The White House sent out a message to "Jewish Leaders" last Wednesday.
For some reason, I, an Arab-American Christian journalist, received a copy. (This won't surprise those who deride me as a "neocon," which has become a euphemism for Jew.)
The message came from Jeremy Katz of the Office of Public Liaison, who identifies himself as the White House liaison to the Jewish community. (I couldn't help but wonder how many other taxpayer-supported liaisons there might be.)
Katz offered that he wanted to ensure that recipients "didn't miss this important statement from the president."
Here's what it said: "I am strongly committed to Israel's security and viability as a Jewish state, and to the maintenance of its qualitative military edge. During our meeting today, I told Prime Minister [Ehud] Olmert that I am committed to reaching a new 10-year agreement that will give Israel the increased assistance it requires to meet the new threats and challenges it faces. The work on this new agreement was launched during the prime minister's previous visit. I will send Under Secretary of State Nick Burns and an interagency team to Israel in July to lead discussions aimed at concluding an agreement soon."
Translation?
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This president, who seems hopelessly confused or inept when it comes to protecting his own country's security and viability is going to send more of my hard-earned money and your hard-earned money to Israel, a nation that also seems hopelessly confused and inept under its recent political leadership when it comes to protecting its own security and viability.
What's wrong with this picture?
Plenty.
Do you detect the condescension in this message?
Do you hate it as much as I do when politicians give away your money like it's their own, while shamelessly pandering to special interest groups?
Do you know foreign aid not only hurts the country that gives it but the country that receives it as well?
I take a backseat to no one in recognizing the morally qualitative difference between Israel and any other nation in the Middle East. But I don't think America should send a dime of foreign aid to Israel or any other country in the world. It's not only unconstitutional, which should be enough of a reason not to do it; it's also counterproductive.
Think of foreign aid like you think about welfare. Is receiving welfare over a long period of time a good thing for anyone – those whose wealth is confiscated by force and those who are seduced into dependency on government?
I don't think so. Most of us have been able to see the harmful effects of welfare on both the recipient and those of us who are coerced into this supposed act of compassion.
It, too, is wholly unconstitutional and counterproductive. Nowhere in our founding documents will you find any provision for forcible redistribution of wealth – and that's exactly what domestic welfare and international welfare, aka foreign aid, are all about.
Is Israel stronger today because of all the billions of dollars U.S. taxpayers have pumped into the coffers of its misguided politicians? No.
Is Israel better off today because of all the billions of dollars U.S. taxpayers have pumped into the coffers of its enemies? No.
Is America better off because of all the billions of dollars U.S. taxpayers have pumped into the coffers of misguided politicians around the world – including madmen like Kim Jong-il? No.
It's time to end the foreign-aid fiasco.
It's tie to end the charade that suggests we can buy peace and freedom for our allies and from our enemies.
It's time to end the pandering to special interests groups that foreign aid ultimately represents.
It's time to end the restrictions on the defense of freedom foreign aid often represents – because no money is ever given away to anyone with no strings attached
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