If you think Rep Tulsi Gabbard is progressive, you should read this

[mahina]

Last edited Mon Jan 14, 2019, 01:22 PM - Edit history (4)

I don’t agree with the author’s thought on Bernie. I have removed that text. The rest of this is critically important information.

Sky Williams wrote:
Before you slam me for posting established FACTS about Tulsi Gabbard, you better do some research. And don’t dare imply that any of this is “fake news” just because you didn’t know it, or don't believe it. Oh and by the way, gathering facts and vetting a Presidential candidate isn’t a “purity test”, it’s common sense.

On the surface, her uninformed followers see Tulsi Gabbard as a “progressive”. Below the surface, it quickly becomes clear that she is anything but “progressive”.

Here are a few highlights:

Former anti-gay activist who called gay advocates "homosexual extremists".

Born and raised in a creepy Hare Krishna sub-cult.

Outspoken defender of Syria’s genocidal Assad (an idol of the extreme Right).

Supporter of Hindu nationalism in India, a violent right-wing movement.

Refused to vote for major gun control legislation, including the Assault Weapons Ban of 2015.

Voted with Republicans to pass HR 1181 in 2017 to remove gun restrictions for the mentally ill.

Voted with Republicans to block Syrian refugees.

Voted with Republicans in 2014 to pass HR 4118 to weaken ObamaCare.

Regularly slammed Democrats and the Obama administration on Fox News and other major TV news outlets.

Resigned from the DNC and endorsed Bernie Sanders. Called DNC Chair a "liar" on TV in an election year (2016).

Endorsed by alt-right leader Richard Spencer and former KKK leader David Duke. (This is not a joke).

Has refused to debate all Democratic challengers since being elected to Congress.

Filed an extension on her 2017 Financial Disclosures to delay release until AFTER the Democratic Primary.

Tulsi Gabbard, or as I call her “the Manchurian Candidate”, is a Republican posing as a democrat. She is an embarrassment and a disgrace to the Democratic Party. She is also a bona-fide cult member, born and raised in a creepy Krishna subsect cult.

She claims her spiritual master is Chris Butler, the leader of the homophobic Science of Identity cult. In Butler’s cult, children kneel in his presence, marriages are arranged and any attempt to leave the cult means you can never have any future contact with your own family members. The cult gets tons of money from dubious sources and has some interesting members, including some global drug traffickers.

Years ago, the cult began backing it’s members as political candidates, including Tulsi’s conservative father Mike Gabbard, who ran as a Republican and was elected to Hawaii State Senate. Mike Gabbard quickly realized he wasn’t going to get far in a State where Democrats have long had a supermajority, so in 2007, Gabbard switched from Republican to the Democratic Party of Hawaii. Although he still serves Hawaii’s 20th district, he receives repeated complaints regarding his opposition to the Democratic Party of Hawai'i's platform.

The cult groomed Tulsi for political power. Tulsi Gabbard took cues from her father and despite her conservative right-wing views, she ran as a Democrat in 2012, because her district in Hawaii is 76% Democrat and that’s the only way she could get elected and infiltrate our party and our government.

Tulsi’s family are well-known anti-gay activists. They led the charge in Hawaii AGAINST same-sex marriage. In 2004, while serving as a "Democrat" in the Hawaii State Legislature, Tulsi (who at the time used her married name Tamayo) led a protest against a bill that would have legalized civil unions for same-sex couples. “As Democrats, we should be representing the views of the people, not a small number of homosexual extremists,” she said at the time.. The same year, she made a notably anti-gay floor speech against another bill to help gay youth. Screen shot excerpts of that speech are in my photo albums under Tulsi Gabbard.

Tulsi also has a long history of being against a woman’s right to choose. She entered politics in as an anti-gay pro-lifer, but later she suddenly changed her public stance on gay rights and abortion. This was dubious at best and in a 2015 interview with Ozy, she confirmed that her “personal views” on gay marriage and abortion hadn’t changed, just her view on whether the government should enforce its vision of morality. Hmmm.

Once in office, Tulsi started showing her true (RED) colors. She often votes with Republicans in Congress. Gabbard refused to co-sponsor gun control legislation, including the Assault Weapons Ban of 2015. She voted in favor of a Republican-sponsored anti-refugee bill.

She wormed her way into a position at the DNC and began her campaign of sabotage and self-serving publicity. She went on every news and talk show (including Fox News) and began slamming Democrats and the Obama administration. Gabbard criticized Obama for not bombing Syria, while praising Putin for doing so. Gabbard has since been glorified in conservative media.

Tulsi was very outspoken AGAINST Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran but begrudgingly voted for it and tweeted that “It’s not a great deal, or even a good deal. I voted for it because I could not find a better alternative.”

In 2014, long before Trump jumped on the bandwagon, Gabbard was appearing regularly on Fox News to slam the Obama administration for avoiding the phrase “Islamic extremism” or some variation of it.

Gabbard, the first Hindu in the House, aligned herself with the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and their leader, Narendra Modi. He campaigned for election in 2014 by threatening to deport undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh (who are mostly Muslim), calling them “infiltrators.” The same year, Gabbard said “He is a leader whose example and dedication to the people he serves should be an inspiration to elected officials everywhere.” Modi has been accused of a multitude of human-rights abuses, including attacks against Muslims and homosexuals. When members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced HR 417, a bill that called on India to improve its human-rights abuses, Gabbard publicly opposed it. Modi became prime minister of India.

In 2015, Tulsi traveled to Egypt as part of a congressional delegation and met Egyptian dictator Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Sisi is a blood-soaked tyrant who’s killed hundreds of Egyptians and imprisoned thousands more. Gabbard saw it differently, stating that “President el-Sisi has shown great courage and leadership in taking on this extreme Islamist ideology,” urging US political leaders to “stand with him in this fight against Islamic extremists.” Some of the Sisi government’s accomplishments in this fight include killing a group of Mexican tourists and torturing and murdering an Italian PhD student.

Gabbard went to Syria to meet with Syrian President Assad in January 2017. She was accompanied by Elie and Bassam Khawam, officials in the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, a party actively engaged in the Syrian civil war on the side of the Assad regime. To visit an authoritarian regime, while accompanied by two men who greatly support it, in front of a global audience, can serve to legitimize authoritarian rule. Gabbard came back from the experience saying Assad should remain in power, despite the fact that he's been committing genocide of his own people for years.

