Why do I insist on talking about Jewish money when I talk about the Israel lobby? Because it's a real factor (and I am struggling to study reality). Here is Martin Indyk, of the Saban Center at Brookings (funded by Haim Saban, a giant giver to Democrats, whose central concern is Israel), talking to Natasha of Haaretz, (Mozgovaya that is)
We've seen some attempts to put Israel on the electoral agenda in the United States ahead of the midterm elections. Will it have any effect?
American Jews traditionally are pretty supportive of the Democratic Party. They voted overwhelmingly for Barak Obama, they tend to vote for Democratic candidates and they provide a good deal of funding for political campaigns. So the Jewish factor is always a critical factor for Democratic candidates. I don't think it's telling any secrets that there are a lot of people who have been upset with President Obama. And I think that the White House came to the understanding that they have a real problem there and they are going out of their way trying to show they are friendly to Israel and committed to peace. Republicans will try to exploit the anger, and Democrats will do their best to convince there is no reason for anger. But after all, these are local elections.
Hence we will see the usual US domestic adversarial process wherein the donkeys and the elephants will compete as to who loves and protects Israel more.
Already seeing it. Look at the Sestak campaign.
Eventually, they will be competing to see who can cast more blame on Israel and on Jews like Saban for the catastrophe to come.
Yeah, its so bad that antisemitism, will come to look like the only weapon available against this powerful, dominating, selfish force that has corrupted and stolen our democracy. Rather like the way racism is used so that politicians are very wary of white people thinking they are pro-black. That Shirley Sherrod incident last week — immediately get rid of her, don’t even bother to find out what she actually said.
Personally, I am not sure whether that dominating force is Zionism or Jewish-elite triumphalism. Some peculiar Jewish-elite satisfaction in being able to “lord it over” others and bring others to their knees, just as Obama the other day looked like he’d be happy to give Netanyahu sexual services for a smile.
I disagree. What is antisemitic about calling out warmongering f**kers, who just happen to be Jewish, as well having undeniable [just read the Jewish press here for goodness sake] disproportionate access to power and political positions within the democratic party, and bottom line have shown they couldn’t care less about what happens to other people’s kids?
With the republicans — well the ‘financial’ case is closed on them.
We have to call out what is in front of our noses [or what's being rubbed in it] — IMO there are too many lives at stake.
What’s ironic is the the template that is employed. Oliver Stone says something impolitic but undeniably true, something to the effect that there is an undue influence in media and foreign policy by a small powerful group of zionist “Jews”. My words, paraphrasing stone. And to prove him wrong a small group of powerful well connected zionist “Jews” put him on the blacklist. Op-Eds negative media, labling him the old standby “conspiricy-theorist” and “anti-semite” calls from Saban to Moonves to cancel his series are employed. So a good director and War-Hero will be shit on by a bunch of parasitic traitors to the Country in which they reside and have prosperred. It is truly vexing to the mind to see the very system critisized be put into effect to nominally counter the criticism.
This thread on Daily Kos is an example of what was done to Oliver Stone: Oliver Stone takes a walk on the Mel Gibson Side.
After changing his public tune in less than 24 hours (in the Israei press), the ADL says Oliver has not apologized sufficiently as he did not retract all the taboo stuff he said: link to haaretz.com
Once they know you’re not one of their kneepad goys, you might as well go all the way and break with these ziofascists. They don’t forget and they don’t forgive. You’re the enemy once you make a critical statement against them. Taking it back, kissing their fat, flatulent arses, just makes you look craven. So you got nothing to lose by sticking to your words. Don’t try and go back, the things wont let you, anyway, go forward.
Here’s an absolutely classic hit piece on Stone by an arch right wing jewish conspirator named Larry Greenfield, full of nonsense about Superman comics and patriotism:
link to bighollywood.breitbart.com
dated about 36 hours ago, which is when all the shit hit the fan Stone wise. It mentions that Stone’s father was jewish, naturally deciding without any attempt at evidence that this jewish dad must have been “disappointed” in his vile, anti-USAian brat.
…and don’t forget the IL race between Kirk and Giannoulias which seems to have fallen off the radar. Wonder why.
I wonder how much the DNC and DSCC will fork out for Giannoulias? — Baring in mind the DNC threw down the plug-hole $500,000 for republican oops Democrat Ben Nelson.
OPENSECRETS.ORG: Top Industries
2010 Race: Illinois Senate
“…Most members of Congress get the bulk of their campaign contributions from two main sources: the industries that make up the economic base of their home district and the Washington-based interest groups that pay more attention to the member’s committee assignments in Congress. In addition, most Democrats receive substantial sums from labor unions.
From this table, you can get a flavor of which are the top industries giving to the candidates running for Congress in your district. Do the industries match your local economy, or are they more Washington-based? If the latter, the candidate may have divided loyalties on issues where the interests of their cash constituents conflict with those of the voters who elected them…”
Mark Kirk (R)
Industry Total
1st Securities & Investment $826,149
2nd Retired $573,825
3rd Lawyers/Law Firms $425,721
4th Pro-Israel $371,098
vs.
Alexander Giannoulias (D)
Industry Total
Pro-Israel ?
Note. He did say he wouldn’t be taking any PAC $$$???
link to opensecrets.org
It nice how money can grease the wheels.
if any ethnic population in the US [2%] were contributing
nearly half of the democratic party donations, it should be discussed in greater detail by media, pundits, etc.
Blacks are about 13% of the population. Imagine if blacks became the same percentage of TV news reporters/commentators/hosts that Jews are now. Like that would be a non-issue!
Well, it isn’t as if 2% of the popular vote that Jewish Americans represent was the deal breaker…
“I am trying to understand reality”.
Reality about what?
