Why I’m Leaving the Democratic Party
October 11, 2022
I love our country. Our God-given rights of freedom, life, and liberty enshrined in our Constitution and Bill of Rights are my inspiration. I answered the call to duty and took an oath, dedicating my life to supporting and defending those freedoms, both in uniform and in public office.
Growing up in Hawaii gave me a special appreciation of our home, water, and precious natural resources. So when I was 21 years old I decided to run for Hawaii State House so that I could be in a position to protect our environment. I wasn’t politically affiliated before that, but as I was about to file my election papers, I had to choose which party to affiliate with.
As I did my research, I was inspired by Democrats who stood up against the war in Vietnam, and those who fought for Hawaii’s plantation workers who were being abused and exploited by wealthy landowners. I was inspired by leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy and drawn to the ideals of a big-tent Democratic Party that stood up for working men and women — the little guy. In contrast, the Republican Party seemed like one that stood for the interests of big business and warmongering elites. So I became a Democrat and remained one for over 20 years — an independent Democrat to be sure, but a Democrat nonetheless.
I can no longer remain in today’s Democratic Party that is now under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue and stoke anti-white racism, actively work to undermine our God-given freedoms enshrined in our Constitution, are hostile to people of faith and spirituality, demonize the police and protect criminals at the expense of law-abiding Americans, believe in open borders, weaponize the national security state to go after political opponents, and above all, are dragging us ever closer to nuclear war.
Here are some of the main reasons I’m leaving the Democratic Party, in brief. I’ll be tackling each of these in more depth in the coming weeks.
The pro-war Democratic Party has led us to the brink of nuclear war. The party is led by warmongers who are firmly in the grips of the military industrial complex, and don’t know or care about the cost of war, or who pays the price. President Biden and Democratic Party elite have pushed us to the precipice of nuclear war, risking starting WWIII and destroying the world as we know it. This is the most urgent existential threat we face. I ran for President in 2020 because I knew that this is where we were headed. All the signs were there. I raised this issue every day during the campaign, and on the national debate stage. But politicians and the media ignored it. They didn’t care then, and they don’t care now. Obviously I didn’t win that election, and don’t have the power to do what is necessary to prevent it. President Biden and Congress do. But they irresponsibly refuse to use that power to protect the safety of our country, the American people, and the world from the devastation of a nuclear holocaust. To protect our loved ones, our children, our world, I’m calling upon the American people to join me in standing up to these cowardly politicians now. This may be our last chance to do so.
Today’s Democratic Party rejects the rule of law. The people’s trust in the rule of law is the foundation for democracy. By weaponizing the security state and Federal law enforcement for their own partisan political ambitions, Democrat leaders are undermining the rule of law and turning our democracy into a banana republic. Across the country, Democrat politicians call for defunding the police, enacting laws that favor criminal’s rights over those of everyday Americans, and so-called progressive DA’s let violent criminals out of jail, refusing to charge them when many have been arrested 30, 40 or even 50 times. It should come as no surprise that crime and murder rates are rapidly increasing, people don’t feel safe walking down the street in their own neighborhoods, and firearm purchases for self-defense have drastically increased.
Under the Obama administration, the IRS was used to target conservative groups. Biden’s DOJ recently indicted 11 pro-life activists for “organizing an event blockading an abortion clinic.” They didn’t use physical force. They weren’t dangerous. But seven of them are facing 11 years in prison and fines of $250,000. The Biden DOJ and Department of Homeland Security has focused their newly formed Domestic Terror Unit to target parents who are vocally standing in opposition to radical curriculums and explicit sexual content being taught to young children in our public schools – labeling parents as “terrorists” for showing up at school board meetings and demanding change. President Biden campaigned on unity and on healing the partisan divide, but he’s now saying supporters of President Trump are the most extremist group in our country and a threat to our democracy. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris claim the Supreme Court is illegitimate simply because they disagree with its rulings. The Biden administration stood by and did nothing as activists protested outside the homes of Supreme Court justices during all hours of the day and night, in clear violation of federal law. When the party in power does not believe in the rule of law, yet they are responsible for writing and enforcing laws, our democracy is doomed.
Today’s Democratic Party does not believe in our constitutionally protected right to free speech. Fostering diversity of thought and freedom of expression is the foundation of any flourishing democracy. Democratic Party leaders don’t agree. They are led by fanatical ideologues who pose a threat to our democracy because they don’t believe in freedom — freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion. They try to censor speech they don’t like, labeling it as “misinformation,” “hate speech,” or “violent speech.” They work hand-in-glove with corporate for-profit media and Big Tech to smear and silence political opponents and those who dare to challenge their authority, exposing their insecurities. The Biden Administration even tried launching their own “Ministry of Truth” to control what information we are allowed to read, hear, and say. Their ideology is one of hate and divisiveness, rather than respect and love (aloha) and is diametrically opposed to traditional ‘liberalism’ which recognizes the basic goodness of people and the autonomy of the individual, supporting civil liberties and a government of, by, and for the people. How can a political party that is opposed to freedom be trusted with our democracy? They can’t be.
Today’s Democratic Party does not believe in our constitutionally protected right to freedom of religion. The Constitution recognizes that our freedom comes from God — not governments. Unfortunately, Democratic Party leaders reject this truth and are hostile toward people of faith and spirituality, and actively undermine our religious freedom. During that 2020 Democratic National Convention, they chose to omit the words “under God” from our pledge of allegiance. High profile Democratic leaders mock or openly discriminate against people of faith, especially Christians. President Obama once ridiculed Americans for clinging to their guns and religion. Vice President Kamala Harris, as a senator in 2018, remarked that being a member of the Catholic charity organization, the Knights of Columbus, disqualified Brian Buescher from serving as a federal judge. Senator Dianne Feinstein derided now Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a devout Catholic, during a Senate confirmation hearing, stating that “the dogma lives loudly within you.” Article 6, Section 3 of the Constitution states “no religious test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” Today’s Democratic party has forgotten that freedom of religion does not mean freedom from religion. Government must respect every American’s deeply personal relationship with God, and our freedom to express and practice that faith without fear of state-sponsored reprisal, censorship or discrimination. Whether one believes in God or not is not the point. Any political party that is trying to erase the presence of God from every facet of public life and is hostile toward those who choose to worship God, cannot be trusted to protect our inalienable God-given rights enshrined in the Constitution and should not be in power.
Today’s Democratic Party does not believe in our constitutionally protected right to bear arms. Our founders passed the Second Amendment out of a recognition that every one of us has a right to defend ourselves and our loved ones, and to serve as a check on a tyrannical government seeking to take away our God-given freedoms. The Democratic Party’s hatred of the Second Amendment and their increasing authoritarian instincts pose a serious threat to our freedoms. “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47,” Beto O’Rourke said at a debate when he was running for president. Our founders intentionally passed the Second Amendment right after the First Amendment. The majority ruling from the recent Supreme Court ruling striking down New York’s law that barred people from concealed carry firearms summarized very clearly why Democrats are wrong to try to take away our rights: “Just as we do not need to seek a permit to stand on the street corner and exercise our right to free speech, we shouldn’t have to seek permission for a law abiding citizen to carry their firearm. We as a society don’t get to pick and choose which of our rights in the constitution are more worthy of protecting than another.” Protecting our freedom to defend ourselves and those we love, and protecting our rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution against a tyrannical power is exactly why we must ensure our right to bear arms “shall not be infringed.”
