Thank you so much for this fair and well-researched piece!
Track AIPAC is engaging in dangerous disinformation & is a threat to our democracy.
Personally, I feel that the extreme hatred for AIPAC & Israel is tied up with both overt & seep-seeded or unacknowledged antisemitism & bias.
Obviously, the government of Israel has been a bad actor recently, but there are many, many governments that are bad actors out there, like Russia, Iran, Yemen, China and Saudi Arabia...even the US, unfortunately & you don't see people rapidly going after lobby groups that support these countries or demonizing every citizen of those countries...the countries as a whole.
That hate & vitriol is reserved for the one & only Jewish country in the world.
There are millions of Israelis who oppose Netanyahu, just like there are millions of Americans who oppose Trump.
Many people are misinformed about Israeli culture and Israeli democracy...the only democracy in the Middle East.
They would like to see Israel wiped off the face of the earth even though they know very little about Israel.
Think about that. Be introspective & a disame and your feelings. Remember that there are corrupt leaders around the world who do bad things, but that does not reflect on every citizen they lead.
People talk about not supporting collective punishment...so I ask:
Should every Israeli be punished because Netanyahu is their leader? Should every American be punished because Trump is our leader?
Obviously not.
That notion is absurd. I hope people will consider a more balanced thought process when it comes to thinking about AIPAC or support for Israel.
AIPAC IS FUNDED BY AMERICAN DONORS.
Many of these donors are people who perhaps have family members in Israel, like I do, and don't want to see Israel disappear off the face of the earth. These donors include many many many Democrats because roughly 80% of American Jewish people vote democratic.
So I want to thank you very much for writing this article.
It is a litmus test. Candidates are well aware of this now. If figures are not accurate they can surely get out in front of that. J street had its time, we are now two decades in and the situation got far worse in that time. Jeffries certainly did not help by bundling to get around the issue. It is a new day. The democratic party failed to see the obvious coming, but we are not going backwards. This current situation with Iran, and soon Lebanon, will hardly make aipac or any similar pacs any more palatable.
The litmus test should be for specific organizations or legislative standpoints, though. Mixing together individual people’s donations like seems to be done in the “Israel Lobby” section muddies the waters.
That would be great if we could figure out how, but if aipac routinely takes money up to 7k without their name on it, and jeffries et al rebundle it, it becomes too complex to track in the manner that would be ideal. Some solution is better than no solution.
(Replying to the proper comment since I accidentally replied to the deleted one previously)
That method of funneling money (AIPAC for example funding a separate ad for/against a candidate) is considered “independent expenditures” by Track AIPAC, and would be included in the “Israel lobby” section.
Other than J Street, the PAC and independent expenditure sections are genuinely useful. But, when the “Israel lobby” section is added, it instead correlates to things like “small dollar donor” support of a candidate than the monetary influence of AIPAC and similar groups in that election.
Jamie Raskin is a useful example of this. He voted against aid to Israel, but has a rather high amount per Track AIPAC, primarily in “Israel lobby” donations likely because he has a larger national profile than most other congresspeople and thus has a larger individual person donation pool.
There are other, better, solutions like just tracking AIPAC and closely associated organizational money or, tbh preferably, tracking politician’s positions. There is no need to use less precise information and utility in not doing so (clearer demands are easier to accomplish and give more information/context to the public)
You do you. Most of us don't want to fund any Genocide or any “Israeli”. If you want to put Jewish invaders before Americans that is your choice. Most of us want the Jewish State out of our lives and pockets forever.
Track AIPAC’s information is not particularly helpful for differentiating candidate’s policy positions since they don’t mainly track that. Their high level numbers also are often more indicative of small dollar donors amount rather than money from AIPAC and similar aligned organizations, so if you want to know about PAC donations, I’d recommend only looking at their PAC, bundled, and independent expenditure numbers as well as looking into the more detailed portion that actually lists PACs since J Street is included in their PAC spending and has come out against military aid to Israel.
I dont give a fuck about J street or anyone they fund or anything to do with Israel I want them out of my pocket and life. Any candidate that supports Israel will go. As I said, you do you. We will get Israel out of government.
