With all due respect to Earl Hindman, I don't think so, Tim
Rory Ryan
By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press
Minnesota Gov. and Kamala Harris' choice as vice president on the Democrat ticket Tim Walz now claims he "misspoke" in a 2018 video that included Walz bragging about his handling of weapons "in war." Well, at least that's the Harris campaign statement. Who knows if Walz was on board with that dubious adjustment to his service record.
The Harris campaign correction comes after Republicans – including Trump VP candidate and Marine veteran Sen. J.D. Vance – have criticized Walz over his military record.
“Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American’s service to this country – in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It’s the American way," a Harris campaign spokesperson said in a statement.
I'm not buying it. Neither are many others. Anyone who claims to have served in the U.S. Armed Forces in a war zone knows that he/she has. Anyone who has not also knows.
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, a Navy veteran, slammed Walz in a post on X on Thursday. “I proudly served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, with multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq – retired as a master chief,” Gonzales said. “Yes, that makes me the highest-ranked enlisted service member to EVER serve in Congress. A claim Gov. Walz has falsely paraded around. It’s important to call out DISHONESTY. Tim Walz should immediately be WITHDRAWN as the Vice President Nominee.”
U.S. Air Force veteran Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said last week that it was “Purple Heart Day, and we have a guy who is claiming to be a combat veteran as Harris’ running mate. Disgusting.”
Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., an Army veteran, said that the Minnesota governor “abandoned his fellow soldiers on the heels of their deployment to Iraq.”
As reported by The Center Square, U.S. House Republicans and military veterans are demanding answers from the Pentagon and Walz on his military record after several claims have resurfaced. Walz was picked as Harris’ running mate; the two are the presumed Democratic nominees for president and vice president.
Criticisms of Walz’s military record have existed since 2006 when he first ran for Congress. Republican members of Congress and veterans are again raising concerns, including vice presidential candidate Vance, R-Ohio, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq; U.S. House Reps. Jim Banks, R-Ind., Cory Mills, R-Fla., Navy and Army veterans, respectively, whose deployments include Afghanistan and Iraq.
Walz, who served in the Army National Guard for 24 years, claimed in 2018 that his goal was to ban Americans from purchasing “weapons of war that I carried in war,” claiming that he fought in combat.
I don't think so, Tim. You are lying for political gain. You ought to be ashamed. Except people like you have no shame.
And for all of the "what-aboutisms" on Trump's lack of military service or Biden's lack of service, that's totally irrelevant. Walz lied about carrying his weapon in war. That's not something to brushed away by saying he "misspoke" or he "misremembered."
No, it was an intentional lie for political purposes.
Voters this November would be wise to remember two things: You can vote in socialism, but you cannot vote it out.
Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.
Comment
We can only imagine...
What if J.D. Vance over-inflated his military service? What if he said he was a Sergeant, instead of a Corporal? What if he said he was in Iraq for six years, instead of 6 months? What if Vance said he was in 2nd Recon Battalion, instead of the 2nd Marine Air Wing? We (a vast majority of smart Americans) all know the legacy media would crucify J.D. Vance if he ever "misspoke" about any aspect of his military service. To argue to the contrary will fall on smart American's deaf ears. (But not as deaf as Democrat VP nominee Democrat Timmy Walz said he was during his DUI traffic stop).
For the 18- 24-year-olds
It would seem that Tim polished his brass a bit too much. But this fuss about him retiring and leaving his unit is silly. For as many stories I've read about him "abandoning" his unit, there seems to be as many saying he left well before they knew they would be called up. I also understand that under dire circumstances his request to retire would have been denied if his presence was critical. After 24 years he was entitled to leave. And it's not like his unit was dropped off in the middle of a war zone like a bunch of 5 year olds going to kindergarten with no one to show them what to do. I'm sure the Army had someone who filled that spot. He got in no trouble with the Army for retiring. Even IF the motivation was to avoid deployment, think of all our brave HS buddies in the 60's who joined the NG, Reserves, became a CO or enlisted for the extra year or two to get to chose a support MOS to get out of getting sent to VN. That's what JD did, he wasn't drafted so aside from basic training he was a clean Marine. To his credit he ended up in a hostile area, maybe not voluntarily. JD deserves a thank you for joining the Marines, Walz deserves one for his service too. What they did or didn't do is or was their business. JD didn't ask for combat or to make a career out of the Marines. Tim didn't ask for combat either. But he did serve a lot longer than he had to. I think both got more out of it than they put in. One last thing, I thought the military people weren't supposed to go around trashing each other.
•••••Publisher's note: A few fair points – except for conveniently missing the crucial point that Tim Walz has claimed (and campaigned on) military service in a WAR zone. That is unacceptable. He should never be one step away as commander in chief.