Today’s Democratic Party is ‘Big Brother’ undermining our civil liberties: The Fourth Amendment of the constitution ensures ‘the right of [the American] people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.’ Democratic elite Party leaders have had many opportunities to get rid of unconstitutional provisions of the Patriot Act that violate our civil liberties — I introduced legislation while in Congress that would repeal the Patriot Act and address the dangerous FISA act being used to undermine our civil liberties, especially those protected by the Fourth Amendment. Every time, they choose the security state over our liberty. Whether it’s using the IRS to snoop into our bank accounts for sending someone over $600 via Venmo, supporting the corrupt system of civil forfeiture to seize property from law-abiding Americans who have not even been charged with a crime, or getting credit card companies to keep track of any and all firearm and ammunition related purchases, today’s Democratic Party stands with giving ‘Big Brother’ more power and control over our lives.
Today’s Democratic Party racializes everything and blatantly foments anti-white racism. The Democratic machine has betrayed Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of a nation where we are judged based on the content of our character rather than the color of our skin. In their blind pursuit of power, Democrat leaders reduce each of us as God’s children to the color of our skin, using identity politics to tear us apart for their own political gain. Democrats were silent in the face of Chicago’s Mayor Lightfoot’s blatantly racist policy of only accepting interviews with reporters of color because she was struck with the “overwhelming whiteness and maleness.” Modern day segregation in schools is promoted by racial profiteers like Robin DiAngelo and the corrupt self-identified cultural Marxists who lead Black Lives Matter. Today’s Democratic party embraces and celebrates their racist agenda. They support programs that teach children that they are either ‘the privileged’ or ‘the victims,’ oppressors or the oppressed, solely because of the color of their skin. They’ve become the racists they claim to hate.
Today’s Democratic Party is anti-woman. There’s no greater expression of hatred and hostility toward women than to erase the existence of women as a category of people. The Democratic Party has long claimed to be champions of women, proud of Title IX and leveling the playing field for women and girls. But now, the Biden Administration and Democratic Party are spitting in the face of these achievements by rejecting the objective truth that women exist and are not just a construct in a person’s mind. They can no longer define what a woman is, demand we replace words like “mother” with “birthing person,” and place women at risk to please biological men who claim to be women at any given moment. They are taking away the opportunities and futures of women in sports by allowing transgender athletes, who until recently identified as men, and who have the biological advantages of men, to compete against women. The Biden administration is quietly trying to change Title IX through a back-door rule change that would remove women and biological sex from the Title IX statute, taking away opportunities for millions of female athletes across the country. They now go so far as to claim it is ‘sexual harassment’ to address someone by the wrong pronouns, trying to force us to comply with this insanity by regulating our speech and thought. By denying that there are biological differences between men and women, they are erasing women and denying the existence of objective truth. If one denies the existence of truth, there are no boundaries in our society and the truth becomes whatever those in power want it to be.
Today’s Democratic Party is undermining families. Families are the bedrock of civilization. Today’s Democratic Party does not recognize this truth and the importance of the central foundational role that families play in our society and civilization. They want to strip away the rights of parents to raise their kids, claiming the government knows what’s better for your children than you do. Former Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe said last year that there is no role for parents in determining a school’s curriculum. The largest teacher’s union in the country and one of the Democratic Party’s biggest donors, the National Education Association, recently passed a resolution that endorses the teaching of Critical Race Theory in classrooms across the country. Public school districts are implementing policies that sexualize kids as young as five or six years old. Taxpayer dollars are used to bring in drag strippers and encourage gender transition surgery in minors – all kept secret from their parents. HHS secretary Rachel Levine says young children should be empowered to get “gender-affirmation treatment,” which involves puberty blockers, chemical castration, and irreversible surgeries causing long-term harm to children. If parents do not comply, the Federal government threatens to take your children away. Families are the foundation of civilization and our society, and today’s Democratic Party’s policies are quickly eroding that foundation to the detriment of us all.
I believe in a government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people. Unfortunately, today’s Democratic Party does not. Instead, it stands for a government of, by, and for the powerful elite.
Let’s remember the ideals our founders laid out for us. Draw inspiration from their hopes for this country, and take action to actually bring about a government that is truly of, by, and for the people.
So today, I’m calling on my fellow common sense independent-minded Democrats to join me. If you can no longer stomach the direction that so-called woke party ideologues are taking our country, it’s time to leave the Democrat Party behind.
Russia, Ukraine and Preventing Nuclear Holocaust
October 18, 2022
There are few political ads that are more famous than Ronald Reagan’s “It’s Morning Again in America.” These sixty seconds showcased America on the rise and inspired the hope and optimism that led to Reagan’s landslide reelection victory in 1984.
With just three weeks to go until our November midterm elections, I find myself wondering if there has ever been a time where it felt less like morning in America. Violent crime is surging. Inflation is at record highs with no end in sight. Gas prices are on the rise. Multiple states have declared emergencies due to open borders and the unprecedented surge of people illegally crossing our borders. Americans across the country, regardless of political affiliation, are feeling this pain.
But the issue that you won’t hear about anywhere on the news is the most existential threat of all: nuclear war.
When we elect our President, we elect our Commander in Chief. There are important implications that go along with that title. Our Commander in Chief is ultimately the person in charge of our military, and with that responsibility comes the duty to protect and defend the security and freedom of the American people. Our Commander in Chief is the single most powerful figure as it pertains to the national security of this country.
The biggest betrayal that a President can make is to knowingly take actions that would endanger the safety of the American people. Tragically, this is exactly what the Biden administration has done and is continuing to do by escalating their proxy war with Russia, discouraging diplomatic efforts and bringing the entire world closer to the brink of nuclear catastrophe.
Sixty years ago, my parents lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis. This was the “duck and cover” era where children at schools were taught to hide under their desks in the event of a nuclear attack – a ridiculous protocol that in reality would not have saved a single life. Thankfully, under the leadership of President John F. Kennedy, nuclear disaster was averted.
One would think we’ve come a long way since the days of the first Cold War, and with such remarkable advancements in technology, that we would surely be better prepared today.
Unfortunately, the opposite is true. At 8:07 AM on January 13, 2018, more than one million residents of Hawaii and tourists who were visiting received an emergency alert from State Civil Defense stating “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” Over the next 37 minutes, the people of Hawaii faced a very sobering reality… there was no shelter. Families huddled in their closets, believing these would be their final moments together. A father desperate to protect his daughter, lowered the terrified young girl into a manhole, unsure if they would ever see each other again. The gravity of nuclear war and the reality that our leaders have failed us and left us to our doom was impossible to deny.
I ran for President in 2020 because of the threat of nuclear war. I saw the signs. I knew it was coming, unless we changed course. I spoke about this issue with great urgency at every rally, town hall and media appearance. Reporters were usually either baffled or annoyed by my insistence that we must address this threat, instead wishing I would use that time to launch personal attacks against other candidates or then incumbent President Trump.
The other candidates running for President and our short-sighted media refused to talk about this issue. They failed to take seriously the one issue that literally presents an existential threat to life as we know it, for the American people and for the world.
Our leaders in Washington and their corporate media allies desperately want us to buy into this false choice of either falling in line and supporting a blank check to fund this ongoing proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, or risk being smeared as a Putin apologist who is anti-democracy. They want us to believe that the only way to help the people of Ukraine is to escalate and send more bombs.
