As I get back into the swing of things finishing up on the Third Edition of "How Our Government Really Works, Despite What They Say," I wanted to briefly fill you in on a discussion I recently had with some "progressive friends" over the fighting in Israel and Gaza.  I can honestly tell you it was the most disappointing discussion I have had in recent years.  Virtually ALL of the progressives involved in the discussion, directly accused Israel of "Apartheid, Ethnic Cleansing and War Crimes" for their treatment of Palestinian "refugees" and that the body count between the two entities during the recent fighting "proves their point!"  Not all progressives are anti-Israel, but virtually all in this most recent "discussion" were.
        When Rightest claim the Left is out of touch, I usually take it at face value, but when it came to this discussion, I was appalled.  After reading constant diatribes against Israel ranging from being a "blight" on the World to being an "evil empire" I could only ask a simple question - "How many of you have actually been to Israel, Gaza or the West Bank?"  Even though many, many folks raged against Israel using talking points eerily similar to those posted by Hamas, NONE bothered to answer my simple question.  NONE!  I could only assume then that none of them had actually been to Israel, yet they hold strong opinions about the country and her people.  And Progressives accuse Conservatives for being "out of touch!"
       A few years ago while in Israel, an international poll was conducted to see what folks around the World knew about Israel.  Incredibly, an overwhelming majority thought Israel's borders spanned over half the Arab-World.   Many more thought Israel actually "occupied" Arab land (without realizing they were pointing to maps that included the countries of Jordan, Iraq and Iran).  No, Israel is not a huge country.  It is a tiny speck of land, recovered from the desert and marshes, surrounded by hostile nations that have launched multiple wars against her.  And then the best, "Israel is evil.  This is obvious when so many poor Palestinians are killed and only a few Israeli's have been killed.  This is evidence that Israel is strong-arming the poor Arabs into submission, all by design to continue their war crimes and illegal occupation!"  All from allegedly intelligent people!  Trust me when I say this....Israel's casualties have not been low due to Hamas efforts.  If it was up to them, all Jews would be dead.  But again, the Left seems willing to forgive their killers instead of killing them first.  Kumbaya, all the way to the grave!  
       Israel does not "Occupy" Gaza.  Over NINE YEARS ago, Israel exchanged Gaza for peace with the Arabs.  The Arabs then voted to have Hamas lead them and then the hopes for peace ended.   Instead of building an infrastructure that would enhance their citizens' lives, they began spending all of their monies on themselves, weaponry and an extensive network of tunnels.  Initially, Israel did not place a blockade on Gaza.  But Hamas began importing weapons, including sophisticated missiles capable of striking deep into Israel.  So what was Israel to do?  Wait, allow Gaza to become the launching pad for future strikes on Israel?   How many of these "progressives" ever heard about murder squads assembled in Gaza and tunneled into Israel with the sole purpose of murdering entire families in their sleep? How many know of "hit squads" tunneled into Sinai to attack tourists heading to the resort town of Eilat on the Red Sea?   How many are aware that Egypt controls the Southern border of Gaza and they too have closed the border due to threats of terrorism as well?  Just as many that have actually been to Israel - NONE! Do they know how many Hamas missiles have been shot into Israel since 2005 (over 11,000!)?  How many Americans would accept such actions from neighboring countries?  Ah, but some progressives would!  But would they?
      When will many progressives acknowledge that Hamas exists to destroy Israel and kill every last Jew?  Under ANY circumstances, how is this justifiable?  Several progressives stated they support the BDS - divestiture  movement against Israel because of their "Apartheid Practices."  Hmm, with Muslims having voting rights and representation in the Israeli Parliament and representation on the Israeli Supreme Court, sure seems like Israel is a bit different than China, North Korea,  Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Libya, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Sudan...should I go on to list all of the countries that truly deserve scorn from like-minded progressives?   For those that think Israel is evil and no one should patronize anything from there, please stick to your guns.  I mean, if inequities guide your sensibilities, don't wear clothes made in the US Mariana Islands, petroleum products that enrich oligarchs, anything made in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, and on and on.  Selective perception is never a way to go, but the hypocrisy of the Far Left on the issue of Israel is more than disappointing.  It is dangerous to America's long-term interests.  
         I'm not saying Israel does everything right, no nation does.  But in a World filled with death, starvation and human rights violations, singling Israel out for trying to protect itself against enemies sworn to destroy it, is wrong.  As President John F. Kennedy once wrote, "Israel was not created in order to disappear - Israel will endure and flourish.  It is the child of hope and the home of the brave.  It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success.  It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom."   Like anyone else, I wish for peace throughout the World.  But when some dedicate their lives to murder others, there shall be no peace until those with such designs change their ways or are destroyed.   When it comes to Israel,  Jews will fight to protect their country, their values, their religion, their culture and their land.  Kumbaya that!

        Anyone following social media can tell how divided Americans have become when the subject of Obama's "lawlessness" and "tyranny" is raised.  Yet, most folks are unaware of a recent Florida court decision ruling that the Florida GOP engaged in unconstitutional ( lawless and tyrannical) practices while devising gerrymandered legislative districts.  Instead of giving you my commentary, Thomas Tryon does a fine job of pointing out the political hypocrisy that exists in today's society.  To read Tryon's commentary, see http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20140713/COLUMNIST/307139995?Title=Tryon-Florida-s-flawed-redistricting.
