#131 Tulsi Gabbard - The Dark Behaviors of the Democratic Party

Tulsi Gabbard's journey from a combat veteran and lawmaker to a presidential candidate and an independent political figure underscores her diverse experiences and the profound reasons that led to her exit from the Democratic Party.

Tulsi Gabbard's background as a combat veteran, Congresswoman, and presidential candidate, and her independent-minded approach to politics

Gabbard's extensive military service and unique perspective from her deployments to war zones

Tulsi Gabbard is characterized by her extensive military service, with three deployments to war zones in the Middle East and Africa, shaping her perspectives and informing her tenets on the cost of war and foreign policy. Her resolve to influence decisions about war and peace was fueled by her disdain for transient politicians engaging in photo-op visits to combat zones without grasping their reality. Having volunteered to deploy with her unit to Iraq, Gabbard displayed her commitment to service above political aspirations.

Reflecting on the emotional toll of war, Gabbard recalls her role in a medical unit, managing the status of wounded soldiers and feeling a sense of duty to ensure proper care. This firsthand experience with the consequences of war propelled her to inform policymakers after returning home, guiding her subsequent public service efforts.

Her decision to leave the Democratic Party after over 20 years of membership, citing the party's divergence from fundamental American values and principles

Gabbard publicly expressed her dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party for its stance on various issues, from identity politics, which she feels sows division, to the "us versus them" mentality ingrained in partisan politics. She outspokenly criticizes the push for "insane woke policies," which she believes is desecrating societal fabric and straying from foundational American values.

Her frustrations are also rooted in her experience as a vice chair of the DNC, confronting the “vote blue no matter who” mantra and the reluctance of some party members to collaborate with her over ideological differences. Her determination to defend the truth and challenge harmful policies highlights her primary reasons for leaving the Democratic Party—a pivotal move after two decades of membership.

Gabbard's experience writing her bestselling book "Love of Country, Leave the Democrat Party Behind"

The book's exploration of Gabbard's personal journey and the reasons behind her political shift

Tulsi Gabbard's departure from the Democratic Party was followed by ...

Amid concerns regarding U.S. foreign policy, Tulsi Gabbard works to pass legislation aimed at halting assistance to terrorist groups, while challenging the rationale behind the current approach, and highlighting a disconnect between public outrage and action.

Gabbard's efforts to pass the "Stop Arming Terrorists Act" and her frustration with the U.S. government's repeated mistakes in funding and arming terrorist groups

Tulsi Gabbard introduced the "Stop Arming Terrorists Act" in response to the U.S. policies under President Obama that led to both direct and indirect assistance to terrorist groups in Syria. She voiced frustration at the need for such legislation, as these groups were once seen as effective in promoting regime change in Syria. Serving on the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees, Gabbard witnessed firsthand how these strategies proved counterproductive to U.S. interests and security.

Gabbard's questioning of senior officials like Secretary Mattis about the rationale for not prioritizing the defeat of al-Qaeda and ISIS in Syria

Gabbard questioned the U.S.'s focus on regime change in Syria over combating Islamist terrorism. During an open hearing, she asked then-Secretary Mattis why defeating al-Qaeda and ISIS was not the priority. Her frustration stemmed from policies that inadvertently empowered terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda and Al-Nusra, which received funding and arms from the U.S. thinking they would help topple the Syrian regime. Gabbard argued that these groups would simply fill any resulting power vacuum, thus undermining U.S. national security.

Examples of the U.S. government inadvertently supporting terrorist organizations and the consequences of these misguided policies

The U.S. mistakenly supported terrorist organizations like Al-Nusra through material aid. Gabbard was outspoken against the approach of supporting violence-driven groups t ...

Tulsi Gabbard provides insightful observations and strong criticism regarding the reality of the U.S.-Mexico border situation and the failures of the current immigration system.

Gabbard's firsthand observations of the reality at the U.S.-Mexico border and the failures of the current immigration system

Gabbard's visit to the San Diego border area and her eyewitness accounts

Gabbard recounts her visit to the San Diego border area, where she came across camps of peaceful illegal immigrants with cell phones and snacks, waiting to be picked up by Border Patrol. Gabbard witnessed that after being picked up, immigrants would be taken to a processing center, where they were given documents stating they had claimed asylum, before being allowed to travel anywhere in the U.S.

Upon conversation with one individual, she learned that people from countries beyond Mexico, such as Colombia, were not immediately sent back but went through the asylum claim process. Gabbard tracked this process from the initial pickup by Border Patrol to immigrants traveling to train stations and airports.

Gabbard's advocacy for using the National Guard

Gabbard strongly advocates for the federalization and mobilization of the National Guard to secure the border, viewing it as a serious national crisis. She criticizes the current administration for not taking serious action on the matter. Local residents, Gabbard mentions, are seeking assistance from the National Guard, but the California governor has not deployed them for border security, despite the availability of solutions that simply require urgent attention and responsible leadership.

The political motivations behind the push for open borders and the lack of serious efforts to fix the legal immigration system

Gabbard confronts the branding of those advocating for border security as xenophobes and racists, a label she suggests has been intensified since Trump's presidential campaign. This narrative creates a challenge for politicians to address border security without being labeled as xenophobic or racist against brown people.

The perceived link between open borders and electoral advantage for the Democratic Party

Tulsi Gabbard and Shawn Ryan examine the potential electoral motivations for pushing open borders. They imply that Democrats oppose voter ID requirements and proof of citizenship to vote, with some localities allowing non-citizens to vote in their elections.

Gabbard specifically points to Democrats, such as Congresswoman Yvette Clark, who encourages increasing her district’s population for redistricting benefits. She also mentions AOC and others who ideologically believe in open borders to welcome those seeking a better life ...