Tulsi Gabbard needs to be primaried

[Blue_Tires]

Last edited Fri Jan 27, 2017, 04:32 PM - Edit history (3)

Tulsi Gabbard, the self-styled “progressive” Hawaiian congresswoman makes no secret of her recent trip to Damascus to meet Bashar al-Assad. But, as an outspoken opponent of what she presents as America’s pro-terrorist foreign policy, Gabbard certainly accepted some strange companions on what her fellow lawmakers are calling a disgraceful reputation-laundering tour of a bloody dictatorship.

Gabbard, as her own office has disclosed, took her “fact-finding” trip with a delegation of two men who are affiliated with an anti-Semitic political party accused of using female suicide bombers; of beating up Western and Arab journalists; helping U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hezbollah and the U.S.-sanctioned Syrian regime wage war in the Levant. And did we mention the party’s ideology and flag take their inspiration from Nazism?

Gabbard initially declined to say who financed her trip to Syria. However, in a press release Wednesday Gabbard revealed her delegation (which also included former Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich) had been “led and sponsored by” an outfit called the Arab American Community Center for Economic and Social Services (AACCESS—Ohio). Her statement added she and the rest of the delegation had been accompanied by two men, Elie and Bassam Khawam.

Almost no information exists in the public domain about AACCESS—Ohio. Ohio Secretary of State records indicate it was founded in 1991, and has been in and out of existence ever since. It has sponsored just one other Congressional trip, one that brought Kucinich to Syria in 2006 and in 2011. Its website is out of action. It has no identifiable social media presence.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/26/democratic-congresswoman-used-affiliates-of-a-violent-anti-semitic-political-party-to-take-tea-with-assad.html

What a fucking hypocrite... And Bernie Sanders and his followers need to disassociate themselves ASAFP before Tulsi drags the whole goddamned party down...

EDIT: And one of the usual suspects tried and failed to get this locked... Better luck next time!

EDIT: Now you're 0-for-2... Keep raging, and I'll keep laughing. All those hundreds of "We need to primary DWS" threads stood, and you didn't have a problem with them then, so this will stand. Hell I'm old enough to remember "Primary Obama" threads in 2012, so y'all best slow your roll.

[Me.]

1. About Time Somebody Said It

[herding cats]

8. I've been saying it.

There's a reason she's the Republican's favorite Democrat. She is dangerous, and not on the side of peace and democracy.

[Cha]

79. Her primary opponent lost in 2016.. hopefully in 2018, cats. She's my rep..

I voted for Chan Hodges..

Jun 29 2016, 8:39 am ET

Longtime ‘Fighter’ Shay Chan Hodges Takes on Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

snip//

Chan Hodges said her life's work shows she's a fighter, recently working with nonprofit organizations and families to help pass Act 210 and address zoning laws related to childcare and agricultural land. She said she understands the very real problems Hawaii faces, including a lack of jobs, a housing crisis, and substance abuse.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/longtime-fighter-shay-chan-hodges-takes-hawaii-rep-tulsi-gabbard-n599371

'Course gabbard is all grandstanding on foxscrews etc

gabbard has most of the District fooled here on Kauai.. Shay got 14,000 votes though if I remember correctly.

gabbard needs to be primaried again in 2018.

[Cha]

78. She's my Rep, Me.. and she was Primaried in 2016.. JSYK..

I voted for Chan Hodges..

Jun 29 2016, 8:39 am ET

Longtime ‘Fighter’ Shay Chan Hodges Takes on Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

snip//

Chan Hodges said her life's work shows she's a fighter, recently working with nonprofit organizations and families to help pass Act 210 and address zoning laws related to childcare and agricultural land. She said she understands the very real problems Hawaii faces, including a lack of jobs, a housing crisis, and substance abuse.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/longtime-fighter-shay-chan-hodges-takes-hawaii-rep-tulsi-gabbard-n599371

'Course gabbard is all grandstanding on foxscrews etc

gabbard has most of the District fooled here on Kauai.. Shay got 14,000 votes though if I remember correctly.

gabbard needs to be primaried again in 2018.

[Me.]

97. Go After Her Cha

If anyone can do it you can.

Not saying running cause I don't know your situation, though I bet you'd be a great rep. But you can keep on doing what you do, talking and writing.

[Wounded Bear]

2. Another one of the Tea Party tactics we need to use...

DINOs need to be primaried.

[herding cats]

9. She's in a safe Dem seat.

There's zero reason to put up with her there. We can easily fill that seat with a real Democrat.

[Wounded Bear]

10. Our problem has been failure to find real Dems to run...

seems it shouldn't be that hard.

