Rep. Martha McSally’s short political career has been most notable for her gravity-defying fence sitting, trying to maintain her perch on the fence having it both ways without ever taking a principled stand on anything. She literally stands for nothing.
It’s long past time for you to get off the fence, Martha: “You’ve Got To Stand For Somethin’, or you’re going to fall for anything” (John Mellencamp).
The Arizona Daily Star’s Tim Steller writes today, McSally’s tentative Trump support galvanizes Dems:
Whichever way U.S. Rep. Martha McSally turns, there’s a trap.
If she supports President Trump’s initiatives, that galvanizes the already-energized Democrats and potentially puts her seat at risk in 2018. If she rejects Trump, she turns off the 44 percent of the Congressional District 2 electorate who voted for Trump, the base of McSally’s GOP.
It’s a trap she’s long tried to avoid in the southeast Arizona district that has gone to both Democratic and Republican candidates. On Aug. 31, the day candidate Trump visited the Mexican president and gave a dark anti-immigration speech in Phoenix, she declined to say whom she would vote for in the presidential election, saying “My vote is between me and God and the ballot box.”
But now she is emerging tentatively from her neutral stance, supporting Trump in two of his more controversial initiatives. That’s already bringing out critics and potential challengers.
McSally’s first small step out of the neutral zone came on Jan. 26, when she deemed Trump’s executive order on border control and the proposed wall “strong steps in the right direction.”
“For years, Southern Arizonans have called for the federal government to step up and secure our border, and this order is a strong start in the right direction. They untie the hands of our Border Patrol agents and allow them to do their jobs. They also mandate the release of regular border effectiveness data, which is critical to fully understanding the problem.
“When it comes to barriers, they are important where appropriate, but only part of the equation. What we need is a comprehensive strategy to grow situational awareness, build operational control, and dismantle the cartels and their networks.”
So, in essence, she liked most of Trump’s executive order that day, but thought there was too much emphasis on the border wall. A rather nuanced response to a president who is mostly garnering polarized reactions.
Trump’s more controversial executive order took place on Jan. 27, and caused airport chaos, confusion and demonstrations over the weekend. McSally made no public statement until Monday afternoon. Then she again offered tentative support.
“We are a nation of immigrants, but that must be balanced with the foremost priority of the federal government — protecting the American people. I served on a Congressional task force focused on combating ISIS that found very real and dangerous gaps in our vetting processes. Likewise, our own intelligence officials have expressed vulnerabilities with these processes, which is why taking a comprehensive look at them is prudent and should be expected of any new administration.
“However, I have concerns about certain individuals being denied entry, such as green card holders, those who served alongside our military, and partner military service members who train here, such as Iraqi pilots in Tucson. Those issues must be addressed and remedied immediately.”
Again, she quibbled with the details of the Trump policy, objecting only to the mistreatment of green-card holders and those who have assisted our military. She ignored the impacts on everyday travelers and U.S. residents with family in those seven countries from which travel is banned. Not a particularly strong response to a measure that demanded it, in my view.
Now opponents are sensing vulnerability. Protesters are gathering regularly at McSally’s office, urging her to protect the Affordable Care Act and to oppose Trump. Democrats are already lining up support as possible challengers in 2018.
Among the Democrats at various stages of considering a run: Brian Bickel, a retired hospital executive who ran unsuccessfully for Pima County supervisor last year; Mo Goldman, a local immigration attorney and new candidate; Stephen Portell, a local civil attorney in private practice and also a new candidate; Victoria Steele, a former legislator who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in CD2 in 2016; and former legislator Bruce Wheeler, who said he has been attracted to the race by McSally’s reactions to Trump.
“McSally is signing off on his behavior and serving as an enabler to him,” Wheeler said.
As strong as McSally was in her first term . . . she won’t be able to ride the fence forever on Trump’s policies. There are risks in either direction, but she will have to take them.
Or as the Most Reverend Desmond Tutu reminded us all:
mcsalley is waiting to run for mccain’s seat in the senate.
You betcha. And the Democrats are at a real disadvantage in statewide elections. So McSally would have a good shot at McCain’s seat unless the Democrats can defeat her in 2018. McCain might last his whole term which means he’ll be around until 2022.
McCain, a man who owes me 50 grand from the S&L scandal, seems to be one of the few people standing up to President Bannon.
So, I’m rooting for McCain?
FML.
Sadly enough, we can’t just elect somebody with a whole soul, a well informed intellect and has a fairly common appearance to the masses. They have to have some grandiose background and a maybe even a bit of the alphabet behind their name. In McSally’s case she doesn’t surprise me with her lack of conviction. The first thing she learned was that for the rest of her life she has a six digit income, a killer health benefits program and more vacation days than ever before in her life. By virtue of her party affiliations she has to follow suit, even if in her heart she knows it’s wrong or she will be shunned, nobody like that. If she is ever going to step out she will need to grow a respectable pair and stand her ground. Something like speaking out against DeVos for the same reasons she wouldn’t want a VW mechanic working on her A-10.
FRIDAY, FEB 3, 2017 01:20 PM -0700
TAYLOR LINK
Poll: 40 percent of American voters want President Trump impeached
http://www.salon.com/2017/02/03/poll-40-percent-of-american-voters-want-president-trump-impeached/
McSally couldn’t be more useless but unseating her is going to take an outstanding candidate. Such is the power of incumbency and name recognition.
She may try to avoid taking a position, but she is wingnut through and through and no one should spend a nanosecond begging her to support any Democratic positions in the Age of Trump. She needs to be voted out. Period.
She’s friends with the Clodfelter family. Todd’s daughter Kristin is her Deputy Chief of Staff in DC. They are related to my former neighbors. Some mighty serious right wingers in that family.
I keep thinking that Captain Mark Kelly would be a great challenger and he did say awhile back that he hasn’t ruled out politics. Maybe he’s game, who knows? He wouldn’t have to be a lifer.
Ha ha, I just checked out Captain Kelly on Facebook. Everyone is asking him to run for office.
He would win.
I agree, he would win. Unless he’s co-opted by the DCCC and allows them to turn him into the usual “mystery meat” candidate they usually run and wind up losing. He should accept their financial support but be his own candidate and congressman.