What Good is Bipartisanship if One Side Supports Your Demise?

 

The AIPAC convention ended last week and the eighteen-thousand plus attendees returned home hopefully more invigorated, excited and informed about Israel, the challenges facing the Jewish State and the means by which they can best support the State of Israel. Unfortunately that may not be the case. One of the goals of AIPAC over the years has been to continue to be nonpartisan leading to bipartisan support for Israel. This has worked admirably well since 1967 when the United States took an interest in pursuing an actively supportive roll with Israel yet still continued its arms embargo which had been in effect almost immediately after granting Israel recognition in May of 1948 until 1968 when, with strong support from Congress, President Lyndon Baines Johnson approved the sale of Phantom fighters to Israel, establishing the precedent for US support for Israel’s qualitative military edge over its neighbors. This has little effect though on American support for the militaries of several allied Arab nations who potentially could have been Israeli enemies in future hostilities. Since 1968 Israel had received bipartisan support with politicians from both sides of the aisle in the Congress acting and voting favorably in matters concerning Israel. There have been some individual actions which placed this support into something conditional on Israel committing herself in a manner which the United States required for their support.

 

Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu when Addressing AIPAC

 

The most famous came during the Yom Kippur War when President Nixon, under urging and pressure from Secretary of State Kissinger claiming that this action would force the Israelis to be more malleable and easily controlled, initially denied resupply of desperately needed armaments by the Israeli Defense Forces. When Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir called President Nixon and informed him that Israel without resupply might necessarily have to fall onto the Samson Option, a suspected but never actually defined last ditch effort if facing being overrun, expressed the desperate need that President Nixon released the needed armaments. This led to another problem as numerous European nations refused United States requests to allow the resupply planes landing and refueling rights as they also were refusing to assist Israel and were refusing to assist the United States in assisting Israel. Still, the planes did get through and Israel survived the surprise attack on Yom Kippur which almost resulted in an Israeli defeat. It need be pointed out that one Israeli defeat and there will be no Israel and the resulting toll of Jewish deaths would be unprecedented as today there are over six-million Jews living in Israel. There were rumors that another reason Nixon sent the arms was that Israel had opened the silo covers from their missiles and this was picked up by a geosynchronous spy satellite stationed over the war zone, otherwise meaning over Israel as she was attacked by Egypt and Syria with additional support by expeditionary forces from Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Cuba, and Morocco and additional air support from Libya as well as a North Korean deployed MiG-21 squadron to Bir Arida to protect Egypt’s south.

 

IDF Air Force Phantom II F-4E

 

Israel continued to receive bipartisan support from the Congress and a good amount of such remains to this day. There have been times when the Republicans wavered especially during the late 1980’s and into much of the 1990’s as a response to tepid at best Jewish support for Republicans. With the rise of the Evangelical Christian support for Israel, the Republican support has returned to a robust level. The weakening support currently lies with the Democrats who have come to figure basically who are the Jews going to support as the vast majority of American Jews are liberal to far leftists. There are exceptions mostly amongst the Orthodox and religious Zionist Jews who are supportive of the Republicans. So the Democrats simply take their seventy-five plus percent support by the Jews as a given for which they actually need not support Israel and these Jews will continue to support them. This is further proven by the wavering of Leftist Jews in their support for Israel, many have actively become supporters of the Palestinians at the cost of Israel. They have come to view Israel to be a right wing governed stronghold and are against Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett, the Justice Minister and second chair in Jewish Home Ayelet Shaked as well as the remainder of the Likud Party, the religious parties and the Zionist parties as opposed to their preferred solution of removing all Jews from Judea and Samaria as well as much of Jerusalem and giving all this for a Palestinian Arab state and not necessarily an unarmed Arab State. They view Israel as too religious, too Jewish and Torah observant and are extremely disgruntled over Israeli insistence on recognizing Torah observant Jewishness and not accepting Reform, Reconstructionist, Alternative Orthodox and some Conservative Rabbis’ conversions because they do not meet the more stringent Israeli requirements for conversions within Israel. These Jews have decided if Israel refuses to allow American Jews to dictate policy and what government they can have, then they refuse to support these ungrateful Israeli Jews; sad but it is true.

