Anyone know anything about Rep. Tulsi Gabbard?
= new reply since forum marked as read
Her dad is notorious local political gadfly and over-the-top anti-choice and homophobic wingnut Mike Gabbard. When he switched from (R) to (D) a few years ago (because it is very, very hard to get elected out there as an (R)), the Dems actually had to caucus to decide if they'd take him!
He was also a member of a cult based on Hinduism.
http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/August-2004/Who-is-Mike-Gabbard/
Butler eventually broke away from ISKCON, criticizing the regimen and centralization of ISKCON life. He formed his own organization, which has had several names: Hare Name Society, Identity Institute and the Science of Identity Foundation. What started as a small religious sect on Maui in the 1970s developed a following that, according to some estimates, includes tens of thousands of people all over the world.
Butler's followers chant, practice vegetarianism and Bhakti yoga and must refrain from intoxicants and "illicit sex," or all sexual contact except between married couples at the most fertile time of the month. Unlike ISKCON members who beg publicly, Butler's "other Krishnas" tend to support themselves by creating their own businesses.
Many of Butler's associates made headlines in the 1976 election when they created a party called Independents for Godly Government. As its name implied, the group insisted on rigorous moral standards for its candidates. They could accept only half their allowed salaries and distribute the other half to the people they represented, accept no gifts from special interests, commit no crimes and abstain from intoxication and illicit sex. The party fielded several serious contenders for office, including Kathy Hoshijo, who took 17 percent of the votes in the race for Congress, and Wayne Nishiki, the current Maui councilman, who won 20 percent in a three-man race for mayor.
The Second District (rural O'ahu plus the Neighbor Islands) could have done MUCH better.
Here's a takedown of Tulsi by a fellow DUer:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022073904
Missed that. 
These articles were written before her election to the House.. but I found them very enlightening..
http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2012/01/17/14558-tulsi-gabbards-leftward-journey/
http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2012/07/16/16335-tulsi-gabbard-answers-congressional-district-2-survey/
http://www.votetulsi.com/news/2012-11/core-values-service-and-unity-reach-across-faiths-gabbard-says
Initially, I was very skeptical of supporting her because as stated above, her father Mike Gabbard is a certified homophobic fundie wingnut. There were also some very concerning comments about the people funding and managing her campaign being the same people involved with her father. However, I found the "leftward journey" article to be very illuminating, and after meeting and talking briefly with her at a couple of campaign events, she got my contributions and my vote.
As my Representative, she has been outstanding so far, IMO. The 2nd Congressional District encompasses the "rural" parts of the island of Oahu, and all of the neighbor islands, including Hawaii island, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kauai. When she is home in the islands, she is constantly on the move, holding town halls and meetings throughout the District. I've attended several of her town halls in my community and she is always engaged, compassionate and ready to work towards solutions.
My personal bar for excellence in my Representative was Patsy Mink. Ed Case got my vote in 2002 because he promised to carry on in the tradition of Mrs. Mink. He lied. Tulsi is off to a good start, I believe. Time will tell.
