An Open Letter to Tulsi Gabbard on Voting "Present"
Tulsi Gabbard misses the mark with her move to the "center" and her weak vote of "present"
W.J. Astore
On hearing that Tulsi Gabbard voted "present" on Trump's impeachment, and after reading her statement about that vote, I sent the following note to her campaign:
Dear Tulsi:
I respect your vote of "present" on Trump's impeachment, but I think it was the wrong choice. Here's why:
1. Censure is too weak. Trump's actions are deserving of impeachment. 2. Of course it's a partisan process, but this is because Trump dominates the Republicans. They all fear a negative tweet from him. Much more than the Democrats, the Republicans are failing their oaths to the Constitution. 3. Your move to the "center" will please few people. Where is this "center"? Both parties are too far to the right, especially when it comes to the forever wars being waged in places like Afghanistan.
You have spoken eloquently about the need to end regime-change wars, and I support you for this reason. But your "present" vote on impeachment was poorly judged, in my opinion. Yes, the impeachment process was partisan and imperfect, but it has always been thus through our nation's history.
With respect to Trump, I'd say the following: he is not a public servant. He never has been. Trump is a businessman who knows the art of the con. He conflates his own self-interest with that of the country. For Trump, service to self is the only service he understands. This may not be treason, but it is nonetheless dangerous in the extreme. It's the attitude of a wannabe king, and we already fought a war against that back in the 18th century.
END OF LETTER
The choice now is obvious: Bernie Sanders.