It’s hard to watch the AIPAC conference for more than a few minutes at a time. For me, the worst part is the pandering (and lying) by Democratic politicians eager to raise money for their next campaign.
So far, Joe Biden has been the worst. He is heavily funded by the Adler family of Miami Beach (he even brought President Obama to their home for a fundraiser), one of the big AIPAC families. Here is Biden talking about how the head of the Adler klan and another AIPAC mogul gave him his “formal education” on the Middle East. (Not to mention all that money.
And, of course, Biden (like John Kerry) knows better than his AIPAC speeches indicate. I have talked to him about Israel and Palestine.He can name the top Palestinian leaders in Fatah and Hamas and tell you the differences between their respective positions. He believes Israel needs to end the occupation and talk to Hamas. He would not dare say it publicly, although he has said it so often privately that it is amazing the media never reports it.
But Biden does what he thinks he has to because, for politicians like him (that is, pretty much all politicians), nothing is more important than keeping donors happy. Call him a hypocrite but he cries all the way to the bank.
The Republicans are different. Supporting the occupation and threatening war with Iran come naturally to them. They don’t need lobby money for their campaigns and they don’t get Jewish votes anyway. (This is not to say that they don’t like Sheldon Adelson’s money, just that as the pro-business party, they don’t need it). They support Netanyahu because they believe that the west needs to crush the Muslim world. They do not feign Islamophobia. It’s them.
The good news is that as the country gets “browner,” as the black, Latino, and Asian vote continues to grow (and moves into the Democratic party), the lobby will have a harder time keeping the Democrats in line. No matter how many free trips AIPAC gives up-and-coming minority politicians, it cannot keep up with the disdain grassroots progressive voters feel for Likud Israel. Combine them with the Democratic party’s large left and soon the Democrats tip…toward justice. That means playing the role of honest broker and peace maker, not bloviating lsrael enabler.
Does this mean the Jews will go to the Republicans. No way. Only 5% of Jews vote with Israel in mind. But the big money controlled by the lobby will. As will the whole AIPAC crowd that puts Israel’s interests above America’s.
AIPAC knows this is happening. They know its future is with the GOP. Happily, America’s future isn’t, which means the lobby will soon be on the permanently losing side.
As for Israel, the decline of AIPAC is only good news. It needs peace with the Palestinians. It does not need empty rhetoric from empty politicians. As the segregationist left the Democrats for the GOP after LBJ’s civil rights laws, so will the AIPAC crowd go to the Republicans. It is inevitable.
And it’s good news. Biden’s bloviating for Israel will soon be history.
I wonder what the differences are, between Democratic & Republican politicians, when it comes to self interests in money affairs.
Witness the recent appointment of our new Treasury Secretary – and current positions on funding wars and collecting taxes.
Just who is profiting or making money from this form of government?
We see few examples of reasoned diplomacy, which operates on the basis of mutual respect for the difference people hold. Politics takes its place! Unfortunately there are profound consequences for this “us vs. them” thinking process. There are also powerful forces in early life forming maladaptive relating of the “us good/them bad” mode. Add weapons of mass destruction and we as a species are at risk. See the link http://bit.ly/TNV12Sheldon for a 12 minute comprehensive explanation.
Thank you and Bless you, Mr. Rosenberg for your courage in speaking the TRUTH. I know about AIPAC and their vise-liike control of our Congress’ foreign policy decisions. You are right about the demographic/cultural changes within our country. I just hope that we can hold on until they make a decided difference at the polls.
Oh those god damn Jews, how you hate them so
Dear Sammy,
It has to be asked: why on earth do you read these posts if they are so clearly and consistently upsetting to you? Why do you put yourself through it? Why not go for a walk, read a book, have a cup of tea, watch some TV, for heaven’s sake, do anything other than that which seemingly causes you distress and makes you angry and instead of spending your time doing something you enjoy.
Your negative comments do not produce the change I believe you want. I would hazzard a quess that they do not alter the minds or the hearts of those who write or who read the posts on the subject matter. For me, what your comments do in the main, is to instill in me a compassion on you. You give the impression of your clutching onto a miserable and disheartening way of seeing the world and those in it who are taking efforts to make this place, this life, this world, a somewhat better place.
I beleive I can easily predict what you would like me to do with my compassion. But whatever you say or feel about it, still, nevertheless, it is yours.
Warmly,
Twilla
Dear Twilla
When someone posts not 1 but several blogs on the board over the course of a few weeks, one has to ask why. Surely Israel is not the only country receiving billions in aid. Count Egypt and Pakistan as a a few others, Why should I turn blind eye to those obsessive blogs while you turn a blind eye to aid going elsewhere.
Take your Tukkinista blinders off and take a critical lok at what is being written here. Some of us here are not lemmings like you.
This article suffers from simplistic thinking. Stigmatizing and demonizing “Republicans” is no more warranted than doing so to any other group. They too include moderates as well as radicals. They too have a perspective on what is good for the commonweal.
This is an extremely important and interesting piece. It makes a lot of sense.
Now I understand completely why Biden kow tows are so deep to AIPAC. For the good of our country, for the good of Palestinians and Israelis, this scenario can’t happen soon enough.
AIPAC and it’s supporters claim they are “pro-Israel”, implying that those who oppose their hard-right hawkish policies are “anti-Israel”. In order to fight this mischaracterization, we must be vigilant in asserting that we too are “pro-Israel”, just as J-Street has done.
Therefore, it is unfortunate when the author writes, “… the whole AIPAC crowd that puts Israel’s interests above America’s” Such phrasing concedes that AIPAC is advocating for what is in Israel’s best interest, and undercuts those of us who think adopting J-Street-like views is in Israel’s best interest.
Whenever a group of people puts another countrie’s interests above its own, this sows the seeds of a lot of resentment and even hostility. This should be obvious to anyone.
George Washington precisely described the US relationship to Israel, the kinds of people like AIPAC that support it, and the effects on everyone involved in his 1796 Farewell Address.
Read it here:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp