David Webb: Stop imaging and get back to actual issues

It is not yet Halloween, but a small reality scare is needed. America is getting sucked into the messaging and not enough of us are focused on primary issues, which leaves the elected to do what they do best: get reelected. 

Fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria

{mosads}What kind of war is it? Let’s not play the White House word games. This is a war, and we already have boots on the ground. 

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee Wednesday morning, Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, opened the door for American boots on the ground. We are told that American troops will only embed with Iraq forces at the brigade level. 

This brings me to some key questions: What current status of forces agreement protects our troops now in Iraq and in the future? What are their rules of engagement if fired upon? Can American troops fire first if they detect a clear and obvious threat? 

The borders matter

Our southern border is porous. We have no idea how many have slipped through under our politically upturned noses. We should not ignore our northern border with Canada or our airports. Many come here on visas and overstay. We have no sufficiently accurate tracking mechanism for those who overstay.   

Hillary Clinton: She’s back in Iowa, and it’s not just for the Harkin steak fry

The Select Committee on Benghazi has to get this one right even if Republicans are involved. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton feels qualified for the presidency and has re-debuted in Iowa — where she lost her last bid to Barack Obama — making statements about being on grandchild watch and taking the obligatory picture at retiring Sen. Tom Harkin’s annual steak fry. 

Pull out your old Run Hillary Run bumper stickers — it’s time to recycle them one more time. At least it’s the environmentally friendly thing to do … that should satisfy the momentary urge of the so-called greenies. 

Under Clinton No. 1, aka Bill, national security adviser Sandy Berger was sentenced to community service and probation plus a fine of $50,000; as charged, he “knowingly removed classified documents from the National Archives Administration and stored and retained such documents at places.”

Enter Clinton No. 2, aka Hillary, whose senior staffers as alleged by whistleblower and former Deputy Assistant Secretary Raymond Maxwell oversaw the removal of any potentially damaging documents related to Benghazi from the State Department’s Foggy Bottom headquarters. 

What is one key tie that binds these two events? Cheryl Mills, who as White House counsel defended President Clinton during his impeachment trial. The Select Committee led by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) has yeoman’s work to do. 

Now the scary scenario. Hillary Clinton teams up with Elizabeth Warren. Did the conservative heart just skip a beat? 

Ray Rice vs. Shaneen Allen

What Ray Rice did in knocking out Janay Palmer is horrendous — we can all agree on that. But the right missed an important aspect of this issue: fair application of our justice system. The same New Jersey prosecutor, Jim McClain, and Superior Court judge, Michael Donio, gave Rice pretrial intervention (PTI), but didn’t give it to Shaneen Allen.

Shaneen Allen is a great conservative cause. 

Allen was clearly wrong, making the crucial mistake in carrying her gun into New Jersey when only licensed to conceal carry in Pennsylvania. 

She told the police officer she had the .380 Bersa Thunder handgun during a traffic stop. It’s a newbie mistake by a mother of two young boys who obviously is an upstanding citizen to qualify for a concealed carry permit. 

This is about right versus wrong in applying PTI, but it appears fame played a role for Ray Rice and not for an upstanding un-famous citizen who wants to exercise her Second Amendment rights. New Jersey Republicans should be solidly and publicly in her corner. 

And there’s more: What about the economy? What about corporate and individual tax reform? What about halting or getting rid of useless federal programs and bailouts that redistribute tax dollars that don’t truly help the economy? 

There are fewer than 50 days to go until Decision 2014. 

Webb is host of “The David Webb Show” on SiriusXM Patriot 125, a Fox News contributor and has appeared frequently on television as a commentator. Webb co-founded TeaParty365 in New York City, and is a spokesman for the National Tea Party Federation. His column will appear twice a month in The Hill.