They want us to believe that this conflict began in February when Putin invaded Ukraine. That’s not true. Putin should not have invaded Ukraine, but that is not when this war began. Our media and warmongers in Washington want us to forget that the former Soviet Union once had its own version of NATO. As the first Cold War ended, in an effort to de-escalate tensions and normalize relations with the west, the Soviet Union dissolved its collective military alliance with the seven other Central and Eastern European nations known as The Warsaw Pact.
As a measure of good faith, the United States first assured Soviet President Gorbachev and later Russian President Yeltsin that the US would not seek to expand our own defensive alliance, NATO. Unfortunately, that promise was not kept. First, President Clinton would expand NATO to include Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Then, President George W. Bush expanded this alliance to include seven more countries as NATO gradually moved in on the Russian border. However, it was a promise made in his final year that would push Vladimir Putin over the edge. President Bush declared that NATO would soon expand to include Georgia and Ukraine, thereby effectively having NATO members surrounding the Russian border.
Vladimir Putin is now threatening he may use a nuclear weapon.
What is our President and Commander in Chief doing to de-escalate tensions and walk us back from the brink of nuclear war? What has he done to ensure the safety of the American people and bring about peace? The answer is nothing. When Ukraine and Russia were at the negotiating table in March 2022, intelligence experts say it was the United States that discouraged Ukraine from reaching an agreement. Now, seven months later, we are teetering on the edge toward a nuclear holocaust.
Nuclear wars cannot be won. They can only result in death and destruction. Any politician who states “first strike nuclear weapons are on the table” clearly does not know or care about the devastating consequences of that policy and is therefore unfit to serve.
A nation cannot be prosperous and free without peace. While warmongers like Hillary Clinton and Mitt Romney attempt to slander me for daring to question our foreign policy establishment and military industrial complex, I will continue to think of my brothers and sisters in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice. To honor them – I will never be silent and I will never stop fighting for peace.
For more on this, listen to my discussion with Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs, as we cover the looming threat of nuclear war. He is the President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development, and advisor to three United Nations Secretaries-General.
Our Civil Liberties Are Under Attack
October 29, 2022
“Of all the enemies to public liberty, war is perhaps the most to be dreaded.”
These prophetic words were spoken by none other than the Father of the Constitution, James Madison. America’s fourth President had the wisdom to see beyond the litany of challenges facing our founders and innately understood how the power of fear could be weaponized against future generations to erode the very freedoms they had fought so hard to obtain. Madison was fully aware of the primal human need for safety, and that perceived threats to this safety could be used one day to justify attacks on our fundamental liberties.
Unfortunately, just one century later, our country’s leaders would begin to ignore his warning. At the pinnacle of World War I, the United States government would make its first such betrayal, passing the ill-conceived Espionage Act in 1917 to purportedly safeguard against spying and bolster our national security at a time when Americans felt especially vulnerable. However, it was used to silence and target the free speech of those who spoke out against the war.
Our founders declared certain rights to be self-evident and inalienable because they understood the corrupting influence of power. They could envision how legislation like the Espionage Act would be antithetical to freedom. But politicians disregarded their foresight, and it passed under the auspices of security.
Those in power immediately used the newly passed legislation to begin jailing dissidents of the war, like Charles Schenck and Elizabeth Baer, charging them with violating the Espionage Act for handing out pamphlets that opposed the draft. These were not spies for our adversaries leaking sensitive intelligence that endangered our servicemembers. No – they were merely anti-war protesters exercising their First Amendment right to free speech. Yet, even with our system of checks and balances, the Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of Schenck and Baer, ruling that Congress has more latitude in limiting speech during times of war. A dangerous precedent was set that has continued to undermine liberty to this day.
The Espionage Act remains law today, and in recent years, it has been used as a blunt instrument to attack a free press and critics of those in power. During the Obama presidency, eight people were charged with leaking security details to the media under the Espionage Act — more than all previous administrations combined and most notably included Edward Snowden. This whistleblower bravely exposed the unconstitutional mass surveillance and human rights abuses being carried out by the NSA. Instead of receiving the whistleblower protections we were told are essential for democracy, Snowden faces 30 years in prison if extradited from Russia.
The unconstitutional mass surveillance he exposed was only made possible due to another dreadful example of wartime legislation known as the Patriot Act. Our country was still on edge following the jihadi terrorist attack on 9/11 and the American people were being encouraged by those in the media and in Washington to constantly be suspicious. Remember “if you see something, say something?” We were repeatedly told that the next terrorist attack was imminent and that everyone was a suspect. The Bush administration and Congress leveraged this fear to drastically expand the scope of executive power.
Bush, Cheney and the warmongers of both parties who enabled them normalized this idea that as long as a president claims to be acting in the interest of national security, they can trample all over our God-given freedoms. The Bush administration insisted that a president has the power to designate American citizens suspected of being terrorists as “enemy combatants.” This classification means they can be imprisoned indefinitely and denied all of their constitutional rights without even a conviction — mere suspicion will suffice. The Bush administration established a precedent that the principles of due process could be suspended in the name of national security. And it was in this climate of extreme fear, that the Patriot Act was passed.
The Patriot Act allowed law enforcement agencies to conduct warrantless surveillance of Americans in direct violation of our Fourth Amendment rights to privacy. Any American can now be wiretapped, and the rights of Habeas Corpus are no longer guaranteed. The Patriot Act allows our government to operate deep in the shadows of secrecy as the American people sacrifice their liberty. Naturally, one would expect this highly intrusive, anti-constitutional piece of legislation to have barely found the votes to pass, if at all, and then surely get phased out quickly. Not the case. It passed the Senate with a vote of 98-1, very little debate, has been easily and blindly reauthorized numerous times, and remains in effect to this day.
While serving in Congress, I introduced legislation that would repeal many of the Patriot Act’s most egregious violations to the Constitution and end the secret FISA courts. Speaker Pelosi refused to even allow for a vote. There was no room for debate, and any attempt to siphon away power from the party elites and restore it to the people was seen as a betrayal of the Washington establishment. Members of Congress take an oath to defend and uphold the Constitution, but with limited exceptions like Senator Rand Paul, those on Capitol Hill seem to ignore how legislation like the Espionage Act and Patriot Act run counter to this promise. The time to repeal is now.
Benjamin Franklin famously said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
As the Biden administration continues to escalate tensions with Russia, what freedoms will they demand we sacrifice in the name of national security? What will we sacrifice under the threat of nuclear war? We’ve already seen this administration attempt to deploy a ‘Ministry of Truth’ to censor voices it doesn’t like – but the American people stood together, and we did not allow it. I hope and pray that we find this same courage under the threat of WWIII and nuclear annihilation.
For a deeper dive on these critical issues, listen to my conversation with Dr. Ron Paul. He and I cover the greatest threats to our civil liberties and what we must do to defend them. We don’t hold anything back, and I think you’ll enjoy our frank discussion on this timely topic.
2nd Amendment: Our Right ‘Shall Not Be Infringed’
November 2, 2022
My views and understanding of the Second Amendment have changed. Let me tell you why.
