CNN - Rep. Wexler, D-Fla: "President's instinct's are right on Israel."

[chimpymustgo]

Wexler (Colbert's b*tch!) was just on with Wolfie saying, no way Israel targeted the UN outpost - don't believe your lying eyes! Hezbollah has been known to hide near the area, Wexler insisted, and even serial apologist Wolfie pointed out that the UN had explicitied said there was not Hesbollah activity in the near vacinity - and the UN felt it was deliberately targeted.

Wexler said President Fool's instinct's were right about Israel, though he should be even tougher on Hezbollah.

Damn, I wish our Democratic representatives would stand up for us with a fraction of the fervor they show for Israel.

[Poll_Blind]

1. "would stand up for us with a fraction of the fervor they show for Israel.

Damn straight. The Chimpster'd be in chains by now.

PB

[SteppingRazor]

2. Like I said on the other Wexler thread, his statements come as no shock...

Wexler is the representative of a very large Jewish population (including Boca Raton), which strongly supports Israel in this conflict. Depending on your perspective, you could say he's "sucking up to the Jewish vote" or "representing his constituency."

[never_get_over_it]

25. and I think Wexler himself is Jewish n/t

[ShortnFiery]

3. Self-Delete

[Skip Intro]

4. Its amazing to see them all bow together before Israel

Dems and repukes in unison - unqestioning support - not one critical word for Israel

its like some surreal sci-fi movie

meanwhile, the river of blood churns along

[chimpymustgo]

5. It really is surreal. Especially given our frustrations as Dems, always

begging out Representatives and Senators to stand for us. What do WE get? Nada.

[fooj]

6. Someone needs to fire him off this link from the Haaretz article.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x224788

The Israeli's OCCUPIED Southern Lebanon for HOW LONG? I'm not certain the exact length of time but I believe that the occupation was over a decade.

[Crunchy Frog]

20. 18 years I believe it was.

I need to do some serious research into that. I know almost nothing of the history of those events.

[atreides1]

7. Not really, the elections are in November

You have to admit that Nader might have been a little correct when he said that there is little difference between the two parties?

As an American, and as a former soldier I do not support Israel, I don't support Hezbollah either, and I don't support the war in Iraq.

But the next time one of these Israeli apologist slam the troops in Iraq for something that they allow the Israelis to do, it will be the last time I post here because I'm going to flame the SOB.

Then I'm going to register as an Independent, and give my vote to the person best qualified for the job, not because they have a D after their name.

[ShortnFiery]

10. I Concur ...

What we do know for a fact.

In the future, I'm voting for THE PERSON who will serve The "Average Working" American FIRST and foremost. I will begin to conduct "my own" extensive research into each candidate's background before I cast my vote.

That will be IMO the most DEMOCRATIC Candidate and the one deserving my vote. ;)

[ComerPerro]

24. People are terrified to speak out against Israel

[liberalpragmatist]

8. Wexler actually has a very good record overall

But you're right. The sycophantic Israel-boosterism in the US Congress is ridiculous. And the Democrats are, in some cases, even worse offenders than the Republicans. Many Democrats will offer perfectly cogent criticisms of US foreign policy in so many other areas but either they have a gaping blind spot or they're just afraid of AIPAC.

At least usually, the Supreme-Soviet-like voting patterns of Congress on this issue are balanced out by a more critical approach in the presidency (most US presidents have at least been somewhat even-handed, even if somewhat or publicly pro-Israel) but these past 6 years have been ridiculous. There is no counter to AIPAC policy in the presidency and instead we have an administration stacked with neocons that gives Israel a blank check to do whatever it wants to do.

And the worse thing is, I don't know if I have faith that the next Democratic president will be any better. Although there's not much evidence of it actually happening, and although polls show an overwhelming majority of Jewish-Americans are well to the left of AIPAC, the Democrats are terrified of losing Jewish votes and campaign funds and also terrified now of being painted as "soft-on-terror." I would hope that a Democratic administration would be more engaged in diplomacy in the region (which is something that at least most top Democrats - Gore, Kerry, Dean, etc. - have said they would do even while otherwise backing Israel), but the truth is we need to be genuinely neutral arbitrators here.

[mike_c]

9. they owe AIPAC more than they owe their constituents, apparently....

eom

[oberliner]

11. more AIPAC lying BS

Yeah that $1,000 out of the $155,000 dollars worth of PAC contributions really makes the difference!

