Friday, May 2, 2014

Rand Paul Lashes Out at AIPAC

Rand Paul can't catch a break from the neocon crowd  and he is not happy. After sponsoring a Stand with Israel bill (SEE: Rand Paul Speaks in Senate in Support of Stand with Israel Act of 2014), Rand is getting flack from AIPAC about the legislation.

Politico reports:
Sen. Rand Paul is pushing back against one of the most influential pro-Israel lobbying group in the U.S., saying its opposition to his bill on foreign aid is “very troubling.”

The Kentucky Republican introduced a bill this week to cut off U.S. aid to Palestine because of the recent joining of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, saying that aid from the U.S. must be contingent on the joined entity recognizing Israel’s right to exist.

The legislation, titled the “Stand with Israel Act of 2014,” failed to gather unanimous consent in the Senate on Thursday and Paul’s request to pass it was blocked. After the bill failed to pass, the senator said he was “deeply disappointed and disturbed by the Senate’s inability to stand with me in defense of Israel today.”
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the largest pro-Israel group in the U.S., declined to support the bill. In an interview with Steve Malzberg on Newsmax on Thursday, Paul said he was “getting pushback from the establishment up here” on the legislation.

When asked by Malzberg who he meant, Paul said: “Ironically, the group AIPAC is pushing back this bill and this is to me very troubling.”

“I think the American people, if they knew that, would be very, very upset and think, you know what, those people are no longer lobbying in favor of America and Israel if they’re not willing to put restrictions on aid to Palestine,” Paul continued.

Later Thursday night on Fox News, the senator vowed to keep up the fight, saying he would press on in this “big battle.”
On a side note, but significant note, why does Rand think Americans are concerned that AIPAC is not lobbying in favor of Israel?  Most Americans probably think that Israel shouldn't be of major concern in the U.S. Congress.

4 comments:

  1. Justin Raimondo brought up a good point about it saying that by cutting the aid to the PA, it put the Isrealis on the hook for the areas the Pals control as the occupying power. Raimondo says its a smart move for Paul as it appears to toss the terrorists out of the treasury and doesn't annoy the christain evangelical who love them some Isreal because of Revelations.
    However this probably isn't going to do the Palestinians any good as the Israelis will move forward their plans to shift the pals out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a bizarre thing for Rand to do. Honestly, he is one of the most politically tone deaf politicians out there (not that manipulating people is a good thing, but being as out of it as Rand is does not help his election chances). What does he think this will accomplish? It's not really a stand on principle for even limited, constitutional government, and it will alienate the very people he's been trying to court. "I'm going to out-lobby the Israel Lobby for Israel! Look! Look at how pro-Israel I am!" Hahahaha. Who can take this guy seriously anymore? He is and will be a disaster for the liberty movement unless he is denounced - loudly - by libertarians, thick and thin.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, the people at EPJ now favor foreign aid, just becasue Rand is against it. EPJ stands with Israel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, we want to end foreign aid to Palestine AND Israel. Big difference.

      If Rand said that the US Government should end ALL foreign aid and withdraw ALL foreign soldiers I would vote for him.

      Delete