After reporters revealed that Gabbard’s Syria trip had been funded by a pair of Lebanese-American businessmen with ties to a pro-Assad political party, Gabbard’s tepid response was to simply agree to repay her travel costs. A few months after her trip, after a sarin-gas attack in Syria, Gabbard publicly said she was “skeptical” of claims that Assad’s regime was to blame. Howard Dean responded on Twitter, saying “This is a disgrace. Gabbard should not be in Congress.”

Gabbard voted against a House resolution condemning “war crimes and crimes against humanity” by the Syrian government.

In 2015, before the DNC had a chance to kick her to the curb, Tulsi
resigned “in protest”. She couldn’t openly cross the aisle where she belongs (without risk to her seat in congress) so she endorsed Bernie Sanders. This was seen by insiders as another way to generate publicity and headlines, since her rhetoric and positions on issues have often been closer to Trump's than Sanders.

Tulsi is so RED that after the 2016 election, Donald Trump seriously considered her for secretary of state or U.N. ambassador. Tulsi was the only “Democrat” considered and the only one Trump met with. Steve Bannon loved the idea because of her stance on guns, refugees and Islam. Kellyanne Conway told reporters that “Trump and Gabbard have a lot of common ground and both understand the country very well”. Racist alt-right leader Richard Spencer also loved the idea, tweeting “Tulsi Gabbard is brave and the kind of person we need in the diplomatic corps.”

As if one racist alt-right endorsement wasn’t enough, Tulsi is also supported by David Duke, the former grand wizard of the KKK. In a 2016 radio interview, Duke said that he was a huge fan of Congresswoman Gabbard. Although Gabbard quickly renounced Duke’s support, his endorsement at the very least says a lot about her ideologies and affiliations with right-wing dictators.

In 2017, according to FEC filings, Gabbard's campaign paid the Potomac Square Group (headed by Chris Cooper) for media consulting. The same year, Cooper was named in a letter from Senate Judiciary Committee as part of the Russia investigation. Cooper was also hired to do PR for Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer from the Trump Tower meeting who has now been charged in a separate case that shows her close ties to the Kremlin.

Gabbard's campaign spent over $70,000 on video equipment and production costs, with much of that going to her husband Abraham Williams and his production company. Tulsi’s husband is also a member of the Science of Identity cult. His company produces all the videos for cult co-leader Wai Lana Butler (Text removed)

If you live in Tulsi's district and ask for information or services, Gabbard requires her own constituents to fill out a 3-page "Privacy Release Form" before her office staff will provide assistance. This invasive form requires detailed information including immigrant status, business tax ID, Medicare, and Veteran's Administration numbers. These forms are not required by other Congressional offices.

Tulsi Gabbard has never attended a Women's March even though Teresa Shook lives in her district. Shook founded the movement (Text removed).

________

This extensively researched article was first started in 2015 and has been updated over the years. Thanks to my partners at Fact Society and to my friends in Hawaii who brought this all to my attention and provided links and articles they had been compiling for years. Special Thanks to Page Kaohu. Page has lived in this district in Hawaii for decades and can attest to the facts presented in this article. Everything in this article can be verified. Some of the early articles about Tulsi’s deep ties to the Science of Identity cult, many of which were published in independent press outlets in Hawaii, have now been removed from the internet by the cult or by threat of Tulsi’s handlers. Unfortunately, I saved them in a file as links. I have since changed my methods and have begun printing out and taking screen shots of documents used in research.

The truth IS out there.

PS Bots and trolls will be deleted and blocked. Don't waste your time.

Here are some links and videos for those who want more....

https://www.meanwhileinhawaii.org/ (a long but thoroughly researched article exposing Tulsi Gabbard's cult ties)

http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/15759/Video-Tulsi-Gabbard-praises-her-Guru-Chris-Butler-on-50th-Anniversary-of-Hare-Krishna-in-USA.aspx

http://hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/15250/Tulsi-Gabbards-Cult-Tied-to-quotBillion-Dollar-Drug-Empirequot--Funded-Taliban.aspx

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2017/05/tulsi-gabbard-president-sanders-democratic-party

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/11/06/what-does-tulsi-gabbard-believe

https://www.tulsigabbard.guru

https://ramaransonvsthecult.wordpress.com/2015/09/29/tulsi-gabbard-cult-born-and-raised/amp

[irresistable]

1. the first piece of legislation on the list -false accusation that Tulsi opposed it

that is enough for me that this is a bunch of cut and paste hype.

Death by loose accusation

[mahina]

3. Please show me evidence and I will remove it and apologize.

Last edited Mon Jan 14, 2019, 04:44 AM - Edit history (1)

If you are wrong, do you want to know it?

[irresistable]

4. my belief is that it is your responsibility to verify accusations against a sitting Democrat...

before you post it here.

[mahina]

6. So, none?

Be you, baby.

[irresistable]

9. I told you that the first legislation on the list - false accusation

If you aren't willing to research this list for accuracy...people should be very cautious in taking it at face value.

[mahina]

11. You are not showing any votes that refute it. I see none either

And didn’t hear any reasons why at the community meeting she held in my neighborhood in her district.

Regardless of what you believe.

[irresistable]

13. that is the point, your post is says that she OPPOSED it.

It was never voted on.... the assault weapons ban of 2015 never made it out of committee in a Republican congress. like, duh!

She is a co-sponsor of the assault weapons ban of 2018, which will pass

[mahina]

17. What do you know, you get logical fallacy #1

Hasty Generalization. And still haven’t shown evidence. Bravo. A pro for sure.

https://society6.com/product/a-look-at-logical-fallacies_poster?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=1027&c_kid=s6-9687157p66a213v756&sku=s6-9687157p66a213v756&gclid=Cj0KCQiAg_HhBRDNARIsAGHLV52AkSeXVMS3c6--X80GRYBaR4slV-_8rOsn9A9WiG1AyCNwO_6q3jIaAnpDEALw_wcB

[irresistable]

22. You haven't shown evidence that she opposed it...

and since you posted that she did, it is up to YOU prove that.

and she did co-sponsor the updated 2018 version.