Growing up in Hawaii, we had very restrictive laws surrounding firearms. We still do. A lot of my friends who grew up in the mainland learning about firearms safety and how to shoot from a young age had a very different experience than I did. Aside from a handful of visits to the shooting range (the only one on the island) with my dad as a teenager, my exposure to firearms was extremely limited. Once I enlisted in the army because of the terrorist attacks on 9/11, it was in basic training at Ft. Jackson, SC where I would fire a rifle for the first time. We learned the basics — safety protocols, muzzle discipline and basic ‘shoot, move, communicate’ drills. But it was by no means extensive. (For those of you who serve in the military, you know how limited ‘range time’ is, especially for Guard and Reserves).
Given this background, when I went to Congress, ‘common sense’ gun laws, seemed to be just that — common sense. Nothing too extreme. When my Republican colleagues expressed concerns and opposition to adding more restrictions being touted as “common sense” to the Second Amendment, I was fairly dismissive. I didn’t understand what they were so afraid of. They argued these restrictions would inevitably lead to confiscation, and that as the power of government expanded, it was even more essential that we protect our Second Amendment. Mention of a ‘tyrannical government’ seemed so off-base to me, I didn’t give it much thought. I brushed off their objections and supported seemingly rational ideas like limited capacity magazines and banning assault rifles.
When I ran for President, I campaigned across the country and had the privilege of spending time with and hearing from fellow Americans in places like Iowa, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Georgia, and more. In many of these places, gun ownership was ingrained in the culture, a part of life growing up. Etched into my memory is a town hall event we held in New Hampshire, where a few seats away from each other sat an avid defender of the Second Amendment and a mother who was genuinely frightened over recent school shootings and worrying that one day it might her child killed in a tragic mass shooting. Emotions ran high as I heard from both of them, and a healthy tension filled the room as these two Americans of good faith with different views openly shared their concerns. I didn’t talk much. I listened carefully. We all did.
Ultimately, these two individuals walked out of that event in agreement – both acknowledging the importance of protecting our Second Amendment, while recognizing that we must do more to keep our children safe. It was not an either/or proposition. Two ordinary citizens without any hidden agendas were able to understand one another and reconcile their differences in the span of an hour — which really put into focus just how dishonest the conversations taking place in Washington had become. This issue had become a political football used for cheap talking points and fundraising.
One of the most common arguments used to undermine gun rights will usually sound like: “Our founders only had muskets; they never imagined the high powered firearms available to citizens today.” In fact, immediately following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, New York’s Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul immediately excoriated the decision at a press conference where she recited this tired talking point. However, it was what she said immediately prior to this that unmasks how many Democrats truly feel about the second amendment and our Constitution as a whole. Governor Hochul’s comments were as follows:
“And I’m sorry this dark day has come, that we’re supposed to go back to what was in place since 1788 when the Constitution of the United States was ratified. And I would like to point out to the Supreme Court Justices that the only weapons at the time were muskets. I’m prepared to go back to muskets.”
Let’s step back and dissect that for a moment. Governor Hochul considers it a dark day for her constituents in New York to reclaim the rights promised to them under our Constitution; ones that she and the Democrat controlled state legislature were infringing upon. These remarks were unprepared, as news of the ruling broke during an already scheduled press conference – and so thanks to this rare moment of unfiltered honesty, we now know her true feelings. Governor Hochul fundamentally disagrees with the original intent of the second amendment.
Despite what many Democrats would like you to believe, the original intent had absolutely nothing to do with hunting or hobby. Very simply, the second amendment exists for two reasons and two reasons only. First, every American has the inalienable God-given right to protect themselves and their loved ones from threats of violence. As crime continues to rise throughout the country and progressive DA’s refuse to take dangerous criminals off our streets, firearm sales, especially among first time owners have hit record highs. Even with the relentless attacks on our second amendment from Democrats and our national media, Americans innately understand that gun ownership, combined with proper training, offers an unmatched level of security.
Second, our founders had a profound understanding of human nature – and the ease with which power could corrupt. To safeguard the very freedoms they had fought so valiantly to obtain, they realized the American people would need to be well-armed; as this would be the single most effective deterrent against government tyranny. President Biden recently mocked this notion, claiming that Americans would need F-15 fighter jets to successfully fend off our government. The bone chilling casualness with which our President quips about deploying the military against American citizens aside, Biden is misreading the intent of the second amendment. It exists to serve as a check on the power of a tyrannical government. With more than 81 million gun owners in America, any path to dictatorship would be met with armed resistance and unimaginable bloodshed, and so, our government will be very reluctant to cross that line. That is the very definition of a deterrent. When you disarm the people, that deterrent no longer exists and it becomes much easier to succumb to the temptations of tyranny.
I used to think the warnings from conservatives, libertarians and gun enthusiasts about the ‘slippery slope’ were overblown.But I was wrong. As I look back over the past decade, I see that their warnings were justified. The Democratic party wasn’t against the second amendment when I joined — but they’ve since removed all mention of it from their national party platform. The Democratic Socialists of America, a faction which has become increasingly vocal through members like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, published an essay in 2018 titled “The Second Amendment is a Threat to Us All.” Senator Elizabeth Warren is pushing for credit card companies to track and report all sales of firearms and ammunition, a backdoor effort to create a national gun registry, which would be unconstitutional and has so far failed to pass in Congress. President Biden relentlessly pushes for gun confiscation and reinstating the assault weapons ban. Meanwhile, they are politicizing Federal agencies like the Department of Justice and Homeland Security, and using them to target law-abiding Americans who oppose the radical so-called woke agenda of this Administration. They are dangerously showing their authoritarian instincts through their rhetoric, policies, and actions — undermining our God-given freedoms enshrined in the Constitution at every turn.
The actions of today’s Democrat party and the Biden Administration are proving how visionary our founders were in ensuring the Second Amendment came after the First Amendment. We cannot fold under the pressure of tyranny. Our rights shall not be infringed.
You can hear more on this in my very moving conversation with Congressman Steve Scalise.
Chloe’s Traumatic Journey: Puberty-Blockers, Hormone Therapy, a Double Mastectomy, and Regret
November 15, 2022
We can all agree that children must be protected, right? That no matter your politics or how divided our country becomes, allowing for or advancing policies that harm children should never even be an option. Sadly, that’s not the case.
There’s a dangerous effort that has long been underway to sexualize our kids at a very young age in school, telling them that they must question their gender identity, and indoctrinating them with a radical gender ideology.
The dangerous consequences of these efforts are not debatable. They’re real. And Chloe Cole is a living example. Today, she is using her powerful voice to share her story and help prevent others from suffering through the abuse and physical mutilation she endured.
Chloe was your average 11-year-old girl from Central Valley, California. She enjoyed playing in the dirt with her brothers and found it difficult to make friends with the girls at school. Like most girls her age, this is when Chloe first became introduced to social media. She got her first phone, and created an Instagram account.
Before long, the algorithms began introducing Chloe to transgender youth, as well as softcore pornography that started to make her feel very vulnerable, inadequate, and uncomfortable as a female. Anxious, confused, and socially isolated, Chloe began to believe she was living in the wrong body. Television and social media reinforced the idea that this was perfectly normal, and that a gender transition was the answer.
I spoke to Chloe the other day. We had a powerful conversation, filled with emotion and great detail about her gruesome and traumatic journey that began when she was 11 years old. At age 12, she wrote a letter to her parents stating that she was no longer their daughter but was instead now their son. She wanted to be called Leo, not Chloe.
