Obviously he has not gotten the message in 1 below!
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Miracles never cease and/or education finally pays off - Liberal Jews are beginning to get it. (See 1 below.)
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Review of Chodoff's remarks here last week. (See 2 below.)
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As long as 'President and Mayor Denial' remain in office the prospect of addressing the termite impact on our society from radical Islamists is unlikely. They are either too caught up in fear of offending or are simply out to lunch or probably both. (See 3 below.)
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It's 'acomin' in all likelihood and the administration will do everything in its power to stop it from happening. Won't work because Israel's leaders live in the real world and ours do not.
This Passover may see unleavened bombs dropping from the sky. (See 4 below.)
Trump trumps Gingrich by raining on his parade and endorsing Romney.
Meanwhile, though the press and media will not report it, the issue of eligibility is going to surface throughout the campaign. It will not go away and will take on a life of its own because there is just too much smoke.
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Welcome to Government Bureaucrat's "Animal Farm." Yes, we need government to protect us, control our freedom, our minds and set limits on our behavior so we can raise children who are protected from hard labor and responsibility. (See 6 below.)
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Dick
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1)Pew Polls Show Jewish Shift Toward GOP, Away from Democrats
The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) responded today to an analysis from the Pew Research Center showing a significant increase in Jewish support for Republicans between 2008 and 2011.
RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said:
"This notable analysis from the unimpeachable professionals at the Pew Research Center shows a significant shift in Jewish political identification - a shift toward Republicans and away from Democrats. This was not the softer move of more Jewish respondents saying that they 'lean' Republican, but a solid shift in Jewish self-identification as Republicans.
"The Pew analysis today offers another in a series of critical data points highlighting this trend within the Jewish community. We had the strong Jewish vote for Republican Bob Turner in the special election in NY's 9th district last year. The American Jewish Committee poll in the fall of 2011 showed a significant erosion in Jewish support for President Obama. In that poll, for the first time, a plurality or majority of Jewish respondents disapproved of the President's handling of key issues such as the economy and the U.S.-Israel relationship.
"These facts reinforce the case we have been making that the Republicans are making political inroads in the Jewish community."
Background:
In an analysis released today, the Pew Research Center noted:
Even Jewish voters, who have traditionally been and remain one of the strongest Democratic constituencies, have moved noticeably in the Republican direction; Jewish voters favored the Democrats by a 52-point margin in 2008 but now prefer the Democratic Party by a significantly smaller 36-point margin.
SOURCE: http://www.pewforum.org/Politics-and-Elections/Trends-in-Party-Identification-of-Religious-Groups.aspx
Republicans have also seen gains among Jewish voters, who have long been strong supporters of the Democratic Party. In 2008, 72% of Jews identified themselves as Democrats or said they leaned toward the Democratic Party, and Democrats held a 52-point advantage among this group. In 2011, the Democratic advantage among Jews has shrunk to 36 points, with 29% of the Jewish population aligning with the GOP. While the majority of Jews are still Democrats or lean toward the Democratic Party, Democrats' dominance among this group has weakened since the last presidential election. In fact, Jews are the only religious group analyzed in which the percentage who identify themselves as Republican (as opposed to leaning toward the GOP) has risen significantly. [Emphasis added.]
SOURCE: http://www.pewforum.org/Politics-and-Elections/Trends-in-Party-Identification-of-Religious-Groups-affiliation.aspx
Reporter Josh Nathan-Kazis in the Jewish Daily Forward quotes Pew researchers on what distinguishes the data on Jewish voters in their analysis:
"The increase among Jews is greater than in the general public, and greater than the increase in... other religious groups," said Alan Cooperman, associate director for research at Pew...
"For most religious groups and for the public as a whole, the trend toward the GOP has come from people who are increasingly likely to say they lean toward the Republican party," said Greg Smith, a senior researcher at Pew. "Jewish voters are really the exception.That's the one religious group we've analyzed where the shift toward the GOP is not among leaners, but rather among actual Republican identifiers."
