Republicans need to be taught that the will of the people is not optional. It is not contingent on convenience or the concurrence of special interest lobbyists. The people’s will is the compass with which public servants guide their path. And when 90% of a political party votes against the will of 90% of the people, that party must pay a price.

Americans must reject the Republican Party that has rejected them. They must elect a Democratic majority that respects the principle of democracy. They must vote against Republicans, not because of where the party stands on any single issue, but because Republicans have demonstrated that they are not above betrayal. This isn’t about guns. This is about trust. And every citizen has the right to expect their representatives to represent them.

Republicans have proven that they cannot be depended on to do that. They have declared their opposition to the people. They have positioned themselves as far-right obstructionists, determined to hold back the tide of progress. They oppose (for the sake of opposition) legislation, cabinet appointments, judges, and even people and policies they formerly supported. Their opposition has produced a record number of filibusters via a rank abuse of senate protocol. Yet Democrats have failed to rein in their recalcitrant Republican colleagues. Due to either weakness, naivete or excess good faith, Democrats have permitted this situation to fester.

Politics almost always produces conflict, but yesterday something rare occurred. There was near unanimity across the nation and the partisan divide. The only place where division prevailed was in Washington, D.C. And the only way to mend such a broken system is through the force that gives democracy its strength: the voting booth. The Republican Party is hereby on notice: The disappointment and rage of the American people will not be diminished in the eighteen months between now and the next election. Prepare to be cast out.