 

This wavering by the Democrat Party in many instances not being supportive of the Israeli government and the lack of support from a large segment of Jewish Democrats, there are some who question if this bipartisanship is working. This came particularly to the fore when President Obama challenged AIPAC and demanded they choose between the Israeli position and that of the Obama Administration pushing that support for Israel could hinge on their accepting the President’s position on the solution which favored the Palestinian Arab position and placed all the onus on Israel to bend over backwards and make all the concessions receiving nothing in return. AIPAC buckled to the pressure from the White House and in the process sacrificed their Zionist beliefs placing them on the altar of political correctness and then making a fire sacrifice burning them up as the President demanded. It was a sad thing to watch and to behold what was pledged to be a pro-Israel group turns on their pledges to Israel in the name of bipartisanship as they feared losing Democrat support. One could ask is Democrat support actually necessary if it requires forsaking your guiding principles? That is where the ZOA (Zionist Organization of America) and its President, Morton A. Klein, did Israel and Zionism proud when the ZOA faced similar pressures and simply stood as Zionist and let the consequences be what they may. Sometimes this is what supporting a cause requires, stating your principles and standing by them as without a principled core, what does an organization have to show, bipartisanship without a core, that is meaningless.

 

Zionist Organization of America President Morton A. Klein

 

AIPAC will soon face a crisis and it is rushing towards them as if it were a runaway train without any brakes or anyone in the cab. The leftists and liberals, especially those in the Democrat Party, are going to press for AIPAC to stand with them against President Trump and his Administration with their Israeli policies. This will be a do or die decision for the leadership in AIPAC. The Democrats are basically going to give them an, either you are with us or against us, proposition. This will put bipartisanship completely out of the equation as they will be facing a choice as to which side they are going to support, President Trump and Israel or the Democrat Party, its leftists who have run off with the party and the Palestinian Arabs. This will be a one or the other and as the vast majority of Jews currently are Democrats, this will be an even more difficult choice as much of their finances come from these Jews and their support for many will hinge on AIPAC’s choice. The true Zionists who still remain in the Democrat Party, likely because their Congressperson still supports Israel and they refuse to see the truth of the heart of the part having turned against Israel, will remain loyal to AIPAC no matter which way they decide. What is actually in the balance will be possibly the depth of Trump and his Administration to their pledged support for Israel. After all, if AIPAC stands against what President Trump and his people are hoping to accomplish vis-à-vis Israel, would that not point to the fact that maybe they are going about things all wrong? AIPAC represents presumably the pro-Israel position and if they are opposing your actions, well, what does that say. Additionally, what kind of signals are sent when the two presumably most pro-Israel groups stand in opposition to one another with ZOA supporting Trump and all he is attempting to accomplish while AIPAC stand in opposition. We will see what happens but there is one last warning we must present AIPAC with, this is one decision that not deciding is deciding because as far as these leftist Democrats and their Jewish compatriots, either you are actively with them or you are their enemy, there are no half measures and no bipartisan positions, you have to choose or they will choose for you. Further, even if you choose and even one of your ranking members steps out of the strict lines these people will place around you, then you will be called to answer because they will not couch any discrepancies from their approved positions. Once in, you have to be all the way in and no hedging your position or backtracking will be permitted and anyone dissenting in the slightest will, you will be demanded to reprimand and depart their company.