Agribusiness
$6,000

Communic/Electronics
$41,500

Defense
$1,000

Finance/Insur/RealEst
$13,000

Health
$5,000

Lawyers & Lobbyists
$8,593

Transportation
$5,000

Misc Business
$9,000

Labor
$57,200

Ideology/Single-Issue
$7,500

Foreign & Defense Policy
$500

Pro-Israel
$1,000

Human Rights
$3,000

Misc Issues
$1,000

Candidate Committees
$2,000

Other
$2,000



http://opensecrets.org/pacs/memberprofile.asp?cid=N00002905&cycle=2006&remove=Q05

[burythehatchet]

18. I could be rong(!)

but I suspect reps vote with their leadership if they hope to advance.


Top 18 Senate Recipients of 1996 Cycle Pro-Israel PAC Donations - the first number is the 1995-1996 total - ten years ago. The second number is the grand total UNTIL 1996.



95-96 Total


Career Total

Levin, Carl (D-MI)


$136,320


$558,358

Harkin, Tom (D-IA)


93,500


461,700

Wyden, Ron (D-OR)


93,352


164,045

McConnell, Mitch (R-KY)


83,625


280,425

Baucus, Max S. (D-MT)


77,998


233,748

Durbin, Richard (D-IL)


67,222


229,421

Gramm, Phil (R-TX)


59,500


80,500

Rockefeller, John (D-WV)


52,000


177,200

Reed, John F. (R-RI)


49,750


181,050

Pressler, Larry (R-SD)


48,500


167,000

Warner, John William (R-VA


42,300


48,800

Cohen, William (R-ME)


40,094


162,462

Inhofe, James (R-OK)


33,500


56,750

Torricelli, Robert (D-NJ)


28,352


113,152

Boschwitz, Rudy (R-MN)


27,452


304,650

Stevens, Ted (R-AK)


17,200


49,700

Craig, Larry (R-ID)


15,000


20,750

Helms, Jesse (R-NC)


14,000


26,000


Top 20 House Recipients of 1996 Cycle Pro-Israel PAC Donations



95-96 Total


Career Total

Harman, Jane (D-CA)


$30,549


$55,227

Frost, Martin (D-TX)


29,889


110,289

Filner, Bob (D-CA)


27,100


63,700

Gingrich, Newton L. (R-G)


24,562


95,434

Fazio, Vic (D-CA)


20,652


72,504

Hamilton, Lee (D-IN)


15,500


100,950

Stokes, Louis (D-OH)


15,000


26,800

Rivers, Lynn (D-MI)


14,250


18,250

Gephardt, Richard A. (D-O)


14,000


85,130

Porter, John Edward (R-I)


13,230


64,180

Gilman, Benjamin (R-NY)


12,700


59,575

Fox, Jon (R-PA)


12,500


13,000

Hinchey, Maurice (D-NY)


12,250


14,850

Estruth, Jerry Thomas (D-CA)


12,000


12,000

Delay, Thomas (R-TX)


11,500


19,850

Lewis, John, (D-GA)


10,500


57,150

King, Peter (R-NY)


10,500


14,500

Paxon, Bill (R-NY)


10,500


44,200

Bunn, James Lee (D-OR)


10,350


16,213

Furse, Elizabeth (D-OR)


10,000


16,213

[RB TexLa]

12. Did anyone expect the UN to say

"we are so inept that Hezbolla was right beside our outpost."

Amazing how on DU it seems only Jews can lie.

:banghead:

[ShortnFiery]

13. The outpost is not a Temporary One but has been there for 20 years

Nope, I think that every jet pilot knew that it was not a "Go" to bomb that WELL ESTABLISHED entity. :(

[Crunchy Frog]

21. That just shows how deeply in bed with Hezbollah

the UN is. They've been shacked up with them for 20 years, no wonder Israel had to take them out.:sarcasm:

[CuteNFuzzy]

14. "only Jews can lie"?

I don't get your meaning sorry, can you explain?

[RB TexLa]

15. seems to be the rule on DU lately

everything everyone else says is automatically accepted as truth. But

[Crunchy Frog]

22. He's accusing all of us of being anti-semites

for daring to say a critical word about Israel. That's the meaning, as nearly as I can tell.

[RB TexLa]

23. Read through the threads

nothing from the UN, arab television, Lebanon, Syria, or Iran is questioned. Their statements are simply accepted as facts.

[mike_c]

17. I am not aware of anyone stating or implying that...

..."only Jews can lie...." Any such statements should be immediately alerted upon. On the other hand, if you're painting DUers with a broad anti-semitic brush, you are guilty of precisely the bigotry you're accusing us of.

[originalpckelly]

16. So I guess he really does have a coke problem.

Poor guy. "President's instincts are right on Israel." :rofl:

[Crunchy Frog]

19. Looks like Stephen Colbert's interview with him

was surprisingly timely.

I'm sick of US politicians putting Israels interests before anything else.

[KamaAina]

26. "I enjoy cocaine because..."

"...doing lines at the White House really helps me and the Prez to get on the same page." :puke: