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1. Gates Says Netanyahu an Ungrateful Ally
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates calls Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu an “ungrateful ally,” journalist Jeffrey Goldberg wrote Tuesday on his blog, published by Bloomberg News.
Goldberg, whose columns have been extraordinarily negative towards Israeli nationalists and in favor of most Palestinian Authority demands and the "peace process," quoted Gates as saying that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s refusal to accept American demands in the “peace process” is evidence that Israel is ungrateful.
Gates, like most American government officials, often has pledged to bolster Israel’s security but also has stated what he thinks should be Israel’s domestic policies.
Goldberg wrote that Gates recently told the National Security Council Principals Committee -- in Goldberg’s words, attributed to government sources -- “Netanyahu is not only ungrateful, but also endangering his country by refusing to grapple with Israel’s growing isolation and with the demographic challenges it faces if it keeps control of the West Bank.”
In fact, Prime Minister Netanyahu has offered to surrender most of Judea and Samaria and expel up to 100,000 Jews living outside major population centers. Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has insisted that all large areas of Jerusalem, including the Old City and Western Wall, as well as all of Judea and Samaria be under its sovereignty.
Goldberg railed at Prime Minister Netanyahu for “impudence” by relating his principles to President Barack Obama in a live discussion. The blogger called it a “lecture” that angered the president as well as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other government leaders who were upset that Israel does not accept America’s policies for Israel.
Writing that the United States always has gone to bat for Israel, Goldberg wrote that when Gates spoke to the National Security Council committee this summer, he “coldly laid out the many steps the administration has taken to guarantee Israel’s security -- access to top-quality weapons, assistance developing missile-defense systems, high-level intelligence sharing -- and then stated bluntly that the U.S. has received nothing in return, particularly with regard to the peace process.”
Goldberg was further irritated that the United States probably will stand up for Israel if and when the United Nations discusses an Arab League request, in the name of Abbas, for recognizing the Palestinian Authority and accepting its unilateral political and territorial demands.
Goldberg also opined, “Dislike of Netanyahu has deepened in a way that could ultimately be dangerous for Israel” and that “the Netanyahu government does little to dispel the notion among its right-wing supporters that the Obama administration is at best a wavering friend. This is self- evidently foolish, especially at a time when Israel faces an existential threat from its menacing neighbor Iran.”
He then put in a plug for Israel’s Opposition leader Tzipi Livni, writing that the leader of the Kadima party told him -- in a recent interview with him and the editor of Atlantic -- that, in his words, “The average Israeli is more attuned to the importance of maintaining good relations with the U.S. president than is the current prime minister."
“The litmus test for them [Israelis] is the health of the relationship between Israel and the United States,” she was quoted as saying.
Comment on this story
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates calls Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu an “ungrateful ally,” journalist Jeffrey Goldberg wrote Tuesday on his blog, published by Bloomberg News.
Goldberg, whose columns have been extraordinarily negative towards Israeli nationalists and in favor of most Palestinian Authority demands and the "peace process," quoted Gates as saying that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s refusal to accept American demands in the “peace process” is evidence that Israel is ungrateful.
Gates, like most American government officials, often has pledged to bolster Israel’s security but also has stated what he thinks should be Israel’s domestic policies.
Goldberg wrote that Gates recently told the National Security Council Principals Committee -- in Goldberg’s words, attributed to government sources -- “Netanyahu is not only ungrateful, but also endangering his country by refusing to grapple with Israel’s growing isolation and with the demographic challenges it faces if it keeps control of the West Bank.”
In fact, Prime Minister Netanyahu has offered to surrender most of Judea and Samaria and expel up to 100,000 Jews living outside major population centers. Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has insisted that all large areas of Jerusalem, including the Old City and Western Wall, as well as all of Judea and Samaria be under its sovereignty.
Goldberg railed at Prime Minister Netanyahu for “impudence” by relating his principles to President Barack Obama in a live discussion. The blogger called it a “lecture” that angered the president as well as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other government leaders who were upset that Israel does not accept America’s policies for Israel.
Writing that the United States always has gone to bat for Israel, Goldberg wrote that when Gates spoke to the National Security Council committee this summer, he “coldly laid out the many steps the administration has taken to guarantee Israel’s security -- access to top-quality weapons, assistance developing missile-defense systems, high-level intelligence sharing -- and then stated bluntly that the U.S. has received nothing in return, particularly with regard to the peace process.”
Goldberg was further irritated that the United States probably will stand up for Israel if and when the United Nations discusses an Arab League request, in the name of Abbas, for recognizing the Palestinian Authority and accepting its unilateral political and territorial demands.
Goldberg also opined, “Dislike of Netanyahu has deepened in a way that could ultimately be dangerous for Israel” and that “the Netanyahu government does little to dispel the notion among its right-wing supporters that the Obama administration is at best a wavering friend. This is self- evidently foolish, especially at a time when Israel faces an existential threat from its menacing neighbor Iran.”
He then put in a plug for Israel’s Opposition leader Tzipi Livni, writing that the leader of the Kadima party told him -- in a recent interview with him and the editor of Atlantic -- that, in his words, “The average Israeli is more attuned to the importance of maintaining good relations with the U.S. president than is the current prime minister."
“The litmus test for them [Israelis] is the health of the relationship between Israel and the United States,” she was quoted as saying.
Comment on this story
2. Top General Expects 'Islamic Winter'
by Gavriel Queenann
'Arab Spring' revolutions have destabilized the region and raised the likelihood of war, top general says.