[mahina]

8. She is recorded here voting w Republicans on HR 1181

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2017/roll169.xml

[irresistable]

10. that is the SECOND piece of legislation

Last edited Tue Jan 15, 2019, 01:43 AM - Edit history (1)

I'll let Beto O'Rourke explain why he voted for it along with Tulsi

https://link.medium.com/s1sDAZlruT

[herding cats]

96. Your link doesn't work.

It's a different version of the bill, but hey... whatever, right? You're working an angle here and that's all that matters.

Conflating Beto and Tusli erroneously. Noted. 👀

[irresistable]

99. It isn't a different version of the bill but I did fix the link.

Also, Beto didn't vote for the bill whereas Tulsi did.

I posted this because Beto gave a coherent explanation for why someone WOULD vote for it, and it wasn't an easy choice for him.

[herding cats]

100. Linky?

Still not working.

[herding cats]

101. Oh, and hurry, please?

I'm off to bed. I have to be up at 4am to head to the airport.

[irresistable]

102. that link works for me...

maybe try opening it in a new window or tab?

[herding cats]

103. Nope. It goes to the homepage. nt

[irresistable]

104. try refreshing the page with the link

[moriah]

57. Here ya go.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4269/all-actions

It never came to a vote.

Therefore, she never refused to vote on it.

If you are wrong, will you admit it?

[mahina]

5. It raised a ruckus here in the islands. If I'm wrong I want to know.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_57635ad1e4b0092652d744e9

[mahina]

7. She is my representative and none of this is news.

[mahina]

12. Honolulu Magazine, a very conventional publication, printed this in 2017.

You should read it. It refutes your assertion.

http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/November-2017/Did-Tulsi-Gabbards-National-Ambitions-Just-Suffer-a-Political-Hit/index.php?fb_action_ids=10212568304936234&fb_action_types=og.comments&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B2160227607336016%5D&action_type_map=%5B"og.comments"%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D&

Did Tulsi Gabbard’s National Ambitions Just Suffer a Political Hit?
A “NEW YORKER” MAGAZINE PROFILE RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT A CIRCUMSTANTIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CONTROVERSIAL SPIRITUAL MENTOR CHRIS BUTLER—BUT ALSO SPURS CHARGES OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE.
BY DON WALLACE


PUBLISHED: 2017.11.20 05:37 PM
Tulsi Gabbard

PHOTO: COURTESY OF TULSI GABBARD



The photo is pure and ethereal: U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard in a black rash guard floating on a surfboard above a sun-splashed Pacific. But anyone who’s felt a tad confused keeping up with the extracurricular political moves of Gabbard—including her (possible) job interview with then President-elect Donald Trump, her secret mission to Syria, and open alliance with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist—will likely not find clarity in the Nov. 6 issue of The New Yorker, which arrived in many Hawai‘i mailboxes last week.



The profile by The New Yorker staff writer Kelefa Sanneh starts by positioning Gabbard as very much the rising star of the Democratic Party (Bernie Sanders wing) and someone with bipartisan potential. Surfer, vegetarian, first Hindu elected to Congress, “Hawaiian action figure”—the story checks off all the exotic boxes. It approvingly notes how her tours of duty in the National Guard ground a patriotism that is also skeptical of military intervention as a policy. The article quotes Rachel Maddow’s early assessment: “She is on the fast track to being very famous.”



Then the tone turns dark. After describing a Memorial Day appearance at a veterans cemetery in Kaua‘i, the story shifts to describing Gabbard’s rise in politics as someone who was “social conservative, pro-life and active in the fight against same-sex marriage,” before publicly repudiating these positions. (It misses pointing out that Gabbard changed her mind while running against social conservative, pro-life, anti-same-sex candidate Mufi Hannemann.) It notes her tendency to disconcert mainstream Democratic coalitions by joining Republicans on votes, her appearances on Fox News, her “political disaster” of a visit to Syria. And then it gets to Chris Butler. The Kailua surfer-turned-guru has been linked publicly to the Gabbards for years. The representative’s father and mother signed on early for Butler’s platform of 1960s-style vegetarianism and yoga. They were there as it morphed, collecting spiritual traits and beliefs from the New Age movement, the Hare Krishnas and Hinduism, before Butler reorganized himself as the Science of Identity Foundation—which became a stealth political action force.



Most of this is not news in Hawai‘i. The connections between Chris Butler and Gabbard’s parents, her husband and campaign staff are explored in various articles, including this 2015 one and in HONOLULU’s pages, dating back to 2004. The latter prompted Tulsi Gabbard to email the magazine, accusing it of acting as a “conduit for … homosexual extremist supporters of Ed Case.” (It should be noted that HONOLULU has written about other Kailua cults not connected to Chris Butler.)

[irresistable]

14. she is being accused of yoga and vegetarianism...and Hinduism

maybe even surfing.

In 2012, when running for Congress, Gabbard apologized to LGBT activists in Hawaii for her past comments.
"I want to apologize for statements that I have made in the past that have been very divisive and even disrespectful to those within the LGBT community," Gabbard said. "I know that those comments have been hurtful and I sincerely offer my apology to you and hope that you will accept it."
Since joining Congress in 2013, Gabbard has supported efforts to promote LGBT equality, including co-sponsoring pro-LGBT legislation like The Equality Act, a bill to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to protect LGBT individuals.
"I grew up in a very kind of conservative household. A multi-ethnic, multi-racial, multi-faith home," Gabbard said in New Hampshire in December, speaking to her shift. "Diverse in our makeup and diverse in our views. And I held views growing up that I no longer hold."
Citing her time deployed overseas, Gabbard said she saw "the destructive effect of having governments who act as moral arbiters for their people."
"That caused me to really deeply reflect and be introspective on the values and beliefs that I had grown up with what I was experiencing there," she said. "And then coming back and eventually running for office again. And the conflict that I saw there, in standing for, believing strongly in, and fighting for these ideals of freedom and liberty that we hold dear in this country. It means that equality, that our laws, our government must apply that respect for every single individual. For people who choose to love or marry someone -- whether they be of the same gender or not, that respect, and that freedom for every woman to be able to make her own choice about her body and her family and her future. So it was a process that I went through that changed my views in many ways and in many big ways to the views that I hold today."

[mahina]

15. Not true at all. Your headline is nonsense and your text is a non sequitur.

Do you work for her campaign, or volunteer?

