Biden? A Moderate?
In his letter to the editor last week, Sergey Kadinsky referred to Joe Biden as a “moderate.” I guess the bar on what constitutes a moderate has been lowered from the days of Scoop Jackson and Daniel Moynihan.
Let’s not forget that Biden was Obama’s vice president and supported his progressive agenda. If he wins the presidency in 2020, both houses of Congress will likely fall into the hands of progressive Democrats due to the “coattail effect,” which will move Biden even more to the left.
Even if he resists the pressure to accommodate the progressive wave, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for him to institute middle-of-the road policies with such a Congress.
Alan Fenster
Kissinger Is Evil
I am writing concerning an article about Henry Kissinger that recently appeared online. In it, the author, David Weinberg, attempts to whitewash the misdeeds of the former U.S. Secretary of State concerning Israel and Soviet Jewry.
But Kissinger not only apparently applied unconscionable pressure on Golda Meir not to launch a pre-emptive strike in the days before the Yom Kippur War; he also reportedly told President Richard Nixon, “If the Soviets are gassing Jews, it is not an American concern”!
Jewish organizations like the Jewish Leadership Conference, which recently invited Kissinger to speak at one of their events, should cancel the invitation, and the Jewish people as a whole should ostracize Kissinger to send him a clear message that Jews don’t forgive or forget.
Shifra Hoffman
Founder, Victims Of Arab Terror
We’re Making Ourselves Deaf
We should have rachmanus on ourselves and the guests at our simchas by lowering the volume of the music so that everyone can enjoy both the dancing and conversation without straining their voices or damaging their hearing.
Noise-induced hearing loss is permanent and irreversible. People don’t realize that the harm from each exposure to excessively loud music is cumulative. One does not notice hearing loss until 25 percent is permanently lost.
Parents and grandparents have told me: “But the young people like it!” If little children want to run into the street, do we say, “But they like it?” If older children want to do something that will damage their health, do we say, “Fine”?
We must speak up. It’s our responsibility to help our children stay alive and well. Young children are especially vulnerable to damage, but all ages are affected. Let us all have truly joyous simchas that lead only to blessings, not pain and suffering.
Leah Neuberger
Lawrence, NY
Economics Isn’t De Blasio’s Strong Point
Mayor Bill De Blasio’s understanding of economics is remarkably shallow. He recently proposed a national tax on automation in order to keep more workers employed. Does he think other nations competing with America won’t take advantage of the lower costs that technology provides? Doesn’t he realize the benefits of lower costs and improved product quality?
This is not the first time De Blasio has shown ignorance of economic principles. He has, for example, toughened rent control rules. The purpose was to help lower-income people, but it also brought to a complete halt rental housing construction and improvements in New York City.
Mayor Bill De Blasio wants to be president, but America doesn’t need a president who requires a course in Economics 101.
Arthur Horn
Fort Lee, NJ
Need a Liver?
An Orthodox Jewish man was cleared to donate part of his liver, but the person who needed it no longer does. This man, however, would still like to donate, so if you know someone in need of a liver transplant – and is blood type A or AB – please contact me.
Chaya Lipschutz
KidneyMitzvah.com
917-627-8336
[email protected]
Making Right a 52-Year Wrong
Prime Minister Netanyahu was quoted as saying in last week’s Jewish Press that “there is an unprecedented opportunity to apply sovereignty to our settlements in the West Bank” after the election.
This isn’t the first opportunity. There was a glorious opportunity to create a Yisrael Shleima – a Whole Israel – right after the miraculous victory of the 1967 war. That opportunity was squandered by a spineless government that did not grasp the reality that Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights, and Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, were actually, once again, in Jewish hands.
All Israel had to do was take control. Instead, it gave away most of its gains to the Arabs, who must have been stunned by these gifts.
Bibi is promising to apply sovereignty over the Jordan Valley “immediately after the elections,” once President Trump’s “peace plan” is revealed. He has also said that sovereignty might be applied to “our settlements in the West Bank.” The very fact, though, that he refers to the biblical heartland of Israel as the “West Bank” is cause for concern.
In any event, Yisrael Shleima – the mandate under which Americans for a Safe Israel (AFSI) has operated since its creation in the 1970s – might finally become a reality. Israel had an opportunity in 1967 and squandered it. Now, 52 years later, let us pray that regardless of the winner in Israel’s election, sovereignty will be applied to all of Israel – not just to “pieces” of a “peace plan” – and will continue to be the light unto the nations it was destined to be.
Helen Freedman
Co-Executive Director, AFSI
New York, NY
Where Was Israel?
I was surprised and disappointed that during the lengthy, almost three-hour Democratic debate, not one of the candidates voiced support for the State of Israel. The questions were mainly directed toward health and the economy.
The only oblique reference to Israel was made by Elizabeth Warren, who stated her support for our allies in Europe, the Americas, and Africa – notably omitting the Middle East, a subtle anti-Israel move.
Nelson Marans
New York, NY
Whose Side Are You On?
Perhaps Reps. Omar and Tlaib should consider assisting the defense team of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in his upcoming trial for the murder of 3,000 innocent souls on 9-11.
They seem to share his sentiments regarding our beloved country.
Jerry Terdiman
Woodcliff Lake, NJ
Registering As a Democrat Is Wrong
My reaction to Mr. Deutsch’s op-ed piece in The Jewish Press last week was anger and disgust. Registering as a Democrat is not our only choice. What Mr. Deutsch promoted has been touted forever. What has it gotten us as a Jewish community? Day by day, the Democrats are becoming more liberal, more progressive, and more socialist.
My mother always taught me that you are judged by the company you keep. The Democratic Party has become the party of socialism, infanticide, anti-Semitism, and opposition to Judeo-Christian values. They also want to chip away at the Constitution.
Don’t be misled by the argument that the “only option is to be a Democrat.” You have another choice: Become a Republican and work hard to make change, starting on the local level.
Donna Ettelson
It’s Trump’s Fault, Of Course
In response to the two anti-Trump letters in last week’s paper: The constant complaints about Trump being divisive and at war with the media are as fake as the fake news Trump complains about.
The media has been deriding and vilifying Trump ever since he announced that he was running for president, which was long before Trump began counter-attacking. Yet, how often do you hear reference to “the media’s war against Trump”? Not very.
Isn’t the media’s unrelenting derision of Trump divisive? Of course it is! All of Trump’s responses – verbal and on Twitter – don’t come close to the news media’s barrage of open disdain for Trump. So how can one consider Trump divisive and the media not? The only way is if one has no regard for truth and honesty.
Currently, all five late night talk show hosts spend a portion to a majority of their opening monologues ridiculing and attacking Trump in the most vile and vicious manner. Where are all the complaints about late night talk shows’ divisive “war against Trump”? They’re practically nonexistent – despite the fact that these shows are watched by millions of viewers.
Apparently, leftists have a serious projection problem. They’re convinced others are doing the dreadful things that they themselves are doing.
If there’s an upside to all this Trump-bashing, it’s how resilient Trump has proven himself to be. He doesn’t seem fazed by attacks that might have destroyed many others. Is there any better reason to re-elect him?
Josh Greenberger
Brooklyn, NY
A Unifier?
At his inauguration, President Trump he said that he would unite the country like it has never been united before. A recent Fox News poll shows that 59 percent of Americans think President Trump is tearing the country apart.
Alan Howard