"It looks like the Arab Spring, but it can also be a radical Islamic winter," IDF Home Front Command chief Major General Eyal Eisenberg said during a speech at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv on Monday.
"This leads us to the conclusion that through a long-term process, the likelihood of an all-out war is increasingly growing," Eisenberg said.
"Iran has not abandoned its nuclear program. The opposite it true; it continues full steam ahead," he said.
"In Egypt, the army is collapsing under the burden of regular security operations, and this is reflected in the loss of control in the Sinai and the turning of the border with Israel into a terror border, with the possibility that Sinai will fall under the control of an Islamic entity."
"In Lebanon, Hezbollah is growing stronger within government arms, but it has not lost its desire to harm Israel, and the ties with Turkey aren't at their best," He added.
Referring to what he characterized as the possibility of a "radical Islamic winter," Eisenberg warned "This raises the likelihood of an all-out, total war, with the possibility of weapons of mass destruction being used."
During his address, Eisenberg admitted new, more lethal arms surfaced in the hands of Gaza terror groups during the latest round of fighting in the area. As result of the disturbing development, Israeli civilians were instructed to adopt greater precautions, he said.
"We discovered a new weapon, and as result of this we instructed the public to hide under two roofs, rather than only one," he said.
Comment on this story
by Gavriel Queenann
'Arab Spring' revolutions have destabilized the region and raised the likelihood of war, top general says.
"It looks like the Arab Spring, but it can also be a radical Islamic winter," IDF Home Front Command chief Major General Eyal Eisenberg said during a speech at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv on Monday.
"This leads us to the conclusion that through a long-term process, the likelihood of an all-out war is increasingly growing," Eisenberg said.
"Iran has not abandoned its nuclear program. The opposite it true; it continues full steam ahead," he said.
"In Egypt, the army is collapsing under the burden of regular security operations, and this is reflected in the loss of control in the Sinai and the turning of the border with Israel into a terror border, with the possibility that Sinai will fall under the control of an Islamic entity."
"In Lebanon, Hezbollah is growing stronger within government arms, but it has not lost its desire to harm Israel, and the ties with Turkey aren't at their best," He added.
Referring to what he characterized as the possibility of a "radical Islamic winter," Eisenberg warned "This raises the likelihood of an all-out, total war, with the possibility of weapons of mass destruction being used."
During his address, Eisenberg admitted new, more lethal arms surfaced in the hands of Gaza terror groups during the latest round of fighting in the area. As result of the disturbing development, Israeli civilians were instructed to adopt greater precautions, he said.
"We discovered a new weapon, and as result of this we instructed the public to hide under two roofs, rather than only one," he said.
Comment on this story
3. US Spied on Israel Embassy in Washington
by Gil Ronen
The United States spied on Israel's Washington Embassy and pressed charges against an FBI employee who leaked details from information thus acquired. The Obama Administration has also been trying to keep a lid on the entire matter – but details emerged in The New York Times Monday.
The fact that a leak of some kind from the FBI had taken place is not news: Shamai Leibovich, a radical Israeli leftist, a New Israel Fund fellow and an FBI translator, was convicted last year of leaking information to a blogger and sentenced to 20 months in jail. However, the content of the leak was not publicly known until now, because of what the paper says was the "extraordinary secrecy" that surrounded the case. Even the judge – Judge Alexander Williams Jr., of the U.S. District Court in Maryland – did not know what content was divulged and to whom.
It now turns out that as FBI translator, Leibovich saw – and probably wrote – transcripts of telephone conversations made from the Israeli Embassy and monitored by the U.S. agency. He leaked the information to a radical left-wing blog called Tikkun Olam, owned by Richard Silverstein.
The people overheard by the FBI eavesdroppers included American supporters of Israel and at least one member of Congress, according to Silverstein. He told the NYT he had burned the secret documents he received from Leibovich but he recalled that there were "about 200 pages of verbatim records of telephone calls and what seemed to be embassy conversations. He said that in one transcript, Israeli officials discussed their worry that their exchanges might be monitored."
According to Silverstein, Leibovich leaked the documents because of concerns about Israel’s "aggressive efforts to influence Congress and public opinion" and fears that Israel might strike nuclear facilities in Iran.
Silverstein, 59, said he had decided to speak out to make clear that Leibovich, though charged under the Espionage Act, was acting out of noble motives.
One of the posts in Silverstein's blog that were allegedly based on Leibovich's information describes calls involving Israeli officials in Jerusalem, Chicago and Washington to discuss the views of members of Congress on Israel. Another describes a call between an unnamed Jewish activist in Minnesota and the Israeli Embassy about an embassy official’s meeting with Representative Keith Ellison, Democrat of Minnesota and a Muslim, who was planning an official trip to Gaza.
The NYT reported, "Mr. Silverstein said he remembered that embassy officials talked about drafting opinion articles to be published under the names of American supporters. He said the transcripts also included a three-way conversation between a congressman from Texas, an American supporter of the congressman and an embassy official; Mr. Silverstein said he could not recall any of the names."
While the US routinely spies on its ally Israel, it is also extraordinarily harsh in its treatment of Jonathan Pollard, who spied for Israel on the US.
Comment on this story
by Gil Ronen
The United States spied on Israel's Washington Embassy and pressed charges against an FBI employee who leaked details from information thus acquired. The Obama Administration has also been trying to keep a lid on the entire matter – but details emerged in The New York Times Monday.
