What a shameful display of 'damage control' by the senator. Israeli experts on the Shoah like Raz Segal and Omer Bartov were warning of genocide as early as November last year. The former called it a "textbook case" from the get go. On Oct 15, 2023, over 800 scholars and experts on genocide and international law wrote an open letter raising the alarm bells. The ICJ has issued provisional measures multiple times under the Genocide Convention. Yitzhak Herzog said there were "no innocents" even though half of the population are children. Netanyahu equates all Palestinians to "Amalek." Avi Dichter gleefully called for "rolling out the Gaza Nakba." The list goes on and on and on - and still he can't even call it a genocide.
Finally someone mentions neoliberalism! No political party is offering a solution to this economic ideology that is ripping the world apart in terms of global inequality and class divides. The rich only benefit. The GOP is neoliberalism on steroids. The Democrats and global governments must start setting limits on corporations and being a government for the people. Trump will accelerate this and environmental decline.
I’ve been trying to understand this better too. We used to always use the term neo-liberalism to talk about administrations since Reagan/Thatcher (Thatcher promoted it initially, per my readings, and Reagan continued), including Democrats. Now that term has been abandoned in speaking about Republicans and Democrats. Neo-con is the new term. Neo-conservatism used to be most associated with Republicans—Newt Gingrich, etc. Now when I read political analysts and historians, including, for example Jeffrey Sachs and others, they refer to the neo-cons in the Democratic administration. Neo-cons are the ultimate “evil doers” associated with the Republican Right. So that’s big. It seems true. Would love to hear what others have to say…about that transition. And who are the neo-cons running the Biden administration?
Neocons have to do with foreign policy (Cheney etc) while neoliberalism has to do with anti union trickle down economic policy. Dems and Republicans are just slightly different shades of both of these.
What’s the point of Democrats pointing fingers and blaming Biden-Harris now, in what only appears to be Post Election-Analysis. They are ALL complicit. BUT it’s still not too late to force the USA to STOP sending weapons. Save those still alive and stop navel gazing!!
So right with what you said. Any way to save lives should be the goal. But I think the war will stop when Trump takes office - not because of anything he has done, but because Is real has pretty much accomplished (disgustingly) what they set out to do - eradicate a large number of Palestinians. They will give Trump the credit for "stopping" the war to add it to his legacy while ramping up against Lebanon and Iran with US backing. I hope I'm wrong. May God have mercy on those affected by oppression and give the oppressors exactly what they deserve. Karma will come for them eventually.
It's too late Trump will be sending a lot of support to Netanyahu. The West Bank will be lucky to come out alive. Thanks Mehdi for having the senator on. While I care deeply for Palestinians,bI also care deeply about America. I will continue to be in support of my American brothers and sisters who still fight for equality here on American soul. We will be fighting to survive here as well.
I must strongly disagree that the Vice President has to hush up because she works for someone else. Namely, the President. Ordinarily, I would agree with that. But as the candidate for President, she no longer has the luxury of hiding behind Biden. We are entitled to know just what she stands for. She was selected by the dark room, not elected by the voters.
So!!! Biden/Harris should be denounced unequivocally for genocide. I am sick and tired of the entire hypocritical so called civilized nations and former exploiters, plunderers and genocidal usurpers of others’ lands without exception!
The fact that even Van Hollen won't describe it as genocide is illuminating. I spent the first Trump administration wondering why anyone would trust Trump, given his constant torrent of lies and BS. I wonder if Trump voters trust him more because his unscriptedness is more appealing than the carefully calibrated, poll-tested, dispassionate way in which Democrats speak.
I look forward to Naomi Klein's take on this election. I can't think of a better thinker who can take into account the multiple ways in which the political and economic milieu affected voters' thinking.
I'm sorry but Biden as a younger man was a belligerent warmongering pro-Israeli person, now he is an old man with the same proclivities. In knowingly allowing and aiding the slaughter of innocents in Gaza, he is in fact a monster!