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2)Middle East Update
On January 26, Major Elliott Chodoff came to Savannah to give an insightful update on the situation in the Middle East. He is an active military officer in the Israeli army and knowledgeable in military and political policy in the region.
At the risk of sounding overly alarmist, he characterized the situation as “more than dangerous” for the Arab world in general and separately for Iran in particular.
The Arab Spring is a misnomer – and it is far from a homogeneous situation.
It seems like the monarchies are much more stable – Jordan and Morocco.
The dictatorships were in peril, and is easy for the mainstream press to label the revolts as a sign of more democracy rather than a move by the Islamic factions to gain more power.
Tunisia started the recent turmoil and the Islamic fundamentalists seem to have won a takeover with a strong movement towards Sharia law.
Libya is not clear yet how much the Islamists will wind up controlling.
Chodoff), with the real radical group the Salafists kept at a minority influence.
Yet the history of the MB shows more of its intent. Founded in 1929 their goal was principally to restore governance based on the Koran and Allah. An early triumph was putting the Ayatollah Khomeini in charge of Iran, after ousting the American supported Shah. They also supported Al Qaida in Afghanistan and Hamas in Palestine, the latter being a well-known terrorist supporting organization. In Egypt they are allegedly committed to breaking the 1979 truce lines with Israel, by threatening to put troops in the Sinai Peninsula to better be in a position to attack Israel again, and to foment other trouble on Israel’s southern border.
Syria is an acknowledged mess. Assad is ruthless, will never leave (nowhere to go) and will do anything to stay in power, so there is likely to be a fight to the death there.
Iran has had the most publicity lately, but it has been a long time stirrer of trouble in the region, with its support of Hezbollah in Lebanon. And allegedly Iran has been at not-so-secret war with America since 1977 with the taking of hostages in the U.S. Embassy there.
They also financed and planned the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, and when America left, became emboldened by a perceived American weakness and aversion to conflict.
They are not happy with the strengthening sanctions imposed by the West, but that will not bring about sufficient change from their avowed desire to conquer the West and restore a Muslim caliphate again. Getting a nuclear weapon and the ability to deliver it to Israel (whose destruction they publicly espouse and promise) will give them much more leverage than they have now. While the public is not uniformly backing the leaders, not much has been done by the West to encourage an active overthrow from within.
Therefore Chodoff implied that someone needs to take out the nuclear capability of Iran before it becomes active. Self-preservation would be the main motive of Israel to attempt it. And rest assured it would only be a last resort.
As for the extent of such a defensive motivated attack, he implied it would only be to the offensive weapon capability of Iran, not the cities. As for its potential effectiveness of an attack, he pointed to a string of luck the Israeli’s had in an attack on Syria not too long ago, when the Russian supplied missiles were suddenly inoperable on the day of the attack. He also pointed out that Israel amazingly is the world’s third largest technology producer behind the U.S. and China. Recall that Israel has virtually no natural resources to exploit (oil fields stop outside), and little farming land so they have to survive by other means.
By way of perspective, while seeming pessimistic now about the prospects of future armed conflicts, he still thinks the Jewish people are far better off today (even with the threat of annihilation by Iran) than they were 70 or so years ago before World War II started formally.
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3)CAIR attack: Cultural Jihad in Action
By Wayne Kopping
In May 2010, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg posited that the individual who packed a Nissan Pathfinder full of explosives and parked it in Times Square, was likely a homegrown American “with a political agenda who doesn't like the health care bill or something.”
Fortunately, the car bomb did not detonate.
The terrorist turned out to be Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistan-born U.S. citizen. And, not surprisingly, Shahzad wasn't upset about the health care bill. After pleading guilty in court he said, “I consider myself a Mujahid, a Muslim-soldier.” He was upset, as he put it, over “American occupation of Muslim Lands.”
Shortly after the attack, Bloomberg prematurely asserted that there was no evidence suggesting the bomber was part of any recognized terror network. Shahzad later told the court he trained with the Pakistani Taliban to learn bomb-making and other related skills.