Inflation of his own service
Walz knew an Iraq deployment was coming. If he was the top enlisted soldier as all the sycophants say he was, then he knew what was coming, to an almost certainty. But since Walz was a socialist democrat who hated Bush. He bailed, and turned into a socialist/progressive politician, with no significant accomplishments since then. Other than a burnt city of Minneapolis, and a destroyed police precinct
RE: Publisher
I acknowledged that in the first line. I didn't see anywhere where he said he was in a war zone, though the weapons used in war quote come as close as you want it to. He just needs to own that. As far as everything else goes at least he has some military weapons knowledge and leadership experience. JD's military experience in public relations is honorable and probably helped him in civilian life. If you had to go with experience in military matters Walz has it. It's fair game for those of the rival party to discredit him any way they can now that he is in the race. Of course the two folks on the top of the tickets haven't worn a uniform and they are first in line as CIC.
•••••Publisher's note: Fair points. Thanks for reading.
Far From Normal POTUS Election
Everything is extremely far from normal in this election year. The only thing close to normal will be the usual lies exceed facts. We had basically no primaries. The incumbent POTUS dropped out. Each side is and will make promises they cannot keep. None of the 4 running impress me. The top issues as reported by the national media have no impact me. National debt will grow under both. Maybe if there are no buyers for US debt, CD rates jump to say 10%. There is no plan to shore up Social Security or Medicare. I collect SS 4 years as of 8/1/20 and on Medicare 2/1/21. So far so good. Plus as a retired public servant from the State of California, a small pension. Plus a healthy tax free health care subsidy. Pension is guaranteed by state constituion. Health care subsidy is insolvent. CA had a $100 billion surplus not long ago. Newsom gave away the rainy day fund started under Jerry Brown as inflation help for lower income. The last Governor to rebate excess tax revenue was Pete Wilson (R). Also note the fraud from Covid unemployment fraud now is at 20 billion. Was 11 billion when I retired. Bottom line is I will be hunting for replacement income. Work? No. Marginal tax rate of 22% plus FICA is 29.65%. Best to trade stocks, collect dividends, and CD interest now down to 5.2%. SS Cuts in 8 years will deplete retirement savings faster than forecast before I bought my first home a year ago. I voted for Trump in CA twice. Like it really did not matter. Saved taxes while working and in retirement. Capital gains and qualified dividends were taxed at lower rates than ordinary income. So I vote my wallet. However the 2017 cuts eliminated the personal exemption and as a senior doubled the standard deduction so high my real estate and property taxes not yet assessed are not deductible on the federal level. Trump wants to stop taxes on SS and tip income. But it increases national debt. Harris agrees on tips. Surprise. Rx drug prices? No impact. Platinum coverage with CALPERS. WWIII? I am armed and have my 1974 draft number. A requirement to serve on local draft boards. The rich kids cannot bribe out as was common then. Legal or not, at 18, if stopped by LE, you better have that on you. If not, in Highland County, you where before a Judge the next business day. So where does this go? My parents and grandparents on the Mayer side were staunch Democrats. I was until 1992 when the food stamp recipients were buying steak and shrimp while the ex-wife and I bought ground beef on sale. These shoppers then pulled out a wad of cash for tobacco and top shelf alcohol. Proceeded to a late model car. 13 years newer than my high mileage BMW and Mazda pickup.
I then started voting GOP after one vote for Bill Clinton. Now facing huge declines in income in an inflationary environment, it might be time to vote blue. My Democratic friends still critical of gun ownership. Should civil unrest go bananas if Trump loses, I have a plan. At least the water tower across the street is a sniper's heaven.
I prefer peace over war. We are financing Ukraine and Israel. Soon Taiwan. Then Iran.
The fiat system of currency is a failure. Nixon took us off the gold standard. Created the EPA. And established relations with China. One POTUS set USA up for our decline in the American dream.
J.D. Vance, USMC
I'm not up on all the details of J.D. Vance's early adulthood, but it's a common storyline for many Americans, and some immigrants, who have grown up in hard environments. In 2003, the U.S. is fully engaged in the War on Terror. Vance finishes high school and enlisted in the Marine Corps. I assume he was able to pick is military occupational specialty. I'm trying to read into the mind of a young J.D. Vance at that time. He needed a way out of poverty and wanted to break the cycle of rough family issues. I bet military journalism is a job that appealed to a smart and articulate J.D.. The other lures of a 4 year commitment is a steady paycheck, room and board, and educational benefits. A military journalist with the 2nd Marine Air Wing will not face long days or months on the front lines, even when he's deployed to Iraq. Neither will the postal clerks, aircraft mechanics, Corpsman, or the Intel personnel. But they still went with their unit and upheld their obligation. And they're better people for it.