…sitting in a tree. K I S S I N…Gee, and people wonder why we point out that they are allies? The common bond, of course, is that they both despise classical liberalism (i.e., the core values of the US. And Israel).
14 thoughts on “Leftists And Islamists”
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Hmmm. Rand, where do the kibbutzim fit into your version of Israel’s core values? Read up on who founded Israel.
Moreover: all our allies, including Israel, the UK, and Canada are leftward of the US. Only Hong Kong might be said to be rightward of the US (and nowadays HK is ultimately run by communists!)
Your view of the left is too simplistic and homogenous.
Does Israel conform to classic Liberalism?
A state that is 50% religious in character and applies religious law
for core policy?
I would not say Israel is religious in character, for the most part at least, and that’s due to the left-wing secular freedom-loving influence of its founding fathers! The law has religious-oriented oddities involving marriage and such (not unlike the United States) but it is basically a liberal democracy like the USA’s other left-leaning military allies (Canada, UK, etc).
Bob
Immigrration policy is based upon religion with admissions boards
populated by rabbis?
Border policy set upon the Old Testament.
State Funded Rabbis.
Not being able to get married without approval of the rabbinate?
Same with divorce.
You can’t drive in areas on saturday, or find a bus.
a secular state cannot survive based upon religious law.
A Jewish state was not necessary in Release 1.0 of Zionism, which was based on a Jewish homeland in a small corner of the Ottoman Empire. (Herzl was from Austria–Hungary and might have regarded multinational empires as the natural way of doing things.) That even explains such oddities as the Jewish National Fund or the Histadrut which make sense in a Jewish corner but not in a Jewish state. On the other hand, the Ottoman Empire collapsed and its successor the British Empire proved unreliable.
Maybe the best solution is for Israel to become a U.S. state after the U.S. finishes taking over the world. (The Jewish nature of the area could be guaranteed by the Jewish National Fund.) It will, of course, be necessary to have a religion-friendly Supreme Court.
Another possibility is for Israeli Jews to be reclassified as Native Americans and Israel to be reclassified as a reservation. On the other hand, the advisability of such a tactic requires “enlightened,” i.e., self-congratulatory, opinion among American political elites to lurch in the right direction.
“Israel has maintained a system of socialized health care since its establishment in 1948, although the National Health Insurance law was passed only on January 1, 1995. [3]The state is responsible for providing health services to all residents of the country, who can register with one of the four health service funds. To be eligible, a citizen must pay a health insurance tax. Coverage includes medical diagnosis and treatment, preventive medicine, hospitalization (general, maternity, psychiatric and chronic), surgery and transplants, preventive dental care for children, first aid and transportation to a hospital or clinic, medical services at the workplace, treatment for drug abuse and alcoholism, medical equipment and appliances, obstetrics and fertility treatment, medication, treatment of chronic diseases and paramedical services such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy.”
Is this thedefinition of Classical Liberalism?
So, Jack and Bob, getting back to the linked article, what do you think about the Qatari royal family funding an ad campaign, coordinated with the “peace activists” of the Gaza flotilla, to delegitimize Israel?
Are you okay with delegitimizing Israel? With denying it the right to exist? And if so, what other countries do you believe should receive this same treatment?
Qatar is our ally in the war on Terror. It’s where we host Central Command ops, it’s where most of our ships go. It’s where we buy oil to fuel SUV’s.
Are you questioning Bush Administration policy in funneling money to Qatar?
Are you questioning Halliburton’s decision to relocate to the UAE?
Are you questioning the Army’s decision to base in Qatar?
Are you questioning the Bush Policy of supporting Palestinian elections?
Are you in support of Gaza’s right to exist?
Jack, about Israel’s legal system: I reject a few of your examples, but it is true that there is sometimes a religious basis to some of Israel’s laws (and there are other problems as well). But Israel’s laws are fundamentally fair, free, and secular, even if you can cherry-pick a few exceptions. The United States is the same way: I live in Illinois, a large state without any particular religious aspect to its founding (unlike some of the original 13 colonies), and yet it is illegal to operate a car dealership on a Sunday. The law forbidding this sin-laden activity was updated (if I’m reading the Illinois code correctly) in 2009, so this is not merely a relic of a bygone age. Nevertheless, Illinois is not a bastion of Christianity (and that sure is a set-up for a joke!)
The more important issue: Rand talks about “leftists” but it is never clear whether he is talking about hard-core communists or British conservatives who would never dream of dismantling the network of social services their government provides.
Sorry to my fellow Illinois residents: I meant to say Illinois government isn’t a bastion of Christianity!
I am talking about western non-Muslims who align themselves with Islamic terrorists against the US and Israel. I would have thought it obvious.
But you wanted to make a point about “the Left”, which is composed of lots of different sorts of people, including Barak Obama (who in his role as commander-in-chief authorizes the killing of Islamic terrorists every day), and including conservative party members in Canada and the UK, and including the majority of Israelis. When you refer to “the Left”, I think you’re talking about me, and I know I’m a very big supporter of the US (and of Israel, whenever it doesn’t conflict with my loyalty to the USA.)
But you wanted to make a point about “the Left”, which is composed of lots of different sorts of people, including Barak Obama
What?!
But…but…I thought you folks kept telling me he was a centrist?
I am so confused.
When you refer to “the Left”, I think you’re talking about me
That’s your problem, not mine. If the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t wear it. I didn’t say all on the left have aligned with Islamists. But most non-Muslims who have done so are on the left (just as while not all Muslims are terrorists, most terrorists are Muslim).
“Israel has maintained a system of socialized health care since its establishment in 1948,”
Is this the Definition of Classical Liberalism?
Rand complains that Obama is trying to install fascist socialism
with Obamacare, and yet the state he holds up as the icon of
Classical Liberalism does just this.
Israel limits immigration based upon national origin, An Israeli citizen marries someone from Africa, they get immediate landing rights, An Israeli citizen marries someone from the Palestinian territories, they are deprived of landing rights.
Haaretz called that “Apartheid”. Is this part of a Classically Liberal state?