No not the upcoming vote creating another Arab charity state. But the September 13th elections for the seat vacated by Anthony D. Weiner of New York's 9th Congressional District.
When an Orthodox Jewish, kippa-wearing Democratic candidate might lose a congressional election in the most Jewish (and 75% Democratic) congressional district in America – a seat occupied by Democrats for nearly a century – to a non-Jewish Republican, something significant is going on. And Golda Koppelman knows what that something is.
New York’s 9th Congressional District (Brooklyn and Queens) is gearing up for the September 13, 2011 special election to fill the seat vacated by disgraced Democrat Anthony Weiner. Koppelman, a Holocaust survivor who has lived her American life in the district, is a devout Jewish mother and grandmother, with family in both Israel and America. Like many of her generation, she’s also a devout Democrat. Until now.
“I have never voted for a Republican in my life” she says. But in this election, “I don’t even care who the Democrat is; I am voting Republican to show Obama I am upset with his policy on Israel.”
Koppelman is not alone. That attitude toward President Obama accounts in large part for the surprising emergence of Israel policy as a key issue between two pro-Israel candidates, Democrat David Weprin and Republican Bob Turner. They’re statistically tied in recent polls.
Turner, a no-nonsense businessman, Zionist and deficit hawk, is not only endorsed by pro-Israel stalwarts Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Peter King; he recently received a major endorsement from Democratic former mayor and outspoken Zionist Ed Koch.
Koch recently blasted Obama for “tying Israel’s hands by demanding that negotiations on borders begin with the 1967 armistice lines…. The President made no demands upon the Palestinian Authority. He did not demand that they recognize Israel as a Jewish state, if negotiations end successfully. Nor did he demand that Hamas, now part of the Palestinian Authority, forswear violence and agree to accept the Jewish state of Israel if negotiations conclude successfully. Nor did he demand that the PA state it will engage in land swaps. The President… has ended, in effect, the special relationship which began with president Harry S Truman.”
Koch argues that if the staunchly pro- Israel, heavily Jewish and reliably Democratic NY-9th elects a Republican, it will be a “political shot heard around the nation.” With Obama’s 2012 reelection at stake, a Republican win “will certainly get [Obama’s] attention” and possibly prompt a reassessment of his disturbingly harsh treatment of Israel.
Obama's supporters point to the fact that some Jews are supporting him, are donating to him. But this race is telling more than the Obama donors. If this feeling continues Obama and the Democrats will no longer be able to count on the Jewish vote or the Jewish money.
Was a recent comment that Joel Pollak gave to INN.
Joel Barry Pollak was born on April 25, 1977 in Johannesburg, South Africa, his parents emigrated to the United States shortly after his birth. He became a U.S. Citizen in 1987. He grew up in the Chicago suburbs, principally in Skokie. He attended Solomon Schechter Day School and Niles North High School, where he was the class valedictorian in 1995.
Joel graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a joint degree in Social Studies and Environmental Science & Public Policy. His master's degree is in Jewish Studies from the University of Cape Town in 2006. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 2009. In December 2009 he wed Julia Inge Bertelsmann.
He is the Republican candidate for the 9th Congressional District trying to defeat 6 term incumbent Jan Schakowsky.
Here are some excerpts from the INN article:
A Conversation with Joel Pollak - Candidate for Chicago's 9th congressional district
As candidates from both sides of the aisle feverishly stump to achieve a victory in the upcoming November mid-term elections, pundits and opinion makers have been focusing on a small but highly significant race for Chicago's 9th congressional district. It is in this suburban Chicago setting where political neophyte Joel B. Pollak (R) is seeking to unseat the incumbent, Rep.Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) who is running for her seventh term in congress.
Israel National News spoke with Mr. Pollak, a soft spoken 33 year-old Orthodox Jew and Harvard trained lawyer who decided to throw his hat in the political ring for the very first time. "I grew up in a secular home but my parents and I became observant Jews and I learned first hand of the special significance that Israel holds for the Jewish people" says Pollak. "I love Israel – not just because it is my religious homeland, and not just because of my family roots there, but also because of the principle that it represents. The State of Israel stands for the idea that an oppressed people can take control of its own destiny, and build freedom and prosperity with nothing more than faith and hard work. It is the same idea that built America. That is why our two countries are so close, and will remain so," he declares.
