The Lobby’s Opposition To Chuck Hagel Is Bad For All Jews by: MJ Rosenberg

The Lobby’s Opposition To Chuck Hagel Is Bad For All Jews

by: MJ Rosenberghttp://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2013/01/06/the-lobbys-opposition-to-chuck-hagel-is-bad-for-all-jews/

"To put it mildly, the lobby’s opposition to Hagel is utterly inappropriate. And it endangers the standing of Jews in the best homeland we have ever had: the United States.

It needs to stand down. Yes, it has the “right” to lobby against Hagel. And it has the right to line up GLBT and other groups to oppose Hagel so it does not look like it is just Israel’s cutouts who are trying to block a war hero from leading the Pentagon.

But that “right” should not be exercised unless the lobby and its acolytes and flunkies (particularly in Congress) make clear that they are acting not for the benefit of American Jews or even Israel but to serve a few thousand millionaires and billionaires whose continued campaign contributions they seek.

It  may be the Jewish Lobby, but only in the sense that it is composed of the Jewish organizations (with their tiny memberships) and some Jewish millionaires.  But it does not represent us, the Jews, who are overwhelmingly liberal, dovish on foreign policy issues including Israel, and not particularly Israel-centered."