Biden is a war criminal he didn’t do anything he was elected to do. He collected his AIPAC money and participated fully in the genocide of Palestinians. I stayed home because I couldn’t vote for genocide and I’m an old white woman who’s left the Democrat party. Great job AIPAC Dems 🇵🇸🇱🇧
It was a huge mistake of the Harris campaign to choose this strategy. Part of her campaign, according to Politico, was run by the old Biden campaign team. It’s obvious they saw themselves repeating the Biden 2020 campaign—running against Trump.
She had an excited bump after the convention, but failed to present a bold new vision. And it doesn’t matter how many billion stars are in the sky—you’re gonna lose if you play that same old Biden song again.
The DNC should have allowed a sort of real, mini convention, with more candidates. The choice of Harris was not actually “a mistake”—it was a plan. The plan was to keep the Biden administration in place, minus Biden. Aligning with Cheney, is consistent with the Democratic Party’s trajectory of moving further to the right under the Biden administration and the neo-cons that now occupy the White House, regardless of which party is in office. It’s a win-win for them.
Yes, aiming for the Cheney endorsement means you have betrayed the working class.
The sign waving behind the plane overhead reads “never mind the working class and the poor.”
What is says is DNC is owned by AIPAC. And even 1 billion dollars later. They are not electable. So DNC need to choose. Do they want power or forever be owned by PAC money and donor class.
What’s infuriating is that the US is such a vicious and vindictive bully, it’s preventing almost all other nations from acting vs Israel. Everyone’s waiting for the US to give the green light - what a world we live in
Why is Sen. Chris Van Hollen still with Democratic party. This is the true power of the people. If politicians are elected by the people, they should serve the people and not act as their masters.
What a shameful display of 'damage control' by the senator. Israeli experts on the Shoah like Raz Segal and Omer Bartov were warning of genocide as early as November last year. The former called it a "textbook case" from the get go. On Oct 15, 2023, over 800 scholars and experts on genocide and international law wrote an open letter raising the alarm bells. The ICJ has issued provisional measures multiple times under the Genocide Convention. Yitzhak Herzog said there were "no innocents" even though half of the population are children. Netanyahu equates all Palestinians to "Amalek." Avi Dichter gleefully called for "rolling out the Gaza Nakba." The list goes on and on and on - and still he can't even call it a genocide.
That how it works if Jews involved You can't even discuss in Universities, you can't deny it or investigate it, or write a book or JAIL!
When it happens to Palestinians, they have to discuss 800 scholars and experts to find out
is it Holocaust.
Finally someone mentions neoliberalism! No political party is offering a solution to this economic ideology that is ripping the world apart in terms of global inequality and class divides. The rich only benefit. The GOP is neoliberalism on steroids. The Democrats and global governments must start setting limits on corporations and being a government for the people. Trump will accelerate this and environmental decline.
I’ve been trying to understand this better too. We used to always use the term neo-liberalism to talk about administrations since Reagan/Thatcher (Thatcher promoted it initially, per my readings, and Reagan continued), including Democrats. Now that term has been abandoned in speaking about Republicans and Democrats. Neo-con is the new term. Neo-conservatism used to be most associated with Republicans—Newt Gingrich, etc. Now when I read political analysts and historians, including, for example Jeffrey Sachs and others, they refer to the neo-cons in the Democratic administration. Neo-cons are the ultimate “evil doers” associated with the Republican Right. So that’s big. It seems true. Would love to hear what others have to say…about that transition. And who are the neo-cons running the Biden administration?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Neocons have to do with foreign policy (Cheney etc) while neoliberalism has to do with anti union trickle down economic policy. Dems and Republicans are just slightly different shades of both of these.
What’s the point of Democrats pointing fingers and blaming Biden-Harris now, in what only appears to be Post Election-Analysis. They are ALL complicit. BUT it’s still not too late to force the USA to STOP sending weapons. Save those still alive and stop navel gazing!!
So right with what you said. Any way to save lives should be the goal. But I think the war will stop when Trump takes office - not because of anything he has done, but because Is real has pretty much accomplished (disgustingly) what they set out to do - eradicate a large number of Palestinians. They will give Trump the credit for "stopping" the war to add it to his legacy while ramping up against Lebanon and Iran with US backing. I hope I'm wrong. May God have mercy on those affected by oppression and give the oppressors exactly what they deserve. Karma will come for them eventually.
Agree here. As Mehdi said, Biden is lame duck right now. Nothing to lose. Just do the right thing instead of the political thing. For once.
It's too late Trump will be sending a lot of support to Netanyahu. The West Bank will be lucky to come out alive. Thanks Mehdi for having the senator on. While I care deeply for Palestinians,bI also care deeply about America. I will continue to be in support of my American brothers and sisters who still fight for equality here on American soul. We will be fighting to survive here as well.
I must strongly disagree that the Vice President has to hush up because she works for someone else. Namely, the President. Ordinarily, I would agree with that. But as the candidate for President, she no longer has the luxury of hiding behind Biden. We are entitled to know just what she stands for. She was selected by the dark room, not elected by the voters.
So!!! Biden/Harris should be denounced unequivocally for genocide. I am sick and tired of the entire hypocritical so called civilized nations and former exploiters, plunderers and genocidal usurpers of others’ lands without exception!
The fact that even Van Hollen won't describe it as genocide is illuminating. I spent the first Trump administration wondering why anyone would trust Trump, given his constant torrent of lies and BS. I wonder if Trump voters trust him more because his unscriptedness is more appealing than the carefully calibrated, poll-tested, dispassionate way in which Democrats speak.
I look forward to Naomi Klein's take on this election. I can't think of a better thinker who can take into account the multiple ways in which the political and economic milieu affected voters' thinking.
Would love to hear from Naomi!
I'm sorry but Biden as a younger man was a belligerent warmongering pro-Israeli person, now he is an old man with the same proclivities. In knowingly allowing and aiding the slaughter of innocents in Gaza, he is in fact a monster!
Biden is a war criminal he didn’t do anything he was elected to do. He collected his AIPAC money and participated fully in the genocide of Palestinians. I stayed home because I couldn’t vote for genocide and I’m an old white woman who’s left the Democrat party. Great job AIPAC Dems 🇵🇸🇱🇧
So very spot on!
It was a huge mistake of the Harris campaign to choose this strategy. Part of her campaign, according to Politico, was run by the old Biden campaign team. It’s obvious they saw themselves repeating the Biden 2020 campaign—running against Trump.
She had an excited bump after the convention, but failed to present a bold new vision. And it doesn’t matter how many billion stars are in the sky—you’re gonna lose if you play that same old Biden song again.
The DNC should have allowed a sort of real, mini convention, with more candidates. The choice of Harris was not actually “a mistake”—it was a plan. The plan was to keep the Biden administration in place, minus Biden. Aligning with Cheney, is consistent with the Democratic Party’s trajectory of moving further to the right under the Biden administration and the neo-cons that now occupy the White House, regardless of which party is in office. It’s a win-win for them.
Yes, aiming for the Cheney endorsement means you have betrayed the working class.
The sign waving behind the plane overhead reads “never mind the working class and the poor.”
It’s the billionaires, stupid!
I'm so ashamed of my party. We deserved to lose this election.
What is says is DNC is owned by AIPAC. And even 1 billion dollars later. They are not electable. So DNC need to choose. Do they want power or forever be owned by PAC money and donor class.
What’s infuriating is that the US is such a vicious and vindictive bully, it’s preventing almost all other nations from acting vs Israel. Everyone’s waiting for the US to give the green light - what a world we live in
Should have had an open primary oh well.
This is all just empty words. Van Hollen voted multiple times to send military aid to Israel!
At effing last!!!
Why is Sen. Chris Van Hollen still with Democratic party. This is the true power of the people. If politicians are elected by the people, they should serve the people and not act as their masters.