 

Some final thoughts on this subject as a whole and independent of any AIPAC, ZOA or other political actions type lobbying groups. The far left has made their choice. They have decided, as they historically always have, that they want an end to the Judeo-Christian ethic and what Hitler referred to as the Jew Conscience and Jew Morality which he promised to free the world from. This is why initially, before Germany declared war on the United States, people like Charles Lindbergh, William Randolph Hearst, Joseph Kennedy, John Rockefeller, Andrew Mellon, Allen Dulles as well as Vice President of General Motors Graeme K. Howard supported Adolf Hitler as well as Generalissimo Francisco Franco and Benito Mussolini as it appeared that their fascist methods were working extremely well for business and manufacturing. What they may or may not have known was that much of the success was making the tools and weapons of war which became evident later in the 1930’s as World War II started. When this resolute means for ridding society and the governance of Judeo-Christian ties, their next great love affair was with the Communists. Interestingly enough the Communists also were promising an end to the Judeo-Christian ethic and the strangling influence it had on their plans. The leftists have always been kindly favorable of hedonism which runs afoul of the Judeo-Christian lifestyle of staunch conservatism and a religious and proper restriction on one’s personal actions. The Communists also failed to rid the world, especially the West, of the Judeo-Christian ethos and it too fell by the wayside. Well, not to be left without a champion who can rid them of the Judeo-Christian ethos; the leftists of today have allied with Islam. They are of the belief that once Islam has rid the world of Judeo-Christianity as a driving force and has put in place a dictatorial governance, another item the leftists find attractive and also another reason they loved Fascism and Communist and their centralized power in the government, the leftists reason that they can simply take control of the levers of power and transform Islam to fit their ideal and ideas. They believe that their “superior education” and “superior experience in governance” and their “general superiority in all things” will allow them to simply transform Islam into adopting their leftist principles and morals (or lack thereof) thus finally establishing their new world order. What they are missing in their plan is exactly how they will take over Islam and change a religion and its principles and strict moral code which have resisted change for much of its fourteen hundred years of existence. Granted that Islam had a period where it had settled from constant war and conquest and was quite agreeable and accepting of non-Muslims, especially Jews and Christians. There was the Golden Age of Islam (725 – 1260 approx.) where a liberated view of Islam permitted a pluralistic society and free exchange of information and a general acceptance of science and knowledge from outside of the Quran. This liberalism and the permitting of extra-Quranic knowledge came crashing to an end with two distinct and distant events. The first was the arrival of the Mongols from the east and the final was the rise of the Spanish under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and the purification of Spain. With the military defeats came the belief that Islam must return to the very roots which carried it forth originally from the Arabian Peninsula and a strict following of the teachings of Muhammad as portrayed in the Quranic texts and the Hadiths. This has continued ever since with the repeated expectation that this solution will work, Allah willing. They may finally be correct as Europe is being gifted to the purveyors of Islam on a golden platter. The leftists will allow the invasion and conquest without use of actual military but simply by replacement and superiority of numbers. The unfortunate thing for the Europeans will be that the Muslims may prove to be impatient and resort to civil warfare to speed the process rather than waiting for the inevitable to simply occur. This may prove to be their undoing as it may awaken the entirety of Europe before the Muslims have sufficient numbers to win outright and thus lead to a horrific conflict as Europe either saves itself from Islam and rediscovers having children in the process or Islam succeeds in speeding the process and the infidel are purged in the process. Either resolution will not benefit the leftists as their plan is extremely flawed for any number of reasons, but that has always been the case.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

What the New Republican Majority Congress Must Not Do

I have seen near countless articles and editorials, is there a difference between the news and editorials any more, making every sort of suggestions for what the Republicans must do to make their majority count for something and be successful. What was a constant for virtually every suggestion of what they must do was how almost none of it would get passed the White House Obama veto. As President Obama once warned that he has a pen and a phone could also imply that he could veto legislation passed by the Republican Congress and then phone them to come pick up their worthless pieces of paper. So, with the veto pen and the insulting phone call in mind I thought suggesting what the Republicans should avoid if they desire to be successful in the ensuing Congress over the remaining two years of the Obama Presidency. Where they should pass certain principled legislation initially which defines their principles but not waste months doing so, they should also repeat this procedure in the summer leading up to the 2016 elections to augment a candidate for President that hopefully can excite the Republican voters across their spectrum and can express the core conservative and constitutional principles in a manner similar to President Reagan but also able to use social media to good advantage.

