AIPAC: Just another GOP lobby

The largest and most powerful foreign government lobby that legally meddles in American elections opened its annual conference by reaching out to people it has nothing in common with.

“We need to embrace and involve many more Jewish Americans,” AIPAC president Mort Fridman said at the conference’s opening session on Sunday morning. “To my friends in the progressive community - I want you to know that we are partners in this project.”

Which begs the question, what "project" is it that the progressive community is "partners" with? You didn't have to wait long for the answer to that question.

The lights in the central auditorium of the AIPAC conference in Washington D.C. were dimmed, the dramatic music rose and the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, walked onto the stage, like a bride on her wedding day.
She was cheered by 18,000 people. In the front row sat Israeli elected officials, many of them excited to tears, as though they were seeing the burning bush, at minimum.

israel.png
AIPAC likes to think of itself as a bipartisan, and without a doubt, it's mountains of cash can still buy face time with Democrats like Kamala Harris.

AIPAC is a powerful, pro-Israel lobbying force and has made opposition to former President Barack Obama’s Iran deal a key priority. It is also currently supporting legislation to make some support for the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement — which seeks to hold Israel accountable for violations of international law — a felony.
Harris, widely considered a 2020 presidential contender, spoke at a Monday session called “A Conversation with Senator Kamala Harris,” which was not listed on the conference’s program or website.
In an email to The Intercept, AIPAC Director of Communications Beth Robbins said she had no recording of Harris’s remarks. “Sen. Harris spoke in an off-the-record session,” she said.

AIPAC is working hard to avoid the fate of the NRA, becoming a partisan lobbying group, and it is failing.
That's happening for two reasons.
One reason is because the new members that AIPAC attracts tend to be orthodox jews.

Orthodox Jewry has become overwhelmingly Republican. Last September, an American Jewish Committee poll found that 71 percent of Orthodox Jews approved of Trump.
... Were AIPAC to surf these demographic and ideological trends, it would become heavily Orthodox, overwhelmingly Republican, and more and more openly hostile to the American left—a pro-Israel version of the NRA.

I personally don't see AIPAC doing much to resist this trend. AIPAC's drift toward the intolerant right is simply a reflection of a trend in Israeli society in general.
Which brings up the second reason why AIPAC will fail to avoid becoming the Israeli NRA - they offer nothing to progressives.

Far from a “progressive paradise”, Israel is actually an ethnoreligious state that violates the human rights of Palestinians, other ethnic and religious minorities within its borders, while also aiding Islamophobia and genocide on a global scale. It is for this reason that a significant and growing portion of the Democratic Party is clamoring for justice in Palestine. For as long as Israel continues to oppress, support for Israel will continue to be a tanking stock within the Democratic Party.
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OzoneTom's picture

Trying to herd wayward progressives back into the approved mindset:

Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat and former Michigan governor, devoted much of her speech to an effort to maintain progressive support for Israel. She said she had fallen in love with the country on three visits– and cited Israeli government policies that are still progressive causes in the U.S.

“As a progressive, I saw a nation that provides universal health care, a nation that protects women’s rights and LGBT rights,” she said. “It’s a progressive’s paradise.”

http://mondoweiss.net/2018/03/conference-progressives-abandoning/?utm_so...

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QMS's picture

@OzoneTom Israel. Really? Ewwwww

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truth is considered foreign influence, world peace is a threat to national security

GreatLakeSailor's picture

@OzoneTom

As long as you ain't an Arab. Then not so much.

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Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.

thanatokephaloides's picture

@OzoneTom

Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat and former Michigan governor, devoted much of her speech to an effort to maintain progressive support for Israel. She said she had fallen in love with the country on three visits– and cited Israeli government policies that are still progressive causes in the U.S.

“As a progressive, I saw a nation that provides universal health care, a nation that protects women’s rights and LGBT rights,” she said. “It’s a progressive’s paradise.”

Et tu quoque, Iennifer?? Yet another betrayal! Ye Gods!

Diablo

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

@thanatokephaloides

A Conversation with Senator Kamala Harris,” which was not listed on the conference’s program or website.
In an email to The Intercept, AIPAC Director of Communications Beth Robbins said she had no recording of Harris’s remarks.

Looks like wanting the money, but still being able to deny it.

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thanatokephaloides's picture

@gjohnsit

"A Conversation with Senator Kamala Harris,” which was not listed on the conference’s program or website.
In an email to The Intercept, AIPAC Director of Communications Beth Robbins said she had no recording of Harris’s remarks.

Looks like wanting the money, but still being able to deny it.

Things that make one go "hmmmmm....."

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

the espionage Israel was committing through AIPAC in my series The Usual Suspects. I also pointed out their plan back 12 years ago to engage in a proxy war with Syria. You can read the entire series here:

https://penspages.wordpress.com/page/2/

Consider it AIPAC 101 school.

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Meteor Man's picture

@Battle of Blair Mountain
Good article B of B. I scrolled down and found this segment:

https://penspages.wordpress.com/2016/06/11/the-usual-suspects-the-heroin...

I had forgotten all about the Prince of Darkness, did not know he was still around. A quick Bing search:

Richard Perle is a liar

http://foreignpolicy.com/2009/02/23/richard-perle-is-a-liar/

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"They'll say we're disturbing the peace, but there is no peace. What really bothers them is that we are disturbing the war." Howard Zinn

@Meteor Man

Perle has tried to sell the story that neither he nor his fellow neoconservatives had any significant influence on the foreign policy of the Bush administration, and especially the decision to invade Iraq.

I'd laugh so hard right now, but still recovering from oral surgery.

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QMS's picture

What does AIPAC represent?

Arab
Israeli
Palestinian
Avoidance
Culture
or

Americans
Inflicting
Pain
Across
Continents

It's just a bunch of right white old guys trying to play monopoly and risk.

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truth is considered foreign influence, world peace is a threat to national security

thanatokephaloides's picture

@QMS

It's just a bunch of right white old guys trying to play monopoly and risk.

With our money and bodies!

Bad

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides