RUTHFULLY YOURS

“Drain the Swamp” is the rallying cry of Americans who want leaders, not politicians. This was the case for many World War II veterans who chose to serve their nation in a different capacity. It is no different today with Congresswoman Martha McSally (R-AZ), a representative of those veterans who care more about this country than their own political ambitions.

McSally has an impeccable resume.  As a colonel in the Air Force she was part of the team that helped plan and execute U.S. air operations over Afghanistan shortly after 9/11.  In January 1995, she became the first woman in U.S. history to fly a combat aircraft into enemy territory, in order to help enforce the United Nations’ “no-fly zone.”  In July 2004, McSally took command of the 354th Fighter Squadron, becoming the first woman in U.S. history to command a combat aviation unit. A requirement that American military women wear veils while stationed in Saudi Arabia led her to stand up for American principles with a lawsuit in early 2002. This eventually led Congress to pass a bill ending the practice. She is now serving her second term after first being elected to Congress (R-AZ 8^th district) in 2014. American Thinker had the privilege of interviewing her as she makes a run for Arizona’s open Senate seat.

Less than 1% of the total population serves in the military today.  Yet, many post-9/11 veterans are stepping up to the plate to serve in Congress. McSally believes, “Being an elected official is a continuation of my service.  Those who served in the military understand that our culture is not to walk away from a problem, but to do something about it. A lot of veterans are responding to this ‘call to duty.’ I am willing to work with those on the other side of the aisle, even the ones who I do not agree with. I think it is in a veteran’s DNA to be mission oriented, which means to see if there are any Venn Diagrams pieces that we can agree upon and work together.”

With McSally running there is a good chance that this Red State remains red and does not turn blue.  She understands the importance of keeping the Senate majority, “I want to make sure this seat remains Republican.  I am the kind of person that runs into gunfire and not away from it.  The stakes are so high that my purpose driven, mission focused, service minded attitude will make a difference.  I will always speak truth to power, which is needed among our elected officials today.”

The Democrats and those on the Left have no new ideas.  The only thing they are very good at is making vulgar comments against Donald Trump and Republicans.  Here are just a few: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in speaking about President Donald Trump’s accomplishments said, “Has he kept his promises? No. F– no,” and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, in a speech where children were on stage, said of President Trump that he “doesn’t give a s– about healthcare,” while also saying “your g–damn right, Trump is a liar.” This has become the norm for the left’s dialogue. They do not want to make America great again, they want to obstruct.

The congresswoman agrees. “We are seeing that to an extreme right now. The Democrats are so hysterical that Donald Trump is in the White House, and still have not accepted the outcome of the 2016 election.  They are focused on resisting and obstructing.  Just look at the Senate confirmation of Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State and compare that to Hillary Clinton’s.  She received nearly unanimous votes.  Do you think Republicans agreed with her on the issues? Of course not, but the advise and consent role of the Senate is not to decide if a senator agrees with them, but who the President wants as long as they are qualified.”

Many Democrats actually want America to fail. They have the attitude of the comic Bill Maher “I think one way you get rid of Trump is a crashing economy. So please, bring on the recession.” McSally gets the feeling, “they are cheering when the stock market falls.  It is like they can’t see straight about what is best for this country. I understand that we need rigorous debate about policy.  But that is not happening, and it is all about hating this President. I even had some Democrats come up to me and say it is all about resisting Trump, and not about competition of ideas.”

Her belief about what issues are important to the United States comes down to security.  “We must secure our country as we deal with threats around the globe.  The military should have everything they need to keep us safe and we have to make sure our veterans are taken care of.  My career has enabled me to be able to provide very strong leadership to national security issues. I was just over in Korea, at the DMZ literally two to three hours before President Kim Jong Un crossed over to meet with the South Korean President. I give credit to this administration with the maximum pressure campaign that put the squeeze on North Korea.  I am a skeptical optimist who believes in the deterrence theory. Our opponent needs to truly believe as you look in the whites of their eyes that you are willing and able to make it so painful for them they will change their behavior. I hope it is possible to have a complete verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

Next is economic security.  “People want a level playing field.  If they work hard they want to know they can get ahead. Under the last administration people worked really hard, but never had the feeling they were succeeding financially. We need to be able to compete globally by cutting taxes, rolling back regulations, and giving more access to capital.”

Being from a border state, she knows the importance of securing the border.  “We need a smart immigration system that is merit based. As the border security subcommittee chair, I’ve been leading from the front working to secure the border. My bill, Securing America’s Future Act, got close to passing the House and it checked all the boxes — it fully funded a border wall, closed our immigration loopholes, fixed DACA and ended family separation. This shouldn’t be a divisive issue. I’m going to keep working to pass legislation that secures our border and keeps Arizonans safe.”

Regarding her Democratic opponent, she believes, “She is trying to reinvent herself.  She used to be a flaming left anti-military, anti-Israel person.  My track record shows I am a strong supporter of both.  We need to support legislation against the Palestinian Authority while they continue to give money to the terrorists.  Unlike my opponent, I agree with the President that we should have withdrawn from the flawed and failed Iran deal. I support cracking down on Iran, while she is against more sanctions on Iran, the largest state supporter of terror, including Hamas and Hezb’allah. She is a chameleon and is very well funded. If I have anything to say about it, she is not going to win.”

She further stated, “I want to run an optimistic campaign. We have the lowest unemployment in eighteen years, for women since 1953, a near record for blacks and Hispanics.  Our military strength is being rebuilt and we actually have a foreign policy again, with America in the lead. Everyone should feel they will be able to live the American dream.  Unlike the Democrats, who are against everything, it should be what we are for.”

Americans should support Martha McSally.  She has integrity, and will actually be proactive, trying to get the Senate to pass bills.  She is thoughtful, intelligent, and has the experience to become a fine senator.

The author writes for American Thinker.  She has done book reviews, author interviews, and has written a number of national security, political, and foreign policy articles.