Christie Tells it Like It Is

There are plenty of issues out there that break neatly between Republicans and Democrats, but this isn't one of them.

Recently, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said that she is "very concerned" about what could happen if Congress doesn't reauthorize a section of the Patriot Act, which is set to expire in the next few days. As a former U.S. attorney herself, Lynch said that the Patriot Act provided government with "important tools" and that weakening it could make Americans "less safe."

Citing threats around the globe, Christie also said that we need to rebuild the U.S. military in order to restore tactical superiority on the ground, across the seas, and in the air.

"We need to give our men and women in uniform the resources they need to get the job done," he said, listing the number of airplanes and warships needed to rebuild the U.S. arsenal.

Why aren't we hearing more of this sort of thing from other candidates? Who can deny that the world is a dangerous place, and becoming more dangerous all the time? With America's influence around the world in steep decline, the list of aggressors eager to test our limits is long -- Russia, Iran, China, North Korea, etc. And, of course, there is the Islamic State, which -- when it has completed its mission of taking control of major cities in Iraq -- will no doubt continue its campaign to target Americans, wherever it finds them.

Finally, Christie insisted that President Obama is leaving America weaker than he found her.

"All these things are happening because American power is in retreat and we've backed away from the principles that made us a source of strength and stability," he told the audience. "No one understands any longer whom America stands with or whom we stand against. No one understands exactly what we stand for and what we're willing to sacrifice to stand up for it."

Christie was right to stand up, and say what needed to be said -whether or not the media thought it was newsworthy. Now that more Americans are looking beyond their domestic concerns, we need to hear more about how to keep Americans safe and restore America's place in the world from those individuals who want to be the next commander in chief.

Well, who's next?

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Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com.