menu_open Columnists
Marla Bautista 

Marla Bautista 

USA TODAY

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Our military sacrifices so much. Don't take our paychecks, too.

Another Christmas, another potential government shutdown. Congress faces a Friday deadline − only five days before Christmas − to pass a continuing...

17.12.2024 5

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

I feel guilty saying 'no' at Christmas. But I can't afford this.

The holiday season is a time of joy, giving and family togetherness. But for parents like me, it’s also marked by stress, financial strain and an...

15.12.2024 40

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Trump's immigration plan faces a big obstacle: The Constitution

President-elect Donald Trump’s recent proposal to end birthright citizenship is a threat to the principle that the United States is the land of...

13.12.2024 20

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Why are we obsessed with Luigi Mangione? The answer should disturb us.

While Americans continue to grapple with the violent death of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Luigi Mangione, who is accused of shooting the...

12.12.2024 5

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

My Spotify Wrapped told me what I already knew

I spent 32,616 minutes listening to Spotify this year, and honestly, it saved my life. The much-anticipated 2024 Spotify Wrapped is more than just...

06.12.2024 4

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Biden did the right thing. Pardoning Hunter heads off partisan warfare.

I'm glad President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter for felony convictions on federal tax evasion and gun charges. Pardoning Hunter was the the...

03.12.2024 3

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Trump's Cabinet nominations diminish sexual violence survivors

President-elect Donald Trump, no stranger to sexual misconduct allegations himself, blithely nominated three men to fill powerful positions in his...

01.12.2024 2

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Hegseth is dangerously wrong. US needs women in combat.

Pete Hegseth, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as Defense secretary, recently said he opposes women serving in combat roles in the...

25.11.2024 3

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

Veterans say they're hopeful about Trump. I have concerns.

Military veterans and their families need, more than ever, greater stability, stronger support and significant improvements to essential services....

19.11.2024 4

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

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...

13.11.2024 1

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 20

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...

31.10.2024 5

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...

28.10.2024 2

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 3

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...

18.10.2024 2

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 3

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...

11.10.2024 3

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...

09.10.2024 2

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 10

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 20

USA TODAY

Marla Bautista 

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

12.09.2024 2

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...

09.09.2024 2

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 10

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 2

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 3

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 2

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...

16.08.2024 3

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,...

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...

05.08.2024 5

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 1

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...

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