Could it be that Bloomberg has underestimated the threat of Islamist terror, or is there another agenda?
The issue has again become relevant in recent days. The New York Times ran a series of articles and editorials blaming the NYPD for using the film The Third Jihad: Radical Islam’s Vision for America as part of their counter-terrorism training.
The articles calling the film, “a Dark Film on U.S. Muslims” and a “Hateful Film,” are riddled with inaccuracies and omissions.
Following publication of the articles, Mayor Bloomberg stated that NYPD used “terrible judgment” in showing the film, despite admitting that he had never seen it.
We were not aware that the NYPD was using the film, but when we learned of it some months ago, we were pleased that the officers would have an opportunity to learn about the indoctrination taking place in certain segments of Muslim society in America. The film reveals what viewers are unlikely to see on the evening news: What terrorists, radical preachers and Islamists are saying in their own words, in their own mosques and media, to their followers.
The film exposes how radicals employ the dual strategies of “violent Jihad,” along with a “cultural Jihad,” through which Islamist groups use coercion and non-violent means to gradually expand their influence over Western society.
Now, Mayor Bloomberg, The New York Times and others want to bar law enforcement officers from seeing the film. The question is, why?
We reject, outright, the charge that our film is anti-Muslim or that it casts a shadow over the entire Muslim community. In fact, we go to great lengths throughout the film to differentiate the radical Islamists from peaceful Muslims. The film is narrated by, Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, a devout Muslim-American, who has dedicated his life to exposing the threat of radical Islam.
Our critics have failed to mention these points and have chosen not to challenge the film on the merits of its thesis or content.
Perhaps the reason Mayor Bloomberg wants The Third Jihad banned is the same reason he insinuated the Times Square bomber was a health care terrorist — namely, CAIR.
CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) is one of many Muslim interest groups that purport to represent the Islamic community in America, but in reality have well established ties to Hamas and other terror groups.
CAIR was designated by the U.S. Justice Department for its role in terror financing during the nation’s largest-ever trial on the subject. As a result, the FBI has officially severed all ties with the “advocacy organization.”
Outside of its support for terror organizations, CAIR works to quickly and effectively to silence any discussions about radical Islam by playing the racism card and accusing critics of Islamophobia. CAIR’s devices are effective.
As soon as the current story broke, CAIR immediately branded the film “anti-Muslim propaganda” in a press release. This was followed by a CAIR-led protest on the steps of City Hall calling for the resignation of the NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly.
The entire episode could have been a chapter in The Third Jihad. We are now seeing “cultural Jihad” in action. In order to avoid agitating Muslim constituents, Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Kelly are backing away from the film, regardless of its merits.
The net result is that CAIR, a designated Muslim interest group with ties to terror financing, is now telling the NYPD how it should go about fighting terror. If that's not the ultimate act of subversion, I don't know what is.
Wayne Kopping is the director and editor of The Third Jihad
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4)Panetta says Israel could strike Iran in spring: report
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta believes there is a "strong possibility" that Israel will strike Iran's nuclear installations this spring, the Washington Post said Thursday in an editorial.
When asked about the opinion piece by reporters travelling with him to a NATO meeting in Brussels, Panetta brushed it aside.
"I'm not going to comment on that. David Ignatius can write what he will but with regards with what I think and what I view, I consider that to be an area that belongs to me and nobody else," he said.
"Israel indicated they're considering this (a strike), we've indicated our concerns," he added.
The Post columnist said Panetta "believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June before Iran enters what Israelis described as a 'zone of immunity' to commence building a nuclear bomb."
President Barack Obama and Panetta are "said to have cautioned the Israelis that the United States opposes an attack, believing that it would derail an increasingly successful international economic sanctions program and other non-military efforts to stop Iran from crossing the threshold," he said.
"But the White House hasn’t yet decided precisely how the United States would respond if the Israelis do attack."
Panetta said Sunday in an interview with CBS that Iran needed "about a year" to produce enough enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon, and one or two more years to "put it on a deliverable vehicle."