Encouraged by various medical professionals, at 13, Chloe would begin medically transitioning with puberty blockers, testosterone, and chest binding — the latter of which permanently deformed her rib cage. No one on her medical team ever seemed interested in why Chloe felt this way, but instead, pressured her parents to consent to these dangerous treatments. Even though Chloe was not suicidal, the medical team presented her parents with two options — affirm her gender transition or Chloe would take her own life.
While all this was occurring, something curious was now happening at school. Suddenly, Chloe had a lot of friends. As Leo, she became popular. The attention and acceptance were a high Chloe had never experienced before, and she was encouraged to continue on her gender transition journey. So at 16, Chloe would undergo a double mastectomy.
Chloe has kindly shared these photos of her journey.
But something was seriously wrong. Chloe began to have serious regrets. She realized that she didn’t understand the ramifications of these aggressive medical treatments.
Chloe started to mourn the loss of her womanhood with the realization that she would never be able to breastfeed her future children. The farther she went down this path of trying to change her gender to a boy, the deeper she fell into depression. She started failing at school and began to have suicidal thoughts.
Eventually, Chloe decided enough was enough. She made a truly brave decision to de-transition. Her supposed friends all abandoned Chloe, considering her a traitor to the “progressive cause” she once championed.
But now, at 18 years old, Chloe is dealing with the long-term health complications and consequences of her hormone treatments and mastectomy. She has blood clots in her urine and cannot fully empty her bladder. Years after the surgery, her mastectomy still hasn’t healed. She may also be at an increased risk for cervical cancer.
These are the long-term costs when a 13-year-old girl is pressured into hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery. It is estimated that between 80-95% of children who identify as transgender but don’t undergo medical treatment eventually go back to identifying as their biological sex.
However, this social contagion is very powerful. Some of the most trusted people in America – like teachers and doctors – are pressuring children to take drastic measures. They’re condemning parents who have concerns or who might stand in their way.
Earlier this year, President Biden told parents that “affirming your child’s identity is one of the most powerful things you can do to keep them safe.” The U.S. Assistant Health Secretary, Rachel Levine, who is transgender, claims that these experimental treatments actually empower our youth and that any dissent to their efficacy is purely political — even as the FDA is now warning that these puberty blockers can cause brain swelling and vision loss in children.
Top health officials in the U.K. are now acknowledging the terrible damage being done by pushing these puberty blockers and hormone therapies onto our children. Following a comprehensive review of clinical data, the U.K. is now shuttering its one remaining gender clinic. Meanwhile, the United States plans to open several new clinics — despite continued pleas from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Listen to my powerful conversation with Chloe to learn about her tremendous advocacy work. And please consider sharing Chloe’s story. More people need to know the truth. More people need to stand up for our kids and protect them.
Modern Feminism Is Anti-Woman
It is a biological fact that men and women are different, but modern feminists are on a mission to erase the latter’s existence
December 4, 2022
What happens in our society when we have people in the highest positions of power who deny the existence of objective truth? When there is no such thing as truth, there is no such thing as reality. Truth becomes whatever the people in power say it is at any given time. We lose the foundation of reality when we cannot acknowledge that there is such a thing as truth — including the biological fact that there is a difference between men and women.
Earlier this year, the Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh made one simple question both the central focus and title of his critically acclaimed feature length documentary: “What is a Woman?”
For centuries, this answer was obvious. Even suggesting there was broad consensus would be an understatement. This was a universal basic truth, similar to the laws of gravity and the sum of 2 + 2 being 4. However, we have now reached a point where answering this simple question elicits outrage and controversy. The question has become so contentious, that even our newest Supreme Court Justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson refused to answer it during her confirmation hearing stating that she was “not a biologist.”
If we can’t define what a woman is, then how can one define feminism?
The feminists of past generations were determined to secure basic rights. They were driven to make sure our country lived up to the promises made in our Constitution. The women’s suffrage movement was relentless in its pursuit to ensure women could fully participate in the democratic process by obtaining the right to vote. Their daughters and granddaughters fought tirelessly for equal opportunities in the workforce. These second wave feminists expanded their focus into education and school sports, resulting in the passing of the historic 1972 Title IX legislation.
Now, exactly 50 years later, today’s so-called feminists are seeking to undo the progress that has been made, and erase us as an entire category of people in our society by redefining terms like mother to “birthing person” and promoting the lie that biological men can become women and get pregnant.
Organizations like the NCAA have allowed men into women’s sports, where they have very clear and obvious physical advantages – dominating the field with ease. So-called progressive feminists insist we must sit there and accept this injustice as progress, but I can’t imagine anything more disempowering for women. Our biological differences are not irrelevant; as collegiate swimmer Lia Thomas (formerly William Thomas) made clear by going from an overall ranking of #462 as a male competitor to ranked #1 as a female competitor following “gender reassignment.”
To learn more, listen to my conversation with 12-time All-American Riley Gaines. She was one of the top 5 collegiate swimmers in the country and competed against “Lia” Thomas. Now, Riley is on a mission to redefine modern feminism, taking a stand to protect women and girls.
I know it’s sometimes hard to wrap our heads around the dizzying state of the nation today. And to witness the height of hypocrisy for those who claim to be feminists to deny that there is such a thing as a woman. Even the Democratic Party, after decades of fighting for the rights of women, fighting for equality, fighting for that level and fair playing field across our society — today denies a woman’s existence.
This is why it’s so important for each and every one of us to do our part, exercise our right to free speech, and take a stand for women and girls. Our voices and action will have a positive impact in the fight today and will be felt for generations to come.
The End of True Journalism
December 12, 2022
Once upon a time, integrity was expected of all journalists. Unbiased. Reporting the facts. Providing different sides to a story.
If the journalist wanted to express their own opinions, it would be labeled as an op-ed. One of the reasons our press was originally granted such robust constitutional protections, was so they could provide a necessary check on those in power without fear of repercussion. They would serve as the watchful eye on our leaders and work to expose corruption. Report the truth – no matter how powerful the subject. They would operate outside the system and be an entirely separate entity that works in the interest of the public, not those in power.
But today? That’s rarely the case. Rather than operate outside the establishment, they’ve become part of it. This could explain why a recent Gallup poll shows only 7% of Americans have “a great deal” of trust and confidence in our news media.
This cozy relationship between so-called journalists within the permanent Washington establishment — politicians, bureaucrats, the military industrial complex — poses a dangerous threat to our democratic republic.
In order for us as voters to make informed decisions, we must be able to trust honest journalists who report the facts and tell the whole story — not just push the propaganda or narrative that their friends in government want us to believe. When the most powerful media organizations promote uniformity of thought and vilify those who ask questions, it has a chilling effect on our freedom of speech and undermines a truly free press.
Tucker Carlson is someone who asks a lot of questions, exposes some of the most powerful people in Washington, and pisses off people in Washington from both political parties. As a result, he’s always got a target on his back coming from those who try to silence him.
For more on my thoughts regarding journalistic integrity, listen to my conversation with Tucker Carlson. We had an in-depth conversation about the power of the national security state, how he almost joined the CIA, and got personal over things that truly matter, including the temporary nature of life, the reality of death, and finding peace in God’s love.
Are We A Nation That Values Our Veterans?
“To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan”
January 6, 2023
Veterans are dying from cancer at alarming rates. We could save their lives. But first, why is this happening in the first place?
Throughout my eight years serving in Congress, the most calls for assistance that came to me and my office were from veterans — by far. Those calling for assistance with Social Security, Medicare, or other federal services paled in comparison to veterans calling for help, expressing great frustration with the federal government and the VA’s failure to provide the services and recognition necessary to those who ‘borne the battle.’ Along with advancing legislative initiatives, my team and I spent the bulk of our time and resources helping veterans and their families to get the care and compensation they were promised and deserve.
Adding insult to injury, the failures were and continue to be exacerbated by politicians who on Veterans Day pay lip service to those of us who’ve served with flower words expressing gratitude, but talk being cheap, turn their backs on our nation’s sons and daughters when we need them most. Sadly, this is nothing new. Many Vietnam veterans have fought for decades for basic care and recognition for cancers and illnesses connected to Agent Orange exposure. My generation of veterans are fighting these very same battles all over again.
This is unacceptable. The Department of Defense and the VA are not fulfilling their mandate.
During the second inaugural address by President Lincoln in 1865, the closing remarks of his speech crystalized our nation’s commitment to its veterans:
“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”
Those words, “to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan,” were so prolific, that they would eventually become the motto for our Department of Veterans Affairs.
But if the harrowing statistics on veteran homelessness and suicides tell us anything, it is that our nation’s leaders have unequivocally failed at this mission. While our elected leaders in Washington are eager to start new counterproductive wars in other countries, new cold wars and nuclear arms race, the work of caring for those who wear or have worn the cloth of this country is too often an afterthought.
We must do better. As Americans, as patriots, as those who love our country — we must honor our veterans by making sure that none are left behind, that they’re always taken care of.
There are two main underlying issues that are never addressed. First, our government fails to treat veterans’ care with any level of urgency. The power of the Washington establishment is consolidated in such a way that most of the bills meant to address the needs of our veterans are never even brought to the floor for debate, let alone a vote.
While serving in Congress, I introduced more than 150 pieces of legislation addressing the needs of our veterans, and despite tireless efforts, less than 15% were even considered on the House Floor. Of those, just 11 bills made it to the President’s desk and became law. Unfortunately, my legislation to overhaul the way our VA tracks those exposed to toxic burn pits was not one of them.
Millions of our veterans have been exposed to various toxic chemicals and materials, which have caused unthinkable suffering, disease, and death due to a lack of early diagnosis and treatment
The magnitude of this issue cannot be overstated.
This is bigger than exposure to burn pits. We have had over 4 million veterans serve after 9/11 in support of the Global War on Terror, and 96% have reported contact with these toxins while deployed. Since returning home, more than 279,000 have died from “unknown reasons” and over 520,000 have been diagnosed with cancer. An astonishing 93% of our veterans report returning from deployment with new medical symptoms. Sadly, the VA is failing to recognize and tackle this epidemic.
This brings us to the second underlying issue. Despite being the single largest hospital system in the country, our VA is a bloated federal bureaucracy that doesn’t put the wellbeing of veterans at the forefront. Too often, the best interest of the bureaucracy comes first.
Throwing more money at the VA will not solve these issues. The problem is failed leadership within the VA, Congress, and the White House.
There are many examples of this: one in which the VA rented three in-home use hospital beds for almost $875,000; whereas simply purchasing the beds would have cost them only $21,000. Veterans are constantly burdened by excessive wait times, complex claims and approval processes, and often not allowed to get treatment from providers who are close to where they live, or who are specialists in their particular disease or illness.
A shocking Inspector General’s report recently highlighted a group of veterans who were cut off from their PTSD and depression treatments by the VA because administrators were “overwhelmed with paperwork.” The psychiatrists of these veterans wanted them to continue treatment, but the VA disregarded these professional opinions and stopped approving care. Shortly after this treatment was cut off, at least one of these veterans tragically took her own life.
How many more veterans must die from preventable causes before our leaders step up and take action?
As a soldier and veteran of multiple deployments to the Middle East and to Africa, I’ve seen the cost of war and who pays the price. I’ve also seen heroes here at home — people who are stepping in to fill the gap where our government is failing. Great Americans who honor the sacrifices made by those in uniform, and have taken to heart what it means to never leave a fallen comrade.
I recently spoke with one of these great Americans. My shocking conversation with Chelsey Simoni was both maddening and heartbreaking.
Chelsey is a veteran who decided to take matters into her own hands. This trauma nurse and former flight medic co-founded the HunterSeven Foundation, which has quickly become a leading non-profit to address the issues of toxic exposures and veterans’ healthcare. It is an incredible organization that is saving lives through critical research and innovative testing and care options to serve post-9/11 veterans, even catching diseases in the earliest stages before the onset of signs and symptoms.
To learn more about The HunterSeven Foundation’s incredible work, listen to my discussion with Chelsey Simoni. I promise you will be inspired.
The First Amendment STILL Protects Your Free Speech
We cannot allow powerful politicians, the mainstream media, and big tech to undermine our right to free speech.
January 31, 2023
Censorship has always been antithetical to freedom, but its form has evolved over the past two decades into a far more dangerous weapon. Whereas in generations past, certain governing bodies would take responsibility for pulling a television program off the air, limiting the distribution of a book, or canceling an event — the reasons were always made clear. Whether we agreed with the decision or not, we understood who was making the decision and why it was being made.
Today, censorship is far less transparent.
Social media is the new town square and big tech now suppresses any voice it deems “problematic.” They can limit how many people are exposed to your ideas, throttle your traffic, or suspend your account without citing any specific violations that were made to their terms of service. These tech conglomerates operate in total secrecy and are often composed of a highly partisan workforce.
The Twitter Files exposed how perfectly comfortable those in Silicon Valley are to privately embrace a culture of shadow banning and punitive practices while publicly denying that any such culture exists. Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter and the great reporting of Matt Taibbi finally confirmed that the vindictive actions of these social media conglomerates were indeed politically motivated and even executed at the behest of some of the most powerful people in our government and permanent Washington.
This censorship extends beyond individual voices and to the reporting of verifiable, factual events. Take for example the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, in which a legally obtained computer of a then presidential candidate’s son exposed information that implicated his father. In the weeks leading up to a presidential election, this information was certainly in the public’s interest to know, but Twitter blocked all reporting by the New York Post and then locked their account.
Most in the legacy media refused to cover the story, but when they did, they deemed the contents of the laptop to be “Russian misinformation” despite no shred of evidence to support that claim. Permanent Washington decided that was the narrative and they all stuck to the script. Over the summer, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke with Joe Rogan and outright admitted to suppressing the important story. No one on the Biden campaign ever denied the reporting from the New York Post, but they were rarely put in a position where they had to — thanks to this coordinated media blackout.
The power and influence of corrupt politicians in Washington working hand in glove with big tech monopolies has created a dangerously chilling effect on free speech.
Big tech and their legacy media allies can choose to amplify whatever they wish without fear of consequence in order to advance their preferred narratives. What may have been an acceptable mainstream view just last week can suddenly be deemed hateful or bigoted today because some hashtag went viral. A small group of activists can decide to manufacture backlash and get a topic trending, which is then picked up by the various “news” outlets that are desperate for provocative content, and before we know it, they have created the illusion of another issue being closed for debate.
