If you think Trump is the major threat to democracy you might want to consider how deep into censorship and destruction of the first amendment the Democrats are. Both Harris and Walz repeatedly convey that they either do not understand or do not respect the first amendment. Constitution be damned. If you disagree with them or are, in their view, on the wrong side of any issue, you can count on them attempting to squash your voice, and much of the time, succeeding. From gender identity to Palestine they are a party beholden to extremes and are willing to disregard the constitution to shut down voices they find inconvenient.
I have only ever voted Democratic and have supported numerous presidential campaigns by making calls, knocking on doors and giving money. I won’t do it this election. I’m casting a vote for Trump because I see him as a lesser threat to democracy. I’ve come to this after taking the time to listen to his speeches and interviews. He’s irritating as all hell and I don’t feel any fondness for the guy, but almost every time he hasn’t said what the media mouthpieces of the Democratic Party have said he’s said. They distort and omit context to paint a picture of a would-be dictator. It’s ridiculous. A buffoon? Yes. A carnival barker? Yes. But a would-be dictator? No. Anyone who wants to convince you of this ought to offer specific examples rather than repeating media taking points.
For America Harris is probably better only because she does seem to believe in the constitutional order, unless ahem, you disagree with their policies and then suddenly the first amendment doesnt seem to be applicable to your speech. But as far as israel is concerned, Harris' advisors are aligned with NAIC which is the proIran mouthpiece in Washington and even the Jewish liaison seems to be an Israel hater out of the Obama administration. The progressive anti Israel wing of the Democratic party is quite bullish on Harris because they really see her as one of them and since her husband is Jewish she can skirt the "antisemitic" label when her policies harm iSrael. In fact her attitude toward Israel since the beginning of the Gaza war has not been anything but mouthing platitudes and both sidzing everything. She and Walz did say that the antiIsrael protestors had some good points. What point? Intifada or resistance by any means necessary?The dems may say they dont want Iran to get the bomb but have done everything they could to prop up that failed regime by lifting sanctions. Remember the Obama doctrine which is still the policy of the democratic establishment is that Iran needs to be a bulwark against israel and the gulf states. They actually believe you can negotiate with fanatical Islamists and they will adhere to the agreements in good faith. Not sure how serious Putin and Xi will take her either. She doesnt engender strength as far as I can see. (Some women in politics do, Nikki Haley, Liz Chaney and yes these are republicans)
Now as far as Trump, he is not good for the Constitutional order. We saw that first hand. But he has done some good things for Israel, but did not do it for Israel, he did it for the evangelicals and because Jared kushner had a huge hand in it. The question is who in his administration will really be the proIsrael lynchpin? Will there actually be on? Trump is also sweet on Putin and Putin is aligned with Iran. So not sure how good that is for Israel. If Trump is really going to abandon Ukraine and NATO how good is that in the long run for Israel. And yes he has Jewish grandchildren but you know his daughter Tiffany is married to an Arab-American with ties to Lebanon who also went courting the antisemites in Dearborn.
Truth is the Jews of this country are between a rock and a hard place. I dont think either candidate is especially good for Israel. And truth be told the job of the president of the US is to do what is best for the US and no other country. However, as we have seen, when the US is not proIsrael and even when they are, antisemitism is rampant across the US and the rest of the world. Personally I am going to vote for the person who isnt going to support those calling for intifadas or think that rape is resistance. Or you can simply write in a name of your preferred candidate or leave it blank.
I have been politically homeless since the 1990s. Nothing apparently has changed.
Trump's relationship to Jews is purely transactional. He'll 'like' us if we vote for him and feed his ego. If not, he'll throw us under the proverbial bus. In addition, he doesn't believe in democracy; as such, he has no business being in the White House.
Thank you. This is a very fair, accurate, evenhanded take. I'm one of what this essay describes as "undecided," but I think "unwilling to support either candidate" is most accurate. I'm in my late 50s and have voted Dem essentially my whole life, but no longer can continue to do so. I don't blame anyone or any Jewish person for voting either way, to keep the other candidate out. I get it.
I would take issue only with, "(How ironic and confusing that Democrats appear to be outspoken against anti-Semitism and softening on Israel while Republicans enthusiastically support Israel but seem to tolerate or ignore anti-Semites.)" While I've been frustrated for years at the Republicans' unwillingness to forcefully condemn or marginalize its far right extreme, which my guess the broader party considers a mild embarrassment it tolerates for its votes and support, I don't believe the Dems pay anything more than lip service to anti-semitism.
