Thank you Elizabeth, Bernie and Kamala for deciding not to attend AIPAC this year.

[Nanjeanne]

As a Jew I support your courageous stands.

Link to tweet

[Hortensis]

1. It's an undesirably conservative group, all right, but

I don't feel that liberal leaders shunning instead of speaking to and trying to influence conservative groups is normally desirable. They're doing this to avoid trouble because it's an election year.

When we put Democrats in power, people like those in AIPAC have to find a way to work with liberals instead of their usual vastly powerful supporters among right-wing Christian zionists, and that's how to bring them at least somewhat in line. From a position of power by forcing them to control themselves.

Btw, AIPAC doesn't take in much money and doesn't have a fraction of the power some pretend. The conservative Christianswho are the REAL power in American zionism, many evangelical in orientation, donate mostly through the Republican Party, through Christian churches, and directly to Israeli special interests. That's why ardent Zionists Sheldon Adelson and his Israeli-born wife recently donated $25 million to the Republican Party and not AIPAC.

[Nanjeanne]

3. Fascinating article about how AIPAC Really Works by someone who worked for the lobby.

https://www.thenation.com/article/aipac-omar-israel-congress-anti-semitism/

Worth reading the whole article.

This is, of course, something everyone knows and which even a former president of AIPAC once admitted in a conversation that was recorded by an interlocutor. In fact, as early as 1988, 60 Minutes did a segment on how AIPAC divvies up the money. (Moreover, I, as an employee of the lobby from 1973 to 1975 and 1982 to 1986, repeatedly and personally witnessed the whole process of funding and defunding, which is anything but a secret within the organization. Additionally, I spent close to 20 years as a legislative assistant to Democratic House and Senate members and saw AIPAC’s tactics of reward and retribution from that vantage point too.)

Officially, of course, AIPAC does not engage in political fundraising; it would be illegal for it to do so, and the lobby is vehement on the point that it doesn’t. And it is true that, to my knowledge, it does not directly raise money to support or defeat candidates. But that is just a technicality. Political fundraising is a huge part of AIPAC’s operation.

[Karadeniz]

2. Amen!

[Socal31]

4. What is going on with the double-speak?

Might be going back to undecided.

Link to tweet

[Nanjeanne]

6. Holy crap.

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread Nanjeanne.