Chicagoland Pro-Israel Political Update

A newsletter for people willing to think for themselves



September 23, 2018

Trump’s actions against refugees are antithetical to Jewish and American values. Have we learned nothing from the Shoah?

American democracy is in crisis. Both parties are not the same, and informed voters should not blind themselves to this reality. Trump Derangement Syndrome is a myth.

Accusations leveled by the Trump administration against former Secretary of State John Kerry expose not only the hypocrisy of the GOP, but their failure to come up with a Plan B for stopping Iran after pulling out of the Iran Deal.

We need look only to the murder of Ari Fuld last week by a Palestinian terrorist to understand why Israelis are nervous about the peace process.

Israel’s security establishment opposes Trump’s UNRWA cuts. So should we.

It’s not kosher to say that Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) does not support Israel, and supporters of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) only weaken bipartisan support for Israel by misrepresenting O’Rourke’s strong support for the U.S.-Israel relationship.

We have some important and fun events coming up for Sean Casten, Brad Schneider, Mike Sherrill, and the fifth in in the wildly successful series of candidate events that Dana Gordon and I have been hosting, with Abby Finkenauer. Details beneath the Video Clip of the Week.

You’re reading this. So are other influentials. If you want the right people to know about your candidate, cause, or event, reply to this email to discuss your ad.

Friends,

Trump’s decision to drastically restrict the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. is the latest example of the Trump administration's pure cruelty . From ignoring the plight of Puerto Rico, to separating children from their families (hundreds are still separated), to restricting refugees allowed in the U.S. to record low numbers, Trump is validating our worst fears about him. Countless numbers of Jews perished in the Shoah because we closed our borders. The ADL called Trump’s decision a “moral failure.” HIAS said that “Trump has once again betrayed America’s history and global leadership in providing safe haven for innocent human beings fleeing violence and persecution.” Anyone planning to vote Republican in November needs to take a good hard look in the mirror and ask if they like what they see.

American democracy is in crisis . Hillary Clinton writes that our democratic institutions and traditions are threatened by Trump’s assault on the rule of law, concerns about the legitimacy of our elections, Trump’s war on truth and reason, Trump’s breathtaking corruption, and Trump’s undermining of national unity.

She also notes that whether “it was abusing the filibuster and stealing a Supreme Court seat, gerrymandering congressional districts to disenfranchise African Americans, or muzzling government climate scientists, Republicans were undermining American democracy long before Trump made it to the Oval Office.”

Her solution? Mobilize massive voter turnout in the November elections, implement reforms, and never take our democracy for granted.

One of the silliest arguments we hear is that both parties are the same. No, they’re not, and as David Leonhardt explains, Trump Derangement Syndrome is a myth.

Whither John Kerry? After nearly every GOP Senator signed a letter telling Iran not to believe the United States (this during the Iran Deal debate), and after the Republican Speaker of the House breached protocol by going behind the White House's back to invite Benjamin Netanyahu (the head of a foreign government) to lobby the Congress against the foreign policy of the President of the United States, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is whining that John Kerry may have told Iran to remain in compliance with the Iran Deal. The horror! If you want a healthy injection of common sense, read this thread from Richard Nephew , addressed first to supporters of the JCPOA, then to opponents of the JCPOA.

Ari Fuld was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist last week . Fuld was stabbed in the back . Substitute "the September 15, 2018 murder of Ari Fuld by a Palestinian terrorist" for the "Oct. 22 terrorist attack in Jerusalem, in which 3-month old Chaya Ziessel Braun was murdered," and this explanation of why Israelis are nervous about the peace process , written four years ago, could have been written today.

Israel’s security establishment opposes Trump’s UNRWA cuts . Peter Lerner , a reserve Israeli military spokesman who also was the spokesman for the army agency that liaises with UNRWA, said that “The instability risked by the UNRWA cut could require the IDF to mobilize more forces in the West Bank and create more friction with the civilian population. The military will have to deal with counter-terrorism, and it will divert focus from Israel’s biggest threats: Iran and Hezbollah.”

Thirty-four U.S Senators, includi ng Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), wrote to Trump that " it is in the national security interest of the United States, our ally Israel, the Palestinian people, and our other partners and allies in the region" to reverse these cuts.

Trump's entire approach to the Israel-Palestinian conflict--Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, aid cuts--is, as Aaron David Miller and Robert Malley explain,"wrong-headed and ahistorical... the administration’s message to the Palestinians seems to be: Y ou’ve lost, get over it . Underlying its attempt to radically redefine the terms of the conflict is the conviction that all past attempts have failed and that its new approach therefore must stand a chance. The Trump team is indisputably right about the first part. It is dead wrong about the second."

It’s not kosher to say Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) does not support Israel . But that’s what supporters of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) want you to believe. In this must-read op-ed , Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) Board member Marc Stanley urges the pro-Israel community to check the facts instead of mindlessly passing along false information. Indeed, as Stanley reminds us, “falling for false accusations only diminishes our capacity to combat real antisemitism and real threats to Israel.”

O’Rourke went to Whataburger after the Ted Cruz debate last week and played the airdrums to Baba O’Riley . How many newsletters inform you about that ?

Did you miss last week’s newsletter? Here it is.


Tweet of the Week . Kate Aronoff .

Video Clip of the Week . Has any TV series had as many guest stars as Get Smart ?

Upcoming Events/Save the Dates : Don’t miss the 9th Women for Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) event on Sunday afternoon, September 30, in Highland Park with special guest Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL). Brad is one of Israel’s best friends on either side of the aisle. RSVP here or by replying to this email.

Canvass with Dana Gordon for Sean Casten on September 29 . Casten has pulled ahead of Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), but we can’t take anything for granted. Dave Lundy is convening (actually, hosting) an event for Sean on October 3 in Wilmette . Sean is endorsed by the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA). Defeating Roskam is one of our top priorities.

On October 3, join me in Lincoln Park for a reception featuring Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) in support of JDCA-endorsed Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ). Mikie is a former Navy helicopter pilot, former federal prosecutor, and a supporter of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, which she calls “ instrumental to global security .” RSVP here or reply to this email.

The fifth in the wildly successful series of events hosted by me and Dana Gordon will feature Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) on October 14. No woman younger than Abby has ever been elected to Congress, and she is very supportive of Israel . RSVP here or reply to this email. Our previous events featured Dan Kohl (WI), Elissa Slotkin (MI), Ken Harbaugh (OH), and Sean Casten (IL).

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The Fine Print (in regular type) : This newsletter usually runs on Sunday mornings. Unless stated otherwise, my views do not necessarily reflect the views of any candidates or organizations that I support or am associated with. My views might not even be my views tomorrow; I reserve the right to change my mind as I learn more, and sometimes I make myself mad too. Intelligent, well-informed people may disagree with me; seek out opposing views and decide for yourself. When I link to an article, it doesn't mean that I agree with everything its author has ever said or that I even agree with everything in the article; it means that the article supports or elaborates on the point I was making. Advertisements reflect the views of the advertisers, not necessarily of me, and advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their advertisements. I read, value, and encourage replies to my newsletters, but I don't always have time to acknowledge replies or to engage in one-on-one discussion. Don't expect a reply if your message is uncivil or if it's clear from your message that you haven't read the newsletter or clicked on the relevant links.