[mrmpa]

17. I'd be happy to move to Hawaii..eom

[workinclasszero]

22. Damn right!!

[LovingA2andMI]

3. As Bernie Sanders Supporters Originally...

We would concur that Tulsi Gabbard needs to face a STRONG PRIMARY CHALLENGE. She is a Turn-Coat and the evidence is beyond obvious at this point.

[JTFrog]

4. "The Curious Islamophobic Politics of Dem Congressmember Tulsi Gabbard"

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/curious-islamophobic-politics-dem-congressmember-tulsi-gabbard

She certainly does have some interesting supporters.

[HoneyBadger]

5. A few weeks before Ellison takes charge of the DNC?

People move past their past.....

[Cha]

80. What does that have to do with wanting to primary this dino in 2018?

[mcar]

6. K&R

[hollowdweller]

7. She's Hindu. There is not a lot of love lost between them and Muslims

I understand her mindset because I've known a lot of same with it.

Don't agree with it though.

[Wounded Bear]

11. Why is kind of irrelevent....

if she wants to keep the seat, she should act a little more like a Democrat and stop giving aid to our opponents.

[Me.]

12. If She Wats To Govern She Needs To Get Over 'Mindsets'

[La Lioness Priyanka]

48. I'm Hindu and I manage to live without being a raging bigot

[randome]

13. I despise this woman. I can't understand why some on DU wanted to support her.

Unless it came from looking for hero worship in all the wrong places. Then it's just short-sightedness.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

[Blue_Tires]

15. You're trying too hard...

0.5/10 for blowing your load five posts into this DU account

[killbotfactory]

16. If Bush had funded the "moderate rebels" of the Syrian Civil War

The reaction here would have been completely different.

We had no business trying to overthrow Assad, and it's just created a gigantic bloodbath.

[Wounded Bear]

18. Wars are always easier to start than to end....

[Blue_Tires]

24. Assad created this bloodbath himself

and Russian aircraft have played the biggest role in perpetrating said bloodbath, but you go right on thinking this is Washington's fault

[killbotfactory]

38. And we prolonged it

We should have kept out of it, like we did with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia crackdowns.

There are no good guys in this fight.

What kind of government do you think the Islamic jihadists want? Why the fuck do we keep arming Islamic radicals? Do you think they would respect the rights of Syria's religious minorities?

Why did we insist Assad step before any peace deal when all the other brutal authoritarian officials would have still been in place?

[Blue_Tires]

42. Yeah, because Assad has been so "respectful" of religious minorities

yeah he loves anyone who supports his regime, but minority dissidents are dead...

And while I agree there are no "good guys" in this fight, there IS a clearly defined line between 'bad' and 'worse'... And once you discover how a destabilized Syria benefits Moscow, you have your answer.

Personally, I'd have preferred the Syrians fight to take back their own country themselves, but they fled to Turkey and Europe by the millions instead so here we are...

But all this is moot because Putin's BFF Trump is in power, which means Putin can directly manipulate major U.S. policy with a phone call -- So if you want a complete withdrawl I'm guessing you'll see it in the very near future.

[killbotfactory]

45. Russia already had a presence in Syria before the civil war started.

Part of the reason we wanted to topple the Syrian government was to push them out of their naval base on the Mediterranean.

And I don't believe for a minute that the armed insurrection would have kicked off without the west and our gulf allies giving them support behind the scenes.

[Blue_Tires]

65. But there weren't troops on the ground and bombers in the air then

Regardless, a pullout is what the isolationist/Putinist left wants, and that's what they'll get... But I won't be silent when revisionists try to make Assad into some kind of victim, or hero... And the stakes are too high for any supposed Dem to be openly whoring herself out and getting in bed with Trump-Putin-Assad...

[killbotfactory]

74. Fuck war.

I think Obama has been a very competent president, but this Syria mess is fucking disgusting to me. When Hillary came out in the debates promising to escalate the conflict my heart sank.

I'm supposed to support the overthrow of Assad, when the likes of Al-Qaeda are poised to take over? How the fuck can anyone support that? You think if Assad disappeared the islamic jihadists will become more freedom loving and reasonable? This situation is crazy. WTF

[Cha]

82. This is on fucking assad.. please don't try to blame President Obama

for this fubar like gabbard.

[killbotfactory]

90. I like Obama but this has been too-clever-by-half realpolitck bullshit from day one.

We're funding terrorists for fucks sake. The "moderate rebels" or the FSA are little more than a western friendly front for islamic jihadists. They've been working with Islamic Jihadists and selling them arms the whole time.

It's the same playbook we used when funding the muhajadeen, which turned into the Taliban and Al Qaeda. It's fucking insane.

[Cha]

91. President Obama is Principled.. assad gassed his own people..

How Tulsi Gabbard became Assads mouthpiece in Washington

snip//

Principled opposition to U.S. intervention in Syria is one thing. Becoming a tool of a mass murderer’s propaganda and influence campaign is another. Gabbard’s cooperation with the Syrian regime damages her effort to promote herself as a legitimate foreign policy voice.

If Gabbard really didn’t know the men who sponsored her “fact-finding mission” to Syria, she should have. To many, the entire affair proves that Assad’s Washington influence campaign is alive and well and now has a sitting congresswoman for a mouthpiece, whether she realizes it or not.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/how-tulsi-gabbard-became-assads-mouthpiece-in-washington/2017/01/29/215e9c70-e4bf-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html?utm_term=.d8e23bf74b11

[killbotfactory]

93. If Assad isn't in charge, it's either Al Nusra or ISIS that will take over.

Because they are the largest fighting forces opposed to Assad. It's true regardless of what you think of Assad or his regime.

[brush]

96. Gabbard, the long-time Obama basher, on FOX no less, will use this trip as foreign policy experience

when she runs for higher office, probably for the Senate.

Her ambitious DINO-ism — what with her appearances on FOX, her high-profile resignation from the DNC and attention-grabbimg jump to the Sanders campaign has been quite obvious to anyone paying attention.

This OP is on the right track. It's not about whether Obama or Assad is at fault. It's about an opportunistic DINO so do not be fooled by this headline-grabbing trip of her's funded by some suspect organization.

It's glaringly obvious that Gabbard needs to be primaried as her interests are in furthering her career, not what's best for our party.

[killbotfactory]

103. I don't care if she criticized Obama, she's exactly right on the Syrian civil war.

She was a medic in the military. Perhaps she is ACTUALLY opposed to funding islamic jihadists because it's a stupid idea that's wrought nothing but the kind of horror she's seen first hand?

Oh, of course not. The candidate who said "we came, we saw, he died" and laughed is the humanitarian.

Or maybe the "moderate" republican: John "Bomb, bomb, Iran" McCain who agrees with her, is on the right side of history.

What the fuck.

[brush]

107. She's a DINO opportunist who may be right twice a day like a broken clock. And who paid for the trip

[killbotfactory]

108. I know, what a vacation, to visit a country in the middle of a brutal cival war.

I wonder who paid for this assholes trip back in the day: http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=118513

[brush]

109. What the hell does Sean Penn have to do with it? He's not a blue dog pretending to be a progressive

Last edited Tue Jan 31, 2017, 10:07 AM - Edit history (1)

[killbotfactory]

113. Pro-Iraq war democrats and news journals of record condemned him as an apologist for a dictator.

Just as the pro-Syria war democrats are doing with Tulsi.

It never occurred to them or you that they are just trying to prevent or end a profound and horrible evil?

[brush]

114. OK, you're a fan of hers but she's still a DINO. She's no progressive

Progressives don't go on Faux Noise bashing their own president then cozy up to trump, the enemy, when he "wins".

[FairWinds]

19. I'm with Holly on this one, but would go farther . .

People, look at that post. It presents zero in the way of actual
evidence as to why Gabbard should be opposed.

The post is mostly about guilt by association - can't we do
better than that?

Lots of people have met with Assad - including Vets For Peace.
Means nothing.

Kucinich told a group of us last month that the Syrian Civil War
is "a Saudi Project." I think he is right.

And of course as a backer of the war in Iraq, Sec. Clinton also has
some responsibility for the Syrian Civil War - more than Gabbard.

Overall, the case presented here against Gabbard is so incredibly weak
as to be insulting.

[Blue_Tires]

27. Nice to know the liberal whitewash of Assad continues on DU

Last edited Fri Jan 27, 2017, 03:36 PM - Edit history (1)

I'll bookmark your little nugget for later.

So you're 100% convinced the case for a primary challenge of Gabbard is "weak" and I haven't even gotten into her antisemitism and anti-LBGT comments yet? Okay.

:large

[FairWinds]

36. How can she be an antisemite . .

and pal around with Sheldon Adelson at the same time?

Pretty neat trick !!

[NYC Liberal]

55. How can Donald Trump be a misogynist...

and be married to a woman at the same time?

[George II]

58. Research Sheldon Adelson's history.

[Blue_Tires]

35. Oh, that's right... I remember you

and since you never responded the challenge I sent you in PM (after you of all fucking people called me out), on to the ignore list you go, tough guy!

I'll see you on Twitter sometime, assuming you have the stones

[bettyellen]

64. I looked for you on Twitter. I'll PM you my name if you want to follow and I'll follow back?

[FairWinds]

98. Ah, the valiant fighting keyboarders are . .

on the move.

[George II]

54. What does Secretary Clinton have to do with this discussion?

Have you seen the things Gabbard has said and done (including some of her votes) over the last year or so?