Welcome to DU.

[irresistable]

19. I was summarizing the article that you posted for me

There was no there there.

The text was a response to the homophobic things that she said prior to her deployment.

I do not work or volunteer for her.

I like three candidates right now, Tulsi, Kamala and Elizabeth and I object to any of them being smeared.

[mahina]

21. I'm not smearing her, I'm her fucking constituent and I am

Telling you she is not progressive.

She is not being accused of surfing, yoga and Hinduism. That is bullshit.

Read Charles Pierce’s brief but very clear Esquire article making the same point.
In case you are sincere and interested in facts, which now seems unlikely.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a25836826/tulsi-gabbard-mazie-hirono-catholic-trump-judge-nominee/

“If you're looking to bet on the various people who can muck up the 2020 presidential election, you can do worse than put a little early money on Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Democrat of Hawaii, whose flea-on-a-griddle semi-progressivism is beginning to look less like charming eccentricity, and more like calculated mischief. She's positioning herself for a possible run at the nomination herself, if there's room for someone whose history says she's more offended by Hawaii senator Mazie Hirono than she is by Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Let me explain, but first, let me tell you about my grandfather, for whom I am named.”

He goes on to explain a lot.

[irresistable]

24. you accept opinion as fact

describing her religious practice in your list as creepy hare-krishna
is exactly why Tulsi is sensitive to others being questioned in that way

[mahina]

28. Did you know Sri Shim? I know his mother and brother. They are still heartbroken at his loss.

The Chris Butler devotee thing actually is a creepy cult. And I’m not talking about Hinduism. I don’t care what anybody’s religion is.

Anyway. Aloha.

[irresistable]

32. what does this have to do with Tulsi?

[mahina]

25. I don't believe you are sincere and I have no interest in communicating with you further.

Aloha also means goodbye. You can tell Tulsi.

[still_one]

41. I think you nailed it. Regardless, Gabbard doesn't have chance to get the Democratic nomination.

[obamanut2012]

59. I think that is the plan tbh

[Hekate]

71. Aren't you special

[irresistable]

76. when I see a post on DU calling a sitting Democrat's religious practice "creepy hare krishna"

I consider that to be special.

[Hekate]

83. Hare Rama, dude. How about Scientology? How about the Moonies?

Cults aren't cute, and our First Amendment rights allow us to point that out if need be.

[irresistable]

86. Claiming your 1st amendment right to mock the beliefs of others...

is so progressive.

[Hekate]

89. You obviously don't know me. But Mahina has provided a well-cited and well-sourced post, and...

...she is a constituent of the politician in question in a small state where nearly everybody knows everybody else. I say her posts have more weight than your baiting comments do.

Bye.

[irresistable]

91. Since you have been provided with this "well sourced post"...

That qualifies you to mock her beliefs with your "Hare Rama, Dude" response

[LakeSuperiorView]

16. She did not support H.R.4269.

Not supporting vs. opposing - just semantics or actual difference?

Would it be fair to change "opposed" to "actively did not support"?

It is plainly obvious that Gabbard has not supported gun regulation legislation. It may be overstating the case to say she opposes it, but she clearly does not support it. There could be multiple reasons one missed signing onto a single bill, but she declined to co-sponsor at least 11 bills on firearms.

I do not think any case can be made to say Gabbard is in favor of any sort of gun legislation.

.

[mahina]

18. Thank you.

Lord have mercy. This one must be getting paid. (Not you

[obamanut2012]

47. They aren't the only one

It is obvious!

[arthritisR_US]

111. Nailed it! I see this BS and Troll comes to mind.

[irresistable]

20. Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.R. 5087, The Assault Weapons Ban of 2018,

... which would regulate the importation, manufacture, possession, sale or transfer of assault weapons.

Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.Res. 367 to Establish the Select Committee on Gun Violence Prevention (2017). This resolution establishes the House Select Committee on Gun Violence Prevention

Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.R. 3947, The Automatic Gunfire Prevention Act (2017), which makes it illegal for any person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a trigger crank, a bump-fire device, or any accessory that is designed to accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle.

Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.R.3999 (2017). This bill amends Title 18 of the United States Code to prohibit the manufacture, possession, or transfer of any part or combination of parts that is designed to increase the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle, but does not convert the semiautomatic rifle into a machine gun.

[mahina]

23. I'll call her staff tomorrow and find out more.

After your post stating that she is being accused of surfing and yoga you can imagine how much weight your words carry .

[Cha]

80. Really. When someone resorts to a strawman

like "..accusing her of surfing and yoga.." then they've lost.

[Me.]

82. Good One Cha

[Cha]

85. Aloha, Me.. have you seen this from the Star Advertiser?

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2019/01/13/hawaii-news/volcanic-ash/david-shapiro-gabbard-plays-both-sides-in-angling-for-white-house/

Thank Goodness this is in the Star Advertiser! Thank You, David Shapiro. Bet, Gabbard is pissed this light is shining on her actions

"Gabbard Plays Both Sides in Angling for White House"

The latest example was her op-ed in The Hill accusing Hawaii U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and other Democrats of “religious bigotry” for asking U.S. District Court nominee Brian Buescher about belonging to the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic group that opposes abortion and gay marriage.

While ripping politicians in general for weaponizing religion for “selfish gain,” she singled out only fellow Democrats, bringing a rebuke from Hirono that Gabbard is pandering to “right-wing ideologues.”

She’s right that nobody should be disqualified from service solely because of their religion; but many of President Donald Trump’s appointees have openly blurred the line between church and state, and it’s fair to ask how their beliefs would affect public policy.

Gabbard hasn’t been nearly as vocal against the political weaponizing of faith by the religious right, which applauded her attack on Democrats.

Junior legislators who pick fights with the opposing party are a dime a dozen and get little notice. Gabbard figured out that fighting with her own party makes her a fixture on cable news and gets her op-eds in The Hill.

She’s bashed former President Barack Obama for being too soft on “radical Islam,” quit the Democratic National Committee in a huff to support Bernie Sanders and blasted Hillary Clinton for not giving Sanders enough debates — ironic coming from somebody who won’t debate her own opponents.

It's just part of mahina's post here..

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11669709

[Me.]

