Tuesday, January 03, 2017

Netanyahu's Senator

Unlike most states, New York only gets 1 Senator, Kristen Gillbrand. Our "other" Senator represents Bibi Netanyahu, current Prime Minister of Israel - not the people of New York.

You'll see.... now that he's the Democratic Head of the Senate. He doesn't respond to the people of New York, unless they are hard right Israeli supporters. And I don't mean, doesn't represent. I mean doesn't even respond.  The idiotic parlor game that was Bibi's address to Congress a few years ago was indicative.

Chuckles hemmed and hawed for a while before blowing off Democrats and genuflecting at the cuff of Bibi while the Prime Minister filled the Halls of Congress with hate towards Obama.

I wrote (electronically and via USPS) to understand why the Senator would attend this wanton show of hate towards our President - he refused to say he was going up until the end.  Afterwards, I wrote and asked him what was accomplished at the session. What did he learn?

Bit fat zilch in the way of answer. No, "thank you for your letter", no "none of your business peon". Nothing.  I suppose I needed a Tel Aviv return address to get a response.

He was against the Iran deal.

He was against John Kerry's speech.

In reality, you don't have to search for his opinion, just see what Bibi said and wait 10 minutes.

Now, don't get me wrong. I support Israel, particularly when they follow democratic norms. I would just like my freakin' Senator to represent New York - not Bibi Netanyahu.

As for the article. It's a bit of a joke (link)...

Including this charming story of him going to the mat for coal miners. Which would be great, except he folded. He threatened action, and then didn't follow up on this very first time out.  Yeah, that's going to be effective.

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Then there’s Chuck Schumer. He not only tapped Manchin to join his leadership team, but backed the West Virginian's gambit that threatened a government shutdown over coal miners' benefits — a showdown that Reid declined to endorse in his final days as party leader.

“We want to get these beautiful people their due,” Schumer said in his trademark Brooklyn accent as he stood beside retired miners outside the Capitol last month. “And we won’t stop ‘til we do.”

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But he did stop - and they didn't.   It's going to be a long 4 years.