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Marla Bautista 

Marla Bautista 

USA TODAY

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Opinion: Trump's secretary of Defense pick comes with a cost – to US

As we brace for the impact of a second Donald Trump presidency, I can't help but question the moral compass of the military leaders who will choose to...

13.11.2024 9

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: She broke barriers in the Army. Now she faces a new battle.

Army Master Sgt. Janina Simmons broke barriers as the first Black woman to successfully complete Ranger School. Now, she’s fighting an even tougher...

11.11.2024 20

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: America is meant to protect us. Trump's win proves otherwise.

We shall overcome someday, but not now. Now, I feel hopeless and abandoned by the people, the very system that has promised to protect me and never...

08.11.2024 30

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: Trump's hateful rhetoric set stage for rally's racist jokes

Who knew that racist banter and sexism would make a smashing comeback in political campaigns? I sure didn't, but after watching Donald Trump's damning...

31.10.2024 8

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: Trump's plans for public schools should scare parents

Former President Donald Trump is using public education as a weapon in his campaign for the White House, continuing to fight against DEI programs and...

28.10.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: Musk tries to buy votes while taking billions from taxpayers

Elon Musk’s recent political maneuvering is not just questionable − it’s a blatant attempt to leverage his influence for personal gain. With...

24.10.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: Obama is force for Harris. Is it the push she needs to win?

Former President Barack Obama's support for Kamala Harris could be the push she needs to win the presidency. With his popularity, fundraising ability...

18.10.2024 6

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: Trump attacks our military voters abroad. It's unforgivable.

Former President Donald Trump recently claimed that Democrats plan to send absentee ballots to military personnel and other citizens living overseas...

15.10.2024 9

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: Milton is gone. Can my family recover?

Fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine. My eyes swelled up with tears as my daughter counted the passing ambulances heading toward Tampa as we fled the...

11.10.2024 7

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: As Hurricane Milton bears down, I'm worried about my kids

TAMPA, Fla. — As I sit on my bedroom closet floor, writing this column in the middle of preparing for Hurricane Milton, I can't help but think about...

09.10.2024 8

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: Life in Israel during war takes toll for US military families

For U.S. military families stationed in Israel, the war in Gaza and now in Lebanon has been unsettling, piling anxiety and fear of imminent danger...

08.10.2024 20

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Opinion: Trump can vote despite felony conviction. Why can't others?

The conversation surrounding voting rights for people convicted of a felony has grown louder since the conviction in May of Republican presidential...

30.09.2024 20

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

OPINION: Vance's lies are a threat to public safety

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance this month pushed a false narrative in the news media and then claimed it was the news media that was...

18.09.2024 30

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Harris was right: Schools don't need more cops with guns

12.09.2024 6

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

15 people die at work every day. Is your job worth dying for?

When I first read the story of 60-year-old Denise Prudhomme, a Wells Fargo employee who was found dead at her desk four days after she clocked in to...

09.09.2024 6

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Trump is losing all by himself. Harris doesn't need to help.

As we watch former President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign implode, it’s fun to watch his base go crazy about Vice President Kamala Harris’...

06.09.2024 20

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

I took my kids back-to-school shopping. And I still feel the pain.

After spending the equivalent of an entire mortgage payment on school supplies for my children, I’m frustrated. And I’m not the only one. The...

03.09.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Trump's desecration of Arlington shows he's not fit to lead

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has continued his divisive antics this week by desecrating a sacred moment of remembrance for the...

29.08.2024 5

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Veterans for Harris? Democrats make gains in key GOP voting bloc.

While veterans have for decades leaned toward Republican candidates in presidential elections, recent trends suggest a growing number of veterans...

26.08.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

America is neglecting military families. Harris needs to deliver hope.

Vice President Kamala Harris is the most qualified candidate in the 2024 presidential election, but as a military spouse, I am worried her policies...

22.08.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Teachers went from role models to human shields. How did we get here?

It's no wonder that teachers are leaving education for jobs at Costco. The average annual salary for a starting teacher is less than $45,000. And the...