Look at what is going on in the streets of all major blue cities: masked, keffiyehed, pro-Hamas thugs rampaging, attacking anyone they come across, especially Jews; burning, vandalizing and destroying property; waving and raising flags of officially-designated terrorist groups; targeting Jews' homes, synagogues, schools, community centers, with "protests", verbal abuse and even bullets; forcing Jews out public spaces in the universities they attend; taking official stances against Zionism in unrelated unions and professional societies, etc. These leftist thugs have even rioted in Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, and killed an older man holding an Israel flag in L.A.
They have been doing this for months and the Dems have done absolutely nothing other than occasionally make a general statement that "neither anti-semitism NOR Islamophobia can be tolerated," etc. etc. etc. It can never be antisemtism that's a problem on its own; it's always conflated with "Islamophobia" or the even more ridiculous "anti-Palestinian racism," when there is no legitimate, good faith comparison. The Repubs have dragged the Dems into anti-semitism hearings under protest--where the Dems have insisted on the anti-semitism/"Islamophobia" confation.
On each evening of the DNC an anti-Israel speaker was prime-timed: AOC, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren. The Squad may have lost two terrible members, Bowman and Bush, but the most overtly antisemitic and prominent remain: Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, AOC, Summer Lee (and the untold more progressive Dems who are not as vocally extreme, but nevertheless enable them). Summer Lee denounced Israel on October 7. Tlaib claimed the Michigan Attorney General illegally prosecuted UMich encampment rioters because the AG is Jewish; and Gov. Whitmer refused to publicly support her own AG against Tlaib's despicable smear. And VP candidate Walz is chummy, to say the least, with Ilhan Omar.
I agree with the assessment of Trump. He enables antisemitism, is transactional, can't be trusted. I won't support him. The Dems don't want the look of antisemitism--but they're not going to do anything about it because the youth is with the anti-Israel, Jew-hating (even if they won't admit it) progressives. They're not doing anything about it now, so why would a Harris/Walz election change that?
Agree with elke - as many others do, you overstate the risk to democracy from trump and underestimate it from the democrats who want to pack the court, add two states that will vote democratically and ensure their reign for a century, and remove the filibuster. they have weaponized law fare in a frightening and previously unheard of way to reach power. American jews did little for the news of europe in thr 1930’s and voting for harris repeats their mistake because the weakness of america that is projected now threatens israel forever
If you think Trump is the major threat to democracy you might want to consider how deep into censorship and destruction of the first amendment the Democrats are. Both Harris and Walz repeatedly convey that they either do not understand or do not respect the first amendment. Constitution be damned. If you disagree with them or are, in their view, on the wrong side of any issue, you can count on them attempting to squash your voice, and much of the time, succeeding. From gender identity to Palestine they are a party beholden to extremes and are willing to disregard the constitution to shut down voices they find inconvenient.
I have only ever voted Democratic and have supported numerous presidential campaigns by making calls, knocking on doors and giving money. I won’t do it this election. I’m casting a vote for Trump because I see him as a lesser threat to democracy. I’ve come to this after taking the time to listen to his speeches and interviews. He’s irritating as all hell and I don’t feel any fondness for the guy, but almost every time he hasn’t said what the media mouthpieces of the Democratic Party have said he’s said. They distort and omit context to paint a picture of a would-be dictator. It’s ridiculous. A buffoon? Yes. A carnival barker? Yes. But a would-be dictator? No. Anyone who wants to convince you of this ought to offer specific examples rather than repeating media taking points.
I think in this article you summed it up exactly. It's why I don't want to vote for either choice.
Both choices suck.
For America Harris is probably better only because she does seem to believe in the constitutional order, unless ahem, you disagree with their policies and then suddenly the first amendment doesnt seem to be applicable to your speech. But as far as israel is concerned, Harris' advisors are aligned with NAIC which is the proIran mouthpiece in Washington and even the Jewish liaison seems to be an Israel hater out of the Obama administration. The progressive anti Israel wing of the Democratic party is quite bullish on Harris because they really see her as one of them and since her husband is Jewish she can skirt the "antisemitic" label when her policies harm iSrael. In fact her attitude toward Israel since the beginning of the Gaza war has not been anything but mouthing platitudes and both sidzing everything. She and Walz did say that the antiIsrael protestors had some good points. What point? Intifada or resistance by any means necessary?The dems may say they dont want Iran to get the bomb but have done everything they could to prop up that failed regime by lifting sanctions. Remember the Obama doctrine which is still the policy of the democratic establishment is that Iran needs to be a bulwark against israel and the gulf states. They actually believe you can negotiate with fanatical Islamists and they will adhere to the agreements in good faith. Not sure how serious Putin and Xi will take her either. She doesnt engender strength as far as I can see. (Some women in politics do, Nikki Haley, Liz Chaney and yes these are republicans)
Now as far as Trump, he is not good for the Constitutional order. We saw that first hand. But he has done some good things for Israel, but did not do it for Israel, he did it for the evangelicals and because Jared kushner had a huge hand in it. The question is who in his administration will really be the proIsrael lynchpin? Will there actually be on? Trump is also sweet on Putin and Putin is aligned with Iran. So not sure how good that is for Israel. If Trump is really going to abandon Ukraine and NATO how good is that in the long run for Israel. And yes he has Jewish grandchildren but you know his daughter Tiffany is married to an Arab-American with ties to Lebanon who also went courting the antisemites in Dearborn.
