Sadly we are in that silly season in Israeli democracy and politics that exposes its inherent weaknesses.
The lack of a 2 or 3 party system, allows for minor parties and candidates to blackmail the leading contenders for leadership.The threshhold for a seat in the Knesset is so low,that if you study the history of the Knesset,the session may start out with with less or more parties than it concludes with, since members leave and form their own new parties,or jump ship to an existent party.
The most important problem,is that unlike England or the US ,there are no member districts.Thus as a citizen no single Knesset ,member represents you, because they all do.Thus politicians are beholden to the central committee and not the voters.Attempts to make changes have not met with with success.
How the Livni attempt to form a Govt. will play out is not clear.The meetings,intrigue,deal makings and Volvos with drivers (reward for joining) is just starting.
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As I read the words of the Ayatollah yesterday promising never to abandon their fight to destroy Israel,my anger at the Democrats and the organizers of the rally increases.
What was the purpose of the rally? To allow politicians to make a grand entrance, or to highlight the anti-Iranian efforts? After all this COALITION TO STOP IRAN is only an ad-hoc group with no constituencies.It is the Presidents Conference with its 52 members that can mobilize a community and appeal to the non-Jewish world.
Politics is a combination of people talents,diplomacy and in the final analysis HARDBALL.
Once invitations were sent to public officials and candidates,and acceptances started to come in,the refusal of Biden or Hillary to attend was their problem.How would it look if every Democrat would have pulled out of such a rally.
At the end they would have looked for a face-saving modus operandi.
The organizers blinked, and for that they hurt the movement.
What did they accomplish-they did not want to offend the Dems,so they wind up offending the Reps. Moreover,at the end of the day,the Presidents Conference is an "insiders " org. mostly unknown to the masses.This weakness, poor judgement and failure to lead and be tough, will not enhance their reputation.
K Street has to be looked upon as an enemy of our people.Like Move-on.org its left wing agenda is inconsistent with Jewish survival.
Candidates who accept money from them, should not receive pro-Israel funding and support.Better to give to Hamas than to them.At least they are an openly declared enemy.
