• lennybird@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Based on the past couple of months and internal reporting I really don’t think either Harris or Biden like Netanyahu at all. I just think Biden and the Democrats overall have for so long been conditioned to protect Israel lest their high ground on right-wing extremism and antisemitism backfire and they lose Jewish-American votes or others sympathetic to Israel; so from a campaign perspective it can be perceived as zero-sum at best or worse a net-loss.

    Then there’s the power of AIPAC, who are almost solely responsible for both Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush losing their primaries because of their outspokenness on Gaza.

    So I fully expect a Harris administration post-election will be far more cold to Netanyahu and take more decisive action, but not before. Which doesn’t change much for me, considering in this dichotomous choice we all know Trump is far worse for the outcome of Palestinians.

    There is one notable member of the squad absent at the convention, Rashida Tlaib. While Ilhan Omaar and AOC have endorsed Harris, she — the first and only Palestinian American in Congress — has yet to endorse. I do think it would be useful for Harris to meet directly with her.

    Nevertheless I’ve been saying to my fellow advocates for Palestinians: The key to influencing administrative policy is side-stepping the administration and convincing your friends, family, acquaintances, and those on social media who are still sympathetic to Israel and who are ignorant to the atrocities they have committed. If you shift the polls, you will shift the administration who will perceive less risk in cutting aid to Israel. Even then from the administration’s perspective, there is still significant risk because Netanyahu could just so happen to ignore intelligence on an impending attack on Israeli soil and if another October 7th-like attack happens following a withdrawal of aid to Israel from the US, then that is going to look very bad and sink the Democrats. Don’t put it past Bibi to commit a false flag. That fucker is evil.

    • Eldritch@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      AIPAC is bad. But being from Missouri. Bush was always a weak candidate. My understanding is that Bowman was in a similar position? Bush in particular was swept in based largely around contemporary events that have since cooled. She doesn’t have a big history of civil service to build support from etc. She has some fairly signature legislation that she’s been involved with related to her community and district. But voters are ignorant, fickle, and more concerned with other things currently.

      • lennybird@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        True Bowman was the guy who pulled the fire alarm during a vote. There was also some pretty tame ethics stuff with Cori Bush that if not for the amplification from millions of dollars from AIPAC probably wouldn’t have gone too far.

        According to NYT, “Those two races became the most expensive in congressional history, because of AIPAC’s cash infusion.” (most expensive House primary in history, mind you). The damage of that money cannot be overstated.

        • Eldritch@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          Definitely. But a couple things to keep in mind. Primaries depending on office can be quite rare. And their budgets compared to general election campaigns are almost non existent.

          It sounds like a big record because most people thinking money in politics think about state wide or national races. When they think money in politics. It’s still something to take note of, and a bad prescident. Because we should have less to no money tied up in politics. But it’s not as bad as it might seem. They had to break primary campaign Financial spending records. To remove two of the most vulnerable pro Palestine Democrats. And they didn’t even try with many of the rest. That’s the lens to look at it through.

        • WanderingVentra@lemm.ee
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          4 months ago

          I love the fire alarm thing. If Democrats are actually worried about fascism, about what Republicans do, and they were doing super sneaky and under handed shit, then that’s the kind of things they need to do. Was it a great idea? Obviously, probably not. But it’s the kind of thing people who are actually worried about a threat to the material conditions of their constituents do in a panic, as opposed to roll over and let the country suffer again for the sake of rules and decorum, something Republicans like McConnell basically never let get in the way of their evil. It was dumb but it showed he understands the stakes of politics and cares.

      • lennybird@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Still better than Trump. Also, digging up a video from SEVEN YEARS ago? hahahah

        Newsflash: People can change. Only Harris is advocating for a permanent ceasefire; Trump is trying to undermine it with calls to Bibi LOL.