Zogby on AIPAC Power
Despite the great showing this week, James Zogby finds that AIPAC is not all powerful:
We know that Earl Hiliard was corrupt and ready to be booted from office, so I don't think it is a good example. The other examples show, however, that you can go against AIPAC and stay in office if your constituents feel you represent them well.
Link
But with all this, the power of AIPAC is still quite real and will be in evidence this week. Part of this power rests in the assumption that the group speaks for all American Jews (which it does not) and the carefully cultivated perception that the lobby can influence (indirectly, they maintain) substantial sums of campaign contributions to defeat those who oppose their positions or to assist those who embrace their agenda.
The recent defeat in the 2002 Congressional elections of Representatives Earl Hilliard (Alabama) and Cynthia McKinney (Georgia) are pointed to as evidence of this power. But, here, too, the picture is less than clear. After all, McKinney returned this year and won back her old House seat and a Virginia Congressman, James Moran, targeted for defeat by a well-funded opponent, won reelection.
We know that Earl Hiliard was corrupt and ready to be booted from office, so I don't think it is a good example. The other examples show, however, that you can go against AIPAC and stay in office if your constituents feel you represent them well.
Link
posted by Brian at 6:57 AM
2 Comments:
It's not the mere threat of defeat that intimidates the likes of Jane Harman amd Hillary Clinton. It's the possibility of sacrificing a few dollars and/or votes by doing the right thing. All the Palestinian and Israeli kids in the world aren't worth their sacrifice of a few votes or dollars. We don't even have to mention the DeLays and Liebermans.
Two Senior AIPAC Officials to be Indicted by US Justice Department
Post a Comment
<< Home