The Midterm Elections are just ahead of us. As the country jumps from crisis to crisis, it is clear that the political class which dominates the country’s politics is not up to the challenge of leading, and the case for electing Veterans to government is getting stronger by the day!
Whether Republican or Democrat, Veterans can bring a sense of bipartisanship back into our political discourse and decision making. But the issues are equally important!
Below are three policy topics that we believe have high priority in the years ahead. It is important to consider the stance of any candidate on these big issues and to evaluate support for them accordingly:
2nd Amendment
There is perhaps no right more essential to the preservation of the others than the 2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms. Contrary to Leftwing propaganda that the 2nd Amendment is about hunting, the Right to Bear Arms in its simplest form is the right to self-defense.
Without this inalienable right, every other right enshrined in our Constitution can easily be taken away. Perhaps this is why overreaching governments at all levels have worked so hard to diminish the rights of gun owners in America. Whether it be Red Flag Laws or “Gun Free Zones,” most government violations of the 2nd Amendment have only served to encroach on the rights of law-abiding citizens, rather than reduce gun violence in this country.
Being pro-2nd Amendment is a simple benchmark that all serious candidates must meet in the 2022 elections.
Afghanistan Retreat
While the majority of Americans agreed that it was time to end America’s longest war in Afghanistan, the execution of this pull-out from the country was an unmitigated disaster.
President Joe Biden announced the winddown of US operations in the country in April of last year. By August 15th, the capital city of Kabul had fallen, and the country was once again controlled by the Taliban. In addition to this collapse of Afghan armed forces, was a total collapse of security in the country as America desperately tried to evacuate citizens and allies in the ensuing weeks. On August 26th, suicide bombers targeted the Kabul airport killing over 60 Afghanis and 13 United States Marines. These were the first American soldiers killed in over a year in the country.
Withdrawal from Afghanistan was a bi-partisan goal, but the execution of this withdrawal by the Biden Administration was a foreign policy catastrophe and there must be accountability for this failure.
The Threats of China & Russia
Recent geo-political developments surrounding the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation have brought a simple reality to the forefront: America’s dominance as the world’s sole superpower will not go unchallenged in the 21st century.
On February 22nd, Vladimir Putin launched a “Special Military Operation” against its neighbor Ukraine. The Russian invasion of Ukraine came after months of strained diplomatic efforts to de-escalate amidst a massive Russian military build-up on Ukrainian borders. This major European war has led to the worst refugee crisis in Europe since WW2, thousands killed, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. But beyond the tragedy of senseless human suffering, is the prospect of Russia and NATO aligned countries being at the edge of direct confrontation.
What would likely result in WW3, could not have been possible without the Chinese, however. Sources indicate that China knew of Russia’s military ambitions ahead of time, requesting that President Putin wait until after the end of the Beijing Olympics. Additionally, Western attempts to wage economic warfare on the Russian Federation will likely be blunted by China’s commitment to buy the country’s natural resources. Worst still, the Russian invasion of Ukraine may likely be a precursor to the Chinese attempts to invade and annex Taiwan, which is viewed by the Communist Chinese government as part of its dominion.
The invasion of Ukraine has all but solidified an axis between the Chinese and Russians, and likely couldn’t have occurred without failed US and EU leadership (not to mention the billions in Russian fuel purchased by both groups on a yearly basis). Just months into 2022, confronting the Russia/China alliance has taken center stage as the United States’ most critical geopolitical objective, and we must elect candidates willing to lead with strength through this emerging threat.
