Smart reporting by Adam Kredo at Washington Jewish Week on what is J Street’s influence on the Hill? Kredo asked after J Street brought a group of 7 Israeli diplomats and generals thru town last week. Kredo says that J Street doesn’t have a patch on AIPAC and that it has more influence in the Obama administration than on the Hill. I think this is true. Obama’s game is now to wait for the second term to push on the issue (if there is one). And everyone knows this is the game, which is why the issue has become so quietly politicized: for two-states, against two-states (with nary a voice for one-state).
Also notice the beautiful statement by an unnamed pol, Real power is getting people to do what they don’t want to do. Exactly. And this is essentially an admission of something I state here frequently: The lack of a Palestinian state is an American Jewish achievement. Our organizations, our lobby, have worked to prevent the creation of such a state over 64 years of international promises, even as Pakistan and Kosovo and Uzbekistan and Slovakia and East Timor got states. This is because of a special interest. Just as American opposition to settlement-construction has also been nullified by the lobby.
Kredo:
What insiders told me is that J Street largely receives the cold shoulder from prominent legislators, particularly those who have a substantial impact on Israel policy.
“Members are still very dubious,” said a former Democratic Hill staffer. “They remember the mistakes J Street made, especially on the Democratic side,” the source said, referring to, among others, Reps. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.) and Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.), who were publicly attacked by J Street.
“That’s made it tough for members,” said the former aide. “Even if you’re a friend of J Street,” the person added, referring specifically to Ackerman, “it doesn’t make you immune to their attacks. Though they’re learning from their mistakes, members have a long memory. I don’t see [J Street’s] congressional host committee getting any larger.”
Added a current Democratic Hill aide: “I think any power that came from these recent meetings has much more to do with the Israeli generals than with J Street itself. The fact that J Street could compel Israeli generals to come to the U.S. and speak their message shows a certain level of influence — but apparently they have more sway in the community of retired Israeli military officials than on the Hill.”…
“Influence comes when you make people do what you want, and real power comes when you make people do what you want even when they don’t want to,” the Democrat explained. “Obviously J Street doesn’t seem capable of convincing people to take positions they don’t already have.”
However, within the Obama administration, another source noted, J Street seems to enjoy ample sway.
“It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that a lot of time has been spent talking with J Street and it’s supporters developing policy,” said a Republican congressional aide, who, unsurprisingly, proclaimed this to be a bad thing./ “Certainly, the rhetoric and actions of this administration … would lead you to believe J Street has a seat at the table,” the source said with contempt.
