HAVING YOUR CAKE AND EATING IT TOO

Dear misguided America, stop being a doormat for Israel, and stop helping them to create and fill more illegal settlements. You send them 3 Billion a year whilst your people cannot afford Health Care or housing. They drag you into war after war, have ruined your standing in the world and still this is not enough. They've now got another way to use America, you see, America is not good enough to actually live in, but because they can make more money in America, they work in the US and live in Israel, where they spend the money they make in America, off of Americans. So read this then ask youself how does it feel to be used and abused like a doormat:

link On late Saturday nights at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, a handful of regulars on the El Al flight to New York gather and wave to each other in recognition. They make this trans-Atlantic journey every week, returning each Friday morning to be home with their families for Shabbat. They belong to a small but growing subculture of mostly Orthodox American men who have moved with their families to Israel but have kept their jobs in the United States.

The group estimates that some 20 to 30 percent of the more than 16,000 Americans of working age who moved to Israel in the past five years are commuters. In cities like Raanana and Modiin, which are home to large Modern Orthodox American communities, there is a critical mass of such families. Danny Block, 46, a dentist who maintains his practice in Forest Hills, Queens and has done so for the past four years, though he says this is not a permanent situation. “The point is to live in Israel. I’m not doing it because I’m nuts.”

Among the “ultra-commuters,” as Block calls his tribe, are doctors, lawyers, real-estate brokers, school principals, and small-business owners who work all over the country, from Los Angeles to Baltimore.

Even with the relatively high cost of flying and the expense of maintaining two households, the math still adds up in favor of commuting, the families say. Some of the commuters are in frequent-flyer programs and get free trips. Some live with roommates or crash with family members to keep costs down while they are in the United States.

Salaries are significantly lower in Israel. “The joke is whatever you make in the United States, take off a zero,” said David Gichton, 47, an anesthesiologist from Baltimore who made aliyah last summer. Physicians, for example, who make up a significant number of the commuting population, estimate that many of them, particularly specialists, who can command $200,000 to $300,000 salaries in the United States would make about a third of that in Israel. A family doctor earning about $100,000 in the United States could expect about half as much.

“There is a very big support system,” said Esther Morris, 43, and a mother of five living in Raanana, a city near Tel Aviv. “It’s become a lifestyle,” Morris made aliyah in 2004 from Boca Raton, Florida. Her husband, a physician, used to fly back there two weeks of every month. Recently he left his practice and began work as an American company’s medical director, which has allowed him to commute less frequently and spend more time in Israel.

In Hashmonim, a settlement just inside the West Bank, roughly half the families come from the United States and other English-speaking countries. Gigi Tover, who made aliyah six years ago from Los Angeles, figures about a third to even one half of those have a commuting spouse.

Her husband, meantime, “continues with his regular contacts and a salary much higher than the one he would have in Israel. “But I hope this is not the 21st-century version of aliyah. I would love Israel to have the type of economy that can sustain its citizens. I just don’t understand how Israelis live on the average income here.” The median yearly household income is $37,000. In the United States it is just over $50,000.

Like so many similar commuters, Gichton would eventually like to work more locally. “That’s the hope, but the reality of the situation is that you have to pay to put food on the table,” he said.

TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Well this is not something you see everyday. Good ole American politics, you have the Democrats, majority up the arse of Israel due to all those nice fat AIPAC donations. And then you have the Republicans, almost 100% up the arse of Israel because they hate Muslims, love Jesus, (and everyone knows you can't love Jesus and love Muslims, so they believe) they also support the slaughter in Iraq, Afghanistan and any other country where they can send their sons and daughters to kill people who are not exactly like they are. But, there is a shifting of the sands apparently. Not all the Pugs are into tea parties evidently there are a few who, despite their war mongering bigoted ways towards all non born again, flag waving neocons, are starting to think about America, instead of Israel. This could spell trouble for the evil rogue state.

Michael Steele, the RNC Chair, is a Republican lite, and now he's under attack from the AIPAC Israeli loving war mongering loonies in his own party. But, other lites are coming to his defense, and starting to question why Republicans have their head so far up the arse of Israel, instead of supporting America first. Good Question! I smell trouble in paradise:

I see the neocons have their "Stand with Israel" group going. I'm not an Israelophobe, but how about a "Stand with America" group instead? These same America-hating neocons are now out to get RNC Chair Michael Steele.

Why are these neocons upset with Steele? He "gaffed". In the political world, a "gaffe" means lurching uncontrollably into the truth.

