Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

[lpetrich]

Chapter 6. The Storytellers

Ryan Grim of The Intercept:

In May 2018, he cowrote The Intercept’s first story on the long-shot candidate titled “A Primary Against the Machine: A Bronx Activist Looks to Dethrone Joseph Crowley, the King of Queens.”

... but it was mostly a withering rundown of the ways in which Crowley had grown out of touch with a district and a county he was supposed to rule over like a rajah.

It described Crowley as someone in hock to Wall Street financial interests, more interested in the Dow Jones Industrial Average than in the economic futures of his largely working-class constituents in the outer boroughs. The story painted Crowley as someone whose prolific fundraising for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee meant that he was on the cusp of becoming the next Speaker of the House, and as someone who was consolidating his power in Queens County, which would grant him unprecedented home and away power for a sitting member of Congress.

Subtle, in other words, the piece wasn’t. It talked about Crowley shifting his fundraising from unions to financial services. The article also mentioned that he had been investigated by the House Ethics Committee and that he freely gave out his largesse to “moderate and conservative Democratic candidates around the country”—never mind the money he doled out to progressives. His tenure atop the head of the Queens County Democratic Party—an organization that, as we were all soon to learn, was so hollowed out that it couldn’t protect its leader against a twenty-eight-year-old bartender—gave Crowley “power throughout the borough in a number of overlapping overlapping and interlocking ways,” which he used to handpick judges and candidates and keep disfavored would-be candidates off the ballot.

“Crowley’s power—both locally and nationally—could theoretically be used for the benefit of the people of the district,” the story continued. “In reality, though, Ocasio-Cortez said he’s used it to benefit Wall Street and luxury real-estate developers, who are gentrifying the district and pushing working-class people out.”

The Intercept ran some more stories about AOC's run, and Joe Crowley's campaigners came to believe that The Intercept was campaigning for AOC. JC reportedly grumbled that AOC was running a racially divisive campaign and that "I can't help that I was born white".

 

[lpetrich]

But Joe Crowley got his seat because his predecessor Tom Manton handpicked him at the last minute to avoid primary challenges. AOC herself:

The congressman could have helped that he accepted inheritance of his seat from a multigenerational political dynasty without a true primary—a process by which people of color are historically locked out of representation. The congressman could help that he voted to establish ICE. The congressman can help the fact that he accepts money from developers that are displacing our communities and the folks criminalizing our backyards. Additionally, why is it that the congressman can proudly discuss his Irish heritage on the campaign trail, but I am somehow barred from mentioning my Puerto Rican family?

AOC in another interview:

“My opponent takes an insane amount of money from luxury real-estate developers, from private equity groups, from pharmaceutical corporations, and private insurance corporations,” AOC noted. “And that is tied directly to the legislation that he’s been passing. And you look at, for example, you know, eight or seven of his top ten donors are primarily Republican financers, his number two top donor is [the private equity firm] Blackstone. They primarily financed the Trump presidency.”

Then Emma Vigeland's interview with AOC. "It wasn’t so much an interview as a conversation between two people, interrupting and bouncing ideas off each other."

AOC said that we need to switch to renewable energy to avoid climate disasters, and that many of those who say that it isn't financially viable are people in the pay of fossil-fuel companies. About corruption in a heavily Democratic state, "There is so much corruption that we tolerate it just because a person puts a D in front of their name and it’s my opinion that we need to hold our elected officials more accountable for what’s going on."

EV called AOC a political star.

“She was extremely warm, and, politically, she was just speaking my language,” recalled Vigeland. “It’s the language of grassroots progressive politics that I had been waiting for someone to talk about.”

 

[lpetrich]

Then the book gets into Cenk Uygur, a supporter of AOC who ran some 34 news stories on her on The Young Turks, including clips of her Emma Vigeland interview.

CY started out a Republican, and an incel-ish Republican at that, "The impeachment of Bill Clinton, the soaring deficits of the Bush era, and the Iraq War turned Uygur into a liberal."

Chapter 7. The Green New World

AOC's response to Trump's election was to drive all the way to the Standing Rock reservation in North and South Dakota, to join a protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Along the way, she stopped off at Flint, MI, home of some very contaminated water supplies.

But her first response was to compose this post on Facebook:

Social instability is a direct result of wealth inequality. And bigotry is a [sic] largely a result of poverty and scarcity. I know this may be hard to believe, but take refuge in the fact that sexism, racism, and xenophobia did not win last night. They were attendants to a larger stage. What won was the fight for struggling, working class people to be heard. And although I did not wish (nor vote) for this outcome, I at least seek to understand it.