92. I Did

and it proves out my opinion of her and I don't appreciate at all her 'bashing' Dems as the article mentions, especially PBO. Haven't we been there and done that already with others who think that is the route to the presidency?

[Cha]

93. Gabbard went on faux "news" so much to

bash President Obama back then that I contacted her and asked her to .. "Please don't send me anymore of your emails".

The title of the article hits it squarely on the nail..

"Gabbard Plays Both Sides in Angling for White House"

Regularly slammed Democrats and the Obama administration on Fox News and other major TV news outlets.

And, President Obama.. Whose Democratic Base Voters, I'm thinking, won't be lining up to vote for TG.

[herding cats]

98. Hey, Tulsi is toast out of the box.

I can't figure out why she's actually running, but it's never gonna happen.

I'm not bashing your state, but the fact that she's still there is kind of shocking. I know you folks tried to oust her, but it's hard with a seated politician. Maybe, just maybe, this overreacting on her part will make it happen next cycle. There's going to be extensive vetting this cycle and there's no way in hell she'll survive it.

[Cha]

105. I've heard..

".. the chaos candidate..".

she's never been vetted before.. check out the last paragraph from Mother Jones..

Her work on behalf of Assad is not the only foreign connection that could get in the way of Gabbard’s higher political ambitions. Gabbard is the first Hindu member of Congress, and she has ties to American Hindus who support nationalist causes in India.

The fault lines between Gabbard and most of her party began to emerge years ago. In 2015, she was among a minority contingent of Democrats who joined a Republican bill to restrict refugees coming to the United States from Syria and Iraq. She embraced the term “radical Islam” and, alongside Republicans, attacked President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for not using it, even though many see it way to demonize Muslims.

After the 2016 election, Gabbard met with President-elect Trump, who was reportedly considering her for several administration posts. The two aligned on some key foreign policy goals. Gabbard said at the time that she used the meeting to discuss her legislation to end what she described as “our country’s illegal war to overthrow the Syrian government.” Her name was missing from a letter from 169 House Democrats around that time condemning Steve Bannon’s White House appointment.

Now that she’s running for president, it will be impossible for Gabbard to avoid questions about her foreign policy record, in interviews and on debate stages later this year—a forum she has avoided for the past four years by declining to debate primary challengers running against her in Hawaii who wanted to confront her over her foreign policy agenda.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/01/tulsi-gabbard-is-running-for-president-can-she-shake-her-ties-to-dictators-and-nationalists/

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211666552

And, TG went after popular, generous, fierce Sen Mazie Hirono..

Reply from Mazie's office to Gabbard.. via the WaPo..

Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard accuses fellow Democrats of 'religious bigotry' in questioning judicial nominee

Hirono’s office responded Wednesday that Gabbard was mischaracterizing her questioning of Buescher, and that the senator was voicing her concerns about the nominee’s past public statements rather than his religion.

“It is unfortunate that Congresswoman Gabbard based her misguided opinion on the far-right wing manipulation of these straightforward questions,” Hirono spokesman Will Dempster said in a statement.

He added that over the past two years, Hirono “has been attacked by right wing ideologues for her examination of Donald Trump’s ideologically-driven nominees to the courts.”

“Senator Hirono asks all judicial nominees — particularly those who have expressed very strong personal ideological views in conflict with Supreme Court precedent — if they can be fair,” Dempster said. “She asked Mr. Buescher, who has a clear record of anti-choice activism, whether he could separate his personal beliefs from decisions he would make if confirmed for a lifetime appointment on the federal bench.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hawaii-rep-tulsi-gabbard-accuses-fellow-democrats-of-religious-bigotry-in-questioning-judicial-nominee/2019/01/09/2c17ecdc-1467-11e9-90a8-136fa44b80ba_story.html?utm_term=.97039859a6e2

Let's Hope So!

herding

[LakeSuperiorView]

29. Here are bills that she didn't co-sponsor...

H.R. 1076—Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015
H.R.4269—Assault Weapons Ban of 2015
H.R.4748—Imported Assault Weapons Ban of 2016
H.R.3926 — Gun Violence Research Act
H.R.3411 — Fix Gun Checks Act of 2015
H.R.2380 — Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2015
H.R.1745 — Support Assault Firearms Elimination and Reduction for our Streets Act
H.R.752 — Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act
H.R.226 — Keeping Guns from High Risk Individuals Act
H.R.225 — Firearm Safety Act of 2015
H.R.224 — To require the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service to submit to Congress an annual report on the effects of gun violence on public health.


People can choose what they want to believe, but in my opinion, her record does not show support of common sense gun legislation.

[irresistable]

33. Those bills were never going to pass in a Republican congress.

Now that they matter, she is on board.

[LakeSuperiorView]

36. Now that she is running for higher office...

The attitude that one should sit back and do nothing unless one has the majority is not a winning trait.

[irresistable]

50. Attacking sitting Democrats with a great voting record is not a winning trait....

[LakeSuperiorView]

53. When I was talking about attitudes, I wasn't speaking about Gabbard.

My apologies, if that wasn't clear.

[irresistable]

54. Then who exactly has that attitude in your scenario?

[LakeSuperiorView]

55. I possess no scenarios, I have never spoken with Tulsi Gabbard.

I wouldn't presume to speak of her attitudes. But it seems clear that her record shows that she does not support common sense gun legislation.

You had a valid point when you balked at a claim that she opposed bills that were never brought up for votes. I suggested that the OP change to actively not supporting gun legislation. That still seems to bother you, you seem to want to claim she has sterling credentials, but it is true that she has never voted for gun legislation.

You claimed to another poster that you only want to correct misinformation about her. I have offered no misinformation, only the facts that she did not sign on to 11 separate pieces of gun legislation and has not voted for any gun legislation to date.

[still_one]

44. Hmmmm, so that's what it is. You don't vote on something because you don't think it will pass.

bullshit

What you vote on and what you don't vote on tells you where they stand

[irresistable]

46. there was no voting on the bill at all

she is being criticized for not co-sponsoring bills that never came to the floor of the house.

[still_one]

49. Then Your point is valid. However, there are more than enough reasons for me not supporting her

Last edited Mon Jan 14, 2019, 11:04 AM - Edit history (1)

with that

[irresistable]

52. I am just trying to correct a lot of misinformation about her

The list at the top of this discussion has a lot of it.