Everything to you is antimsemitism. Non Jews breathing to you is antisemitm. Water is Antisemite you you psychopaths. You are not a semite, neitherare the White Jewish invaders dmrim Europe and the US, in Palestine. Are you now denying your Religion, or is it your ethnicity, white person? Imagine denying your own exist.
That would be great if we could figure out how, but if aipac routinely takes money up to 7k without their name on it, and jeffries et al rebundle it, it becomes too complex to track in the manner that would be ideal. Some solution is better than no solution.
Daggum Christopher. This is a great piece of work breaking down the facts about AIPAC & Donors. I'll have to read it over to get a clearer understanding standing but it left me spellbound. Thank u so much for clearing up a lot of questions and confusion I had regarding subject matter.
I went down a rabbit hole trying to figure out how Track AIPAC got their “Israel lobby” numbers and my best guess is that it includes everyone who gave to both AIPAC/closely aligned organizations and at least $200 to the relevant candidate.
The Track AIPAC website has a list of all AIPAC donors and a specific section for major donors, but there are so few major donors that even presuming they are giving to both PACs and directly to the campaign (which has a ~3k limit), some numbers like Ted Lieu’s would be impossible.
So, instead of being indicative of actual pressure by AIPAC, the “Israel lobby” portion is much more indicative of the extent to which a campaign is funded by random upper middle class/non-uber wealthy people interested in politics
This is a despate attempt by AIPAC backed Dems to get past their support for Isreali Genocide and the Jewish State. What do they do? Attack the truth tellers. We’d all be able to better afford to live in the USA if we kept our own money rather than giving it to violent Jewish invaders in Palestine who use the money to kill people just trying to live, and for their own free healthcare while they refuse to work. Israel is a Welfare Garrison State that needs to be cut off. Do not vote for anyone who supports it.
Thank you so much for this fair and well-researched piece!
Track AIPAC is engaging in dangerous disinformation & is a threat to our democracy.
Personally, I feel that the extreme hatred for AIPAC & Israel is tied up with both overt & seep-seeded or unacknowledged antisemitism & bias.
Obviously, the government of Israel has been a bad actor recently, but there are many, many governments that are bad actors out there, like Russia, Iran, Yemen, China and Saudi Arabia...even the US, unfortunately & you don't see people rapidly going after lobby groups that support these countries or demonizing every citizen of those countries...the countries as a whole.
That hate & vitriol is reserved for the one & only Jewish country in the world.
There are millions of Israelis who oppose Netanyahu, just like there are millions of Americans who oppose Trump.
Many people are misinformed about Israeli culture and Israeli democracy...the only democracy in the Middle East.
They would like to see Israel wiped off the face of the earth even though they know very little about Israel.
Think about that. Be introspective & a disame and your feelings. Remember that there are corrupt leaders around the world who do bad things, but that does not reflect on every citizen they lead.
People talk about not supporting collective punishment...so I ask:
Should every Israeli be punished because Netanyahu is their leader? Should every American be punished because Trump is our leader?
Obviously not.
That notion is absurd. I hope people will consider a more balanced thought process when it comes to thinking about AIPAC or support for Israel.
AIPAC IS FUNDED BY AMERICAN DONORS.
Many of these donors are people who perhaps have family members in Israel, like I do, and don't want to see Israel disappear off the face of the earth. These donors include many many many Democrats because roughly 80% of American Jewish people vote democratic.
So I want to thank you very much for writing this article.
Deep-seated
Rabidly
Introspective & examine
It is a litmus test. Candidates are well aware of this now. If figures are not accurate they can surely get out in front of that. J street had its time, we are now two decades in and the situation got far worse in that time. Jeffries certainly did not help by bundling to get around the issue. It is a new day. The democratic party failed to see the obvious coming, but we are not going backwards. This current situation with Iran, and soon Lebanon, will hardly make aipac or any similar pacs any more palatable.
The litmus test should be for specific organizations or legislative standpoints, though. Mixing together individual people’s donations like seems to be done in the “Israel Lobby” section muddies the waters.
That would be great if we could figure out how, but if aipac routinely takes money up to 7k without their name on it, and jeffries et al rebundle it, it becomes too complex to track in the manner that would be ideal. Some solution is better than no solution.