The fact that a leak of some kind from the FBI had taken place is not news: Shamai Leibovich, a radical Israeli leftist, a New Israel Fund fellow and an FBI translator, was convicted last year of leaking information to a blogger and sentenced to 20 months in jail. However, the content of the leak was not publicly known until now, because of what the paper says was the "extraordinary secrecy" that surrounded the case. Even the judge – Judge Alexander Williams Jr., of the U.S. District Court in Maryland – did not know what content was divulged and to whom.
It now turns out that as FBI translator, Leibovich saw – and probably wrote – transcripts of telephone conversations made from the Israeli Embassy and monitored by the U.S. agency. He leaked the information to a radical left-wing blog called Tikkun Olam, owned by Richard Silverstein.
The people overheard by the FBI eavesdroppers included American supporters of Israel and at least one member of Congress, according to Silverstein. He told the NYT he had burned the secret documents he received from Leibovich but he recalled that there were "about 200 pages of verbatim records of telephone calls and what seemed to be embassy conversations. He said that in one transcript, Israeli officials discussed their worry that their exchanges might be monitored."
According to Silverstein, Leibovich leaked the documents because of concerns about Israel’s "aggressive efforts to influence Congress and public opinion" and fears that Israel might strike nuclear facilities in Iran.
Silverstein, 59, said he had decided to speak out to make clear that Leibovich, though charged under the Espionage Act, was acting out of noble motives.
One of the posts in Silverstein's blog that were allegedly based on Leibovich's information describes calls involving Israeli officials in Jerusalem, Chicago and Washington to discuss the views of members of Congress on Israel. Another describes a call between an unnamed Jewish activist in Minnesota and the Israeli Embassy about an embassy official’s meeting with Representative Keith Ellison, Democrat of Minnesota and a Muslim, who was planning an official trip to Gaza.
The NYT reported, "Mr. Silverstein said he remembered that embassy officials talked about drafting opinion articles to be published under the names of American supporters. He said the transcripts also included a three-way conversation between a congressman from Texas, an American supporter of the congressman and an embassy official; Mr. Silverstein said he could not recall any of the names."
While the US routinely spies on its ally Israel, it is also extraordinarily harsh in its treatment of Jonathan Pollard, who spied for Israel on the US.
Comment on this story
4. Back to Basics: A7 Interviews GOP Cong. Candidate Bob Turner
by Fern Sidman, A7 NY Corr.
Throwing his hat in the ring as the Republican contender for the vacant congressional seat in New York City's 9th district is Bob Turner, who wants to be seen as a no-nonsense, back to basics populist candidate. As the 2012 presidential race gains momentum, Mr. Turner says he has an eye toward creating new leadership in Washington, while taking issue with the policies of the Obama administration.
On September 13th, a special election will be held pitting Mr. Turner against New York State assemblyman David Weprin (D) to fill the seat left vacant by Anthony Weiner's (D) resignation. Arutz Sheva sat down with Mr. Turner to get his perspective on the issues confronting Americans today.
A7: Mr. Turner, can you tell us, why, at age 70, having never been involved in politics, you are running for elected office?
BT: Actually, my political career began 18 months ago when I ran against former Congressman Anthony Weiner. While I lost that election I did garner 41% of the vote in a traditionally Democratic district, which signified to me that a sizeable number of voters in the 9th congressional district felt that Weiner was not representing their positions on the issues.
Personally, when I heard Weiner speak I was outraged at his absurd explanations for supporting the disastrous policies of the Obama adminstration.
I had then contacted Mike Long of the New York Conservative party and asked him who was opposing Weiner on the ballot and to whom I could send a check. When he told me that he was running unopposed, I was quite surprised and Mike told me that an independent candidate with strong business experience is needed, one who can effectively articulate the conservative position on the issues.
It was then that he asked me to run and, after giving it careful consideration, I decided to do it. After losing the race I had thought my political career wsa over but I was nominated by the party to run again and they asked if I would give it another try.
There are serious problems facing our country and we are totally off course on a panoply of domestic issues.Our foreign policy is a complete mess. With that in mind, I felt the voters of the 9th congressional district should have a choice in who represents them in Washington, rather than being saddled with someone who rubber stamps the president's policies.
A7: Concerning your career as a cable television executive what can you bring to the table are far as business management skills?
BT: My business career spans over 40 years as I've worked for CBS and Gray Advertising. I've been both president and chief executive officer of four different companies with revenues of over 100 million plus. I started one of these companies completely from scratch with a knowledge of capital markets and how to get new money to invest in businesses.
I have hands-on experience in growing businesses both domestic and international and that knowledge will prove to be invaluable when dealing with fiscally irresponsible policies of the Obama administration.
As a business person, I respect the person who works hard, and don't want the tax dollars of the middle class to be squandered by incompetents.
Right now our country is being run by academics and career politicians and what we're sorely lacking in these deliberations is a pragmatic approach to the economy; a bonafide business plan that has been proven successful so many times.
A7: What are your plans for stimulating job growth and lowering taxes for the small business owner in Brooklyn and Queens?
A7: There are three principle areas on which we must focus.
Firstly, we need to tap into resources in the energy field. We need to ask all energy companies to work on a domestic program immediately and that means domestic drilling and off shore resources. In New York State, we're not doing nearly enough to exploit our natural resources. In other states such as Pennsylvania there are over 70,000 people employed in the steel industry.If we explore our options we too can become a major employer in the energy field.
