Names to Watch on Way Up, Down in ’06
December 29, 2005
Here are a handful of people to watch in the coming 12 months — some on the way up; some on the way down.
James D. Besser
Reform Body Rejects Science Distortion
December 1, 2005
The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), the largest body of religious Jews in the nation, has forcefully come out against the \”politicization\” of science at a time when the issue is boiling over in state legislatures, churches and classrooms
Tax Cuts Bring Shameful Silence
November 3, 2005
This month House Republicans will try to wrap up work on proposals aimed at slowing the hemorrhage of red ink from federal budget ledgers while finding a way to pay for hundreds of billions of dollars of hurricane relief and for two wars that don\’t seem about to end anytime soon.
Abbas Gets Warm, Cold Reception
October 27, 2005
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas got a warm White House reception last week, but got a colder shoulder from Congress and few top items on his Washington wish list, starting with a commitment by President Bush to move forward aggressively with the stalled Mideast \”road map\” peace plan.
The Darfur Genocide Is Still on
September 22, 2005
Jews aren\’t among those being killed, raped and displaced in the Darfur region of Sudan, but the situation there is nonetheless a Jewish disaster.
The slogan, \”never again,\” the redeeming lesson of the Holocaust, is turning into a farce in the African nation, as world leaders continue to find a dazzling array of excuses for inaction, including the obvious one: \”It\’s a complicated situation,\” as cases of genocide always are.
Disaster Exposes Government Failures
September 8, 2005
President Bush and Congress talk a good game when it comes to homeland security, but the tragic truth is that the country is less able to cope with disasters than before Sept. 11, 2001. The proof is on the flood-ravaged streets of New Orleans, where an unprecedented natural disaster quickly produced violent anarchy and a flaccid government response that multiplied the suffering.
For all the money thrown at preparing for massive terror attacks and other disasters, the new Department of Homeland Security looked more like a Third World bureaucracy, as armed gangs roamed the city and people died for lack of food, water, sanitation and medical supplies.
Links to Christian Zionists Pose Peril
September 1, 2005
People are judged by the friends they keep.
Sucker Punched on Divestment
July 14, 2005
Jewish groups were sucker punched last week when the United Church of Christ (UCC) abandoned a carefully crafted compromise and instead voted to support \”divestment\” from Israel.
Jews Face Awkward Court Fight Position
July 7, 2005
The political brawl over the replacement for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O\’Connor, who announced her resignation last week, could be the most bitter since Justice Clarence Thomas\’ 1991 confirmation battle.
And that free-for-all, which liberals and conservatives alike predict could be the \”mother of all battles,\” could leave many Jewish groups in an awkward position.
The tenor of the debate was evident within hours of O\’Connor\’s surprise announcement. Christian conservatives, calling in their chits from last year\’s presidential election, demanded that President Bush fulfill his promise to nominate judges like his favorites, Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Clarence Thomas. Just as sternly, groups associated with women\’s rights, civil rights and the separation of church and state warned of pitched battles ahead if the president doesn\’t make a \”mainstream\” choice.
Advocacy groups immediately hit the airwaves to sway public opinion. The nomination fight will almost certainly be the most expensive ever.
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