By Isaac Yetiv , Ph. D.
LA JOLLA, California — It used to be a show, a parade of flags and balloons with some tense anticipation of the selection of the nominee. It has become a farce — some called it a circus, a melodrama, a soap opera– a very expensive display of sheer hypocrisy and vile sycophancy to the leader. Former “rivals” who, in the primaries, viciously attacked the candidates are now singing their praise . I couldn’t countenance Gingrich or Santorum doing it to Romney, and I was sick to hear Biden or Clinton practically deifying Obama, with an abundance of inaccuracies, distortions,half-truths, and outright lies .
How can we forget Biden’s remarks in the primaries, almost mocking Obama, saying, “the guy is articulate, clean…” in which many observers saw ” racial tones.” Or Clinton, the former president (during the 2008 primaries when his wife was competing with Obama for the nomination) who accused Obama of playing the race card, dismissing his candidacy with a derisive ” this is a fairy tale…Give me a break!” to which he added later a real racist comment when he reproached Ted Kennedy for endorsing Obama over his wife : Serious media reported Clinton telling Kennedy, “A few years ago, this guy would have been carrying our bags” ( or “getting us coffee.”) How can all this be forgotten? To me, this panegyric encomium sounded offensively flattering to be accepted as genuine and sincere.
And if it is so good, why is it so bad? The monthly report of Friday, after the Democratic Convention, brought us back to the real world: the unemployment rate went slightly down (from 8.3% to 8.1%) simply because 368,000 people gave up looking for work (and were not counted). We still have 23 million unemployed, and the labor force was at its lowest since 1981 (at 63.5 %–less than two thirds). Average household incomes reduced by $ 4,000; one of six Americans living in poverty; 47 million Americans receiving food stamps ; and gasoline price more than doubled under Obama watch. Not to re-mention the national debt passing 16 trillion , the anemic growth of 1.5 % ,and 43 % of the federal expenses (there is no budget !) are borrowed money.
How in the world can this spectrum be an object of praise and braggadocio ?
And then, we were treated to two incidents–accidents, maybe , that shed an edifying light on the “democracy” of the Democrats and their “real” thinking:
Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is the Chairwoman of the DNC and a far-to-the-Left Democrat, a la Obama. She said to reporters: ” The Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, said that what the Republicans are doing is dangerous for Israel.” The ambassador immediately responded, and “categorically denied .” Then Debbie denied having said what was reported she had said. And the reporter proved that she had said it exactly as reported, by showing the words with the voice.
Not nice to lie, and accuse others, even if they are your political opponents. You may get caught. But she had done it before, and got away with it. Not this time.
The second incident seems more egregious to me because it involves the system, more than one person : It was “discovered” that two items had”disappeared” from the Democratic platform (How “discovered” and how “disappeared” is still a mystery): the first was the name of God, and the second was the assertion that “Jerusalem is the capital –“eternal” or not– of Israel.
This discovery caused a brouhaha in the corridors of the Convention . Once the cat was out of the bag, the political “commissars” plunged into the arena with their damage control machinery.
They instructed the Chair, in the person of LA mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, to seize the Assembly and reinstate those stolen pieces. The poor guy did his best, in full TV view of the world. Coaxed by what seems to be a female Commissar, or maybe Czar, he put it to a voice vote…three times, and every time the NOes were as loud as the AYEs , same decibel. But, unperturbed, the Chair declared:
” In the opinion of the Chair, TWO THIRDS — required by the rules– voted Aye, the motion passed.”
This is how they amend the platform in the Democratic party.
All observers, politicians of both parties and pundits, expressed doubt if even half have voted yes, let alone two thirds.Villaraigosa should have decided to put it to a “paper vote” since a show of hands was not practical, and the voice vote was clarly a wash.
The next day, I saw on TV (Fox News) that the teleprompter guiding the LA mayor had, inscribed, the words “In the opinion of the Chair…two thirds voted Aye…Motion passed” The result of the vote was pre-ordained, all fabricated in advance.
And what I learned from this episode is that about half of the delegates to the Democratic convention, those who shouted vociferously “NOOOOO!” with appropriate gesticulation, are anti-Israel.*
Yetiv is a freelance writer and lecturer based in La Jolla, California. He may be contacted at isaac.yetiv@sdjewishworld.com
Yetiv is a freelance writer and lecturer based in La Jolla, California. He may be contacted at isaac.yetiv@sdjewishworld.com
How in the world would you be able to assume that “about half the delegates to the Democratic conventtion were anti-Israel because they voted “No” on amending the platform. I would have voted “No” – no need to add the word “God” – when we have separation of Church (Synagogue) and State – and freedom of religion is part of constitution of the United States. How does this relate to being anti-Israel? A very disturbing comment – and shows a lack of understanding of what the vote was about. The Democratic Party had an incredible convention – and many of the speakers were outstanding.