[still_one]

56. ok

[VOX]

26. Tulsi's got so much baggage, she should work for TSA.

But as a presidential candidate? NO THANKS!

[mahina]

31. Three points!

[Hekate]

74. Oh, snap!

[Recursion]

27. Every fifty-something old-left white guy I know adores her

And it makes zero sense to me. She's simply not a progressive, period.

[mahina]

30. Thanks Recursion.

Turns out, right?

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a25836826/tulsi-gabbard-mazie-hirono-catholic-trump-judge-nominee/

[rateyes]

34. I am one 58 year old-left white guy that doesn't adore her.

[mahina]

35. Thanks man. I guess the lesson I take from this is to be more aware of

The way political messaging sometimes hits those nerve point
s that makes us stop thinking.

Not you of course

[still_one]

45. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[LakeSuperiorView]

37. 56 year old left guy that doesn't adore her.

Don't hate her either, but she doesn't make the grade, IMO. Good to see that more than old white men are tossing their hats in the ring, but I don't think she will last long.

[obamanut2012]

48. Because she is cute and kinda hot, that's why

I'm a semi-old gay woman, and can admit she is kinda hot, but she is also soooooo not left, or progressive, and I will say no more so I don't get a post hidden.

I have found some folks are being like that with Beto -- they think he is cool and hip and kinda cute. Good grief. People need to be less shallow about things.

[dansolo]

38. She is just another Dennis Kucinich

A pro-life authoritarian who pandered to liberals. I never trusted him, and I don't trust her one bit.

[Recursion]

43. Yeah, I was not surprised when he went to Fox as a commentator. I'm sure she will too. (nt)

[lostnfound]

39. I canvassed for Sanders but I do not trust Tulsi

Sanders has a long career of voting the right way and pushing the right things, and he’s always been very popular with his constituents.

Wish you hadn’t described him as “poison to our party”. Because I would have recommended this thread, otherwise, and instead I wonder if it should be alerted. He’s had a long good career. Some lapses in judgment near the end don’t nullify the whole thing.

Tulsi, though, I do not trust..

[mahina]

63. I can see how that wasn't clear.This is not my writing, but Sky Williams'. I volunteered for Bernie

Though once she won the primary, I also volunteered and voted for Hillary.

I thought the actions of the DNC against Bernie were really unjust.

I removed that text. Mahalo.

[lostnfound]

69. Ah yes.

[2naSalit]

40. K&R

x10,000,000,000,000!

[disillusioned73]

42. How does this not violate TOS??

"Tulsi Gabbard was chosen to be an inaugural fellow at the Sanders Institute, founded by Bernie’s wife, Jane Sanders. Just like Sanders, Gabbard is pure poison to our party. We must do everything in our power to keep Democrats from being deceived by this self-serving cult-raised infiltrator. Tulsi Gabbard’s actions have proven to be against the ideals and platform of our party and her true agenda and motivations are unknown. "

Good god...

[Duppers]

62. Great point.

[mahina]

64. You have a good point. I stated that I disagree with her position on Bernie, but it's not really

Enough. I’ll remove that. Thank you.

[moriah]

66. Personally, I think there are far more TOS violations than that.

Look, you can see from my posting history what I think about her as a Presidential contender -- she wouldn't get my vote unless *somehow* she won the primary, and I don't see that happening.

But it ain't about some spurious "guru", or linking to an anti-Tulsi site with the domain .guru, bought through Domains By Proxy and with no legit contact information on the site.

You're lucky enough to live in a less conservative state than I am. I frequently have to make the argument to people that Tulsi made for why she allegedly "came around" on choice and LGBT issues -- that whatever the fuck you believe your sky god tells you to do, we have a Constitution and rule of law, and you can't force your sky-god's views on other people. You can only use them as a guide to live your own life, and only to the extent that it doesn't harm others. Some actually listen. Which I count as a victory,

Am I glad she came to that conclusion? Yes.

Do I trust someone who still didn't say even in 2011 that personally she believes homosexuality is okay and abortion is not murder to spearhead the fight against Republican attempts to erode Roe and keep the LGBT community marginalized, like a Presidential contender must?

No.

Do I give a shit what sky-god she follows, or who her "guru" might be, or whether her family is hypocritical about their professed Christianity? Not really, and I think those are not germane to the reasons I don't see her as a contender.

[mahina]

67. From David Shapiro at the Honolulu Star Advertiser today;

"Gabbard Plays Both Sides in Angling for White House"

At 37, Hawaii U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has little record of substantive achievement during stints in the Legislature, City Council and U.S. Congress. Few peers seem to look to her for leadership.

Yet her relentless self-­promotion has gained enough attention that she thinks she can be president.

Gabbard built her prominence on a twist to the old political adage that you pick your fights carefully: She carefully picks fights with her own Democratic Party.

The latest example was her op-ed in The Hill accusing Hawaii U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and other Democrats of “religious bigotry” for asking U.S. District Court nominee Brian Buescher about belonging to the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic group that opposes abortion and gay marriage.

While ripping politicians in general for weaponizing religion for “selfish gain,” she singled out only fellow Democrats, bringing a rebuke from Hirono that Gabbard is pandering to “right-wing ideologues.”

She’s right that nobody should be disqualified from service solely because of their religion; but many of President Donald Trump’s appointees have openly blurred the line between church and state, and it’s fair to ask how their beliefs would affect public policy.

Gabbard hasn’t been nearly as vocal against the political weaponizing of faith by the religious right, which applauded her attack on Democrats.

Junior legislators who pick fights with the opposing party are a dime a dozen and get little notice. Gabbard figured out that fighting with her own party makes her a fixture on cable news and gets her op-eds in The Hill.

She’s bashed former President Barack Obama for being too soft on “radical Islam,” quit the Democratic National Committee in a huff to support Bernie Sanders and blasted Hillary Clinton for not giving Sanders enough debates — ironic coming from somebody who won’t debate her own opponents.

Her ultimate endorsement of Clinton was lukewarm, and she avoided disparaging Trump, saying she didn’t know him.

The reason became clear when she was among the first after the election to audition at Trump Tower for a Cabinet job; only after it didn’t materialize did she start seriously criticizing Trump.

Gabbard paints herself progressive by embracing Sanders while courting the Republican right with persistent criticism of Democrats over national security and religion.