Reality about the difference between somebody who grew up with hired help (treated as part of the family of course) and somebody who did not? The difference between somebody who spent time as a teen ager in the lower ranks of a very diversified US Army (or even in HS) where all were treated the same, and somebody who did not?
Is that reality that you are trying to understand, or something much more personal to yourself?
There are many realities to understand, to prioritize, to work for change.
The overly simplistic and opportunistic or demonizing, usually AREN’T reality.
Get your head out of your posterior and maybe you’ll figure it out.
Seriously. If you’re not questioning the headline, you’re questioning rudimentary semantics, and if you can’t flee to that ground, you just pretend that something is vague when it’s not because you can’t be bothered to actually read anything.
You are the most anti-intellectual person I’ve ever interacted with. Moreso because you parade around like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
I can remember the day when bribery of the people’s representives was a dsigrace and ended careers.
Today we accept that’s how a democratic government works.
I am not an expert on Jewish history but from the bit I have looked into my impression is that Jews connections to the various rules they lived under was always money, as collectors for the throne in instances, and for themselves, and using money to buy their favors and protection for their tribe. Frequently it backfired for whatever reason and they became persona non grada among the masses.
Zionist aren’t suited to true democracy, neither are politicans.
Which leads to some discussion regarding how and why Obama flipped to get into office, and now has been doing it again–to remain in office. Penny Pritzker knows: link to electronicintifada.net
Yep…money, money, money.
The only way out is campaign finance reform and public financing…BUT…that will never happen cause there is more advantage to the politicians to keep the special interest status quo.
I am reading an entertaining fictional novel right now about a, Greenpeace like, group of hackers who decide to simply “remove” and move “all” the individual and corp special interest money in the US along with bankrupting others miscreants in their favorite causes. Apropo to this subject, in one chapter, they ‘disappeared’ all the cash of a certain casino owner who funds illegal Israeli settlers. I am tempted to flip to the back and see how it ends, but it’s too full of good ideas to skip over. LOL
The Jewish banking tradition was a consequence of Christian and Muslim anti usury laws. It was a niche, they moved into it, and yes it was helpful for buying protection, which was often needed. But banking was a hazardous occupation in medieval times, whether you were a Jew or a Templar.
This has nothing to do with circumstances in the US today, in which Jewish billionaires have made their fortunes from diverse enterprises. I wonder what they would do if there were no Zionism? Would they support benevolent Jewish causes?
It’s interesting the way Indyk expresses this. On the one hand, he uses code, euphemism, prevarication, and an apparent non-sequitur, to avoid saying outright that Obama could face a funding crisis if he doesn’t kowtow to organised jewish interests; but on the other hand, he draws attention to the fact that he is using code, by saying, unnecessarily, “it’s no secret.” These people pay extraordinary attention to speech structure.
They can count on never being nailed to the mat to be explicit.
It’s not a secret — all the ‘insiders’ know about it accept nobody is allowed to talk about it.
Clark was totally pilloried by that “New York money people” remark, which was nothing but the truth. If he had said “rich New York Jews,” it would have meant the same thing.
grrr… ‘except’
OT: IMO some good inside baseball talk from the Jewish ‘home crowd’ wringing their hands over their mythical ‘Jewish Shangri-La’.
JTA “…Meanwhile, in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he opposes the bill in its current form. The bill “could tear apart the Jewish people,” Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday…”
Yeah, Netanyahu gets it. His congressional buddies esp. within the Jewish Caucus are worried their ‘loyality’ is being tested to the limits.
It’s about time the national media started taking a real good look at who is dealing with our foreign relations and who is paying them.
———————————-
*Same guy who likes to sit ‘close’ to Hills.
OT: IMO some good inside baseball talk from the Jewish ‘home crowd’ wringing their hands over their mythical ‘Jewish Shangri-La’.
JTA “…Meanwhile, in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he opposes the bill in its current form. The bill “could tear apart the Jewish people,” Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday…”
Yeah, Netanyahu gets it. His congressional buddies esp. within the Jewish Caucus are worried their ‘loyality’ is being tested to the limits.
It’s about time the national media started taking a real good look at who is dealing with our foreign relations and who is paying them.
———————————-
*Same guy who likes to sit ‘close’ to Hills.
“Correction” ‘same outfit’
“Why do I insist on talking about Jewish money when I talk about the Israel lobby? ”
Your quote Phil.
“We’ve seen some attempts to put Israel on the electoral agenda in the United States ahead of the midterm elections. Will it have any effect?
American Jews traditionally are pretty supportive of the Democratic Party. They voted overwhelmingly for Barak Obama, they tend to vote for Democratic candidates and they provide a good deal of funding for political campaigns. So the Jewish factor is always a critical factor for Democratic candidates. ”
Did Indyk mention money ONCE? This is uniquely your fixation Phil. There is enough truth in it to fuel the fixation, but not enough for it to be descriptive of “reality”.
Richard, sometimes you are just obtuse. I spent six lines earlier in this thread discussing the fact that Indyk is talking in a well understood but actually quite complex code. And then you say, “he didn’t mention money once.” That’s the whole point of the code.
I think the PA Jewish community were pretty pissed off when Specter [republican and supported by the democratic party elite] got overidden by the actual grassroots voters.
Strange. An ad from J-Street — but it seems no $$$ from J-Street — yet?
link to opensecrets.org
link to opensecrets.org
“Why do I insist on talking about Jewish money when I talk about the Israel lobby? Because it’s a real factor …”
Gee! Ya Think?
In page 49 and 147 Abe Foxman in his book ” Deadliest Lies”( against Mearsheimer and Walt’s book ) cites Indyk as an expert on Middle east/Iran/Israel/Plaestine and as one who succeessfully debated M & W.