Perhaps Mr. Steele might be out of touch with the minority of Republican neocons who doth protest too much. However, he is in touch with the majority of Americans. Furthermore, it's rather insulting to watch a bunch of chickenhawks explain how Michael Steele is undermining the troops. Supporting the troops shouldn't be conflated with support for keeping them in harm's way in perpetuity. I can think of nothing better for we disabled veterans than to stop adding to our numbers at once.

sorry, can't bring myself to post the rest of the article as I despise the Pugs, but the point is that even to the Pugs, America comes first, and the more they grasp that their blind support for Israel takes them away from their own country's interest the better. If you have the stomach for the rest of the article it can be found HERE

EVERYONE SHOULD SEE THIS

Everyone should view this video, compelling, gut wrenching, powerful TRUTH:

NAIL MEET HEAD

This is a must read:

Israel Is Losing Its ‘Legitimacy’, Its Moral Legitimacy

As it was reported last week that “AIPAC has persuaded more than three-quarters of the members of the U.S. House of Representatives to sign a letter calling for an end to public criticism of Israel and urging the US to ‘reinforce’ its relationship with the Jewish state (UK Guardian),” it is worth noting one fact of American citizenship: American servicemen and women, all federal employees, and elected representatives who swear to defend the U.S. Constitution do not affirm dual allegiance to Israel or any other country.

In fact, no American owes an affirmative vow of loyalty to Israel, as AIPAC and the Reut Institute apparently would have us believe.

But there is one point that Israeli militarists like AIPAC make that is valid: Israel is losing its legitimacy.... Read the rest HERE

The Pro-Israel Lobby And The New Israel

The Pro-Israel Lobby And The New Israel

08 Mar 2010 05:10 pm

Andrew Sullivan at the Atlantic has a good read:

In a response to Dowd, Goldblog acknowledges:

It is undeniably true that Jewish fundamentalists wield disproportionate
power in Israeli decision-making; it is true that a small minority --
fundamentalist settlers -- has kept Israel entangled in the lives of the
Palestinians on the West Bank; it is true that, because of the power of the
Orthodox rabbinate, it is easier in some ways to be Jewish in America than in
the Jewish state (Just ask women who try to pray at the Western Wall.) All this
is not to say that Israel isn't still the most enlightened democracy in the
Middle East, but there's not much of a competition. And it should be cause for
deep worry when the Saudis -- not especially known for their liberalism -- have
a point about illiberal Israel.

What I found telling was MoDo's more recent column in which she came up with the following brilliant formulation that reflects on the pro-Israel voices so over-represented in the MSM punditariat:

Obama created an obstacle for himself by demanding that Israel stop expanding
settlements when it was not going to do so — even though it should — and when
that wasn’t the most important condition to Arabs

Got that? Now I have no idea what Maureen means when she says that a settlement freeze "wasn’t the most important condition to Arabs." Much that I've read seemed to suggest that the various Sunni Arab regimes were looking for precisely a freezing of further Israeli colonization of the West Bank as proof that Obama really was going to break from the whatever-Israel-wants policy of the previous eight years.

But notice that it is Obama's fault for asking an alleged ally merely to freeze - not reverse - construction settlement as a good faith gesture to the peace process and as a favor to the US in trying to recapture the role of an honest broker in the region. It is not Israel's fault - even though Maureen thinks Israel should have done it.

Nothing illustrates better the total bizarreness of the US-Israel relationship. No one in Washington - apart from a few Likudniks and Palinite end-timers - actually supports more settlements or any settlements i the West Bank. At the same time, Washington exercizes a UN veto to protect Israel from international law, funnels a vast amount of foreign and military aid to the country, helped finance the pulverization of Gaza last year, provides absurd international cover for Israel's 150 nukes, has worked tirelessly to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear capacity, and on and on.

In return? Fuck you, Obama. To which the overwhelming response in Washington is: Obama screwed up.

There is something completely awry here and it has rarely been more evident than in the last twelve months.

TIME TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS~THE UNITED STATES OF ISRAEL

Well, you can't say the US is not consistent in it's grovelling to Israel. Remember those AIPAC spies for Israel, remember they were “let off”, remember the Harman-Pelosi thing, and most recently the Nozette thing and all the interlinking? Could America learn it's lessons on Israel? Could America stand up to Israel? Could America start protecting it's own interests? Is this possible? Indeed, could rain fall up instead of down, could the sun set in the morning and rise in the evening? check this out:

EXHIBIT 1
link Each April, the US releases the Special 301 Report, which examines the intellectual property laws of its main trading partners. The release generated international headlines last week as countries such as Canada and Israel found themselves on the "Priority Watch List" of countries that the US claims are the world's worst piracy offenders.