The Republicans must not fall for the media mantra that what voters demanded from the new Congress was for them to reach across the aisle and work with the Democrats and President Obama as a great number of their voters wanted no such thing, something I learned about through personal and close up observation and a listening tour in Oklahoma which ended about one year ago. They should not make attempts to modify the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obama Care, and also should not spend great amounts of time repealing it as having President Obama veto one single protest legislation repealing Obama Care should suffice. The electorate did not send their representatives and Senators to Washington to waste time playing political games; they sent them to relay a message, no further damage to their nation and the future in which their children and grandchildren will live. The one message the Republican voters want delivered is no automatic and immediate amnesty by Presidential edict even if it requires cutting funding for the entirety of the Immigrations and Naturalizations Department. The people want the budget to be carefully crafted and the wasteful spending reduced as much as can be accomplished. This means no omnibus spending bills or full budget bills which leave discretional spending by the administration. If that requires passing tens or hundreds of individual pieces of legislation funding each department and even each program individually even if it takes the vast majority of their efforts in order to prevent monies from being diverted to places and programs they were not intended to finance. The people want the spending trimmed down by any means necessary. Do not worry about what the media accuses you of being as their name calling will not affect your voters if you treat their desires with respect and do their bidding.

The people who sent many of you to Congress do not want any compromise immigration reform, especially if it includes amnesty. They do not want another immigration legislation which grants a path to citizenship in the immediate and a future sealing of the border and completing the double fence as such legislation in the past never did build the fence or seal the border. Immigration reform means sealing the border and building the fence the entire length of the borders, northern and southern as either border can be used by those who desire to harm us just as easily as the other. The Democrats will be doing everything in their power to force the amnesty to come first but that must be resisted. Now that you are controlling both houses you can refuse to permit adding riders and amendments to legislation which are unassociated with the subject of the legislation or simply add little treats for the home districts as the people you presumably serve do not benefit or desire these little favors which have become part of business as usual and waste billions upon billions of dollars every year. Whatever you decide to do, do not pass any legislation which is more than two or three pages unless entirely unavoidable due to the complexity of the subject such as a manned mission to Mars or a moon base. Your constituents will be very unforgiving of any legislation which is hundreds of pages, let alone thousands of pages in length and are, as Nancy Pelosi once stated, that we have to pass it to see what is in it. Know that there are many amongst your supporters who will read every last page and then write notes, articles, comments and convers on social media and across many places on the internet and you will hear their disgust loudly when they replace you at their earliest convenience. Ask those Republicans who lost primaries and thus never got to seek reelection, they understand.

The voters who elected you are sick of deficit spending and expect that you will not spend more than the government takes in from taxes and other various fees, licenses, fines and whatever. Even if this means that there must be some cuts in services or programs, then so be it. They want jobs, economic growth and fewer regulations which strangle economic growth. Many may not understand the mechanics of the interactions between the government actions and economic matters but they do understand unemployment, low growth and the other effects such things have on their lives and that they can detect whenever they balance their checkbook account. They really do not want excuses for why you had to enact certain legislation in order to make compromises with the Democrats and get other items passed with Democratic help. They remember how the Democrats acted completely unilaterally and passed Obama Care without a single Republican vote and see no reason for compromise now that the Republicans control Congress. Do not repeal the nuclear option that Harry Reid put in place so that any Presidential appointment could be ratified by simply majority in order to freeze out any Republican dissent, turnabout is fair play. You were not sent to Washington to be invited to all the Georgetown parties and other social functions, nor were you sent to get along with the other side, you were sent to Washington to ruin President Obama’s last two years and ending his reign of terror over the United States as well as its people and allies. You were sent to Washington to send a message and prove that the Republicans have finally learned from their past mistakes and are prepared to return to their roots and basics and are able to resist any influences and pressures from the Democrats, the media or the lobbyists and NGOs who are paid to persuade you to forfeit the trust of your constituents and instead serve their moneyed interests. Feel free to also not do any of these things and ignore all the warnings if you choose and enjoy your one term for as long as it lasts. The new face of the most active elements of the Republican Party are done with business as usual or go along to get along politicking and will continue to seek new faces until they get the representation they desire. The choices are yours to make for now but eventually the final decision over whether you are returned to Washington is that of your constituents and the one disadvantage you have is as a Republican you must win the minds more so than the hearts of your constituency and that constituency are high information voters, a phrase used by talk radio personalities to describe their listeners and these are also your voters. If your get nothing more from this article than those who sent you to Washington are awake, politically savvy and watching your every vote and will hold you to account for every vote should you betray their trust and cross their red lines, and they will use the nuclear option on your candidacy should you cross their red lines as they are not like the President, they mean what they say and vote what they believe. You have been warned and if you are aware, then it should be easy for you to understand the situation and act accordingly or else it has been nice knowing you and hope you enjoy your next day job.