(Replying to the proper comment since I accidentally replied to the deleted one previously)
That method of funneling money (AIPAC for example funding a separate ad for/against a candidate) is considered “independent expenditures” by Track AIPAC, and would be included in the “Israel lobby” section.
Other than J Street, the PAC and independent expenditure sections are genuinely useful. But, when the “Israel lobby” section is added, it instead correlates to things like “small dollar donor” support of a candidate than the monetary influence of AIPAC and similar groups in that election.
Jamie Raskin is a useful example of this. He voted against aid to Israel, but has a rather high amount per Track AIPAC, primarily in “Israel lobby” donations likely because he has a larger national profile than most other congresspeople and thus has a larger individual person donation pool.
There are other, better, solutions like just tracking AIPAC and closely associated organizational money or, tbh preferably, tracking politician’s positions. There is no need to use less precise information and utility in not doing so (clearer demands are easier to accomplish and give more information/context to the public)
Agree. I personally track everyone's voting records, but I know others do not as it is tedious at best.
You do you. Most of us don't want to fund any Genocide or any “Israeli”. If you want to put Jewish invaders before Americans that is your choice. Most of us want the Jewish State out of our lives and pockets forever.
Track AIPAC’s information is not particularly helpful for differentiating candidate’s policy positions since they don’t mainly track that. Their high level numbers also are often more indicative of small dollar donors amount rather than money from AIPAC and similar aligned organizations, so if you want to know about PAC donations, I’d recommend only looking at their PAC, bundled, and independent expenditure numbers as well as looking into the more detailed portion that actually lists PACs since J Street is included in their PAC spending and has come out against military aid to Israel.
I dont give a fuck about J street or anyone they fund or anything to do with Israel I want them out of my pocket and life. Any candidate that supports Israel will go. As I said, you do you. We will get Israel out of government.
“Jewish invaders”? Oof, that is serious antisemitism
Everything to you is antimsemitism. Non Jews breathing to you is antisemitm. Water is Antisemite you you psychopaths. You are not a semite, neitherare the White Jewish invaders dmrim Europe and the US, in Palestine. Are you now denying your Religion, or is it your ethnicity, white person? Imagine denying your own exist.
That would be great if we could figure out how, but if aipac routinely takes money up to 7k without their name on it, and jeffries et al rebundle it, it becomes too complex to track in the manner that would be ideal. Some solution is better than no solution.
Excellent and instructive Read, Chris !
Lesson : do research on PACs before considering donating.
#AIPACIsAProIsraelSCAM
Daggum Christopher. This is a great piece of work breaking down the facts about AIPAC & Donors. I'll have to read it over to get a clearer understanding standing but it left me spellbound. Thank u so much for clearing up a lot of questions and confusion I had regarding subject matter.
I ain’t reading all that. Not another dollar.
🇵🇸Free Palestine.
Then you’re extremely lazy and superficial
I went down a rabbit hole trying to figure out how Track AIPAC got their “Israel lobby” numbers and my best guess is that it includes everyone who gave to both AIPAC/closely aligned organizations and at least $200 to the relevant candidate.
The Track AIPAC website has a list of all AIPAC donors and a specific section for major donors, but there are so few major donors that even presuming they are giving to both PACs and directly to the campaign (which has a ~3k limit), some numbers like Ted Lieu’s would be impossible.
So, instead of being indicative of actual pressure by AIPAC, the “Israel lobby” portion is much more indicative of the extent to which a campaign is funded by random upper middle class/non-uber wealthy people interested in politics
https://lcsilenceiscomplicity1.substack.com/p/urgent-democracy-under-threat?r=5ltu98&utm_medium=ios
I saw a documentary maybe a decade ago on dark money, I want to go rewatch it. I remember finding colorado's take interesting.
This is a despate attempt by AIPAC backed Dems to get past their support for Isreali Genocide and the Jewish State. What do they do? Attack the truth tellers. We’d all be able to better afford to live in the USA if we kept our own money rather than giving it to violent Jewish invaders in Palestine who use the money to kill people just trying to live, and for their own free healthcare while they refuse to work. Israel is a Welfare Garrison State that needs to be cut off. Do not vote for anyone who supports it.