who hide behind partisan lines or talking points.

And let’s be honest — don’t gift the public a donkey and call it a horse. Promises of “fighting for the people” ring hollow without action. We need bold legislative ideas, not recycled excuses. Congress must pass meaningful reforms that restore faith in government. Start by addressing the ongoing chaos at the border and within our immigration system — an issue that has spiraled for years while political sides bicker.

Why not be the one who finally stands up and proposes real accountability? Demand oversight and transparency across federal agencies, especially Customs and ICE. Propose legislation requiring body cameras on all federal agents. Ensure that local and state law enforcement have the right to detain any federal officer who violates the Constitution, uses excessive force, or makes arrests without proper warrants. Such reforms would send a powerful message that no one is above the law — not even federal agents.

You could also take it a step further: affirm that responsible gun ownership and the right to self-defense are fundamental American principles. A federal open carry law, modeled after Texas, would ensure that citizens and federal officers alike think twice before acting with hostility or disregard for rights.

We both know what’s coming. The chaos at the border and in Washington is being allowed to escalate intentionally — to justify the eventual deployment of the National Guard into states, consolidating power further and eroding civil freedoms in the name of “order.” You have a choice: either be complicit in that silence, or rise as a leader who spoke up before it was too late.

History does not remember those who stayed quiet; it remembers those who took a stand when it was hardest. Use this moment — use your office — to do more than talk. Introduce bills. Demand accountability. Lead with conviction. Because right now, the American people need more than another partisan talking point; they need someone willing to act.”