In order to help these development plans along we must immediately remove the litany of government regulations that are strangling the private business sector and we must start encouraging American ingenuity and creativity.
The intentions of this administration have met great uncertainty especially when it pertains to repatriating foreign profits. This means that U.S. corporations can repatriate earnings attributable to foreign business operations at a greatly reduced tax rate and right now there is more than $1 trillion in U.S. corporate profits that reside overseas
The mistake that this administration has made and other Democratic administrations have made for decades is that they think they can compel businesses to keep their investments in the U.S. by taxing profits generated by American companies in foreign countries and that is simply untrue.
By encouraging companies to spend money on plant equipment and new product development, you will give them incentives to spend their money here, thus creating more jobs.
We had best dramatically reduce government regulations rather quickly, as Obamacare is crippling small businesses and is literally pulling millions of dollars out of them. We're looking at higher insurance premiums and let's remember that the insurance companies are only making a 2 percent profit. What you have are substantially less benefits and inadequate healthcare.
In addition to insurance companies; financial and corporate institutions are being hard hit by this as well. Soon, jobs will be sent to London and Toronto. These are the unintended consequences of massive regluations. Rather than creating an environment that would making borrowing money easier, it just makes it more cumbersome.
A7: As a representative from New York, I'm sure you know many of your constituents are without a healthcare plan. What would you do you to insure that Americans who do not receive healthcare coverage from their employer get a plan that will be effective for them?
On that note, as a congressman would you lead the charge to have the president's healthcare reform bill repealed on the grounds that it violates the commerce clause of the constitution?
BT: I would liike to see the healthcare reform bill repealed as it represents a financial nightmare for generations to come. I'm outraged at the fact that government has placed itself in the way of the patient/doctor relationship and the attendant procedures. If anything, the president's bill has only increased the already exorbitant cost of healthcare.
We must look at other states who have implemented much better healthcare models, such as Massachusetts with only 4% of the population there uninsured. We've taken trillions of dollars out of Medicare and have put it into a feckless Obamacare plan that is going nowhere.
What we're witnessing today is an economic war with middle class families who have to shoulder the costs of Medicaid. While Medicaid might be okay in the short term it will never be a long term resolution for the millions of uninsured Americans.
INN: What is your plan to lower the national debt and free ourselves from our dependency on China for loans. How would you go about making this country solvent again?
BT: I feel that we have to grow our way out of this problem. We must work towards growing and strengthening the economy and not the deficit.
Currently, our GDP (Gross Domestic Product), which refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced in our country, is at 15 trillion dollars. In the next seven to eight years, out objective must be to return to a 20 trillion dollar mark. We can accomplish that by drastically cutting our expenditures which are totally out of control.
Our budget must match our overall revenue and I think its insane that we're borrowing money and spending twice as much as we have. We're only going deeper into a hole. It's like opening up a new credit card to pay off the debts on an existing one.
A7: On the foreign policy front, President Obama has been pressuring Israel to sit at the negotiating table with the Palestinian-Hamas government with the objective of creating an independent Palestinian state. Can you tell us your thoughts on this and on the upcoming Durban III UN sponsored conference, and the UN general assembly meeting in which a vote will be taken to create a Palestinian state under the leadership of Hamas?
BT: I think I can send a clear and unequivocal message to President Obama on this issue by winning the election. The president must know that the Jewish vote cannot be taken for granted. We must make the Democratic party aware that they're not living in reality.
I have the endorsements of both former New York City mayors Ed Koch and Rudy Guiliani who represent the liberal and conservative ends of the political spectrum and who share my views that Israel should never be coerced into dealing with a Hamas government who seeks their destruction and ultimately the destruction of America and the western world.
Every word in the Palestinian-Hamas charter is antithetical to everything we believe in and thereby it is absolutely absurd to expect the Israelis to negotiate with them. My answer to those countries who would cast their vote for a Palestinian state is for America to cut their foreign aid packages.
Those countries voting for the creation of a Palestinian state are doing so in exchange for bribes from the oil producing countries.
Today we are fighting a war for our very survival. This war is being waged againt us by the forces of militant Islam which has spread its tentacles far and wide.
I vividly recall those Iraqis holding up their purple thumbs after voting for the first time and what a small taste of democracy can do for people. We must empower and embolden democratic factions in the Middle East and never lose sight of the fact that Israel is our only stable, democratic ally in the region and must be treated as the loyal friend that she is.
As to the Green Revolution in Iran, I saw this as an opportunity missed by our government by not strongly supporting those voices who call for freedom, justice and democracy.
A7: Educating the children of the 9th congressional district has become a financial burden on middle class parents who have chosen not to send their children to public schools. What would you do in terms of tuition tax credits for parents wishing to send their children to private and parochial schools?
BT: Tuition tax credits are fine for starters but I would like to implement a school voucher program that will alleviate the tremendous financial strain on parents and will significantly offset the immense costs of a private education.
By doing so, we are saving the taxpayer an enormous amount of money. Each taxpayer in New York spends about $8000 per student in a failing public school system. By investing in private education, we can reduce the jobless rates in the future by providing a quality education for our children. We cam afford them with the kind of incentives to succeed that they won't get elsewhere.
I don't think it's fair or reasonable to keep burdening the taxpayer which is why I see school tax credits as a quicker and easier way to resolve this ongoing crisis in education.
