Rep. Thomas Massie attacked as anti-Semite

 Rep. Thomas Massie attacked as anti-Semite

 

Remember the old days, when people could say: I disagree with that person on most things, but he's really good on X and Y?

Or: I really like what that person has to say about most things, but I disagree on issues X and Y?

Those were good days.

Today it's: that person isn't a carbon-copy of me? Away with him!

That's especially true for today's topic. 

I have an opinion that will enrage everyone and satisfy no one. There is zero doubt that I will lose subscribers over it.

But, dear reader, what would be the point of a newsletter that, out of fear of losing subscribers, didn't challenge anyone?

This one will be in two parts. I realized in the course of writing it that it was just too long. I'll finish it tomorrow.

Observing the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) smearing Rep. Thomas Massie, who unlike the various pretenders is actually America First, prompted me to say something.

I wrote a series of articles a long time -- as in 20+ years -- ago about U.S. policy toward Israel from the 1940s to the present, and unfortunately the Internet was still young enough that we hadn't yet reached the point at which essentially everything wound up online. When -- heaven help me! -- we organize our garage next month I'm hoping to find my old print articles.

Massie voted against H Res 771 in support of Israel. AIPAC attacked him for this (more on AIPAC later). Massie responded:

Instead of distorting my intent, why not post the reason I gave for voting against H Res 771:

I condemn the barbaric attack on Israel and I affirm Israel’s right to defend itself. However, I will not be voting for House Resolution 771 today because:

1) It calls for sanctions on a sovereign country. Sanctions are a prelude to war and hurt the citizens of the country more than the government of the country that’s being sanctioned. And ultimately, sanctions create laws that will be used to prosecute American citizens (who engage in trade), not citizens of the sanctioned country. In short, sanctions do not achieve their stated purposes but do breed resentment of our country abroad.

2) It asserts the necessity of foreign aid commitments which I have voted against. Our country is going bankrupt and we can’t afford to borrow money to send overseas, yet this resolution states that we should.

3) It contains an open-ended promise of military support that is so broad that it could be interpreted to commit US soldiers to the conflict. US troops should not be engaged in this conflict.

4) It tends to broaden the conflict to other countries when it would be better to keep the war contained geographically.

He then linked to the text of the resolution, which "contains some statements I do support and some statements I cannot support."

AIPAC responded, in part: "Charges of dual loyalty are antisemitic and insult millions of patriotic Americans who stand by Israel. The U.S. is stronger when Israel is secure."

Where, dear reader, did Rep. Massie accuse anyone of "dual loyalty"? A slightly hysterical and oddly unforced response, no?

How any American patriot could have anything but contempt for the despicable and arrogant AIPAC, which goes around smearing congressman because they decline to send money to a foreign country, is beyond me. Setting up a PAC in a foreign country and shaming politicians in that country who won't send your country money is gall on an inconceivable level.

Imagine if I started a pro-Armenian organization that smeared anyone in public life who didn't want to send welfare to Armenia. I personally can't imagine that, actually, because I'm not a narcissist and I have a sense of shame and decorum.

It doesn't even matter what your opinion of the Israel/Palestine issue is: no self-respecting person with a love for his country can approve of this kind of behavior toward the great Congressman Massie, or anyone else. It takes enormous courage to stand up against his entire party, and he should be honored for that, not smeared.

I'll continue this tomorrow, and probably make the other side upset, too.

In the meantime, beginning very soon I'll be sending out a monthly Tom Woods Elite Letter -- yes, a physical newsletter you'll receive in the mail, the way you and I used to in the old days -- in which you'll get the highest-octane Woods.

That'll be yet another benefit of my Supporting Listeners program (everyone Silver and above will receive it).

Woods arriving in the mail, with his sharpest stuff? Oh, you want that:

https://www.SupportingListeners.com

Tom Woods