Beyond the Cusp

Let’s Not Talk American Elections

Instead, how about a wish list for after the elections and Inauguration Day as to things we would like to see from the next Congress and the Administration. There must be a list of things we would like to see that would be a pleasant change or new innovation over the current state of affairs or recent history. I, for one, would really think it would be rather nice for the United States Congress to pass a budget through both houses, especially with some encouragement and pressures from the Presidency. Then it would be an even greater surprise to have such a budget signed and actually be stuck with and spending to stay within the given limits. See, isn’t this fun. There surely have to be tons of other things we can add to the list and if I miss anything you might be wanting, then please add it in a comment. And now for a few more items we were able to put together.

 

It would be nice to have the United States be a leader in the world again, but not any of this leading from behind or being the cowboy on his high horse brandishing guns. Rather could we please have the United States lead by example, showing the world good management of government power and spending. Further responsible actions by the United States could include rewarding those who contribute to world peace, harmony and practice human rights while withdrawing trade and other economic interactions with those countries who act with malice and belligerence with their neighbors; spread terror and threats throughout their regions; deny their citizens their human rights, dignity, and pursuit of freedom and prosperity free of governmental interference with all laws established in an effort towards equal treatment for all and respect for all religions, races, genders and private proclivities.

 

It would be a difficult and daunting journey but worth the efforts to restore feelings of brotherhood and wellbeing between the different political factions within the United States and finally dismiss the tensions and distrust which have been the defining emotions of the 21^st Century thus far. There has been way too much animosity which definitely was evident from the number of commentators and spokespeople who often raged with flaming passions spiting fire and insult with every breath. It was evident even in the manner in which the news often was tainted more with high handed use of attitudes in place of simple facts. Hopefully we can soon watch the news expecting truthful information instead of the politicized propaganda that has been passed for news in the race to the elections. May we soon return to having one country where differences are discussed and not bandied as cries and hostilities. Basically, can we have a grace period replete with calm and pleasantries for a change.

 

Perhaps desiring the world, or even just the United States to turn from the bundle of puzzling inconsistencies and weird, unpredictable unknowns ruling our lives transforming into something that makes sense and offer an obvious and clear path forward is asking far too much, but if we don’t at least request we will never acquire such a world. May the voices of the least among us no longer be lost in the cacophonous din and instead ring clearly and be answered. If we could just have the actions of our leaders have a calming effect and the government at all levels no longer inflict calamity upon our lives. And lastly, can those who speak for us and to us speak plainly and no longer couch hidden meanings and speak in circles obscuring true intentions within doubletalk and newspeak. Plain, straight talk with sincerity and heartfelt compassions steeped in truth become the language of government such that they deal in a straightforward manner full of honesty and good tidings. Think of the joyousness and benefits which could be a new normalcy if we could just have a nation that lives up to the founding Principles of the United States.

 

Beyond the Cusp