Comment on this story
by Fern Sidman, A7 NY Corr.
Throwing his hat in the ring as the Republican contender for the vacant congressional seat in New York City's 9th district is Bob Turner, who wants to be seen as a no-nonsense, back to basics populist candidate. As the 2012 presidential race gains momentum, Mr. Turner says he has an eye toward creating new leadership in Washington, while taking issue with the policies of the Obama administration.
On September 13th, a special election will be held pitting Mr. Turner against New York State assemblyman David Weprin (D) to fill the seat left vacant by Anthony Weiner's (D) resignation. Arutz Sheva sat down with Mr. Turner to get his perspective on the issues confronting Americans today.
A7: Mr. Turner, can you tell us, why, at age 70, having never been involved in politics, you are running for elected office?
BT: Actually, my political career began 18 months ago when I ran against former Congressman Anthony Weiner. While I lost that election I did garner 41% of the vote in a traditionally Democratic district, which signified to me that a sizeable number of voters in the 9th congressional district felt that Weiner was not representing their positions on the issues.
Personally, when I heard Weiner speak I was outraged at his absurd explanations for supporting the disastrous policies of the Obama adminstration.
I had then contacted Mike Long of the New York Conservative party and asked him who was opposing Weiner on the ballot and to whom I could send a check. When he told me that he was running unopposed, I was quite surprised and Mike told me that an independent candidate with strong business experience is needed, one who can effectively articulate the conservative position on the issues.
It was then that he asked me to run and, after giving it careful consideration, I decided to do it. After losing the race I had thought my political career wsa over but I was nominated by the party to run again and they asked if I would give it another try.
There are serious problems facing our country and we are totally off course on a panoply of domestic issues.Our foreign policy is a complete mess. With that in mind, I felt the voters of the 9th congressional district should have a choice in who represents them in Washington, rather than being saddled with someone who rubber stamps the president's policies.
A7: Concerning your career as a cable television executive what can you bring to the table are far as business management skills?
BT: My business career spans over 40 years as I've worked for CBS and Gray Advertising. I've been both president and chief executive officer of four different companies with revenues of over 100 million plus. I started one of these companies completely from scratch with a knowledge of capital markets and how to get new money to invest in businesses.
I have hands-on experience in growing businesses both domestic and international and that knowledge will prove to be invaluable when dealing with fiscally irresponsible policies of the Obama administration.
As a business person, I respect the person who works hard, and don't want the tax dollars of the middle class to be squandered by incompetents.
Right now our country is being run by academics and career politicians and what we're sorely lacking in these deliberations is a pragmatic approach to the economy; a bonafide business plan that has been proven successful so many times.
A7: What are your plans for stimulating job growth and lowering taxes for the small business owner in Brooklyn and Queens?
A7: There are three principle areas on which we must focus.
Firstly, we need to tap into resources in the energy field. We need to ask all energy companies to work on a domestic program immediately and that means domestic drilling and off shore resources. In New York State, we're not doing nearly enough to exploit our natural resources. In other states such as Pennsylvania there are over 70,000 people employed in the steel industry.If we explore our options we too can become a major employer in the energy field.
In order to help these development plans along we must immediately remove the litany of government regulations that are strangling the private business sector and we must start encouraging American ingenuity and creativity.
The intentions of this administration have met great uncertainty especially when it pertains to repatriating foreign profits. This means that U.S. corporations can repatriate earnings attributable to foreign business operations at a greatly reduced tax rate and right now there is more than $1 trillion in U.S. corporate profits that reside overseas
The mistake that this administration has made and other Democratic administrations have made for decades is that they think they can compel businesses to keep their investments in the U.S. by taxing profits generated by American companies in foreign countries and that is simply untrue.
By encouraging companies to spend money on plant equipment and new product development, you will give them incentives to spend their money here, thus creating more jobs.
We had best dramatically reduce government regulations rather quickly, as Obamacare is crippling small businesses and is literally pulling millions of dollars out of them. We're looking at higher insurance premiums and let's remember that the insurance companies are only making a 2 percent profit. What you have are substantially less benefits and inadequate healthcare.
In addition to insurance companies; financial and corporate institutions are being hard hit by this as well. Soon, jobs will be sent to London and Toronto. These are the unintended consequences of massive regluations. Rather than creating an environment that would making borrowing money easier, it just makes it more cumbersome.
A7: As a representative from New York, I'm sure you know many of your constituents are without a healthcare plan. What would you do you to insure that Americans who do not receive healthcare coverage from their employer get a plan that will be effective for them?
On that note, as a congressman would you lead the charge to have the president's healthcare reform bill repealed on the grounds that it violates the commerce clause of the constitution?
BT: I would liike to see the healthcare reform bill repealed as it represents a financial nightmare for generations to come. I'm outraged at the fact that government has placed itself in the way of the patient/doctor relationship and the attendant procedures. If anything, the president's bill has only increased the already exorbitant cost of healthcare.
We must look at other states who have implemented much better healthcare models, such as Massachusetts with only 4% of the population there uninsured. We've taken trillions of dollars out of Medicare and have put it into a feckless Obamacare plan that is going nowhere.
What we're witnessing today is an economic war with middle class families who have to shoulder the costs of Medicaid. While Medicaid might be okay in the short term it will never be a long term resolution for the millions of uninsured Americans.
INN: What is your plan to lower the national debt and free ourselves from our dependency on China for loans. How would you go about making this country solvent again?
