Showing posts with label Michael Lerner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Lerner. Show all posts

Friday, March 27, 2015

Michael Lerner

++Michael Lerner has an article in Salon entitled "Bibi Netanyahu has pharaoh", invoking Passover and the plight of the Palestinians. More Palestinians died this year than at any since 1967.

++The Zionist Union wants the Israeli ambassador to Washington replaced. President Rivlin told Bibi his first task is to repair his relationship with the United States.

++Ambassador Dermer's attempts to assuage the Democrats have bombed so far.

++Remember the Tan Man Boehner is flying to israel for Easter and should promise Bibi that the GOP will block any deal with Iran.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Thanks to Bibi,President Obama's Ratings Improve

++Before Bibi came to the United States, Gallup had President Obama at 44% approval rating. With the flap over the invitation to Bibi,President Obama's rating moved up 5 points to 49%.

++Several polls show that Americans disagree that Bibi should have been invited without informing the President. Several show over 60% disapprove of what  Boehner did.

++John Stewart, whose segment on Bibi's speech was shown in Israel,noted that the Republicans would have gone nuts if the Democrats had invited Jacques Chirac to address Congress without W's permission objecting to the invasion of Iraq.

++But, sadly, Rabbi Michael Lerner of Tikkun explains  in an article why right-wing militaristic talks wins over the public every time. Lerner is concerned about the rise again of coercive language in advocating actions for complex situations.

++Chris Matthews wouldn't give up when on the air a commentator asked "Whether we should trust Barack Obama or Bibi on the nuclear issue?" Matthews couldn't hold back about the Republicans trying to seize foreign policy from Obama and inviting a foreign leader to criticize the President.

++Bibi said in Israel that he did offer a constructive alternative to the deal being negotiated. Wolf Blitzer actually bought this,that you can up the pressure on Iran and get a better deal. Unfortunately Rouhani said what many believe that if the West did this Iran would accelerate its nuclear program. 

++Bibi also told an Israeli audience that He and the Sunni would stop Iran if the United States failed. 

++John Kerry spent ten hours negotiating with the Iranian nuclear team yesterday and officials said that "progress had been made but challenges lie ahead."  Now he flies off to brief the European powers and then off to the Saudis to reassure them. 

++Wendy Sherman has been tasked with briefing Israel.