        As far as the gist of today's blog, look no further than the action undertaken in the House of Representatives (yes, they are back in Washington).  According to the Associated Press,  the GOP-led House continues to look busy, while in reality, remains dedicated to pass bills having little to no chance of passing in the Senate.  Case in point - the GOP-led House initiated a bill that would make "accelerated depreciation" a permanent tax loophole for businesses. This bill (H.R. 4718) allows businesses to "deduct 50% of the cost of qualified property in any given tax year."  According to the AP, such deductions are typically temporarily granted to boost production spending in a down economy.  To make them permanent would add $287 Million to the federal deficit over the next ten years.  With all the talk about reducing spending and the deficit (at the expense of the poor), why does the GOP initiate and pass (258-160) a bill that increases the deficit?  Because it benefits business, that's why! What makes this so interesting, is that it allows an additional 50% deduction to already existing deductions available to businesses.  I wonder who the House is trying to appease with this partisan legislation?
        Along these lines, the GOP-led house initiated and passed a bill (H.R. 4923) authorizing an increase to subsidies in the amount of "$31 million to $593 million for "fossil-fuel research" while reducing funds for energy efficient and renewable energy research by $112 million."  To add insult to injury, the Bill  "prohibits funding for certain environmental protections under the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts.  Huh?  Plus, the House passed a bill (H.R. 4923, 229 to 188) prohibiting funding to the Army Corp of Engineers for policies that combat "climate change" that may be based upon "biased" science."  Can anyone explain to me where exactly "biased" science has come into play?  More like Ideological opposition to science to me.   Anyway,  is this what the GOP-led House of Representatives believe is important to solve America's problems?  Do they think one of our national priorities is appropriating more money to the oil, coal and gas producers, at the expense of researching clean and efficient renewable sources of energy?  Any guess what entities the House is pandering to with this legislation?  
         As President Theodore Roosevelt once wrote; "Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people." By now we know where our House of Representatives stand on environmental issues.  Isn't it about time the public acknowledge the House has not been responsible to the people but obviously instead to interest groups?  Have a great week.  I will be out of town for the next two Sundays, so see you again in August!

         With the recent Supreme Court decisions ranging from freedom of religion to expression, many pundits seem to have missed or are ignoring the extent of the overreach of the Court.  I mean, we all can agree that the decisions regarding freedom of expression and religion have undertaken ideological bents, but the decisions are clearly within the Court's discretion under Article III of the Constitution and related precedents under Case Law.  But while pundits have been railing against perceived "Presidential Overreach" (see litigation stunt by Speaker John Boehner), no one has bothered to comment on the concurring decision led by s of Justice Scalia, in the case of NLRB v. Noel Canning, et al., 
http://www2.bloomberglaw.com/public/desktop/document/NLRB_v_Noel_Canning_No_121281_US_June_26_2014_Court_Opinion.  You see, the decision to limit the Executive's use of Recess Appointments has been established to a standard that the Framers would hardly recognize, let alone endorse.
        According to the Court's opinion, the President may no longer make Recess Appointments when the Senate is in "Pro Forma" session, even though the Senate, by resolution agreed not to conduct any business other than opening and closing the session with the banging of the gavel.  The Court reasoned that in the event of an appointment being made, the Senate may still be capable of meeting its Constitutional Role of "Advice and Consent" and therefore, cannot be considered by the Executive as "In Recess."  The majority determined, however, that if the Pro Forma session extended ten (10) days or longer, than the Executive may move forward with a Recess Appointment. Okay, we get that. What we don't hear about is the Concurring Opinion wherein four Justices ruled that the President should no longer have the Constitutional authority to make any Recess Appointments if the Senate claims it is in session, even if it is meeting just to collectively eat grilled cheese sandwiches (okay, I added that example).  Nevertheless, these Justices actually proclaimed that the Senate alone should decide forever if the President can or cannot make Recess Appointments, regardless of the Separation of Powers inherent in the Constitution.  More importantly, these Justices would deny the power actually granted the Executive under Article II (as if it never existed in the Constitution at all).  From the decision itself, the majority points out Justice Scalia's own attempts to re-write the Constitution; "JUSTICE SCALIA would render illegitimate thousands of recess appointments reaching all the way back to the founding era. More than that: Calling the Clause an "anachronism," he would basically read it out of the Constitution. Post, at 12. He performs this act of judicial excision in the name of liberty."  
       So when the Media perpetuates the myth that the President is a tyrant because of his Imperial efforts to seize control of the Country by ignoring the Constitution, their mentors on the Court (Scalia, Alito, Thomas and Roberts) have actually begun to write opinions that not only run counter to the actual Constitution, but do so without regard to their role as interpreters and not as Framers.  According to the Constitution, We The People, have the right to amend, not justices who have illusions of knowing better than what the Framers actually intended.  And THIS is what is known as "Over-Reach!" Be careful folks, the Extremists on the Right are well represented on the Supreme Court.  As Framer Alexander Hamilton once wrote; "There are seasons in every country when noise and impudence pass current for worth; and in popular commotions especially, the clamors of interested and factious men are often mistaken for patriotism."  Go no further than the Supreme Court to see Over-Reach (mistaken for patriotism) in play! Try to have a great week!