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Democrats Have A Mounting Jewish Problem, and Florida Lawmakers Are Choosing Sides

February 16, 2019 - 7:00am

In one of the lesser recognized  moves Gov. Ron DeSantis made in an already hectic term was his announcement that the lodging business AirBNB was no longer an approved travel expense for state employees. DeSantis declared that any employees using AirBNB locations on business stays would not be reimbursed.

The reason for the move was that the company made the decision to no longer list properties in Israel’s West Bank. Like a growing list of companies these days, AirBNB has waded into the minefield of social activism -- and like many of those companies, it is receiving pushback on its position. Its stance regarding Israel reflects what is a growing reality in political circles, and the Democratic Party in particular is grappling with the issue.

Since the midterm elections this past November, the issue of anti-semitism has become a metastasizing problem with the Dems. Two freshman congresswoman in particular -- Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Talib -- have become a perpetual source of concern for the party. They have been accused of anti-semitism while regularly becoming outspoken in their opposition of Israel, and forwarding the economic agenda against Israel of Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions (BDS).

This rise of anti-semitism has also affected groups such as The Women’s March, which has become fractured because some of its leadership are avowed anti-Israel activists. Linda Sarsour and Tamika Mallory are outspoken opponents of Israel and ally themselves with Louis Farrakhan. This became such a significant problem that many groups backing the March pulled out of endorsing the event.

When the National Organization for Women, Emily’s List, and the Southern Poverty Law Center sees reason to abandon an outfit for its toxic positions, the problems have reached an apex. The Democrats struggled to choose sides, as they have been regular supporters of the March over the years. Debbie Wasserman Schultz came out with a vocal repudiation of the group herself. As a result of the turmoil, last month's rallies were attended by significantly lower numbers.

The DeSantis/AirBNB issue is only one of the latest political conflicts to well up regarding BDS, a growing effort from the anti-Israel set. As the issue of anti-Israel bias refuses to ebb, Sen. Marco Rubio forwarded a bill last month that would protect states penalizing companies that boycott Israel. 

Rashida Talib sparked a siege on Twitter with Rubio over the matter. Of the sponsors of the bill she said directly, “they forgot what country they represent.” Rubio fired back at Talib with very pointed language: “This “dual loyalty” canard is a typical anti-semitic line #BDS isn’t about freedom & equality, it’s about destroying #Israel.” 

Rubio’s bill may have exposed some of the challenges being faced by the Democrats on the BDS issue. As the bill passed in the Senate by a margin of 77-23, only one of the opposition votes was a Republican. Of the 22 dissenters six of them in particular are notable for being on the long list of Democratic candidates for the presidential election -- Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Bernie Sanders, and Sherrod Brown.

The DeSantis stance was also a callback to the campaign for governor last fall. While running against Andrew Gillum the issue of the Tallahassee mayor having a deep alliance with a Florida activist group was brought to light. The Dream Defenders are a left-wing organization that has a socialist agenda and is an avowed anti-Israel voice of activism. They are decidedly pro-Palestine in their positioning and promote BDS activities. The group could become a thorn in the makeup of the 2020 election.

Gillum had been more than a supporter of the Dream Defenders. Its founder was an ally of Gillum’s from their college activism days, and for years Gillum was an enthusiastic backer of the group, all the way up to his winning the Democratic nomination for governor. It was only during that campaign that  he made the effort to distance himself from some of the policies of the group, including giving a voice of opposition to BDS efforts.

Gillum’s name has frequently been mentioned as a potential running mate for one of the Democratic candidates. His recent job at CNN seems made to give him the needed exposure as a possible selection. It shows the sticky web within which the Democrats are currently entangled regarding anti-semitism.

Brad Slager, a Fort Lauderdale freelance writer, wrote this story exclusively for Sunshine State News. He writes on politics and the entertainment industry and his stories appear in such publications as RedState and The Federalist. 

Comments

It's time for Jews & blacks to walkaway from the Democrat party as so many others have.