[Jose Garcia]

62. Is Kucinich still on the payroll of Fox News?

[FairWinds]

72. Guilt by Association Alert . .

[Cha]

84. kucinich on trump's inauguration speech.. so yeah.. your "Guilt

by association" accusation doesn't hold up.



http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028519714

he's full of shite.

[Cha]

85. Not only is he on the payroll.. he's a fucking tool for it..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028519714

he's full of shite.

[Cha]

86. Yeah, kucinich is full shite.. And, I oppose gabbard because she's my

Rep and she gives 0 fucks about the real problems of Hawaii.



http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028519714

he's full of shite.

[Cha]

88. Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Defends 'Frank and Positive' Trump Meeting

snip//

Hawaii was Trump's single worst state (he got only 29 percent of the vote).

Gabbard, who has often challenged President Barack Obama on national security and supported Bernie Sanders' presidential candidacy, said she discussed Syria and other foreign policy issues with Trump.

Gabbard, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also said she and Trump discussed legislation that she is pushing that would end what she described as "our country's illegal war to overthrow the Syrian government."

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Democrat-Tulsi-Gabbard-Defends-Frank-and-Positive-Trump-Meeting-402411576.html

gabbard normalizing the monster trump for her own agenda.. right in line with trumputin's agenda..

[tenorly]

21. Sounds like an AIPAC attack.

The fact remains we should have never tried to destabilize Syria, just to get rid of Assad.

[Blue_Tires]

30. We couldn't get rid of Assad because congress dragged their feet

and by the time folks came around, Moscow had already fortified his grip on power

[bucolic_frolic]

23. If it seems too good to be true

All that glowing PR in 2016 about her ... I did say to myself, if all this
is true, where and why has she been hiding?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

25. Yes, she is one of the few Dems I think this is true about

She is less progressive than her district and is a general embarrassment

[Ned Flanders]

37. Haters continue to hate

Sure looks like this is not because of her actions, but because of who she associates with. And I don't mean possible Islamic terrorists.

I'm afraid to list her contributions and qualifications, because I'll no doubt be accused of refighting the primaries, sad lol.

But she stood with the water protectors when so many "DU progressives" were silent. She has been a loud voice for progressive causes, and to minimize her contributions simply to support your own beliefs regarding her character reflects poorly upon yourself. Can't you recognize the achievements of Dems who's worldview is different than yours?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

50. I really have trouble looking past the bigotry but YMMV

[etherealtruth]

66. One only need look at her votiong record and ranking by liberal and conservative metrics ...

... she is no liberal/progressive


http://progressivepunch.org/scores.htm?house=house

http://thatsmycongress.com/house/

[uponit7771]

68. Her anti Muslim statements don't matter at all?

[Cha]

92. She's my Rep and you have no clue why we don't want her.. you just throw

out the "haters continue to hate" deflection

I want her primaried Again in 2018.. I voted for her primary opponent in 2016.

She's "assad's mouthpiece in Washington"..

How Tulsi Gabbard became Assads mouthpiece in Washington

snip//

Principled opposition to U.S. intervention in Syria is one thing. Becoming a tool of a mass murderer’s propaganda and influence campaign is another. Gabbard’s cooperation with the Syrian regime damages her effort to promote herself as a legitimate foreign policy voice.

If Gabbard really didn’t know the men who sponsored her “fact-finding mission” to Syria, she should have. To many, the entire affair proves that Assad’s Washington influence campaign is alive and well and now has a sitting congresswoman for a mouthpiece, whether she realizes it or not.

MOre..
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/how-tulsi-gabbard-became-assads-mouthpiece-in-washington/2017/01/29/215e9c70-e4bf-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html


Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Defends 'Frank and Positive' Trump Meeting

snip//

Hawaii was Trump's single worst state (he got only 29 percent of the vote).

Gabbard, who has often challenged President Barack Obama on national security and supported Bernie Sanders' presidential candidacy, said she discussed Syria and other foreign policy issues with Trump.

Gabbard, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also said she and Trump discussed legislation that she is pushing that would end what she described as "our country's illegal war to overthrow the Syrian government."

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Democrat-Tulsi-Gabbard-Defends-Frank-and-Positive-Trump-Meeting-402411576.html

gabbard normalizing the monster trump for her own agenda.. right in line with trumputin's agenda..

Link to tweet

[Ned Flanders]

116. thank you

I love DU, it has made me who I am today. Thanks for the info, I'll research further.

But sometimes the DU groupmind gets it wrong. Trust, but verify.

Seriously, thanks again for setting me straight.

[Cha]

87. I voted for her primary opponent, Shay Hodges, in 2016..

Jun 29 2016, 8:39 am ET

Longtime ‘Fighter’ Shay Chan Hodges Takes on Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

snip//

Chan Hodges said her life's work shows she's a fighter, recently working with nonprofit organizations and families to help pass Act 210 and address zoning laws related to childcare and agricultural land. She said she understands the very real problems Hawaii faces, including a lack of jobs, a housing crisis, and substance abuse.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/longtime-fighter-shay-chan-hodges-takes-hawaii-rep-tulsi-gabbard-n599371

[FairWinds]

26. The Daily Beast article - just read the whole thing . .

is really a hatchet job . .

