Schumer to Bibi: How about that $1,800?
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) just addressed the AIPAC crowd. Schumer's known for his speaking skills, and he did not disappoint, urging backing for legislation that would immediately impose sanctions on Iran.
He noted that his name is a derivative of the Hebrew "shomer," or guardian, and said he was pledged to guarding the security of the Jews and Israel.
He also guards a grudge. He remembered one of his earliest encounters with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when Bibi was a U.N. ambassador in the 1980s, and Schumer was a congressman from New York.
The Schumers invited Bibi over for Shabbat dinner and put on quite a spread. Someone made the mistake of asking Bibi to explain price controls, which then beset Israel's economy.
"Bibi being Bibi," Schumer said, the ambassador took a 2-liter Pepsi bottle, unscrwed the cap, stuck his thumb in it and proceeded to shake.
"This is Israel's economy," Netanyahu said. "It looks stable..." and then he pulled out his thumb.
"It took me $1,800 to clean up the mess," Schumer said -- and he wanted to know if Bibi was ready to pay up.
Hey, at least he wasn't asking interest.
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Liz Berney for Congress
03/23/10 02:58 PM
If Senator Schumer would really like to live up to his pledge to be a “Shomer” (guardian) of the Jewish people, here are a few concrete suggestions for him:
1) Don’t run to Florida and other Jewish areas to tell the Jewish community to vote for Pres. Obama again in 2012. Schumer did this in 2008, despite the clear signs that Obama would be the worst president ever for Israel, including Obama’s anti-Israel advisers and pre-election “cycle of violence” statements (which equate terrorists with IDF defensive actions and flip-flop on Jerusalem. Better still, advise the Jewish community to vote for Obama’s opponent this time.
2) Start speaking up and criticizing Obama, Clinton and others in the Obama administration every time Obama and his administration accuse Israel of the “occupation,” and otherwise attempt to delegitimize and pressure Israel. Oppose the administration’s outrageous demands for settlement freezes, building freezes in Jerusalem, releases of Palestinian terrorists from prison who will go on to murder again, lifting of checkpoints and roadblocks needed to save lives, and funding to the Palestinian Authority and Gaza with our tax dollars.
3) Support strong effective action against the Iranian nuclear threat, including selling Israel bunker busting bombs and refueling planes, providing fly-over access, and an American military strike option. As Ambassador Bolton explains, the sanctions bills (which have not been reconciled or signed by the president) are “too little, too late.” Curiously, at the AIPAC Northeast Regional Dinner, Senator Schumer misleadingly told the crowd of 1500 that the sanctions bill was now “law.” At least now he admits that this is not the case.
4) Insist that the administration must abide by the signed 2004 American commitment (the 2004 letter from Pres. Bush to Prime Minister Sharon plus the Congressional resolution endorsing this commitment) that Israel keeps West Bank Jewish populated settlements. (The administration, including Hillary, Obama and others, and Congressional Democrats such as Congressman Ackerman now claim that this commitment is no longer binding on the U.S., as they keep pressuring Israel.)
5. Insist that the administration should stop pressuring Israel to give up the Golan Heights, which would be suicidal in light of Syria’s current chemical weapons and other weapons capabilities.
6. Investigate and bring civil rights actions to stop the Arab-funded rampant anti-semitism and Israel bashing on U.S. campuses which our college students are subjected to.
P.S. If Senator Schumer does all this, I’d be happy to personally give him the $1800, although next time I hope that he’ll call a cheaper cleaning service.
Liz Berney, Esq.
LizBerneyforCongress.com