Our politician-soldiers

[Glen Miyashiro]

The Advertiser reports that Representative Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo has been activated for National Guard duty. Fellow politicians Mark Takai and Charles Djou are also in the Guard but have not (yet) been activated.

On the one hand, sure, she could phone or email her votes in to the Legislature. But if I was one of her constituents, I would be concerned that she would not be sufficiently accessible to me. I'd definitely vote her out this fall for that reason, and I guess it's a good thing that the election is so soon. But if this were to have happened earlier in her term, should she be considered capable to fulfill her duties as an elected official? By comparison, this seems similar to having your elected official on extended travel and never available in her home district.

I don't know how this has been handled in the past - has it happened before at all? Any political/military historians out there who know?

[kamlost]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

Tough call. It is admirable what she has chosen to do, accepting the draft and still trying to follow the rules of the elections.

I think it wouldn't change my vote.

[Karen]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

I read that article in the paper online. I think though she is admirable, it borders upon the ridiculous that she actually wants to win the election. I wouldn't vote for her, as she'll be gone more than a year.

[Vanguard]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

Another point of view

US National Guard announcement in paper

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

An update on Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo.

From the Honolulu Star-Bulletin:

State Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo, a specialist in the Hawaii Army National Guard, announced yesterday that she will not campaign to keep her seat in the upcoming election because Defense Department rules prevent her from performing legislative responsibilities while on active duty. But her name will remain on the ballot, and she could still be voted into office.

From the Honolulu Advertiser:

State Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo, a National Guard soldier who volunteered for service in Iraq after she had filed for re-election, said yesterday she will not campaign for a second term. <...> State law, however, requires that Tamayo's name remain on the ballot. She declined to say whether she will resign if elected, or whether she will endorse another candidate for her office.

[kamlost]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

Good decision.

[KaipuaGurl]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

I would still vote for her.. matter of respect for what she has sacrificed..
There isn't many politicians who would voluntarily sacrifice their seat and career for our country. And any one that does I greatly respect.

[pzarquon]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

It bears noting that the reason this got all the coverage it did is not because she had to make a difficult choice. It's because she initially wanted to retain her seat, even while in Iraq. All sorts of scenarios had to be sorted out, like how she would vote, or whether she could designate proxies, and stuff like that.

From the article Glen linked first in this thread:

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo said she will continue her campaign for re-election even though she is one of 2,000 Hawai'i Army National Guard soldiers who were activated yesterday and is expected to spend a year in Iraq beginning in February. Tamayo believes she should be able to carry out her legislative duties from abroad if she is re-elected.

If she'd decided to forfeit her campaign the minute she was activated, then she'd have deserved a pat on the back. Instead, all the public handwringing and the advance scheduling of a press conference at the Capitol where she finally announced The Big Decision makes it all seem pretty disingenuous. Especially since she signed up for duty after she filed to run!

What should've been a common sense call was stretched out and played up like a giant, patriotic sacrifice. Phooey.

The headache isn't over, either, since she can still win the primary, and even the general election. Surely she'll have a lot more to say and a lot more press conferences scheduled to keep the world informed of her thinking on the matter.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

It's definitely a way for her to keep her name in the news. And name recognition counts for almost everything in local elections.

[Mxyzptlk]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

It bears noting that the reason this got all the coverage it did is not because she had to make a difficult choice.

...

What should've been a common sense call was stretched out and played up like a giant, patriotic sacrifice. Phooey.

It seemed pretty transparent to me. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too. I hope people realize that it wasn't like she was called up and taken by surprise. You can bet she will use this situation for traction later in her political career.

[Vanguard]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

Daddy is teaching her well.

[KaipuaGurl]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

You guys are really lame...

This lady goes and 'volenteers' to fight for you right to vote, for your family to be safe, for our freedom of speech. And you dog her for wanting to hold onto her carrier so that she has somthing to come back too?

My brother has gone to Iraq. It is NOT A LIGHT THING, how will you all feel if she is wounded, or even killed in her service to keep you and your family safe?

You guys really make me sad.

[kamlost]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

You guys are really lame...

This lady goes and 'volenteers' to fight for you right to vote, for your family to be safe, for our freedom of speech. And you dog her for wanting to hold onto her carrier so that she has somthing to come back too?

My brother has gone to Iraq. It is NOT A LIGHT THING, how will you all feel if she is wounded, or even killed in her service to keep you and your family safe?

You guys really make me sad.

thank you.

someone show me another politician who'd give up their seat and the safety of their homeland to go into a crazy country like Iraq? And who'd voluntarily go despite the dangers.

[pzarquon]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

This lady goes and 'volenteers' to fight for you right to vote, for your family to be safe, for our freedom of speech. And you dog her for wanting to hold onto her carrier so that she has somthing to come back too?

I guess what you see as a reasonable precaution to hold onto a job despite deployment, I see a case of "wanting her cake and eating it too" - getting to wrap herself in the flag as a soldier of freedom and democracy, but meanwhile holding onto a political post at the same time... the duties of which she couldn't fullfill while overseas.

A career in politics is always an uncertain thing - running doesn't neccessarily mean you'd be re-elected, anyway. Whether enlisting in the military or seeking elected office, you should know what you're getting into. In both those arenas, more than most, nothing is a sure thing.

This is politics, after all. For better or worse, all motives are suspect. Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo may have made an honest blunder. But the timing and careful framing of it all just smells fishy to me.

My brother has gone to Iraq. It is NOT A LIGHT THING, how will you all feel if she is wounded, or even killed in her service to keep you and your family safe?

Who's saying it's a light thing? Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo is doing a great thing by serving. I'm just saying that that should be her priority while she's over there, not - comparatively - a relatively minor local election, or passing bills. After all, if she plays her cards right, when she gets back, she'll be even more electable. In a way, it's still win-win for her.

[Mxyzptlk]

Re: Our politician-soldiers

You guys are really lame...
...
My brother has gone to Iraq. It is NOT A LIGHT THING, how will you all feel if she is wounded, or even killed in her service to keep you and your family safe?
...

I'd feel depressed, as I do every time I hear about someone young or old, American or Iraqi, dying over there.

Doesn't mean I can't think she was trying to game the system too.

I hope your brother returns safe and unharmed.