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Turner put Weprin on the ropes with a focused campaign message that positioned the race as a pure referendum on President Obama, who has grown very unpopular in the district. With the prominent backing of former New York mayor Ed Koch, a Democrat, he devoted particular attention to Israel, where he told Jewish voters upset with Obama’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that they could send a message to the White House with an upset Republican victory. The district is about one-third Jewish, many of whom are ultra-Orthodox. On Tuesday, Turner’s campaign decorated his headquarters with an American and Israeli flag, taking care to put each at equal height.
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Were it a Republican district (like NY-03 on Long Island) I wouldn't say a word, but in a staunchly Democratic one, at this extremely polarized time in our history, I wonder just how deep their conviction to this country is. It seems the Jewish people of NY-09 give a higher priority to the welfare of Israel than they do to the health of the nation they live in and are citizens of.
It looks to me like they are quite willing to turn their backs on the principles they've held for 50 years because of some perceived disrespect (some of us would posit the President only told the truth) to a nation they don't live in. Quite willing to add another voice for those who would roll back the rights many of you fought for (right next to the blacks) all those years ago in Selma and the other cities in the South. Quite willing to add another voice to those who would take away womens' rights, though many of you were at the spearhead of the cause. Quite willing to turn your backs on what you believe because some corporate hack panders to and manipulates you. It's disgusting.
Israel is not American soil. Israelis do not pay taxes or vote in America. Israel contributes nothing to this country, only takes.
Where else in your history have you ever had the rights and freedoms you do in America? Where else in your history were you accepted as you are in America, allowed to rise to the top of society without persecution? Do you think the Republicans will spare you when it's time to find a new scapegoat for what is wrong with this country when more of their policies fail? Do you think they will spare Israel? How quickly we forget.
So I ask the people of NY-09; are you Americans or not? I want to know because yesterday you turned your backs on everything you say you believe in, in order to "send a message" to the President. What are you gonna do next November, when the choice is between Obama and Rick Perry? I want to know that too, because Perry, like Turner, will tell you anything you want to hear. I'd really like to know how deep your convictions run.
And just an addendum: Ed Koch is a senile, self-serving old fool who should never be taken seriously.
And a note to the Democratic leadership: Maybe you shouldn't have thrown the Wiener under the bus so quickly.
3 comments:
Your points are spot on. They are usually not spoken or written for fear of offending a large donor base of the Corporacratic Party. A small detail: Pres. Ichabod Ohbummer only received 55% of the vote in this district. The writing has been on the wall for progressives to see for 12 yrs or so. The Jewish vote can no longer be taken for granted; it must now be purchased. The price, however, is exceeding the budgets of most middle class families. Hence, the Repubacists victory. Get use to this trend.
Nobody's vote should be taken for granted but this is ridiculous. There has to be peace with Israel and Palestine, there has to or there will never be peace in the region. Look at what the Turks are doing (kicking Israel's ambassador out; escorting their aid ships to Gaza with warships), once Israel's strongest ally in the region. Look at the Sinai (Egyptian soldiers killed by the IDF) and the response in Cairo (the destruction of the Israeli embassy). These incidents will only escalate as tensions build. If the people who give us oil decide peace (or non-aggression at the least) with Israel isn't worth it anymore and give us an ultimatum (kick Israel loose or no more oil), what are we gonna do? I'd venture a guess that Israel will be thrown under the bus long before we let our economic rug be pulled out from under us. Without us, how is Israel viable?
Peace is in Israel's best interest and having a President of the United States who genuinely wants that peace (I think we can believe Barry on that point) could be the only thing that guarantees Israel a future.
The knee-jerk reaction to any criticism of Israel by many American Jews is ridiculous and I'll call it that every time. I want Israel to survive and flourish, but it can't do that without peace with Palestine. It can't have peace without compromise with the Palestinians. The sooner the Likudniks understand that, the better for them and us.
Hello Fixer,
The ancient Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times" seems appropriate. I do not believe that the Obummer is up to the job. He speaks a good game but during play he is mostly drops the ball then looks for scapegoats. It's really, really, really not his fault. We need someone like DDE, HST or even LBJ if we want to have any chance to fix the problem. Will the problem ever be fixed"? Inshallah" springs to mind.
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