John Neely Kennedy on Homeland Security Democratic Senate Challenger (LA)

We don't need a military parade to show off American power

Democrats have joined with some GOP lawmakers to speak out against the parade, with many saying it could come off as "totalitarian" and would evoke demonstrations in North Korea and Russia.

Some have said a parade would be a waste of money, and that more should be invested into services like mental health care for veterans instead.

Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) expressed opposition to a parade, saying, "America is the most powerful country in all of human history; you don't need to show it off."

Increase size of the military; increase spending for defense

Congress has played politics with our national security, with Senators delaying funding for our troops in harm's way based on their partisan and personal agendas.

Today we are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, central fronts in the fight against Islamic fundamentalism, but the threat is global. The challenge of defeating Islamic fundamentalism cannot be left to one country. We must revitalize old alliances and create new ones to meet these challenges.

Eliminate foreign aid to any country that supports terrorism

I want an America and a Louisiana that refuses to be bullied by terrorists, tyrants or rogue states. I want an America and a Louisiana that values peace but is not afraid to fight.
• Eliminate foreign aid to any country that supports terrorism.
• Strengthen America’s ROTC program and add homeland defense to its curriculum.
• Beef up security at our ports and strengthen the Coast Guard.
• Establish a National Homeland Security Academy to train policemen, firemen and EMT’s in domestic security.
• Establish a 24 hour operations center so local law enforcement can access terrorist lists and information.
• Recognize that Iran, Syria, Lebanon, the Sudan and Libya are terrorist states. Cooperate with them but don’t trust them.
• Keep nuclear weapons out of terrorists’ hands. Terrorists can get fissile materials only by buying them from countries. We need to empower the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor all fissile materials around the world.