Internationally she proclaims herself a peacenik, but it’s a peace where the strongman always wins, judging from her coziness with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, Egyptian tyrant Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and India’s nationalist leader Narendra Modi.

Former Trump strategist and alt-right guru Steve Bannon has said he “loves” her, and Gabbard was touted for secretary of state by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

She eventually disavowed white nationalist support, but it hasn’t stopped Democrats from wondering why these folks like her so much.

[moriah]

68. I've addressed that in my posting history....

.... as to why I especially distrust someone who claims that the rule of law is supposed to overwhelm one's personal views, yet objects to the line of questioning even being raised (and calls it religious bigotry to do so) of whether someone CAN set them aside -- not everyone can, obviously she couldn't for quite a bit of her career, so it's a legit question to ask of nominees .

I brought it up when various people said that statements made in her past might not be relevant.

As I said, I'm not a Tulsi supporter for president, and as I'm not her constituent and Hawaii can get far more liberal Democrats, if you can get a better Dem elected, I wish you all the luck in the world doing it.

I still think the sky-god rambling and dig in the anonymous anti-Tulsi website about gurus is less than quality source material for debate (as if there really needs to be any, I do not see her gaining traction among the other names out there) about her as a potential Presidential candidate.

[mahina]

114. Did you bring up a gun bill she cosponsored upthread?

I blocked a responder and it might be in that sub-thread, if it was you.

Anyway this is a response from another local person.

"At 37, Hawaii U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has little record of substantive achievement during stints in the Legislature, City Council and U.S. Congress."

As someone who has closely tracked legislation through the Hawaii state legislature or, more accurately, TRIED to track legislation, I caution against thinking it is easy to assess how effective a legislator is by seeing what bills they have sponsored (or co-sponsored).

BUT the one bill I remember Tulsi authoring while at the City Council was to criminalize homeless people sleeping on the sidewalks or benches. In Congress, she has pointedly REFUSED to sign on to legislation developed by the Democratic Caucus in the House, with gun safety legislation as the particular example that sticks in my memory. She fools uncritical fans by pointing to other legislation she has authored (or co-authored) which appears to accomplish some of the same things. At least, enough to mislead constituents and to provide her with "cover." On gun safety, she claimed she did so in order to help forge a "bi-partisan" solution, but if that had been the intent, it would have been necessary for her to gain a lot of support from her Republican friends, but it did not. Instead, it also provided THEM with "cover." By signing onto her legislation, which they knew in advance was going nowhere, they could point to this as evidence to angry parents that they did want to rein in the gun violence, but could not do so, due to excessive partisanship.

[moriah]

115. If I'm blocked, I don't know why you're responding to me.

The only post I made on this thread, other than my comment about TOS, was regarding your source of cut and paste material was misleading regarding the 2015 Assault Rifle Ban that never came to a vote -- which was simply a link to the congressional record for that bill, and a bit of snipe about how you'd phrased asking someone *else* to prove your source was misleading.

I forget not everyone has a star on here and can search posts by a person's screen name, so you can't just search my posts and see, for example, the response to the 1 post person who claimed we were ragging on Democrats to criticize her for statements she made in the past -- explaining it's an ongoing pattern here, not just conservative parenting/brainwashing she fought off and completely repudiated.

Even in her attempt at repudiation, it was pretty clear that she was saying she hadn't changed her views on anything except the government's place in enforcing morality. And while I'll accept that when the alternative is a Republican, as it often is here in Arkansas, I can understand why you as her constituent are frustrated with her.

[Hekate]

72. Wow. Good for Shapiro at the Honolulu Star Advertiser. Don't let up, Mahina...

And don't let yourself be baited, either. I see what's going on with that in this thread.

[mahina]

87. Mahalo Hekate

I’m thankful.

[Cha]

84. Mahalo nui loa, mahina! Here's the link..

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2019/01/13/hawaii-news/volcanic-ash/david-shapiro-gabbard-plays-both-sides-in-angling-for-white-house/

Thank Goodness this is in the Star Advertiser! Thank You, David Shapiro. Bet, Gabbard is pissed this light is shining on her actions

The latest example was her op-ed in The Hill accusing Hawaii U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and other Democrats of “religious bigotry” for asking U.S. District Court nominee Brian Buescher about belonging to the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic group that opposes abortion and gay marriage.

While ripping politicians in general for weaponizing religion for “selfish gain,” she singled out only fellow Democrats, bringing a rebuke from Hirono that Gabbard is pandering to “right-wing ideologues.”

She’s right that nobody should be disqualified from service solely because of their religion; but many of President Donald Trump’s appointees have openly blurred the line between church and state, and it’s fair to ask how their beliefs would affect public policy.

Gabbard hasn’t been nearly as vocal against the political weaponizing of faith by the religious right, which applauded her attack on Democrats.

Junior legislators who pick fights with the opposing party are a dime a dozen and get little notice. Gabbard figured out that fighting with her own party makes her a fixture on cable news and gets her op-eds in The Hill.

She’s bashed former President Barack Obama for being too soft on “radical Islam,” quit the Democratic National Committee in a huff to support Bernie Sanders and blasted Hillary Clinton for not giving Sanders enough debates — ironic coming from somebody who won’t debate her own opponents.

[mahina]

88. Mahalo nui Cha!

🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼❤️

[USALiberal]

73. Alert it then or quit whining! nt

[Blue_true]

81. I will venture a guess. It does not attacks democrats as a whole, but

does take a position on a specific democrat in regards to that democrat's adherence to the party's core values. Seem like a perfectly legitimate post to me.

[woodsprite]

51. I feel cautious about her run and was hoping she wouldn't throw her hat in the ring.

Same with Gillibrand.

[Gothmog]

58. Thank you for posting this

[mahina]

106. Thank you for reading and commenting. Aloha.

[Gothmog]

107. I am the father of a gay daughter and this is very upsetting to me

[mahina]

108. In solidarity.

[tenderfoot]

60. Hawaiian LGBT groups have not endorsed her even after her "evolution."

eom

[Cha]

95. Mahalo, tenderfoot.

[Tom Rinaldo]

61. "She wormed her way into a position at the DNC" BS. That's on the DNC. They named her a Co-Chair

That is a pretty high position in the National Democratic Party. A case can be made that she never should have been given that role, but the responsibility for elevating her to that role falls squarely on National Democrats. You can't exactly worm your way into becoming Co-Chair the same way you can worm your way into a sold out concert by ducking underneath a gate. At one point Democrats were willing to groom her for increasing leadership. Maybe because she was one of our early Middle Eastern war vets in Congress, but whatever.