Truth is the Jews of this country are between a rock and a hard place. I dont think either candidate is especially good for Israel. And truth be told the job of the president of the US is to do what is best for the US and no other country. However, as we have seen, when the US is not proIsrael and even when they are, antisemitism is rampant across the US and the rest of the world. Personally I am going to vote for the person who isnt going to support those calling for intifadas or think that rape is resistance. Or you can simply write in a name of your preferred candidate or leave it blank.
I have been politically homeless since the 1990s. Nothing apparently has changed.
None of the above. 😊 You are so correct, both choices suck.
Trump's relationship to Jews is purely transactional. He'll 'like' us if we vote for him and feed his ego. If not, he'll throw us under the proverbial bus. In addition, he doesn't believe in democracy; as such, he has no business being in the White House.
Thank you. This is a very fair, accurate, evenhanded take. I'm one of what this essay describes as "undecided," but I think "unwilling to support either candidate" is most accurate. I'm in my late 50s and have voted Dem essentially my whole life, but no longer can continue to do so. I don't blame anyone or any Jewish person for voting either way, to keep the other candidate out. I get it.
I would take issue only with, "(How ironic and confusing that Democrats appear to be outspoken against anti-Semitism and softening on Israel while Republicans enthusiastically support Israel but seem to tolerate or ignore anti-Semites.)" While I've been frustrated for years at the Republicans' unwillingness to forcefully condemn or marginalize its far right extreme, which my guess the broader party considers a mild embarrassment it tolerates for its votes and support, I don't believe the Dems pay anything more than lip service to anti-semitism.
Look at what is going on in the streets of all major blue cities: masked, keffiyehed, pro-Hamas thugs rampaging, attacking anyone they come across, especially Jews; burning, vandalizing and destroying property; waving and raising flags of officially-designated terrorist groups; targeting Jews' homes, synagogues, schools, community centers, with "protests", verbal abuse and even bullets; forcing Jews out public spaces in the universities they attend; taking official stances against Zionism in unrelated unions and professional societies, etc. These leftist thugs have even rioted in Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, and killed an older man holding an Israel flag in L.A.
They have been doing this for months and the Dems have done absolutely nothing other than occasionally make a general statement that "neither anti-semitism NOR Islamophobia can be tolerated," etc. etc. etc. It can never be antisemtism that's a problem on its own; it's always conflated with "Islamophobia" or the even more ridiculous "anti-Palestinian racism," when there is no legitimate, good faith comparison. The Repubs have dragged the Dems into anti-semitism hearings under protest--where the Dems have insisted on the anti-semitism/"Islamophobia" confation.
On each evening of the DNC an anti-Israel speaker was prime-timed: AOC, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren. The Squad may have lost two terrible members, Bowman and Bush, but the most overtly antisemitic and prominent remain: Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, AOC, Summer Lee (and the untold more progressive Dems who are not as vocally extreme, but nevertheless enable them). Summer Lee denounced Israel on October 7. Tlaib claimed the Michigan Attorney General illegally prosecuted UMich encampment rioters because the AG is Jewish; and Gov. Whitmer refused to publicly support her own AG against Tlaib's despicable smear. And VP candidate Walz is chummy, to say the least, with Ilhan Omar.
I agree with the assessment of Trump. He enables antisemitism, is transactional, can't be trusted. I won't support him. The Dems don't want the look of antisemitism--but they're not going to do anything about it because the youth is with the anti-Israel, Jew-hating (even if they won't admit it) progressives. They're not doing anything about it now, so why would a Harris/Walz election change that?
No good option here.
Agree with elke - as many others do, you overstate the risk to democracy from trump and underestimate it from the democrats who want to pack the court, add two states that will vote democratically and ensure their reign for a century, and remove the filibuster. they have weaponized law fare in a frightening and previously unheard of way to reach power. American jews did little for the news of europe in thr 1930’s and voting for harris repeats their mistake because the weakness of america that is projected now threatens israel forever
Trump may not be Israel's best ally and this article explains why
https://marcfriedmanesq.substack.com/p/the-illusion-of-support-why-donald?r=tq8hk
Thank you. I'm going to send this to a couple of people.