Tulsi Gabbard would be under 40 when she took office. This would make her the youngest person to ever hold the office of President of the United States. Of course, she would also be the first woman. And the first American Samoan, and the first Hindu. None of these have any real bearing on her qualifications for the office. But, for some reason it sounds almost too odd to not be preordained. Why bother doing these things one candidate at a time when we can just roll them all into one and get it over with? But, there are other considerations.
Gabbard introduced one of the most aggressive pieces of climate legislation to date. Her plan would require utilities to use 80% renewable resources by 2027 and 100% by 2035. The plan further mandates zero emissions for cars by 2050. Bold moves, but it considering it might already be too late we need to start fast and finish strong.
Using a tax on stock and bond trades she would eliminate tuition at community colleges. Moreover, if a family makes less than $125,000 a year their children would qualify for free admission at four year state colleges.
She has introduced legislation to provide Medicare for all. It would be paid for by an increase in income taxes on the wealthiest 5% of Americans.
Importantly, she has criticized the US for its involvement with the Saudi Arabian war in Yemen. Perhaps her time in the service has provided her with the wisdom to understand how awful things are in that poor little country. And God knows it doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Further, she would attempt to disentangle America from the endless wars it has become embroiled in this century. Her feeling that these are mostly exercises in regime change and do very little for national security.
Her past is littered with traces of anti LGBTQ sentiments, but she seems to have come to have turned toward the left on the issue. And she joined Republicans demanding Obama use the term Radical Islam. And she was one of 47 democrats to vote to make the refugee vetting process more restrictive.
Gabbard is young, she is a veteran, but she has many opinions (some of which she has recanted) that are difficult to process in an age where we need to find common ground. Proceed with caution.
You can check out Michael Bennet, Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Bill de Blasio, Steve Bullock, Pete Buttigieg, Julian Castro and John Delaney here!
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