This situation has created a culture of fear that has many Americans walking on eggshells. An entire volume of books could be published just citing the instances of people losing their jobs or having a college acceptance revoked because of an insensitive comment or lewd joke they posted on the internet several years prior. Corporations and universities that cave to the pressure have only served to normalize these tactics, empowering the rage mobs and fostering this culture of fear that leads to widespread self-censorship.
Democrats used to be the most reliable and passionate defenders of free speech, but not anymore.
Today’s Democrat leaders have become increasingly comfortable making public demands for censorship. A professor at UC–Berkeley urged her Twitter followers to illegally steal copies of Abigail Shrier’s book Irreversible Damage on transgenderism — and then burn them. An attorney for the ACLU, an organization that used to serve as the standard bearer for defending free speech, said that “stopping the circulation of Shrier’s book and her ideas is 100% a hill I will die on.”
More recently, a group of over 600 publishing industry workers signed an open letter calling on Penguin Random House to cancel the book deal of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett because of her vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. The letter to cancel the Justice’s book included signatures from employees of Barnes & Noble, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House itself, and various authors and members of the press. Their reasoning? That publishing Barrett’s book would be “a violation of international human rights.”
WHAT?!!!
The newest tactic of the far left is to equate views they dislike with hate speech, and to equate hate speech with violence. Mainstreaming this idea would open Pandora’s box to far reaching state sponsored censorship and an accelerated erosion of our First Amendment rights.
A CATO Institute and YouGov national survey from 2020 found that 62% of Americans feel the current political climate prevents them from expressing what they truly believe. When it comes to their professional lives, the survey finds “34% of conservatives, 31% of liberals, and 30% of moderates are worried their political views could get them fired or harm their career trajectory.”
When broken down by political affiliation, this same survey showed that 77% of Republicans have political opinions they’re afraid to share, compared with 52% of Democrats. More recently in 2022, a New York Times and Sierra College poll found that 84% of Americans see being afraid to exercise their freedom of speech as a serious problem. What this tells us is that the First Amendment is not a partisan issue.
An overwhelming majority of Americans across the political spectrum recognize how important our free speech truly is.
Self-censorship is what these cancel culture mobs desire most, and we cannot allow them to have it. The marketplace of ideas is foundational to who we are as Americans. Free and open debate is what has allowed us to excel, innovate, and prosper as a nation.
The Final Salute
How we can honor those who paid the ultimate price this Memorial Day, and ensure their sacrifice was not made in vain
May 29, 2023
Memorial Day is always a tough one for me. While the ads and signs read, “Happy Memorial Day!” for many of us who serve or have served, it’s not a happy time at all. We remember our friends who were killed in combat and the loved ones they left behind. We reflect on the selfless sacrifice they made in service to our country.
In 2005, I was deployed to Iraq where I served in a medical unit. Every single day I was confronted with the high human cost of war. On Memorial Day, I think back to the times we honored a fallen soldier, going through the final roll call, and that deafening silence when their name was called with no response. We gave them one final salute to their empty boots, helmet, and rifle.
As we gather at cemeteries and memorials all across the country where our heroes have been laid to rest, we are again reminded of the very real, high cost of war, and who pays that price — never forgetting our brothers and sisters who still serve in harm’s way today. That cost seen in the names on gravestones that we adorn with lei and American flags. The memories of our friends live on in our hearts.
So, nothing angers me more than to see the hypocrisy every Memorial Day coming from warmongering politicians and media pundits who feign respect, gratitude, and empathy for those who paid the ultimate price in service to our country, while simultaneously advocating for more military adventurism, the new Cold War and nuclear arms race.
They don’t seem to understand, appreciate or care about who pays the price for these unnecessary costly wars. They carelessly throw around possible numbers of casualties without recognizing every one of those numbers is a person, one of our fellow Americans — someone’s son or daughter, husband or wife, mom or dad. They don’t know what it’s like to say goodbye to your family and loved ones, giving them one last hug and kiss goodbye, knowing that it could your last. They don’t know the anxiety that these families live with every single day, every hour and minute, when their loved ones are serving abroad, praying for their safe return and dreading that phone call or knock at the door that could forever turn their world upside-down.
During my first deployment to Iraq, I didn’t fully understand or appreciate the stress that my family went through. I was focused on my mission and doing my job. It wasn’t until I came home that it truly hit me. The plane landed at Hickam Air Force base in the dark pre-dawn hours. We stepped off the plane and walked down the steps to the tarmac, feeling the sweet Hawaii trade wind breezes, as the sky began to turn a beautiful array of pinks and oranges. It was so good to be home. We had our last formation, and the general called out, “Dismissed!” releasing us after what had been a very long eighteen-month deployment. I ran toward my family, and into the arms of my dad first. As we held each other tight, my dad cried. I had never seen him cry before. It was at that moment that the weight of my service on their hearts became clear.
The way to honor our troops who sacrificed their lives for our country is to prevent unnecessary, costly wars which will result in the deaths of many more of our brothers and sisters in uniform.
While we shed tears, share stories, times of sadness and times of joy, thinking of our friends, celebrating the lives that they lived, let’s remember the purpose they chose for their lives, their strength, courage, and deep love for our country. Let’s make sure that today, and every day, we honor them. We make sure that they are never forgotten and that their sacrifice was not made in vain.
On this Memorial Day, and every day, may we remember those who gave all, and that war should only be waged as the very last resort to keep the American people safe and free.
Prayers and Aloha for Maui
August 13, 2023
I just arrived here on Maui where the fatalities count from this week’s catastrophic fires continues to rise. Sadly, officials are reporting 93 individuals were killed because of the fire, with over 1,000 still missing. Everyone from the area that I’ve talked to has said that the number of people who died is significantly higher than what’s been reported. Within hours, Lahaina was razed to the ground, with most people having no warning or time to evacuate. My heart is breaking daily for the lives lost, and the people and families who escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs. My heart breaks for this community which will never be the same. Photos from my time on the ground can be viewed here.
So many of you have reached out, expressing your concern, sharing your prayers for the people of Maui, and asking how can you help. The needs of the community continue to evolve on a daily basis. The support that this community needs is urgent now and will continue to persist for the months and years to come as they begin the long process of rebuilding.
There are many organizations doing great work on the ground. I’m raising funds through my non-profit “We Must Protect” to get support to those who need it most. It’s a completely volunteer-run organization committed to ensuring every dollar contributed is used to provide maximum positive impact to those we serve.
2,170 beautiful acres have burnt to ash. 2,200 buildings have been destroyed — homes, businesses, historic landmarks, and community pillars. I served this community for 8 years as their Congresswoman and walked the streets of historic Lahaina so many times. It’s as though a bomb exploded and destroyed the entire community. Lahaina is unrecognizable today.
I’ve met with business owners, residents, community leaders, first responders, health care professionals, students, teachers, farmers. This community is filled with people who love their home, are proud of their community, and are doing all that they can to support each other right now. My goal is to support them.
Every dollar contributed to our Maui Relief Fund is supporting our brothers and sisters on Maui who are struggling and suffering in ways that are impossible to measure. They need our aloha and urgent support to meet basic needs like medicine, food, fuel, transportation, and temporary housing. We’re also supporting local organizations that are mobilized here on the ground to offer both immediate services and those required for the long road ahead to recover and rebuild.
This crisis is far from over. There’s so much pain, fear, grief, frustration, and incredible suffering. And yet, the real mourning has not even begun, as so many families here are still in survival mode — just trying to make it to tomorrow.
