One of the most important political arguments Democrats have advanced, since the unequivocal distaster of the Trump Presidency is that the President of the United States does not have unilateral power, or as Trump has fallaciously argued, "blanket immunity" do do as he pleases, including determining American foreign policy, and then acting on that determination without Congress.
Trump was completely ignorant of the Constitution, as were the majority of his followers, and the results were an unmitigated disaster of a Presidency that left the United States with more debt added in four years than all 44 of his predecessors had added in 240 years, more than a million dead Americans because of a pandemic that his bungling incompetence made worse than it needed to be, an economy wrecked because of his ignorance, and our NATO alliance and foreign policy in a shambles. And that's all due to his belief that he had immunity and unilateral authority apart from Congress and from the people.
In spite of all of that evidence of what happens when a President oversteps the boundaries set by the Constitution, there is a small group within the Democratic party who are putting pressure on President Biden to take the same kind of unliateral steps in order to pressure Israel into stopping its attack on Gaza. There have been efforts in primary elections to push people to protest the fact that he hasn't gone as far as they think he needs to go by casting ballots for "uncommitted" delegates rather than electing delegates the President needs to win the party's nomination for President.
Putting The Issue in Perspective
If the intention of those using the primary votes as a means of "getting the President's attention," or protesting his position on the Israeli-Hamas war, that's one thing. But there needs to be a whole lot more clarity from those who are doing this regarding their message, and their intentions. And if the message they are sending is an ultimatum, that if he doesn't do exactly what they think he ought to do, they will not vote for him in November, then they are making a grave mistake that they will come to regret fairly quickly if Trump wins the election in November.
Those who articulating the content of these protests are all over the place in their messaging. What is their ultimate aim? Are they genuinely interested in stopping the bombing and the attacks that are killing civilians, including women and children, in Gaza, or are they more interested in punishing the President because he's not doing what they think he should be doing? Frankly, from much of the rhetoric, including from Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, of Michigan, it sounds more like they're interested in political gain for themselves, and they're using what's happening in Gaza as a means to get it.
If they really are interested in helping the people of Gaza, then they need to communicate that. There needs to be an acknowledgement, first of all, that in order to achieve this end, they absolutely know, beyond the shadow of any doubt, they must turn out, like all other Democratic constituencies must turn out in November, and re-elect President Joe Biden. Because if he is not re-elected, Gaza will become a desolate ruin, its 2 million residents will become refugees scattered all over the world, or shoved out into the Sinai to become some other country's problem, and anyone who stays behind will be bombed into oblivion. That's what Netanyahu and the far right in Israel want, and that aligns perfectly with what Trump wants.
They also need to acknowledge, and understand, that the President cannot unilaterally determine American foreign policy toward Israel. There's a considerable amount of misinformation, much of it deliberately intended to create confusion, about this. Biden cannot cut off an appropriation of either weapons or money to Israel without going through Congress. If he could do that, don't you think he would be funnelling as much money and aid and weapons to Ukraine as he could get on available shipping? Democrats in Congress passed articles of impeachment against Donald Trump, the first time, for his attempt to withhold congressionally-appropriated funds for Ukraine, to use as a bribe.
I think the protesters, to demonstrate some political knowledge and experience, and avoid the appearance of being as ignorant as the MAGA crowd is on just about every political issue, need to acknowledge everything President Biden is doing, along the lines of what they have been asking, and give him credit where credit is due. I realize that it is difficult to dig this stuff out of the news media. But that's what political awareness does. Before opening one's mouth, to insert their own foot, these protesters need to know what they are talking about, and what the President has already done that they are demanding. The pressure from the United States has led to considerable reduction in bombing and destructive attacks, and to Israel's opening of the Erez border crossing for increased volume of humanitarian aid.
The President has put considerable pressure on Netanyahu regarding cease-fire negotiations, and in allowing humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. And by the way, who's providing that humanitarian aid? It's not coming from Antarctica. Protesters seem to have little idea of the fact that the President, on a daily basis, is pressuring Netanyahu and the Israeli government to back off what now appears to be much more than just an operation to root out Hamas and prevent further attacks occurring from inside Gaza such as the one on October 7th. Netanyahu, angered by the American abstention that allowed the UN Security Council resolution on a cease fire to pass unanimously, cancelled his scheduled trip to Washington as a result. Isn't that the kind of pressure these protests are asking for?
Changes do not happen in an instant. In addition to the United States, most of Israel's financial and military support comes from NATO countries. As expected, our President is leading, and NATO countries are following, the pressure on Israel to change its practice because of the civilian casualties, the damage being done, and the looming humanitarian crisis that is developing. Israel cannot afford to lose NATO support, and Biden has been the key in pointing this out, and warning that this is the direction where things are headed. Don't take my word for it. There are media sources, including several MSNBC commentators, who have been providing this information.
Those who are protesting all of this shouldn't show their ignorance through unreasonable demands, pressuring the President to do what he constitutionally cannot do. Something else that they need to consider, and publicly acknowledge, is that Israel has every right to defend itself against Hamas. The October 7th attack was, in every way, as evil and inhumane as Israel's response has been. Yeah, I know, this animosity, fighting and brutality has a much longer history that goes back well before October 7th. But if that attack by Hamas had not occurred, what's happening in Gaza now would also not be occurring. The United States is not the only country in the world that recognizes Israel's right to exist, or Israel's right to defend itself.
Making This a Single Issue in November Would be a Disaster for the People of Gaza
So, if those organizing these protest votes are genuinely interested in relieving the humanitarian crisis, protecting the civilian population of Gaza and working toward a peaceful resolution of the issues that will allow both Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace, staying home in protest because the President isn't doing what they think he needs to be doing won't achieve any of that. It will, in fact, achieve just the opposite.
It appears, again from what can be filtered out of the media's back page reports, that Netanyahu's government is feeling the pressure, and is in danger of facing an early election that, if the more reliable sources are correct, has the potential to topple him. Any America, and more specifically, because of our political position, every Democrat, needs to understand that Israel is a sovereign nation, is diplomatically recognized by the United States, and is a full military ally, something that has been established by the procedures outlined in our Constitution, not by unilateral action by a President immune from congressional action or popular oponion. It's hypocritical to resent, and use legal means to oppose foreign interference in our elections, but advocate for the United States to directly interfere in Israel's sovereign affairs.
On this issue, the differences between the Biden Administration, and a possible, future Trump Administration are as clear as they can be. There is no political option for antisemites who want the destruction of the Israeli state, so that's not even up for discussion. Gaza's future as part of a two-state solution that has been on the table for resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the 1940's, rests with a Biden victory in November. And I believe its hope for the end to this war, and a peace treaty that leads to a more stable government, rebuilding of its infrastructure and economy, and some hope for the future for its young people also depend on Biden remaining in office as President of the United States.
A Trump victory, resulting from protesterrs who support Gaza staying home because of misinformation, or because they don't understand politics doesn't mean their demands are always met, will result in the complete destruction of Gaza. Not only has Netanyahu been very clear about his opposition to the two-state solution, which includes making refugees or prisoners out of Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank, and continued bulldozing of Palestinian property to make room for Israeli settlements, and for Israel's seizure of Gaza's mineral wealth, but Trump has been very clear about his support for Netanyahu's position. Trump also has his Christian nationalist supporters encouraging him to support the destruction of Gaza. Take him seriously when he says he's going to do something.
That's what your "protest" vote, and making this into a single political issue that will keep you home, or lead you to vote third party, or to support Trump in November will accomplish. So I ask you, make it clear. Is this what you want?
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