I know what you are all thinking, Whoa, America got it right and decided to protect itself. But I was actually thinking about Monty Python, as this phrase sprang to mind "And now for something completely different" at first, then I realised, Nah, just kidding, it's all the same.

EXHIBIT 2: link Israel and the United States Trade Representative struck a deal that will remove Israel from the USTR watch list.

Israel was on the Special 301 Priority Watch List, which monitors international intellectual property, because of a disagreement over protections of pharmaceuticals.

Israel had allowed the manufacture of generic drugs five years after a patented drug was approved for use. Other violations cited by USTR included the failure to adequately address Internet piracy and leaking undisclosed pharmaceutical data obtained from U.S. manufacturers.

Under the new agreement announced last week by the Israeli Embassy in Washington, foreign companies can market their product exclusively for a longer period of time in Israel and will receive commercial incentive to introduce new drugs into the Israeli health care system in a timely fashion. When the drug’s patent expires in either the United States or Europe, Israeli generic companies can begin manufacturing.

Now enter the Israeli agent masquerading as an American:

U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), who has pushed to have Israel removed from the list, welcomed the agreement.

Seriously it’s high time the American Government just tell the American people what the craic truly is. Just get it out in the open, tell it like it is, go for it……Time to re-do Betsy Ross’ flag design to include a big fat Star of David, right smack in the centre of those red and white stripes. Also, the pledge of allegiance must be changed to reflect the reality of today. I suggest something like the following be adopted:

“I pledge alliance to the flag of the United States of Israel, and to the Zionist control for which it stands, one nation, under Israel, with no liberty or justice for non-Jews, Americans or Muslims”

FREED FROM THE ZIONIST LOBBY IN AMERICA

The other day our good friend at Desertpeace made a post about Congressman Brian Baird of Washington USA. Who has come out swinging (in a good way) on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. When I read DP's post I was shocked that an American congressman would have the "Chutzpah" to say things like that, what with AIPAC. I even left a comment on DP's blog where I said; I hoped Congressman Baird had a food taster and good security at his home. I also said I hoped he did not expect to ever get re-elected, what with AIPAC who will assuredly be "hot on his trail" to ensure a swift demise of his political career much like a redux of Charles Freeman. But now I have the answer as to why Congressman Baird felt free enough to speak the truth. The answer follows an excerpt of original post below:

Stand up and notice, an American Congressman, Brian Baird of Washington, is fighting for Gaza. Currently Congressman Baird is in Gaza

on his third trip there.

A visit to his website gives his statement on the Goldstone Report with his strong statement of why it should not be discounted by HR 867: “

Israel and Gaza Deserve Better than a Misguided Resolution” Writing from his own convictions after gaining his own first hand knowledge of the situation in Gaza he wrote:

Since scarcely a dozen House Members have actually been to Gaza, what actual first-hand knowledge do the rest of the Members of Congress possess on which to base their judgment of the merits of H.Res. 867 or the Goldstone report?

What will it say about this Congress and our country if we so readily seek to block “any further consideration” of a human rights investigation produced by one of the most respected jurists in the world today, a man who led the investigations of abuses in South Africa, the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Kosovo and worked to identify and prosecute Nazi war criminals as a member of the Panel of the Commission of Enquiry into the Activities of Nazism in Argentina?

Now Congressman Baird is calling for the immediate lifting of the blockade of Gaza. But not only is he calling for this, he is also calling for a massive lift of aid to Gaza.

“We ought to bring roll-on, roll-off ships and roll them right to the beach and bring the relief supplies in, in our version of the Berlin airlift,” he said, adding that the supplies could be delivered to U.N. aid agencies.

Ok, so I promised you the answer as to why he spoke the truth, a rare thing in US politics. And here's the answer from his own website:

link Congressman Baird Announces He Will Not Seek Reelection (December 9 2009) Washington, D.C. — Serving our country and representing the people of Southwest Washington in Congress has been the highest honor and greatest responsibility of my life. Since the time I first announced I would seek election in November of 1995, I have done my utmost to work hard, tell the truth, listen, and do what was right for our nation. I am proud of the record of achievements for our district and I am incredibly grateful to the voters who have entrusted me with this responsibility. I am also appreciative to my staff, all of the friends, supporters and volunteers who have helped along the way.