Iran insists its nuclear project is peaceful and has threatened retaliation over the fresh sanctions, including possibly disrupting shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli media reported in October last year that the option of pre-emptive air strikes on Iran was opposed by the country's intelligence services but favored by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak.
Israeli television said Mossad chief Tamir Pardo raised the possibility of a unilateral strike on Iran during a visit last week to Washington.
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5)Farm State Outrage Intensifies Over Labor Dept. Proposal to Ban Children From Doing Some Chores on Farms
(AP photo)
Farmers and congressmen from farm states continue to slam proposed U.S. Department of Labor farm regulations, which would bar farm children under 16 from operating tractors and other machinery and working with livestock.
“This is what happens when big city bureaucrats try to craft policies for rural America,” Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) said of the proposals.
Rehberg, who has become of the proposal’s most ardent opponents, criticized the Labor Department for drafting regulations that he says are unnecessary.
“(The) most effective way to become a safe and effective operator of farm implements is to learn at a young age under the guidance of a knowledgeable and careful instructor,” he said.
Farm groups like the South Dakota Farmers Union have also joined in the protest.
“Our children are our greatest resource for continuing family agricultural operations. Without being allowed to learn the day-to-day operation of the farm or ranch, the future of rural America would be in jeopardy.” said in official comments on Dec. 1,
Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis announced the proposal on Sept. 2.
"Children employed in agriculture are some of the most vulnerable workers in America," Solis, a former California congresswoman from Los Angeles, said.
"Ensuring their welfare is a priority of the department, and this proposal is another element of our comprehensive approach."
The public was originally able to submit comments regarding the proposal’s content until Nov. 1. However, many organizations and individuals requested an extension to the comment period as a result of the controversy surrounding the provisions listed. The Department of Labor obliged, and permitted public comment until Dec. 1.
Specifically, the proposed regulations would:
-- prohibit minors from “Operating a Tractor of Over 20 Horsepower;”
-- prohibit minors from “working on a farm in a yard, pen, or stall” that contains various types of livestock.-- prohibit the use of electronic devices such as cell phones while operating machinery;
-- prohibit minors from working in grain silos;
-- prohibit young workers under 16 from working in “tobacco production and curing in order to prevent occupational illness due to green tobacco sickness (GTS)”
-- Prohibit young workers from “working from a ladder or scaffold at a height of over 20 feet” or
Another provision would “limit the exposure of young hired farm workers to extreme temperatures and/or arduous conditions.” (The DOL is currently asking for comment on this proposal.)
Because of the potential alterations to existing child labor laws, the proposal also calls for new penalties and fines as a means of enforcing the new regulations.
A minor under the age of 16 may be exempted from the regulations if enrolled in a 4-H vocational or educational program, which requires a completion of at least 90 hours of farm-related training and education. Minors may also be exempt if employed on a farm by their parents or guardians, and the parents or guardians own and operate the farm.
But Paul Schlegel, public policy director for the American Farm Bureau, said that many family farms are in fact owned by corporations.
“The thing that I think has caused the greatest degree of concern is how they would interpret the parental exemption in the law because if they do what appears they are trying to do, they would narrow the exemptions considerably,” Schlegel told CNSNews.com.
“One of the others that has caused concern is the ability of kids to work around livestock -- and now they have a very broad definition of power-driven equipment, which appears as though it would eliminate lots of jobs that are not particularly hazardous.”
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, there were 16,100 farm related injuries of “children and adolescents” in 2009, 3,400 of which were work related.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 5,719 work related deaths of young workers occurred between 1998 and 2007, and between 2003 and 2007, 10 percent of fatal injuries to young workers (aged 15-24) took place in the agricultural industry.
However, child injuries on farms decreased by 59 percent from 1998-2009 according to the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety in Marshfield, Wis.
There is no official date as to when the new regulations will take effect.
The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 gives the Labor Secretary power to determine both what is “suitable” and “hazardous or detrimental” labor for children.
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