BT: I feel that we have to grow our way out of this problem. We must work towards growing and strengthening the economy and not the deficit.
Currently, our GDP (Gross Domestic Product), which refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced in our country, is at 15 trillion dollars. In the next seven to eight years, out objective must be to return to a 20 trillion dollar mark. We can accomplish that by drastically cutting our expenditures which are totally out of control.
Our budget must match our overall revenue and I think its insane that we're borrowing money and spending twice as much as we have. We're only going deeper into a hole. It's like opening up a new credit card to pay off the debts on an existing one.
A7: On the foreign policy front, President Obama has been pressuring Israel to sit at the negotiating table with the Palestinian-Hamas government with the objective of creating an independent Palestinian state. Can you tell us your thoughts on this and on the upcoming Durban III UN sponsored conference, and the UN general assembly meeting in which a vote will be taken to create a Palestinian state under the leadership of Hamas?
BT: I think I can send a clear and unequivocal message to President Obama on this issue by winning the election. The president must know that the Jewish vote cannot be taken for granted. We must make the Democratic party aware that they're not living in reality.
I have the endorsements of both former New York City mayors Ed Koch and Rudy Guiliani who represent the liberal and conservative ends of the political spectrum and who share my views that Israel should never be coerced into dealing with a Hamas government who seeks their destruction and ultimately the destruction of America and the western world.
Every word in the Palestinian-Hamas charter is antithetical to everything we believe in and thereby it is absolutely absurd to expect the Israelis to negotiate with them. My answer to those countries who would cast their vote for a Palestinian state is for America to cut their foreign aid packages.
Those countries voting for the creation of a Palestinian state are doing so in exchange for bribes from the oil producing countries.
Today we are fighting a war for our very survival. This war is being waged againt us by the forces of militant Islam which has spread its tentacles far and wide.
I vividly recall those Iraqis holding up their purple thumbs after voting for the first time and what a small taste of democracy can do for people. We must empower and embolden democratic factions in the Middle East and never lose sight of the fact that Israel is our only stable, democratic ally in the region and must be treated as the loyal friend that she is.
As to the Green Revolution in Iran, I saw this as an opportunity missed by our government by not strongly supporting those voices who call for freedom, justice and democracy.
A7: Educating the children of the 9th congressional district has become a financial burden on middle class parents who have chosen not to send their children to public schools. What would you do in terms of tuition tax credits for parents wishing to send their children to private and parochial schools?
BT: Tuition tax credits are fine for starters but I would like to implement a school voucher program that will alleviate the tremendous financial strain on parents and will significantly offset the immense costs of a private education.
By doing so, we are saving the taxpayer an enormous amount of money. Each taxpayer in New York spends about $8000 per student in a failing public school system. By investing in private education, we can reduce the jobless rates in the future by providing a quality education for our children. We cam afford them with the kind of incentives to succeed that they won't get elsewhere.
I don't think it's fair or reasonable to keep burdening the taxpayer which is why I see school tax credits as a quicker and easier way to resolve this ongoing crisis in education.
Comment on this story
5. Migron Protest Outside High Court
by Gil Ronen
A bare 24 hours after security forces demolished three permanent houses at Migron in Samaria, members of the grassroots residents' councils of Binyamin and Samaria showed up outside the Supreme Court to protest.
The protesters put up large custom-made signs. One said – "A family is thrown into the street – Binyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the Jewish government."
Another was written in Arabic and said "Dorit, thank you. For the building of the Arab nation." It referred to the current president of the Supreme Court, Judge Dorit Beinisch.
The protesters showed brought broken household items from the homes that were torn down and put them down on the ground outside the entrance to the court. On top of the sad heap, they placed a sign that said – "Dorit, you will be remembered forever in infamy."
Netanyahu and Beinisch bear most of the responsibility for the immoral act of demolishing the homes and evicting their residents, leaders of the grassroots councils said. "It is important to remember that the Migron affair happened because of two things," one of them explained to Arutz Sheva. "First – the prime minister forgot the education he received at home and did not live up to his promise to preserve the settlement in Judea and Samaria…"
"Second, legally speaking, the people of Migron had no chance. The court refused to discuss the proof they had and made their life difficult at every opportunity, in order to reach the sights of destruction we saw this morning."
"Dorit Beinisch continued to lead the anti-settler and anti-Zionist line," they added, "and with the sign in Arabic we wanted to express the reality in which it is clear who enjoys her rulings."
[album:open:3611]
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by Gil Ronen
A bare 24 hours after security forces demolished three permanent houses at Migron in Samaria, members of the grassroots residents' councils of Binyamin and Samaria showed up outside the Supreme Court to protest.
The protesters put up large custom-made signs. One said – "A family is thrown into the street – Binyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the Jewish government."
Another was written in Arabic and said "Dorit, thank you. For the building of the Arab nation." It referred to the current president of the Supreme Court, Judge Dorit Beinisch.
The protesters showed brought broken household items from the homes that were torn down and put them down on the ground outside the entrance to the court. On top of the sad heap, they placed a sign that said – "Dorit, you will be remembered forever in infamy."
Netanyahu and Beinisch bear most of the responsibility for the immoral act of demolishing the homes and evicting their residents, leaders of the grassroots councils said. "It is important to remember that the Migron affair happened because of two things," one of them explained to Arutz Sheva. "First – the prime minister forgot the education he received at home and did not live up to his promise to preserve the settlement in Judea and Samaria…"
"Second, legally speaking, the people of Migron had no chance. The court refused to discuss the proof they had and made their life difficult at every opportunity, in order to reach the sights of destruction we saw this morning."
"Dorit Beinisch continued to lead the anti-settler and anti-Zionist line," they added, "and with the sign in Arabic we wanted to express the reality in which it is clear who enjoys her rulings."
[album:open:3611]
Comment on this story
6. Expose: Blatant Anti-Jewish Policy in Yesha
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
A leaked internal document shows that the head of the Civil Administration ordered a discriminatory policy of demolition of unauthorized building by Jews but not by Arabs in Judea and Samaria, in direct contradiction to government promises to the High Court.
The internal correspondence was written under the subject headline "Summer Camp is Over" and suggests that Almoz is pursuing a political policy of “equality” with Arabs by freezing demolitions on their rampant illegal building. The High Court previously has questioned the government if it is wrongfully discriminating against Jews by destroying their unauthorized homes in far greater numbers than those of Arabs.
Almoz wrote, “We are very far from equality and enforcement until we feel that we are acting against illegal Israeli building. I request to stop all enforcement against Palestinians. We will try to convince the powers-to-be that we need to act in difficult place and in large numbers,” apparently referring to communities and hilltop neighborhoods of nationalists.
Almoz added that the Civil Administration should work “without fear, even if there will be noise,” meaning a vocal political reaction.
Concerning the suggestion from the High Court that the government is discriminating against Jews in its demolition policies, the government replied to the justices that the policy of destruction of homes is applied against Jews more than against Arabs but that it affects both sectors.
Likud Knesset Member Ze’ev Elkin, head of the sub-committee on Judea and Samaria, said he will convene a special hearing to ask the Civil Administration to explain the document.
“I see this document as being very grave in its tone and content because the administration itself indicates a blatant discriminatory policy in favor of Arabs,” he said. “The head of the civil administration is lying. What appears in this document is a direct contradiction to statements from the government to the court, and facts on the ground show discrimination against Jews in enforcement of illegal building in Judea and Samaria.”
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by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
A leaked internal document shows that the head of the Civil Administration ordered a discriminatory policy of demolition of unauthorized building by Jews but not by Arabs in Judea and Samaria, in direct contradiction to government promises to the High Court.
The internal correspondence was written under the subject headline "Summer Camp is Over" and suggests that Almoz is pursuing a political policy of “equality” with Arabs by freezing demolitions on their rampant illegal building. The High Court previously has questioned the government if it is wrongfully discriminating against Jews by destroying their unauthorized homes in far greater numbers than those of Arabs.
Almoz wrote, “We are very far from equality and enforcement until we feel that we are acting against illegal Israeli building. I request to stop all enforcement against Palestinians. We will try to convince the powers-to-be that we need to act in difficult place and in large numbers,” apparently referring to communities and hilltop neighborhoods of nationalists.
Almoz added that the Civil Administration should work “without fear, even if there will be noise,” meaning a vocal political reaction.
Concerning the suggestion from the High Court that the government is discriminating against Jews in its demolition policies, the government replied to the justices that the policy of destruction of homes is applied against Jews more than against Arabs but that it affects both sectors.
Likud Knesset Member Ze’ev Elkin, head of the sub-committee on Judea and Samaria, said he will convene a special hearing to ask the Civil Administration to explain the document.
“I see this document as being very grave in its tone and content because the administration itself indicates a blatant discriminatory policy in favor of Arabs,” he said. “The head of the civil administration is lying. What appears in this document is a direct contradiction to statements from the government to the court, and facts on the ground show discrimination against Jews in enforcement of illegal building in Judea and Samaria.”
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7. Massive Civil Disobedience Slated for Sept. 20 at UN
by Fern Sidman, A7 NY Corr.
According to a press release disseminated by Amcha-Coalition for Jewish Concerns (an umbrella organization of Jewish activists), a massive display of civil disobedience will be held in New York City on September 20 as a vocal protest of the Palestinian bid for statehood at the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting.
The protest will also spotlight the continuous animus that the world body holds for Israel and its demonizing of the Jewish state.
Calling on "Israel's supporters to stand proud and strong as they say a resounding "no!" to a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state", the organizers said that the protest will be led by a sizeable contingent of rabbis who will gather along with participants at 10 a.m. at 40th Street and First Avenue on September 20. Other participating organizations will be listed as the date approaches.
Longtime Jewish activist and national president of Amcha-CJC, Rabbi Avi Weiss of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale said, "Those who choose will step into the street as a moral act of conscience to block traffic to the UN. We will show the world that the UN's anti-Israel 'business as usual' cannot continue. When the police order those in the street to step aside, those who choose to remain on First Avenue will be subjected to peaceful arrest. We urge all who are concerned about the security of our brothers and sisters in Israel to join us."
Event coordinator Glenn Richter said, "Tuesday, September 20 will be a dramatic date in the history of our people. The Palestinian Authority will ask the United Nations General Assembly to endorse a Palestinian state. Palestinians will march en masse inside and around Israel. Now is the time for those who truly love Israel and are deeply concerned about its future as a Jewish state to translate their convictions into real action. We are calling upon anyone over the age of 18 to join us as we vehemently protest the endorsement of a Hamas-led terrorist state in Judea and Samaria."