The time has now come to pursue other options, other ways of serving. Hence, I am announcing today that I do not intend to seek reelection to Congress in 2010. This is not an easy decision to be sure, but I believe it is the right decision at the right time. I look forward to serving the remainder of this Congress with the same level of commitment I have always given the people of this district. There is much yet to be done for our region and our nation and I fully intend to be part of that work during the remainder of my term in office and in new ways when that term has ended. Again, I want to thank my family, friends, supporters, staff and most importantly the people of Southwest Washington.

Which only serves to prove what we ALL know about AIPAC and the Jewish Lobby in America. Only when you are free from having to worry about re-election can you then become a human being and speak the truth. Surely he must be thinking to himself "Free at last, free at last, thank God almightly I'm free at last"

REPORT~OBAMA GIVES MORE TO ISRAEL THAN BUSH

Newsflash, well, for some of us anyway. Now to all you "hope and change" believers will ye wake up please? According to Israel, Obama beats Bush at cooperating with Israel. And Israel says it's true. Your "hope and change man of peace" who won the Nobel Peace Prize for doing nothing treats Israel better than Bush did. It’s all been just “more pretty O- words” about making peace, about a free and just Palestinian state, about pushing Israel back to 67 borders, about removing illegal settlers, all words, no action. Why? Because all the “actions” are going on behind the scenes Another interesting "Wake Up" Call after this:

link Leaders in Washington and Jerusalem have publicly locked horns over the issue of West Bank settlements. Behind the scenes, however, strategic security relations between the two countries are flourishing

Israeli officials have been singing the praises of President Obama for his willingness to address their defense concerns and for actions taken by his administration to bolster Israel’s qualitative military edge—an edge eroded, according to Israel, during the final year of the George W. Bush presidency.

Among the new initiatives taken by the administration, the Forward has learned, are adjustments in a massive arms deal that the Bush administration made with Arab Gulf states in response to Israeli concerns. There have also been upgrades in U.S.-Israeli military cooperation on missile defense. And a deal is expected next year that will see one of the United States’ most advanced fighter jets go to Israel with some of America’s most sensitive new technology.

Amid the cacophony of U.S.-Israel clashes on the diplomatic front, public attention given to this intensified strategic cooperation has been scant. But in a rare public comment in October, Israeli U.S. Ambassador Michael Oren praised the Obama administration’s response to complaints about lost ground during the close of the Bush years as “warm and immediate.”

“We came to the Obama administration and said, ‘Listen, we have a problem here,’ ” Oren told a gathering of the National Jewish Democratic Council. “The administration’s reaction was immediate: We are going to address this issue

well-informed Israeli sources say, also were stoked by a massive $20 billion arms deal that the United States signed with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states during the Bush administration’s last year.

The United States and Israel also have recently launched a new consultative mechanism for discussing and addressing issues relating to Israel’s qualitative military edge. This new process, involving key officials from the Pentagon and State Department on the American side and Israel’s Foreign and Defense ministries, is currently being applied to several outstanding Israeli concerns. Israeli defense officials and pro-Israel activists characterize this as a significant development in strategic consultations between the two countries.
America’s commitment to maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge was codified directly into U.S. law via 2008 legislation backed by AIPAC. The legislation requires the president to report to Congress periodically on actions taken by the administration to ensure Israel’s advantage.

Americans don’t “get it”, this is ALL about keeping jobs in America and big military contracts, never mind what the future brings for Americans for the decisions made today with regards to Israel. Don't say you don't know why the world despises American policy, or why Muslims hate you. There is not one person who can be elected to represent America as President, with the foresight and courage to change the path of your country, to for once be on the right side of things by supporting real Democracy in Arab countries (as opposed to American created Democracy), to stop waging wars against Muslim countries because of whom they vote for, or which dictator will cooperate with America. Americans are all owed by a foreign country called Israel, you just don’t realise it yet, too busy living your lives and shopping at Walmart. Want to know why Jimmy Carter apologised, crawled and begged for forgiveness to Jews and Israel for calling it an "Apartheid State?" Because his Grandson has decided to go into politics. Need any more proof that NO Americans can get elected without making a pact with Israel? So remember this for your future, where Israel goes, you WILL follow, for you are “The United States of Israel” all hail the Star of David………