Comments on: Those renegade Republicans

By: immigrantskid

immigrantskid — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:20:54 +0000

I’m not a Jew but I care about Israel. I care a lot. I just wish they would get back to being what they were in their younger days, and maybe that is just wishful thinking on my part.

By: David Foster

David Foster — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:22:42 +0000

There are of course a lot of non-Jewish Americans who care about Israel. It is natural for Americans to have positive feelings for a fellow democracy which has survived and accomplished great things against heavy odds.

Basically, the people in the USA who don’t like Israel are pretty much those who live within the force field that centers on academia and is amplified by PBS, NPR, NYT, etc.

Although Evangelical support for Israel is often put down to theological factors, an equally- or more-important factor is simply that most Evangelicals belong to parts of societ which are outside the above force field.

By: BrianE

BrianE — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:20:30 +0000

I was sorry to see former Rep. Leach endorse Obama.

During his 15 terms in Congress, Leach’s voting record was generally conservative on fiscal issues, moderate on social matters, and progressive in foreign policy…
In conjunction with a Democratic tide which swept Eastern Iowa in the election, there were two tipping factors in Leach’s defeat. The first was his refusal to allow Republican Party activists to distribute an anti-gay mailing. When Leach told the Republican National Committee that he would leave the Republican caucus if they proceeded with such divisive tactics, social conservatives were offended and refused to back him.

Thinking back, he was probably the ‘Maverick’ of the House.