Peter Beinart: The Israel Lobby Is Spending Millions to Defeat Progressive Democrats

Pro-Israel lobby groups have spent “shocking” amounts of money to change the course of multiple Democratic congressional primaries over the past year alone, reports our guest Peter Beinart. The latest is in Maryland, where former Congressmember Donna Edwards is being outspent sevenfold by corporate attorney Glenn Ivey in her bid to win back her old seat in the state’s 4th Congressional District. Beinart, the editor-at-large of Jewish Currents, says the AIPAC-led PACs disguise their attack ads with local issues but in reality are designed to oust candidates who take stances in support of Palestinian rights and working people.

 

When I saw that many ads, translating to that many dollars, against Edwards, I knew dubious actors were involved.

 

I never thought that the large campaign funder I would have to worry about most would be AIPAC. If you are progressive and also pro-Israel, you may be giving money that is being used to defeat your favorite candidates!!! We in the Jewish community have to do something about this!!! It isn’t OK. Besides pushing back at AIPAC we have to get rid of Citizens United which allows these huge contributors. Please support the Move to Amend congressional bill and encourage your congressperson to co-sponsor.

 

Just in case no one has connected the dots. The biggest campaign donors, also happen to be the biggest subsidy recipients. This is a strategy by politicians to insure a steady source of campaign funds for their reelection.

 

The US taxpayer gifts the State of Israel around $4 billion per year, every year, as well as rolling no interest loans. Israeli citizens enjoy free healthcare, essentially free education through the graduate college level, old age pensions and retirement insurance, children’s allowances, long term care, paid maternity leave, and countless other social welfare programs. Why does Congress subsidize a social safety net for all Israelis that it refuses to subsidize for Americans?

 

Progressives aren’t against Israel as a nation or Jews as a people, but rather against the ultra-right-wing government there and the apartheid system that is in place there.
AIPAC has to be force to register as a foreign agent under the FARA act. I’m amazed that they’ve been able to operate so openly deciding the outcome of American election while they are a advocating policies of a foreign nation.