Adding that the Jewish people have a choice of either passively witnessing history unfold before their very eyes or taking concrete action to change the course of history, Richter said that it would be "more than a shame not to present a viable Jewish response. Israelis live under the constant stress of terrorism and threats every single day of their lives and the least we can do is devote one day of our lives in support of our holy land and our brethren."
For further information please contact Amcha-CJC at (718) 796-4730 or e-mail actforisrael@aol.com.
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by Fern Sidman, A7 NY Corr.
According to a press release disseminated by Amcha-Coalition for Jewish Concerns (an umbrella organization of Jewish activists), a massive display of civil disobedience will be held in New York City on September 20 as a vocal protest of the Palestinian bid for statehood at the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting.
The protest will also spotlight the continuous animus that the world body holds for Israel and its demonizing of the Jewish state.
Calling on "Israel's supporters to stand proud and strong as they say a resounding "no!" to a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state", the organizers said that the protest will be led by a sizeable contingent of rabbis who will gather along with participants at 10 a.m. at 40th Street and First Avenue on September 20. Other participating organizations will be listed as the date approaches.
Longtime Jewish activist and national president of Amcha-CJC, Rabbi Avi Weiss of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale said, "Those who choose will step into the street as a moral act of conscience to block traffic to the UN. We will show the world that the UN's anti-Israel 'business as usual' cannot continue. When the police order those in the street to step aside, those who choose to remain on First Avenue will be subjected to peaceful arrest. We urge all who are concerned about the security of our brothers and sisters in Israel to join us."
Event coordinator Glenn Richter said, "Tuesday, September 20 will be a dramatic date in the history of our people. The Palestinian Authority will ask the United Nations General Assembly to endorse a Palestinian state. Palestinians will march en masse inside and around Israel. Now is the time for those who truly love Israel and are deeply concerned about its future as a Jewish state to translate their convictions into real action. We are calling upon anyone over the age of 18 to join us as we vehemently protest the endorsement of a Hamas-led terrorist state in Judea and Samaria."
Adding that the Jewish people have a choice of either passively witnessing history unfold before their very eyes or taking concrete action to change the course of history, Richter said that it would be "more than a shame not to present a viable Jewish response. Israelis live under the constant stress of terrorism and threats every single day of their lives and the least we can do is devote one day of our lives in support of our holy land and our brethren."
For further information please contact Amcha-CJC at (718) 796-4730 or e-mail actforisrael@aol.com.
Comment on this story
8. Nationalists: 'Stop NIF Indoctrination in IDF'
by Gil Ronen
The young leadership sections of four nationalist parties will cooperate in fighting against IDF seminars that impart controversial political messages to the participants. The seminars are reportedly sponsored by the New Israel Fund.
According to publications last week, the seminars and workshops about "social justice" are directed at reservists, cadets at Officer Training School and combat soldiers in regular service.
The seminars are based on "the Palestinian narrative" and preach "coexistence." Terms such as "the occupation," "the Nakba" and "the Holocaust of 1948" are regularly employed by the lecturers.
Many soldiers complain about the seminars, but the complaints apparently fall on deaf ears, as senior officers fear that their future promotion could be blocked if they come out against the seminars.
The seminars reportedly also place an emphasis on a Reform-Jewish outlook as the enlightened form of Judaism, while describing Orthodox Judaism as old fashioned and calcified. In addition, Arab spokesmen who describe Israel as a racist occupier are given the stage.
The young leadership sections of the four parties have sent letters to the Chief Education Officer and to other officers, co-signed by Knesset Members, asking that the matter be dealt with posthaste.
Ariel Moreli, Chairman of Likud's Young Generation, said: "We need to put an end to the absurd situation in which the IDF uses the services of an organization that regularly opposes it, its path and its soldiers."
Liran Cohen of Yisrael Beiteinu's Youth added: "It's absurd that the Education Corps lends a hand to lies and delusions that do not jibe with reality. I have experienced attempted brainwashing under the Education Corps and I will fight to make this phenomenon disappear."
Comment on this story
by Gil Ronen
The young leadership sections of four nationalist parties will cooperate in fighting against IDF seminars that impart controversial political messages to the participants. The seminars are reportedly sponsored by the New Israel Fund.
According to publications last week, the seminars and workshops about "social justice" are directed at reservists, cadets at Officer Training School and combat soldiers in regular service.
The seminars are based on "the Palestinian narrative" and preach "coexistence." Terms such as "the occupation," "the Nakba" and "the Holocaust of 1948" are regularly employed by the lecturers.
Many soldiers complain about the seminars, but the complaints apparently fall on deaf ears, as senior officers fear that their future promotion could be blocked if they come out against the seminars.
The seminars reportedly also place an emphasis on a Reform-Jewish outlook as the enlightened form of Judaism, while describing Orthodox Judaism as old fashioned and calcified. In addition, Arab spokesmen who describe Israel as a racist occupier are given the stage.
The young leadership sections of the four parties have sent letters to the Chief Education Officer and to other officers, co-signed by Knesset Members, asking that the matter be dealt with posthaste.
Ariel Moreli, Chairman of Likud's Young Generation, said: "We need to put an end to the absurd situation in which the IDF uses the services of an organization that regularly opposes it, its path and its soldiers."
Liran Cohen of Yisrael Beiteinu's Youth added: "It's absurd that the Education Corps lends a hand to lies and delusions that do not jibe with reality. I have experienced attempted brainwashing under the Education Corps and I will fight to make this phenomenon disappear."
Comment on this story
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