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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy didnt Tulsi Gabbard join 169 of her colleagues in denouncing Trump appointee Stephen Bannon?
Though Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a rising star within the Democratic Party, ultimately endorsed Hillary Clinton for president (after first endorsing Bernie Sanders, of course) and easily won reelection this year, shes been ominously quiet on the issue of President-elect Donald Trumps appalling appointees and nominations. Most notably, her signature did NOT appear with 169 of her colleagues in the House of Representatives on a Nov. 16 letter to Trump denouncing his nomination of notorious white nationalist Stephen Bannon to be his chief strategist (this Mother Jones profile explains in nauseating detail how Bannon has long championed white supremacists).
Since the election there have been a number of incidents across the country in which minorities, including Muslim Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Jewish Americans, have been the targets of violence, harassment and intimidation, states the letter. Mr. Bannons appointment sends the wrong message to people who have engaged in those types of activities, indicating that they will not only be tolerated, but endorsed by your Administration. Millions of Americans have expressed fear and concern about how they will be treated by the Trump Administration and your appointment of Mr. Bannon only exacerbates and validates their concerns.
That Gabbard wouldnt sign such a letter is remarkable (though Democrat Colleen Hanabusa just took office to replace the late Mark Takai as 1st District Representative, she signed the letter, according to this printed list of all the signees compiled by The Boston Globe). Though Gabbards view on Bannons appointment isnt publicly known, what is known is that Bannon seems to like Gabbard. In fact, according to this Nov. 15 article in The Hill, Bannon is a big fan of Gabbard.
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http://mauitime.com/news/politics/why-didnt-rep-tulsi-gabbard-join-169-of-her-colleagues-in-denouncing-trump-appointee-stephen-bannon/
DURHAM D
(32,611 posts)still_one
(92,394 posts)embrace this group of bigots and racists
Bucky
(54,065 posts)Can you elaborate on her "anti-Muslim past"?
JTFrog
(14,274 posts)Bucky
(54,065 posts)still_one
(92,394 posts)the Muslim faith with ISIS
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shay-chan-hodges/three-questions-about-tulsi_b_10212942.html
cilla4progress
(24,766 posts)Are there no ethical people left?
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Sheldon Adelson some time ago, and Adelson supports Trump. My guess is Adelson's background patronage of Gabbard, whose reelection campaign in her Democratic district meant she had to keep her mouth shut, is the reason she's being received by King Trump in his tower. If she finally "comes out" and joins hard-right petitioners seeking a share of the government spoils, it'll at least be good for her district.
2naSalit
(86,775 posts)she's an infiltraitor... thought that for some time now.
Bucky
(54,065 posts)Isn't hiding your intentions the whole point of being a mole?
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)(Too bad more of her constituents don't read the news or they'd be very aware of it.) She was presumably keeping her head down during her reelection campaign--careful to avoid anything offensive on the evening news, while Adelson made her excuses with the Trump campaign.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)"Hawaii Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is meeting with President-elect Donald Trump and his transition team Monday for a possible top job in the new administration, a source said.
Gabbard, who backed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary, is being considered for jobs at the Defense Department, State Department and the United Nations, the source said."
Although she may well be conservative, she's not an auto-pigeonhole and could well be part of the alt-right's left-wing counterpart, the "alt-left." Both have a lot more in common with each other than with the people they despise in the mainstream.
still_one
(92,394 posts)Paladin
(28,272 posts)lunamagica
(9,967 posts)femmocrat
(28,394 posts)lunamagica
(9,967 posts)MFM008
(19,818 posts)One coming?
Nevernose
(13,081 posts)I guess no one's 100% progressive on anything, but the links above look pretty bad. It would be be thing if she differed on tax policy, but bigotry? What an asshole.
La Lioness Priyanka
(53,866 posts)flamingdem
(39,321 posts)related to possibly taking a position or working with Trump in some way. Didn't exactly hear it but it made me cringe.