Among other things, Gabbard is accused of hanging around with both
anti-Semites as well as Sheldon Adelson. It just makes no sense to label her
as both a Zionist and anti-Semite at the same time.

That being said, there are Dems who need to be primaried, and perhaps
Gabbard is among them.

But first on MY list are the 13 DINO Senators who voted against the
import of prescription drugs from Canada . .

[Blue_Tires]

32. there's plenty more out there if you want to google

or would you prefer remaining willfully blind?

[uponit7771]

67. I can understand the drug vote and after this year I'll give em all a couple of bolters but I don't

... understand anti Islam statements and associations.

There are few progressives that I'll give the benefit of the doubt to on that

[Generator]

28. I can find the quote if you want but

here's the gist of what she said about Assad after she visited.

"He's the president. So we (meaning the US) have to support the president of Syria." IE who gives a crap they are gassing some of their own people-cause he's president-now salute.


Seriously frightening-she literally would have supported Saddam, Qaddafi, Stalin, and of course Trump.

She's one scary woman. Nuts or a Putin stooge hard to tell.

[Trust Buster]

29. This woman is one of the most dangerous politians in Washington IMO.

She represents a potential Trojan horse candidacy for President. She seems to only care about her own self promotion and expects to rise through the ranks at lightening speed. Beware of her folks.

[rogue emissary]

31. You should add again.

Shay Chan Hodges ran against her last year but Hodges made little traction. so it's going to be difficult to do it again. Gabbard made her bones by complaining about the DNC debate schedule. So what did she do when Hodges challenged her to debates. If you said stuck with her principles and welcomed a debate, nope. Gabbard refused to debate Hodges and unfortunately went on to win her primary 84.5% to 15.5%

This article opening line is got to be sarcasm at it's highest form. Gabbard didn't announce the trip till after she was on her way back. She wouldn't say who went with her, who paid for the trip, and if she met with Assad. I watched multiple reporters tweet these questions to her. It took days for Gabbard or her office to finally respond to them.

Hodges continues to challenge Gabbard's progressive status on social media. In fact, Hodges criticised Gabbard past foreign policy foray. She also warned about Gabbard's anti-Islamic extremism during their primary run. I hope she or someone else will try running against Gabbard the next time her seat is up for reelection.

[George II]

33. Who knows, with the associations she's made in the last year or so....

....she may decide to run as a republican anyway.

[Gothmog]

34. Agreed

[still_one]

39. I have had serious concerns with her anti-gay and Islamophobic past

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/curious-islamophobic-politics-dem-congressmember-tulsi-gabbard

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/1/20/1056467/-

[LaydeeBug]

102. after reading that. I do too. nt

[leftynyc]

40. HELL YES

She's a fucking embarrassment.

[LisaM]

41. I noticed that she cut ties with the DNC when the first hack came out.

Remember when the data was breached in December 2015 and a certain candidate's people spent hours downloading it and got a (mild) slapdown? That's when she first appeared on the national scene, identified as a so-called "rising star" of the DNC, but criticizing them and sowing seeds of doubt, which flourished with the manure some people spread on them. Then she was suddenly everywhere, spewing her venom. I found it curious at the time, and I'm going to have a tin foil hat about her sudden media presence and the timing of that data breach for a loooong time.

[obamanut2012]

44. Yup -- I called her a TRojan horse on here almost a yaer ago

And was attacked by the JRers. I stand by her being one.

[LisaM]

46. If I didn't respond to you then, I apologize!

She was so annoying, I wish I'd noticed others who were on to her.

[obamanut2012]

43. She has never been progressive -- she is a Trojan horse

It got her into the DNC leadership, probably was tapped to be Sanders' running mate, was terrible about Obama and Hillary while leaving TRump alone, and rumor has it was offered a job in the WH. She is a horrible, terrible homophobe and Islamaphobe, and is a wingnut, and only surfacely "changed" to try and destroy us.

[LisaM]

49. Agree.

Whosever plan it was to "divide and conquer" the DNC had pretty remarkable success.

[obamanut2012]

51. They sure did

[LisaM]

57. It's actually really depressing. Just last night I was warding off arguments

that the primary system was 'rigged' (never mind that the states run the primaries and caucuses, not the DNC). Where the DNC did have an effect was in 2008 when they decided not to count Michigan and Florida's votes because they moved their primaries, which was a death blow to Hillary's campaign, and which, by the way, she didn't whine about. She conceded the primary, even though the votes from those states would have put her in the lead.