Pollak, a resident of Skokie, a predominantly Jewish Chicago suburb, says that he is running for Congress because there is a failure of leadership in Washington and that the concerns of his constituents are not being addressed by their current representative. "I'm outraged that Congress did not raise their voices in indignation over the fact that "war crimes" were committed against Israel during the Gaza flotilla debacle. Our government should demand accountability from those responsible for this attempted act of murder against Israeli soldiers and that includes Turkey and Iran. We must immediately reassess our relationship with Turkey and those countries who foster terrorism. Israel is facing existential perils that are graver than they ever were before and my opponent just does not understand that. President Obama has made it okay to hate Israel," he intoned.
The Weekly Standard has reported that "Rep.Jan Schakowsky is one of the top recipients of campaign cash from J Street, the far-left organization that opposes Israel at every opportunity. It turns out that J Street has taken $750,000 from George Soros, despite the earlier denials of J Street executive director Jeremy Ben-Ami."
Moreover, at a recent Schakowsky fundraiser in Chicago, Helen Thomas, the former doyenne of the White House press corps appeared as the featured speaker and guest. Thomas, a long time pro-Palestinian apologist, achieved notoriety this past May 27th when she told Rabbi David Nesenoff after a White House Jewish Heritage event that the Jews should "get the hell out of Palestine" and went on to say that the Palestinian people “are occupied and it’s their land” and that Israelis should “go home” -- to Poland, Germany, America “and everywhere else.” Commenting on this, Mr. Pollak said, "Rep. Schakowsky and her guests were well aware of Thomas’s record of anti-Israel rhetoric, and were invited to distance themselves from her views. None did. Instead, Rep. Schakowsky declared proudly of Thomas: “She’s so awesome!”
On domestic issues Mr. Pollak stands in stark contrast to his opponent who has virtually rubber stamped the Obama agenda of redistribution of wealth, entitlements, government bailouts and health care reform. "I will introduce laws to roll back government interference in the economy. With appropriate regulations in place, the government should divest itself of the large chunks of the banking, insurance and automotive sectors it recently took over. We need to send the right signals to workers and entrepreneurs that the U.S. is once again a nation committed to free enterprise, job creation and economic growth", said Pollak.
On October 17th, Mr. Pollak received the endorsement of "To Protect Our Heritage" the Midwest's oldest and largest bi-partisan, pro-Israel PAC. Their endorsement statement said of Pollak: "We are convinced that Joel Pollak will be a stronger advocate for the critical relationship between our country and Israel. In seeking out ways to strengthen the ties and protect Israel, he will be helping both nations."Concerning Pollak's opponent, TPOH expressed their thoughts by saying, "Problematic are Rep. Schakowsky’s strong ties with individuals and groups such as J Street. J Streethas labeled itself as pro-Israel; however, its underlying mission has been revealed to be the weakening of bi-partisan Congressional support for Israel by, among other tactics, drawing away Democratic support for that relationship. Rep. Schakowsky, by her staunch support of J Street since its inception – and she has been a main if not the main beneficiary of J Street fundraising efforts – likely unwittingly threatens to make Israel a partisan issue between the two political parties."
Mr. Pollak has also been endorsed by Harvard law school professor Alan Dershowitz who was a featured speaker at his fundraising event.
For those of you who do not remember this man this might jar your memory:
Harvard student takes on Rep Frank
Pollak's opponent Jan Schakowsky supports J Street, the Obama Agenda and Helen Thomas.
Joel Pollak is showing himself to be a new breed of Chicago Politician. Young, Conservative, and Republican. He supports limited government, lower taxes and is a supporter of Israel.
I wish I lived in the 9th District.
Monkey in the Middle proudly endorses Joel Pollak for Congress.
