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To Obama, Israel is the real problem in the Mid East

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You know something is fundamentally wrong when the United States is playing hardball with its only ally in the Mid-East (outside of Iraq -- thank you, George Bush!) -- while giving Iran a veritable pass in its on-going efforts to build nuclear weapons. Why is the U.S. giving Israel a hard time? Because it had the temerity this past week to announce that it was going to pursue more construction in its capital city (Jerusalem) that was beyond the artificial "green line" border that marks the boundary left over from the 1967 war. Israel is, of course, a sovereign nation and this is (of course) an internal decision that is (frankly) none of the United States' business. Right?

Well, not exactly. You see, the Obama Administration sees Israel as the evil-doer in the region, and believes that if it weren't for Israel settlements and Israeli aggression, peace would be at hand. As Jennifer Rubin at Commentary Magazine writes, the "Obami's" (as she calls them) have now left it up to political Chicago players David Axelrod to go on national TV to chide the Israelis for having the gumption to defy "The Messiah's" wishes that Israel lie prostrate in front of Hamas and the Palestinians and beg for their lives:

The White House is, as this report suggests, upping the ante with continued criticism of Israel. Taking to the morning talk shows, David Axelrod — a political operative who now seems at the center of foreign-policy formulation (more on this later) — went on the Fox, ABC, and NBC Sunday talk shows to repeat how insulted the Obami were over Israeli building in Jerusalem and what an affront this was to them.

The reaction of the Obami is even more startling considering the location and strategic importance of Ramat Shlomo. But this administration doesn’t make such fine distinctions and is not like past ones, we are learning. It might have something to do with the fact that Axelrod and the Chicago pols are running foreign policy. It’s attack, attack, attack — just as they do any domestic critic (even the Supreme Court Chief Justice). It’s about bullying and discrediting, trying to force the opponent into a corner. And in this case, their opponent is plainly the Israeli government. For that is the party the Obami is now demanding make further concessions to… well, to what end is not clear. Perhaps we are back to regime change — an effort to topple the duly elected government of Israel to obtain a negotiating partner more willing to yield to American bullying.

The language the Obami employ – ”personal,” “insulting,” and “affront” – suggests an unusual degree of personal peevishness and hostility toward an ally. That, I suppose, is the mentality of Chicago pols and of those who regard Israel not as a valued friend but as an irritant. And it is the language not of negotiators but of intimidators.

Does this strike anyone other than me to be the height of hubris? The notion that Obama would be personally affronted by the actions of an democratic ally in a region that has nothing but monarchs, despots and terrorists? It also again reinforces that there is a strong anti-Israel lobby within the Obama Administration -- which is not surprising, since the liberal intelligentsia (oxymoron) and academic infrastructure that animates the Obama White House and foreign policy establishment is generally unsympathetic to Israel, if not down right hostile. The truth is that conservatives and Republicans have always been a better friend to Israel than has the left -- even as Jews vote for Democrats over Republicans by a 90-10 margin. Makes no sense -- but that's the deal!

In any event, the irony that Obama would be beating up Israel while the Mullahs in Iran continue their "centrifuge party" in Tehran is quite amazing. We have an Islamic revolutionary state that is trying to wage war against its neighbors while oppressing democracy at home and what is Obama excited about? Israel builing a few more homes in Jerusalem? Are you serious?

Here's a quote from Rubin's piece that sums this up nicely. From Illinois Rep Mark Kirk (now a Senate candidate):

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Jerusalem Embassy Act, making it official United States policy that Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of Israel,” Congressman Kirk said. “As a staff member, I helped draft this historic legislation; as a Congressman I continue to urge its enforcement. History teaches us that a divided Jerusalem leads to conflict while a unified Jerusalem protects the rights of all faiths. I urge the Administration to spend more time working to stop Iran from building nuclear bombs and less time concerned with zoning issues in Jerusalem. As Iran accelerates its uranium enrichment, we should not be condemning one of America’s strongest democratic allies in the Middle East.