[George II]

59. Yes, she conceded in 2008 weeks before the convention and then supported the nominee wholeheartedly.

[LisaM]

63. What a contrast, eh?

She's pulled in more votes than the other candidate in every race she's run. Let that sink in for a minute.

But back to Tulsi Gabbard.....

[mahina]

47. Yes, for this and a thousand other reasons.

If she lost, she would run as an independant and she would likely- almost certainly- win. It's complicated here, culturally.

She is in no way a progressive, aside from supporting Bernie. She's got a plan, does not intend to remain a lowly congressman for long. Look at her past, where the used the city council and state house like bases she touched and kept running. She was checking them off her list.

From a winger political family, when she showed up to volunteer for Senator Akaka, it was as if a Yankee came to Red Sox batting practice. But she ingratiated herself to Auntie Millie Akaka and the ladies, and she was off.

You won't have to look far to find the whole creepy story.

I hope and pray that she will represent the people and not the corporations. And I call and write.

What she did was really disgraceful.

[maryallen]

52. Disagree

She is young, spirited, and ... protected by the Constitution.

[Blue_true]

69. There are surely young, sprited politicians in Hawaii

That can replace her. A republican is unlikely to win her seat, we need a Democrat in that seat that will come to Washington and consistently fight for diversity and progressive policies, and STAY OFF Fox News.

[MFM008]

53. she does

.........................

[NYC Liberal]

56. K&R

[SaschaHM]

60. She was primaried by an actual progressive...

But that progressive was savaged for daring to go against someone that endorsed Bernie.

[Maru Kitteh]

61. But then Nazi Richard Spencer would have a sad . . .

Link to tweet

For a brief comedic interlude, read the comments on that tweet.

[AJ.Akia]

70. I disagree. Tulsi's been doing a good job for Hawaii.

And what's with the disrespect? So much for 'civility.'

Posting neoliberal Tim Mak, Clinton shill, who contradicts himself several times in the same article truly truly shows the OP's colors.
Any self-respecting Progressive is against regime-change wars - remember Iraq? Viet Nam?? Tulsi's progressive bone fides just jumped up a notch in my book because - politics be damned - she dared visit Syria and Lebanon on a fact-finding mission of peace to convey Aloha to the war-weary Syrian people.

She also met with college girls there who told of their hope for peace.


Tulsi has " target="_blank">condemned Assad as a brutal dictator but says to have peace in Syria you cannot leave him out of the conversation

And lastly, Tulsi's progressive values fit well with Hawaii, as does her integrity and honesty in serving Hawaii's people.

She supports equality and LGBT rights, https://www.votetulsi.com/node/250120 
women's rights, immigration rights, and early/STEM education.  
 
She has been working hard for years to end interventionist and regime-change wars http://votesmart.org/public-statement/806351/letter-to-president-barack-obama-no-arms-to-syrian-rebels#.WGyxrBTw9FQ and " target="_blank">supports vetted refugees entering into the US.

 She is against Turmp's ban on refugees. https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-do-not-ban-refugees-entering-united-states
 
Tulsi supports sensible gun control, including banning assault-type weapons and high-capacity magazines, thorough background checks and ending gun show loopholes;  https://www.votetulsi.com/node/25028 legalizing marijuana, and criminal justice reform. https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-continues-bipartisan-push-criminal-justice-reform 
 
She's a life-long environmentalist -- https://www.votetulsi.com/node/25010
a strong proponent of clean energy, climate change, https://gabbard.house.gov/issues/energy-and-environment Link to tweet
" target="_blank">divesting from oil, and protecting our water (including noDAPL) http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/standing-rock-tulsi-gabbard-on-what-pipeline-decision-means-w453806 She urged Pres. Obama to halt DAPL. https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-urges-president-immediately-halt-dakota-access-pipeline
 
She supports labeling of GMOs https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-calls-congress-pass-protections-gmo-labeling and opposes harmful trade deals like TPP. https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-itc-s-report-confirms-tpp-bad-deal-american-people 
 
She is a proponent of Wall Street reform, including breaking up big banks and reinstating the Glass-Steagall Act. 
https://www.votetulsi.com/node/25113
These positions and more can be found here https://www.votetulsi.com/vision 
 
Tulsi is rated a Libertarian-Leaning Progressive and she votes with Democrats 90% of the time http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Tulsi_Gabbard.htm 
 
She has a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood, Environment America, Alliance for Retired Americans and Humane Society and is endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club and Emily's List, etc. https://www.votetulsi.com/endorsements 

[FairWinds]

71. Wow, a post that uses actual evidence . .

instead of the name calling seen above.

Folks, I am prepared to consider arguments against Rep. Gabbard,
but will pay zero attention to the sorts of name calling, guilt by
association and ad hominem attacks seen above.