16.08.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Vance's attack on Walz's military record disrespects all veterans

As a military spouse for nearly two decades, I am offended by Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s speech accusing Tim Walz of stolen...

12.08.2024 8

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

The truth Trump won't tell you: Undocumented immigrants help America

No matter the political nonsense you hear spouted about immigration, legal and otherwise, here's the truth: America needs more immigrants, documented...

09.08.2024 70

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

How do I talk to my kids about Harris, Trump? Be honest.

With election season comes a surge of often heated political discourse on social media, delicate and tense conversations in real life and attack ads...

05.08.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Trump's NABJ interview should make you outraged and disgusted

Donald Trump’s disdain for Black Americans was on full display Wednesday at the National Association of Black Journalists Conference.  ABC News...

01.08.2024 90

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

As a Black woman, I won't back down. And neither will Kamala Harris.

In a society rife with misinformation about affirmative action, lingering systemic racism and the dismantling of diversity, equity and inclusion...

29.07.2024 5

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Sonya Massey asked for help. Police killed her instead.

The horrific, preventable death of Sonya Massey is yet another reason Black Americans struggle to trust law enforcement. On July 6, a sheriff's deputy...

26.07.2024 30

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Can Musk buy Trump the White House? We're about to find out.

Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, has said, according to a Wall Street Journal report, that he will donate about $45 million a month to a...

19.07.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Prime Day is more than deals. It brings little packages of joy.

So, democracy may hang in the balance, but hey, look at this great deal on kitchen mixers!  In the midst of a tumultuous election year, Amazon Prime...

16.07.2024 20

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Ammo vending machines at grocery stores? Horrible idea.

News broke this week that American Rounds, which promotes itself with the line "Ammo Sales Like You've Never Seen Before," is operating vending...

12.07.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Old, white men are standing between Kamala Harris and the presidency

Despite our nation's progress in social equality, the systemic power held by older white men in America continues to obstruct the paths to success for...

10.07.2024 8

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Who are true patriots? I think of Michelle Obama and Jon Stewart.

As a military spouse, the word "patriot" is an intrinsic part of my daily life. On a military base, we start our days with reveille and end them with...

04.07.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

What is a Black job? Trump tries to exploit fear of immigrants

It’s clearer now than ever before. Former President Donald Trump is a malignant narcissist, a racist and a liar, but more than anything he is a...

02.07.2024 50

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Biden helps heal lingering pain of military's awful anti-LGBTQ policy

The "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy was institutionalized discrimination, plain and simple. It unjustly punished proud and capable service members...

01.07.2024 7

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Don't draft women or men. Raise pay and benefits instead.

The House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would automatically register men ages 18 to 25 for the Selective Service, the vehicle for...

25.06.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Biden, help military families: Forgive our student loans

Being a military spouse is a cost burden and a hindrance to my career opportunities. As a military spouse, the weight of student loan debt compounds...

20.06.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

For military dads and their kids, duty requires steep personal cost

18.06.2024 10

Daily Messenger (MPNnow)

Marla Bautista 

The GOP's attack on IVF is an attack on family values

The thought of IVF being unattainable for military families is a slap in the face for service members who are unable to conceive. This shouldn’t be...

17.06.2024 30

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

For military dads and their kids, duty requires steep personal cost

U.S. military fathers serve their country with honor and dedication, but their noble service comes with the high personal cost of missing out on many...

14.06.2024 20

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Hunter Biden and millions of other Americans need our help. Not shame.

Hunter Biden was found guilty on federal charges Tuesday for lying about his drug use on a gun purchase application in 2018, for lying to the gun...

11.06.2024 3

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

My son has autism. As a mom, I fear for his life.

“I don’t want my child to die,” the words left my quivering lips during a recent meeting at my son's school. I eventually left that meeting in...

10.06.2024 60

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Trump, now a felon, isn't fit to be military's commander in chief

Former president and convicted felon Donald Trump should not become America’s next commander in chief. His criminal record and despicable behavior...

06.06.2024 10

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

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