Israel hasn't been able to reconcile its problem with Palestine for over the past 70 years ... and the zealots and rightwingnuts currently governing israel certainly aren't about to do it. In the process, observers are free to express their sympathy for and make a case for either side as they see fit ... Palestine or Israel ... WITHOUT being automatically charged with racism or being anti-Muslim or being anti-semitic or being anti-Palestinian or being anti-Israeli. And, the headline "Democrats have a mounting Jewish problem" is absurd. "The problem" is an Israeli and Palestinian problem and is to be resolved between them. "Democrats" and "Florida lawmakers" (and Republicans and businesses) are free to have whatever opinion they choose on the matter.

Anyone is entitled to their own opinions. The obvious fact of the matter is the Democrat Party has come out as the official party of BDS and seeks to punish Israel for it's existence. Democrats do have a mounting Jewish problem as Jewish American people have come to the realization that the Democrat Party in the past decade or more has become extremely anti-semitic and has sought to endanger or destroy Israel (see the Iran deal). Currently with the new crop of Democratic congresswomen taking front stage and being rewarded with plum positions in the new congress, this issue will escalate. No putting the genie back in the bottle.

Israel and the deep pocket Jews are running this country from behind the scenes. Practically every member of the Rothschild family is very rich and occupies a position of immense power.

How interesting that you only have the courage to vilify an entire group of people while hiding your name! Do you honestly believe that there are no poor Jews? They are also not like CAIR who sues people for telling the ugly truths about Islam. Muslims have bought up textbook companies and the invasion/occupation of Spain is listed as a benign act. They say that how could King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella have driven Muslims out of the the “home” they had for 400 years. What they don’t tell you is that Christians has to pay a fine to practice thei faith. They also don’t describe it as conversion of the sword, but rather say that people were attracted to Islam and ASKED them to come. They ignore the invasion and destruction of the Byzantine Empire and the transformation of the Cathedrals to mosques. This is what these books are teaching our high school students and you say JEWS are in control ? You really need to read and get out more!

I think you have it a wrong Crystal, it was the Jews who were driven out of Spain and a lot of other countries, take a look at this historical timeline...https://www.biblebelievers.org.au/expelled.htm

Schmuck! Jews were NEVER driven out of Muslim Countries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are the US and Other Democracies in Trouble? by Judith Bergman February 7, 2019 at 5:00 am https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/13680/democracies-trouble

I have never been to Sweden but i like the music, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN-n-UzG_dg......Hugo Alfvén - Swedish Rhapsody No. 1: "Midsommarvaka",...in every democracy it is based on an educated population and accurate elections, here in Florida I wonder

Actually it is a Jewish, repub problem as a lot of Jews are not happy with Israel having been taken over by the far right and doing to Palestinians what the Nazi's, Fascist did to them should bother everyone. Th West bank was calm and peaceful for yrs and what did they get? They got more land taken away and locked in their Ghetto...…………….But Fascist like Trump, Bibi are not loved by likely 50+% of US Jews whom are appalled by how far from their great religion is being used like this...………...They keep it up so always have an enemy to rail against as they have nothing else to keep them in power, it's how Fascist, dictators work. ……………...As you found out in the last election and about to find out again in 2020...…………….Especially as Christians how have you allowed this fiasco to go on?...…And let's note how much the repub party has shrunk and will continue until they become a decent party with actual morals again...………..Though on most things with DeSantis, an actual conservative it seems unlike most repubs, I agree on. ………...In fact Dems have a lot in common with real conservatives...….It's repub leaders that have stopped things from getting a vote that screws everything up.

Your post is disgraceful. As corrupt and awful as the current Israeli regime is, to compare it to the Nazis is the height of anti-Semitism. You, like all gutless bigots, use Israel as a fig leaf for your hatred of Jews. Incidentally, you don’t get to label yourself as not anti-Semitic, weasel that you are. Only (non-self hating) Jews get to make that call.

As a recovering Christian, I wonder in this digital age, in this broken world of flesh peddlers, even your dried bones have value,

You are a "sick puppy", there is no hope (nor help) for your ignorance "jerry";... Furthermore, "real" conservatives abhor left-leaning Democrats.

How can you defend the people who attacked us in 911 and then danced in the streets ululating in joy over the deaths of 4,000 Americans? Dems have lost their minds? Kamela Side Piece Harris for President? Seriously?