And in fact, Vets For Peace, of which I am a proud member, just
endorsed Gabbard's trip to Syria and stance against regime change . .

"Veterans For Peace endorses Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's bill, the Stop Arming Terrorists Act."

https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/veterans-peace-endorses-gabbard-s-stop-arming-terrorist-act

[Blue_Tires]

83. They can easily find another Dem to do those things in HI

without being an apologist for a murderous dictatorship...

Nice to see you activated a dormant account just to stick up for Tulsi and defend the indefensible by lifting shit from her website... I've seen how this story ends.

[Cha]

94. I disagree with you.. she's my Rep and I don't want her.. blocked her

damn emails bashing on President Obama.. fuck her showboating on foxscrews etc..

How Tulsi Gabbard became Assads mouthpiece in Washington

snip//

Principled opposition to U.S. intervention in Syria is one thing. Becoming a tool of a mass murderer’s propaganda and influence campaign is another. Gabbard’s cooperation with the Syrian regime damages her effort to promote herself as a legitimate foreign policy voice.

If Gabbard really didn’t know the men who sponsored her “fact-finding mission” to Syria, she should have. To many, the entire affair proves that Assad’s Washington influence campaign is alive and well and now has a sitting congresswoman for a mouthpiece, whether she realizes it or not.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/how-tulsi-gabbard-became-assads-mouthpiece-in-washington/2017/01/29/215e9c70-e4bf-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html?utm_term=.d8e23bf74b11

Link to tweet

Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Defends 'Frank and Positive' Trump Meeting

snip//

Hawaii was Trump's single worst state (he got only 29 percent of the vote).

Gabbard, who has often challenged President Barack Obama on national security and supported Bernie Sanders' presidential candidacy, said she discussed Syria and other foreign policy issues with Trump.

Gabbard, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also said she and Trump discussed legislation that she is pushing that would end what she described as "our country's illegal war to overthrow the Syrian government."

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Democrat-Tulsi-Gabbard-Defends-Frank-and-Positive-Trump-Meeting-402411576.html

gabbard normalizing the monster trump for her own agenda.. right in line with trumputin's agenda..

[maryallen]

100. Thanks

This is the way to debate: Present evidence of her positions; then, watch her actions.

[Jake Stern]

101. Pop quiz: Which Democratic politician do DUers think needs to be primaried the most?

A.) Senator from West Virginia whose main activity in the Washington seems to be kissing GOP tush -OR-

B.) Representative from Hawaii with a solid slate of endorsements from a host of progressive organizations?

Bonne chance!

[killbotfactory]

106. Whichever one failed to kiss Clintons ring in the primary, obviously.

[Blue_Tires]

73. So... Evidently Richard Spencer and David Duke think Tulsi is just peachy!

Nice rogues gallery of support she's collected -- Nazis, the KKK, the Kremlin, and the most extreme and nuttiest elements of the left fringe...

So why shouldn't she be primaried again?

[BainsBane]

77. As does Bannon

That's why Trump invited her to visit Trump Tower.

[Blue_Tires]

75. How Tulsi Gabbard became Assads mouthpiece in Washington

The Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria has had a quiet but well-funded lobbying effort in Washington since well before he began murdering his own people. But that influence campaign’s clearest triumph came only this month, when it succeeded in bringing Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) to Damascus and having her parrot Assad’s propaganda on her return.

Gabbard was not the first U.S. elected official to meet Assad. In the early years of Assad’s presidency, several senior U.S. lawmakers publicly traveled to see the young English-speaking optometrist-turned-ruler, in the hope that he might be a reformer, break with Iran and even make peace with Israel. Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) visited Assad in 2007. Then-Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) led a delegation in 2009.

After the killing began in 2011, however, Assad’s friends in Washington largely went underground and a covert influence and intimidation campaign blossomed. The FBI began investigating Syrian ambassador Imad Moustapha, due to evidence he was keeping tabs on Syrian Americans who showed disloyalty so the Syrian government could threaten their families back home. Moustapha departed for Beijing in 2012, but he left in place a network of friends, Syrian Americans who nurtured close ties to the regime and worked on Assad’s behalf.

One Syrian American who was close to Moustapha and would often visit his Washington residence was Cleveland businessman Bassam Khawam, according to three Syrian Americans who saw them together but do not wish to be identified for fear of retribution. Five years later, Moustapha is nowhere to be seen, but Khawam is still active. He organized and joined the trip to Damascus for Gabbard and arranged a meeting with Assad.

“This guy has been lobbying on behalf of Bashar Assad in the U.S. even before there was a revolution, and we are deeply troubled he would try to help a war criminal build relationships with sitting members of Congress,” said Mohammed Alaa Ghanem, director of government relations for the Syrian American Council, a nongovernmental organization that works with the Syrian opposition.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/how-tulsi-gabbard-became-assads-mouthpiece-in-washington/2017/01/29/215e9c70-e4bf-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html

[Cha]

89. The guy who gassed his own people.. she parrots him well.. she also had this

to say about trump..

Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Defends 'Frank and Positive' Trump Meeting

snip//

Hawaii was Trump's single worst state (he got only 29 percent of the vote).

Gabbard, who has often challenged President Barack Obama on national security and supported Bernie Sanders' presidential candidacy, said she discussed Syria and other foreign policy issues with Trump.

Gabbard, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also said she and Trump discussed legislation that she is pushing that would end what she described as "our country's illegal war to overthrow the Syrian government."

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Democrat-Tulsi-Gabbard-Defends-Frank-and-Positive-Trump-Meeting-402411576.html

gabbard normalizing the monster trump for her own agenda.. right in line with trumputin's agenda..

Mahalo for the article, Blue Tires..

How Tulsi Gabbard became Assads mouthpiece in Washington

snip//

Principled opposition to U.S. intervention in Syria is one thing. Becoming a tool of a mass murderer’s propaganda and influence campaign is another. Gabbard’s cooperation with the Syrian regime damages her effort to promote herself as a legitimate foreign policy voice.

If Gabbard really didn’t know the men who sponsored her “fact-finding mission” to Syria, she should have. To many, the entire affair proves that Assad’s Washington influence campaign is alive and well and now has a sitting congresswoman for a mouthpiece, whether she realizes it or not.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/how-tulsi-gabbard-became-assads-mouthpiece-in-washington/2017/01/29/215e9c70-e4bf-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html

[killbotfactory]

104. And anyone who opposed the Iraq war was a Saddam apologist.

Yeah, that kind of shit was peddled by the respected news organization like the Washington Post and New York Times.

I wasn't amused by it then, I'm not amused by it now.

[Blue_Tires]

110. A tragically flawed comparison

1. We aren't at war with Syria, even though we oppose the regime. And we sure as hell aren't invading, so please tell me exactly what the hell Tulsi is protesting against?

2. Unlike Saddam, Assad's use of chemical weapons against civilians is well-documented and undisputed.

3. Tulsi had already been making the case for increased direct intervention from Moscow, so don't act like she gives a shit about the Syrian people...

4. I could go on, but I suggest you do further research into this issue, because it's much more complex than your simplistic Iraq=Syria analogy can cover.

[killbotfactory]

112. Are you trolling me?

1. We aren't at war with Syria, even though we oppose the regime. And we sure as hell aren't invading, so please tell me exactly what the hell Tulsi is protesting against?

We are funding "moderate rebel" groups who are coordinating with islamic jihadist groups, who our gulf allies are funding, the most powerful of which are an Al Qaeda affiliate. They are also covertly funding ISIS. Who the fuck do you think has been buying ISIS oil?

2. Unlike Saddam, Assad's use of chemical weapons against civilians is well-documented and undisputed.

It is undisputed that Saddam used the chemical weapons, that western countries like ours provided him.We encouraged the conflict with Iran, and then we gave arms and intel to both countries in order to bleed them both. This is more of the same shit.

Are you paid to not see how evil this is?

[Blue_Tires]

76. Evidently Steve Bannon is a big fan, too? There's no defense for this woman so why even try?

Link to tweet

[Jamaal510]

81. K&R

[Cha]

95. Exclusive: The group @TulsiGabbard said paid for her Syria trip hasn't existed in years

Link to tweet

[Blue_Tires]

99. indefensible...

[JI7]

105. wtf ??????

[msanthrope]

111. Another jackass I was right about. nt

[Blue_Tires]

115. And the other shoe finally drops (as does any defense of Tulsi):

Gabbard to repay cost of Syria trip



Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) will “personally reimburse the cost” of her controversial visit to Syria earlier this month, according to her office.

Gabbard secretly traveled to Syria earlier in January on a “fact finding” mission in the country, which has been devastated by civil war. The Hawaii Democrat confirmed last week she met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during her visit. Democrats and Republicans alike were critical of the decision, with members of both parties voicing concerns with the trip in light of Assad’s human rights record.

“An elected official, a representative of the United States, went on a secret trip to meet with the brutal dictator who murdered nearly half a million of his own people – it’s reprehensible and cannot be justified,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Colo.) said in a Jan. 26 email.

“The actions of Congresswoman Gabbard have put our nation’s reputation and foreign policy concerns at high risk and I couldn’t be more disgusted.”

Gabbard’s trip was sponsored by the Arab American Community Center for Economic and Social Services (AACCESS) in Ohio.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/317270-gabbard-to-repay-syria-trip-costs


Even I'm interested to learn how a group that doesn't exist foots the bill for a congressional delegation, and how Tulsi plans to reimburse a group that doesn't exist...