Mahalo for standing with the people of Maui during this tragic and unprecedented time of immense loss.
Maui Fire Survivors Begin Reentry to Their Devastated Community
Lahaina residents are returning to the place where their homes once stood
September 25, 2023
Last month in West Maui, horrific flames ravaged the town of Lahaina and devastated the community beyond recognition. Many of you have seen the terrifying images and heard the heartbreaking stories of those who survived, and those who perished. The vacuum they have left behind can never be filled.
The official death toll has been reported at 97 people. 75 of those have been identified and their families notified, while 31 people remain on the missing persons list. Today, for the first time, Lahaina residents will be allowed to go back and visit what remains in the aftermath of the fire’s devastation. This day has been a long time coming.
Residents reentering their properties are being cautioned to wear protective equipment, be cautious around debris, and drink plenty of water due to the extreme heat compounded by necessary safety gear. Children and pregnant women are at higher risk from debris hazards and are being advised to stay away from the impacted area.
It has been 48 days since this disaster changed their lives and world forever. The long road to recovery, rebuilding, and restoration is just beginning. It has been incredible to witness the strength, courage, heroism, and resilience of this community. Even those who have lost so much are enduring blood, sweat, and tears through sleepless nights to care for others. They embody what the aloha spirit is all about.
So many heartfelt donations from folks around the country helped make this possible. With aloha and my deepest gratitude, thank you. Mahalo nui loa for your kokua, kindness, and generosity for Maui’s people and for supporting our relief efforts across the island.
The quick and gracious response to our Maui Relief Fund was tremendous and overwhelming. Everyone stepped up to help our brothers and sisters in need — from West Maui to Upcountry in the Kula area — providing communication equipment they desperately needed, as well as basic life support, including food, water, medicine, clothes, and fuel.
Since Week 1 of the disaster when I arrived on Maui with volunteers from my nonprofit organization We Must Protect, the work to help survivors has continued with each passing day. We were able to directly fill requests from community leaders: pop-up tents and tables to organize and distribute food and supplies, as well as other essentials to support a reliable system of communication for those on the ground — since cell service, telephone lines, and internet were all down. We raised almost $100,000 to provide critical needs to our Maui ‘ohana with multiple orders of goods and supplies coming in by air and sea. Photos from our relief efforts can be viewed here.
Mahalo to the Menehune Water Company for donating one hundred 5-gallon water jugs that we distributed to families in need. We’re also grateful to Range Global and Banyan Networks for donating six satellite phones with a month of free service to help fill the communications gap.
The people of West Maui have a long road ahead. There are still thousands of people with no home, and no idea about how or when they can begin rebuilding their lives. I hope you will join us in continuing to stand with and support the people of Maui every step of the way.
For Love of Country
Apr 30, 2024
I spent a lot of time writing For Love of Country, sharing my heart and why I’m so concerned about the future of our country.
In this book, I share stories of growing up in Hawaii, events that shaped my worldview, my time in Congress, and what I saw behind the curtain of the Democratic National Committee. Watch the book trailer here.
Most importantly, I share what ultimately led me to leave the Democrat Party behind. It’s why I’m urging other independent-minded Democrats who love our country and cherish peace and freedom to do the same and join this fight to save our country.
I’ll be honest — this book wasn’t easy to write. We live in troubled times. Our nation is divided. Our leaders are failing us. Our country’s future can sometimes feel bleak.
Sometimes I wish I could just tune out all the noise and go out for a long surf at my favorite break. But there is too much at stake in this moment for patriots like you and me to put on blinders and stand on the sidelines.
I took an oath to defend our country and our freedoms. I can’t sit idly by while the elite in Washington erode our Constitutional rights, jeopardize our national security, enable wide open borders, and stoke the flames of identity politics and division even further.
I wrote this book not just to share my story, but to serve as a wakeup call for what’s truly going on in our great Republic… and what we as patriotic, God-loving Americans can and must do to save her.
If we fail to act, it may be too late. Our future and freedom are in our hands… and I have never been more optimistic of our ability to rise up and do what must be done to save our country.
I hope you enjoy the book!
We Must Protect Victims of Hurricane Helene’s Destruction
October 2, 2024
I’ve been here on the ground in Georgia in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s destruction to meet with survivors and officials to ensure we get life saving resources and supplies to those who need it now. I’m going to North Carolina this morning and will update you again from there.
This disaster has taken more than 190 lives across six states. Search-and-rescue efforts are ongoing, and many people are still waiting for access to electricity, communications, and water. We must stand with our fellow Americans now and help deliver resources, supplies, and the information they need to survive.
My non-profit organization We Must Protect took action to support the victims of the devastating Maui fires last year. We are 100% volunteer-run and are focused on how to reach those on the ground in their most urgent time of need — especially when government bureaucracy and red tape stand in the way.
We are organizing now to support survivors of Hurricane Helene’s destruction. I’ll keep you updated on everything we’re doing for immediate assistance, as well as the long road ahead when these Americans move into recovery mode.
Thank you for your help, your aloha, and your compassion.
Hurricane Helene: “Don’t forget about us.”
A quick update from my visit with survivors in Georgia and North Carolina
October 7, 2024
It’s hard to find the words.
The apocalyptic devastation I saw in North Carolina is difficult to describe. The resilience of people who have lost everything can’t easily be conveyed — but I’ve seen it before. In the residents of West Maui last year in the wake of the tragic fires that completely decimated the historic town of Lahaina and many homes in the surrounding areas.
In both cases, I stood in awe of their resilience, strength, and what we in Hawaii call the aloha spirit — even those who lost everything, stepping up to do all they can for their neighbors, friends, and those in need.
Unfortunately, much like we saw on Maui, there are still many people who are not getting the assistance they need. Communications are still down in many isolated areas and small towns. The closest thing they have to emergency services is a volunteer fire department. Their limited emergency resources have been quickly overwhelmed and nobody from FEMA has come or knocked on their door to offer assistance.
There are volunteers who are helping out wherever possible. We delivered a trailer full of chainsaws, leaf blowers, shovels, rakes, generators, fuel, oil, water, and electrolytes. They are trying to survive and recover what little is left. The thought of rebuilding is difficult to comprehend at this moment. What does that look like? What will it take? How long will it take? The heartfelt message I heard again and again from those facing the challenge of their lifetime was, “Don’t forget us.”
I truly thank God and all of you for the quick response and thousands of generous donations to my all-volunteer nonprofit We Must Protect. In less than a week, we’ve raised $331,833 and every dollar is going to Hurricane Helene survivors.
With your selfless contributions and a gracious, significant bulk discount from Lowe’s, we were able to distribute equipment to help clear roads and remove debris. We brought in toiletries, first aid kits, and other essentials that survivors desperately need. I’m getting requests for more emergency supplies and we are working to continue delivering direct support. I will keep you updated.
Thank you for standing with our fellow Americans in their time of need. We don’t know yet how many lives have been lost, but we do know that there are thousands of people in the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia who are struggling and need our help.
Here’s a short video that shares just a snapshot of what I experienced in North Carolina. It’s not just the wreckage, but the voices of our fellow Americans sharing what they are going through, and how we can help. We have to make sure they are not forgotten. It’s going to be a long road ahead. Let’s continue to support them in any way we can.
With gratitude,
Tulsi