Mark Small

1) I have yet 2 read stmt of specific U.S. task/goal in Afghanistan since forces arrived there in 2001 to force the Taliban out of power and deny Al Qaeda a place to train terrorists. 5/24

When Mr Abernathy says you “got to complete the task ... do the job” he implies there is some end result for our presence there - after nearly 20 years. 6/24

2) Mr Abernathy doesnt understand a geographical problem. Afghanistan’s mountains impede conventional military approaches, sure, but Mr Abernathy needs to understand: AFGHANISTAN IS NOT PART OF THE MIDDLE EAST. 7/24

If Mr Abernathy believes we “need to remain committed to the Middle East,” it would be good if he knew what countries comprise Middle East. Otherwise he might expand our forces far beyond that area of the World. 8/24

3) No surprise - Mr. Abernathy on NATIONAL DEFENSE says First priority of federal gov’t is to ensure safety/security of our citizens Must ensure well-trained & well-equipped military but make responsible choices in how we spend defense $ 9/24

Mr Abernathy fails 2 understand: our oversized military engaged constantly makes us less secure. Our undeclared wars have killed many Example: we created security threat fr Iran in early 1950s when we helped overthrow its elected govt 10/24

Constitution: Congress has power to declare war. Const. Art. I, sec. 8. We only should use military force after a declaration of war. We’d kill fewer people, have fewer of our own people killed, and be more secure. 11/24

Our military budget is greater than next 7 biggest and accounts for thirty-seven percent (37%) of the World’s total military expenditures, according to the Peter G. Petersen Foundation. 12/24

We bomb, or attack w/drones, ppl 1/2-way around the World with accuracy of five percent (5%) or less - i.e., 95% is “collateral” damage. No matter the accuracy - or inaccuracy - of our weapons, we kill people. 13/24

4) Mr Abernathy advocates “a responsible annual budget ... one of the core responsibilities of Congress.” He laments that “State and local governments have to live within their means.” 14/24

Instead of gutting our infrastructure, leaving the sick untreated, and starving the poor, we could chop the budget for the military in half. To many - Mr Abernathy, apparently, included - the military budget is sacrosanct. It isn’t. 16/24

5) Mr Abernathy says current occupant of Oval Office has done tremendous job rebuilding our economy Need 2 continue 2 reduce/eliminate unreasonable bureaucratic regs & mandates that stifle economic growth. 17/24

The Impeached One has done nothing “positive” for economy& there was nothing to “rebuild.” Prior administration - the last to be legally elected w/o foreign interference - left an economy that was in good shape. 18/24

Tariffs imposed during Impeached One’s hissy fits have been pd by Americans. Tax cuts 2 the very rich haven’t stimulated economy What R unreasonable bureaucratic regs & mandates? 19/24

EPA - created under a GOP Pres - has been gutted USDA allows more rat hair & hog testicles in our meats Student loan vultures no longer R held at bay. Of course, these all were REASONABLE regs & maybe not what Mr Abernathy means. 20/24

Finally, Mr Abernathy touts right to bear arms as fundamental & vows 2 protect rts of unborn. It’s odd: an individual imbues human-made implements (guns) w/Const’l protections, yet denies same protections 2 ppl w/uteruses (women). 21/24

I have addressed some, but not all, of the points Mr Abernathy lists on his website. 22/24

I am Mark Small, a candidate for U.S. House in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. I am proud to be a progressive. I cannot get pregnant, so I won’t tell women what to do with their bodies. 23/24