Like it or not, you will have to listen to the clear message working Americans sent last night. Do your part to fight for higher wages. Question and examine the TPP [Trans-Pacific Partnership] (which, despite enormous public sentiment to the contrary, Obama is still seeking to pass). Care about who is funding your candidates and why. Hold them accountable for their transparency or lack thereof. Take poverty and economic despair seriously. This is an opportunity to dig deeper in your compassion for others—because in truly loving your so-called enemies (and not ignoring them), you can transform them and yourself for the better. By ignoring them, you run the risk of tyranny committed by either them or yourself.

If you truly love others, you will go beyond the fight against racism—for that is an effort to change a man’s attitude. By fighting for economic justice, you seek to change his life. This is the path forward.

A very thoughtful response.

About someone that AOC met in Flint MI,

He told the group that his first love was politics but that politics didn’t love him back, a comment that struck a chord with AOC.

“This is the problem, these really talented and passionate and community-minded people can’t be politicians, and that is something that is really wrong with our system,” said Swisher, an actor and a friend of Ocasio-Cortez from their bartending days. AOC nodded along on their livestream. “It takes so much money, and frankly corruption, to be a politician.”

 

[lpetrich]

AOC on the way to Standing Rock:

“It goes back to this fundamental value. We are one. We are one nation and what happens to some of us happens to all of us,” she said on one livestream. “When children’s water are [sic] being contaminated in Flint, it’s my business. When people’s lives are in danger because their sovereignty is at risk, in my country, it is my business. A threat to you is a threat to me. And to close my eyes in the face of my neighbor’s injustice opens the door to my injustice.”

Then the origin of the Sunrise Movement. About its founders, "They did a study of the last five years of the environmental movement, looking over speeches and fundraising solicitations and op-eds, and realized that the environmental movement needed to be better storytellers."

And like any good storytellers, Sunrise made sure that the story they told had a bad guy. It wasn’t Trump, necessarily, or the Republican Party, but it was fossil fuel executives who had a stranglehold on US politics. It is why the group focused first on getting candidates to pledge not to accept money from oil and gas companies. “Frankly, we needed to create an enemy,” Prakash said. “And so we picked fossil fuel CEOs and the candidates they control.”

Then the Green New Deal. Why that name and not some other? It was more like the WWII mobilization than like the original New Deal, and that New Deal was racially discriminatory. But the name stuck, and AOC ended up using it. In her platform soon after her first primary victory, she used that phrase in her advocating being free of fossil-fuel use by 2035.

After the 2018 general elections, the Sunrise Movement did a sit-in in Nancy Pelosi's office. The night before, the activists were in a DC church, and AOC and Rashida Tlaib addressed them: “This journey began for me at Standing Rock. It started with us bearing witness and standing shoulder to shoulder with people willing to put their bodies and their lives on the line for our future. We are busting down the doors!”

AOC showed up, saying “This is about unity, this is about solidarity, and this is about that we have to make a better future for our kids,” to protesters with signs like “Step Up or Step Aside.”

That put the Green New Deal on the political map.

“Until then the most ambitious climate plans were a carbon tax here or a biodiesel thing there,“ Ocasio-Cortez said. “But the most ambitious plans were in the billions, and this is a one-trillion-dollar scale, massive infrastructure issue. It was the space where we, as an office, could shift public policy the most.”

But it wasn’t just about policy for her. A group of earnest and ambitious young people had come to Washington asking for change. And for once, they had someone willing to listen. “It’s how I try to approach legislating and approach my job, which is in response to movements,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “That movement pressed and called to action. And it was my responsibility to respond.”

Then an epilogue in November 2020, after Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump.

When, a week after the 2020 election, John Thune, the number-two Republican in the Senate, told reporters that the results were “a rejection of the far-left, Schumer, Pelosi, AOC agenda,” Ocasio-Cortez responded, “If I were actually as all-commandingly powerful as Republicans say I am, everybody in this country would have guaranteed healthcare by now,” in a tweet that (as usual) garnered hundreds of thousands of retweets and likes. “Alas, I’m just a first term Congresswoman, standing in front of a government, asking it to love working people.”

 

[Derec]

What's up with this?
AOC ‘cries’ after Democrats thwart Squad attempt to defund Israel’s Iron Dome

 

[lpetrich]

She changed her vote from "No" to "Present" late in the vote, and she was apparently very tearful about that. She didn't explain further, however.

Viral Moment: AOC Appears To Cry After Switching Israel Iron Dome Vote From 'Nay' To 'Present' - YouTube - she removed her glasses and Rep. Barbara Lee hugged her.