Couldn't have said it any better myself. The reality here is that Obama still believes that a lasting peace is possible with the Palestinians and their terrorist leaders, and the if only Israel would concede and appease, progress would be made.

Wait a minute: haven't we seen this play before? Didn't Ehud Barak offer up to Arafat a two-state solution with virtually every concession that Arafat (supposedly) wanted? And what happened? Did the Palestinians choose peace?

Up is down and down is up and through a looking glass we go (again and again)!

What Would You Spend the Stimulus Money On?

During last night's Hannity's America, FOX News exposed just over 100 of the most outrageous Recovery Act expenditures.We've all seen the big green signs across Colorado, crediting the passing of the Stimulus Bill and our governor for the road work being done.  The signs themselves are costing taxpayers about $3000 each, with some states spending a million dollars or more just on the signs.  Jobs creation? As Hannity and his team of reporters went across the country revealing some of the incredible wastes of our money, a few examples stand out.  One community received enough stimulus funds to build a new fire station but the town won't be able to hire firefighters to work in it.  Stretches of pavement completed in 2007 were ripped up and re-paved with stimulus dollars, even while residents claimed the road was not even in need of repair.  Many of our institutions of higher learning cashed in and picked the pockets of taxpayers for pet research projects, meanwhile, leaving their huge endowment investment funds untouched.  Even the sport of football got a boost from Mr. and Mrs. Federal Taxpayer.  Research money was handed out to develop the next generation of gloves worn by players in games.  Most of us will rest easy knowing THAT issue is finally getting much-needed funding and attention.  Back in the old days, private sector companies such as NIKE and Under Armor developed the latest trends in sports equipment and created jobs.

Colorado made the list, as well.  The folks in Boulder will get skylights installed in a climbing wall facility so it will seem like climbers are actually outside.  As Hannity pointed out, we kinda already have God-given climbing walls with sky views---they are called the Rocky Mountains.

A reporter visited the community of Crested Butte to talk to locals about their receipt of stimulus money to study wildflowers.  One man talked about the correlation between Colorado wildflowers and tomatoes freezing in Florida.  I had some problems following as he tried to connect those dots, but another man on the street interview was as clear as our skies overhead this fine morning.

The FOX reporter asked this man if he agreed with stimulus money being spent in his area to study wildflowers.  Without hesitation, the man responded back with his own question:  "What would YOU spend it on?"  The reporter explained that he wouldn't spend it at all, and the gentleman from Crested Butte acknowledged that the two of them disagreed.  End of interview.

To the man that wondered what better reason to spend stimulus money than in a mountain town famous in part for its beautiful wildflowers, I also disagree with him.  How can it be that so many people in our towns and cities, our states and our nation as a whole still don't understand that whether it's stimulus money, Cash for Clunkers, extending unemployment benefits, health care for everyone and all the other pie in the sky spending initiatives, we don't have the money.  That man in Crested Butte most likely pays his taxes on time, obeys the laws and stimulates the local economy with his personal treasure.  He may be well educated and a good citizen overall, but he's failing future generations by maintaining his view of the role of government and how much money that government should be allowed to borrow and print.   Too bad some of our neighbors in the high country don't yet understand that the government has no money until they first confiscate it from the folks in Crested Butte and across the country. 

If my family had enough extra money available these days, we'd take a cross country tour and visit some of the community projects we are funding through the Stimulus Bill, such as bike paths in towns where almost no one rides a bike and new paint jobs for bridges that are no longer used.  We'd stop by the university and check on the progress of studying whether monkeys respond to cocaine in similar ways as humans, and we'd definitely see if the deer are using their new underpass rather than walking out of the woods and onto the road.  Hopefully, "deer crossing" signs were also purchased with tax dollars so the deer can read the directions to walk under the road rather than across it.

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