I've always been a skeptic regarding Gabbard. I know that she is at the very least controversial, having taken some stands I would never agree with. But the National Democratic Party helped "make her."

[mahina]

65. True enough. She can be charming. She certainly charmed Auntie Millie Akaka's friends during the

2006 election for Senate when Ed Case ran against Senator Akaka.

God I miss him. (Senator Akaka). Though I love Mazie and Brian.

Anyway, your point is taken. Thanks

[Hekate]

70. MAHALO, MAHINA. This should be bookmarked. I see zero violations of the TOS in your well-cited post

As a constituent of hers, you certainly have on-the-ground experience.

Interesting to see who has decided this is the hill they should fight on here.

[RLC1]

75. looker

If nothing else, we'd have a looker in the White House.

[Hekate]

90. That's your criteria, RLC1? Try again.

[Cha]

94. That's it.. nothing more. America Deserves Better.

[dawg day]

77. There are many other candidates who don't have all this weirdo baggage

There is nothing particularly Democratic or progressive about her, so why not support someone else? I'm not getting why to support her over anyone else, even if the above are "out of context" or exaggerated or whatever. We certainly don't need someone whose views were very rightwing so recently.


Here's an article about that cult from an insider. https://medium.com/@lalitamann/an-insiders-perspective-on-tulsi-gabbard-and-her-guru-e2650f0d09

[Me.]

78. As Her Constituent I'm Sure You Know Quite A Bit About Her

that others don't. Stand firm on what you know, naysayers for their favorites will always want to censor others. Don't fall for it.

[sharedvalues]

79. Thank you. Anti-LGBT and Syria is quite enough for me.

[backscatter712]

97. Yeah, she can shove her badly-hidden anti-LGBT bigotry up her ass.

I'm going for Warren.

[AlexSFCA]

109. how did she manage to get re-elected with such history?

seems like a perfect candidate to primary. She appears so incencere in her interviews. Her role appears to be a spoller, I can see large social media disinformation campaign feeded by alt right that support her with bannon endorsement to saw division within the party. I hope we can manage to get her drop out of the race as early as possible; she is dangerous.

[Cha]

110. TG refuses to debate her opponents since 2012..

Her work on behalf of Assad is not the only foreign connection that could get in the way of Gabbard’s higher political ambitions. Gabbard is the first Hindu member of Congress, and she has ties to American Hindus who support nationalist causes in India.

The fault lines between Gabbard and most of her party began to emerge years ago. In 2015, she was among a minority contingent of Democrats who joined a Republican bill to restrict refugees coming to the United States from Syria and Iraq. She embraced the term “radical Islam” and, alongside Republicans, attacked President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for not using it, even though many see it way to demonize Muslims.

After the 2016 election, Gabbard met with President-elect Trump, who was reportedly considering her for several administration posts. The two aligned on some key foreign policy goals. Gabbard said at the time that she used the meeting to discuss her legislation to end what she described as “our country’s illegal war to overthrow the Syrian government.” Her name was missing from a letter from 169 House Democrats around that time condemning Steve Bannon’s White House appointment.

Now that she’s running for president, it will be impossible for Gabbard to avoid questions about her foreign policy record, in interviews and on debate stages later this year—a forum she has avoided for the past four years by declining to debate primary challengers running against her in Hawaii who wanted to confront her over her foreign policy agenda.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/01/tulsi-gabbard-is-running-for-president-can-she-shake-her-ties-to-dictators-and-nationalists/

[hlthe2b]

112. Gee, look who she has in her camp: Fox News asks, "Is Tulsi Gabbard being 'unfairly' attacked?"

and of course, who do they bring in to share: Glen Greenwald.

Can anyone say, "red flag?"

Link to tweet

[tenderfoot]

116. Michelangelo Signorile couldn't be less impressed

Much of the coverage of Gabbard’s announcement has focused on the number of foreign policy actions she’s taken that have confounded or enraged members of her own party. She secretly met with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, courted India’s right-wing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, voted with the GOP to make it harder for Syrian and Iraqi refugees to come to the U.S., and met with President-elect Donald Trump shortly after the 2016 election amid rumors she was being considered for a job in his administration, which she denied. The news of her presidential run also brought renewed scrutiny to Gabbard’s early-career opposition to LGBTQ equality, a position she now says she regrets.

All this is to say, Gabbard doesn’t appear to have a solid constituency anywhere within the national Democratic Party, thus making her bid for the nomination dead on arrival.

However, in a 2016 interview with the publication Ozy, Gabbard suggested that her personal beliefs on homosexuality actually haven’t changed:

It was, she says, the days in the Middle East that taught her the dangers of a theocratic government “imposing its will” on the people. (She tells me that, no, her personal views haven’t changed, but she doesn’t figure it’s her job to do as the Iraqis did and force her own beliefs on others.)

It’s not exactly comforting as a gay man to know that a politician decided you should be afforded civil rights as a matter of policy while she still personally thinks you’re immoral. But even if we could separate these two things and believe that Gabbard would passionately defend LGBTQ rights the way that, say, now-deceased Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia — a Democrat who was once a member of the Ku Klux Klan — became a supporter of civil rights for African-Americans, it’s Gabbard’s actions right now that are still of great concern.

Recently, she wrote a Hill op-ed that was lauded by right-wing publications. In the piece she attacked those like Democratic Sens. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Kamala Harris of California who sharply questioned Brian Buescher, a religious extremist nominated by Trump to a federal district court vacancy in Nebraska, accusing them of “religious bigotry.” Although Gabbard did not name either senator in the op-ed, the fingerpointing was clear.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-tulsi-gabbard-lgbtq-rights_us_5c3e250ce4b0922a21d93a93?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004

[Cha]

117. Aloha, mahina... Excellent from the Civil Beat on TG.

Link to tweet

[DoctorJoJo]

118. Guessing These Are Reasons She Is At a Phenomenal 1% In Our DU Poll!