#243

Which Way Is The Pendulum Swinging?

By Hank Silverberg 

Students of politics and history know that there are cycles in relationships between humans. 

Sometimes the pendulum swings to the left of the political center, and sometimes it swings to the right. 

This was on my mind when I entered the voting booth to cast an in-person early vote in the mid-term elections. I live in Virginia's 7th Congressional District and most of the "key district" charts put out by the political pundits who make their predictions, right or wrong, have included my district on the list. It is currently represented by two-term Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, who pretty much sits in the center of the traditional political spectrum. She could best be described as a "moderate" Democrat, though if you listen to her opponent, there is no such thing as a moderate.  

Her opponent is Yesli Vega, a former police officer who would have no issue with me calling her a Trump Republican.      

When my wife and I cast our ballots during the second week of early voting, about 1,800 people had already voted in the 7th District. That's not a large number. 

I like to vote early to avoid the crowds, and there is pretty much nothing that will change my mind between now and November 8th. 

Both sides in this race have been carpeting the airways and the internet with nasty ads about the other one. The district was a Republican stronghold until Spanberger broke the barrier in 2018, and now the redrawn district may favor Democrats even though Spanberger does not currently represent many of them. 

There are redrawn districts across the country that will confuse voters and possibly topple incumbents as the GOP tries to retake control of the House. 

I am not a pundit. I won't predict what is going to happen elsewhere, though I am pretty sure Spanberger will win here.   

Vega is typical of the GOP candidates running in many parts of the country. She supports the "big lie" that the 2020 election was rampant with fraud (it wasn't), and that Trump was a great president (he is listed as among the worst by historians). 

But I am certain of one thing. My vote will be counted and the election in Virgnia (at least) will be fair. 

That may not be the case in other parts of the country where a whole slew of GOP candidates who are running for Secretary of State are "election deniers" about 2020 and swearing to claim fraud if they lose this year.  

Expect a lot of caution by the mainstream media on election night. They will be hesitant to call ANY election that is close. And you can be sure that if the GOP suffers major losses, Trump and his minions will be screaming "fraud" all the way into the 2024 presidential campaign. 

To The Right

For the first time since Benito Mussolini's Fascist regime in the 1930's and 40's, Italians have chosen a far-right party called the Brothers of Italy to run the country headed by Giorgia Meloni.  

That party has talked about ending Italy's Parliamentary form of Democracy in favor of a Presidential Republic, giving more power to the Executive. And Meloni has railed about stopping immigration from the Middle East and Africa so they don't replace "real" Italians. 

 

In addition, Meloni has joined Donald Trump in praising Spain's ultra-conservative leader Santiago Abascal. His Vox party has shown disdain for gender equity, has held rallies against "unauthorized" immigration from Africa, and has praised Spain's 20th Century Fascists leader Francisco Franco. 

All of these right-wingers seem to swing toward Russia in its war with Ukraine. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trump-speaks-via-video-at-rally-of-global-far-right-in-spain/ar-AA12LBv8

This has shades of the 1930's when right-wing parties cracked down on minorities, promoted nationalism and led the world into World War. Like last century, a significant number of Americans are embracing the right-wing with slogans like "America First." Once again, those who forget the past are condemned to relive it. 

To The Left

And then there's this swing on the left, which frankly I will never understand. 

Antisemitism has been a tool of religious fanatics, despot monarchs and right-wing dictators for two thousand years. With the exception of Stalin, it has rarely been used as a tool of the left, most notably here in the United States.  

The BDS (Boycott, Divest and Sanctions) movement which has crept into left-wing politics has been mostly political in nature--as a tool against Israel's policy on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. Boycotts are sometimes effective in changing policies, particularly in Democracies like Israel, though the current boycott supporters seem off base and uninformed with its premise. 

(Courtesy www.bbc.co.uk)

But now there is a new twist. Nine student organizations in the law school on the University of California Berkely campus have banned anyone who supports Israel from speaking at their events. In their bylaws they say it aims to stop Zionist beliefs. It would apply to non-Jews who also might support Israel also, but it's clear who it is aimed at.  The bylaw says:

 

“[The organizations] will not invite speakers that have expressed interest and continue to hold views, host, sponsor or promote events in support of Zionism, the apartheid state of Israel and the occupation of Palestine,”

A significant number of American Jews oppose Israel's policies in Gaza and the West Bank and have some sympathy for the plight of the Palestinian population. But you will be hard pressed to find any Jew who does not support Israel and the concept of a Jewish state. 

Effectively all of these groups ban Jews from speaking or attending their events... a form of antisemitism that is open and despicable.

That the Berkely Law Muslim Student Association passed the bylaw is no surprise. But the list of others, many of them left-wing in their politics, is hard to fathom. 

Several of them likely would get support from Jewish students and faculty otherwise. That includes Women of Berkley Law, Asian Pacific American Law students, Law students of African descent and the Queer Caucus. 

This just does not make sense. You would think law students, especially members of minority groups, would be smarter than this. 

The Dean at Berkely, Erwin Chemerinsky, responded to the media attention with a long statement noting that he and 90% of the Jewish students on campus would be prohibited from participating under these bylaws. Here is more of his statement:

“As a first step, the nine student organizations should rescind the new, discriminatory provisions from their bylaws or face appropriate sanctions for their failure to do so.”

Antisemitism, like all forms of racism, is born out of ignorance and fear. If you are a student, or the parent of one, do whatever you can to root out tropes, stereotypes and propaganda. Today they ban Jews. Tomorrow it could be your group.  

https://www.jpost.com/bds-threat/article-719016

Dumbest Quote of The Week!

This week's dumbest quote comes from Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker. 

When confronted last week with an accusation that he provided money and help to a former girlfriend to get an abortion, he called it "a lie," and said he didn't know the woman.  

This week when reports surfaced that he may have tried to talk her into a second abortion before she gave birth to his child, he said: 

"I don't remember any card or check or anything. But I was dating her. I could have sent some money. I could have sent a card." 

Come on, Georgia. Do you really want a lying philanderer who can't remember things like this representing you in the Senate?  

 

(Your comments and suggestions are welcome) 

 My book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:

HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature.)                       

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796