I AGREE,... Muslims mistakenly believe they can subtlety occupy America and 'take over' with no American CITIZEN resistance... HOWEVER, whatever necessary resistance required will be DEADLY (and Democrats can "have a piece of that", if they so desire !). ((To quote Japanese Admiral Yamamoto, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve".)) So "Bring it" Democrats & Muslims: to YOUR utter dismay !

The Palestinians would be in much better shape if they used the billions they receive to build their infrastructure and businesses to support their people instead of buying rockets, building tunnels and paying “martyr money” to the families of terrorists.

Israel will never allow the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza to develop their economy. Gaza is an open air prison. I have been their and seen it. Have You? The Palestinian in Israel are second class citizens and merely tolerated in the JEWISH State. Remember, Palestine was populated by Muslim and Christian Arabs when Zionists fromPoland started arriving with the intent of subjugating and/or expelling the majority Palestinian population. How else can you create a "Jewish State" in an Arab country. Give a focused response to that question. The creation of Israel was the greatest armed robbery in the history of the world. The Zionist stole a country!!!

("Gaza is an open air prison"); I LIKE THAT ! PRIOR to Israel, that ENTIRE area was a desert wasteland that no self-respecting Arab was interested in (other than for an "overnight camp-out in his tent after parking his camels"). After the "Balfour Agreement" (c1947) that created Israel and Jordan, every Arab gypsy "wanted some"...or they would "camp outside the boundaries" becoming "beggers & troublemakers", and eating their camels... ( In essence, they evolved into "born Liberal Democrats": and ABRACADABRA !!!!...Gaza was "populated"! )

The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during World War I announcing support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, then an Ottoman region with a small minority Jewish population. It read: His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly "understood" that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country. """""it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine"""""""!!!!!!!!!- That means don't piss off the folks that already live there, don't cut down their very old olive trees, and don't poison their wells!

You are entitled to your opinion. I humbly disagree with all of your analysis.as well as your lack of history. The holocaust saw the murder of six million Jewish people in gas chambers. The Palestinians who live in Israel serve in government, The Knesset, vote in elections, work and are free to go about their lives as they see fit. To compare what happened to Jewish people from 1939-1945 to the lives of people in modern day Israel makes no sense.

If you have the time Marilyn watch this video, the actual figure was not six million , it was more like 300,000 a collection of Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, and I would imagine pedophiles...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrYoIu9x0k0&bpctr=1550344645, it seems that the #hash tag six million is propaganda.

No amount of facts can convince some of the Holocaust deniers and nazi sympathizers of the truth. Don't even respond to these psychopathic liars.

So sayeth mal-educated morons !

Being able to spell the word moron does not qualify you CB as educated.

Elections have consequences. I am delighted that Gov DeSantis stood up against the BDS movement that Andrew Gillum holds so dear. While it is anyone's right to want to boycott, divest and sanction Israel, it is also US citizens' right to thoroughly reject politicians who want to punish Israel in this manner. So grateful for Governor DeSantis for giving Floridians a clear choice to lead Florida.

The governor is a racist

"Rashida Talib sparked a siege on Twitter with Rubio over the matter. Of the sponsors of the bill she said directly, “they forgot what country they represent.” Rubio fired back at Talib with very pointed language: “This “dual loyalty” canard is a typical anti-semitic line #BDS isn’t about freedom & equality, it’s about destroying #Israel.” The Oat of Office is- 5 U.S. Code § 3331. Oath of office An individual, except the President, elected or appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed services, shall take the following oath: “I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.” This Oath is for Americans Only, not Israeli's.

This means that you have a Constitutional right to boycott a nation, but NOT to boycott a particular company??? Please, unravel that one.

I was referring to to the dual loyalty problem, if an American swears loyalty to the US Constitution, he/she should not affirm loyalty to another country, I am sure the Israeli's have their own oath to their country. As for boycotting, this is a proven non violent form of protest and is protected by the laws of free speech.

Your aggressive "free speech" ENDS at the tip of MY nose,...NEVER make the mistake of confronting ME with your absurd belief regarding free speech ! You can vociferously "voice your grievances" to your government representatives, peaceably... (But, stay out of MY face) !

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