AOC ‘cries’ after Democrats thwart Squad attempt to defund Israel’s Iron Dome
House Approves Funding for Israel's Iron Dome - The New York Times

H.R.5323 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Iron Dome Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
"Sec. 101. Each amount appropriated or made available by this Act is in addition to amounts otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year involved."

Roll Call 275 | Bill Number: H. R. 5323 -- Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives - Vote Details

• D: Y 210, N 8, P 2
• R: Y 210, N 1, nv 1
• Total: Y 420, N 9, P 2, nv 1

Voting against it: Cori Bush D-MO-01, Andre Carson D-IN-07, Chuy Garcia, D-IL-04, Raul Grijalva D-NM-03, Thomas Massie R-KY-04, Marie Newman D-IL-03, Ilhan Omar D-MN-05, Ayanna Pressley D-MA-07, Rashida Tlaib D-MI-13

Voting "Present": Hank Johnson D-GA-04, AOC D-NY-14

Not Voting: Debbie Lesko R-AZ-08

AOC earlier stated:
Assal Rad on Twitter: " @AOC: “The US has long supported abusive regimes in South America and the Middle East to serve our own interests, yet we seem somehow shocked & confused when refugees from these places show up at our borders seeking asylum from the inhumane conditions we helped create” (vid link)" / Twitter


Rashida Tlaib calls Israel ‘apartheid regime’ as Congress votes on Iron Dome funding

“The Israeli government is an apartheid regime — not my words: the words of Human Rights Watch and Israel’s own human rights organisation, B’Tselem,” Ms Tlaib said before the 420-9 vote in favour of the funding.

Her comments drew condemnation from Republicans and fellow Democrats alike.

...
“I cannot allow one of my colleagues to stand on the floor of the House of Representatives and label the Jewish democratic state of Israel an apartheid state,” Democrat Ted Deutch, chairman of the Middle East panel, said in response to Ms Tlaib’s remarks. “I reject it.”

...
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and President Joe Biden's administration had asked Congress for the $1bn in additional Iron Dome funding.

...
Ms Tlaib called the $1bn price tag “absurd, an unjustifiable 140 per cent increase for the Iron Dome".

Rashida Tlaib on Twitter: "Israel is an apartheid state. Period." / Twitter

 

[Harry Bosch]

She changed her vote from "No" to "Present" late in the vote, and she was apparently very tearful about that. She didn't explain further, however.

Viral Moment: AOC Appears To Cry After Switching Israel Iron Dome Vote From 'Nay' To 'Present' - YouTube - she removed her glasses and Rep. Barbara Lee hugged her.

AOC ‘cries’ after Democrats thwart Squad attempt to defund Israel’s Iron Dome
House Approves Funding for Israel's Iron Dome - The New York Times

H.R.5323 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Iron Dome Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
"Sec. 101. Each amount appropriated or made available by this Act is in addition to amounts otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year involved."

Roll Call 275 | Bill Number: H. R. 5323 -- Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives - Vote Details

• D: Y 210, N 8, P 2
• R: Y 210, N 1, nv 1
• Total: Y 420, N 9, P 2, nv 1

Voting against it: Cori Bush D-MO-01, Andre Carson D-IN-07, Chuy Garcia, D-IL-04, Raul Grijalva D-NM-03, Thomas Massie R-KY-04, Marie Newman D-IL-03, Ilhan Omar D-MN-05, Ayanna Pressley D-MA-07, Rashida Tlaib D-MI-13

Voting "Present": Hank Johnson D-GA-04, AOC D-NY-14

Not Voting: Debbie Lesko R-AZ-08

AOC earlier stated:
Assal Rad on Twitter: "?????? @AOC: “The US has long supported abusive regimes in South America and the Middle East to serve our own interests, yet we seem somehow shocked & confused when refugees from these places show up at our borders seeking asylum from the inhumane conditions we helped create” (vid link)" / Twitter


Rashida Tlaib calls Israel ‘apartheid regime’ as Congress votes on Iron Dome funding

“The Israeli government is an apartheid regime — not my words: the words of Human Rights Watch and Israel’s own human rights organisation, B’Tselem,” Ms Tlaib said before the 420-9 vote in favour of the funding.

Her comments drew condemnation from Republicans and fellow Democrats alike.

...
“I cannot allow one of my colleagues to stand on the floor of the House of Representatives and label the Jewish democratic state of Israel an apartheid state,” Democrat Ted Deutch, chairman of the Middle East panel, said in response to Ms Tlaib’s remarks. “I reject it.”

...
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and President Joe Biden's administration had asked Congress for the $1bn in additional Iron Dome funding.

...
Ms Tlaib called the $1bn price tag “absurd, an unjustifiable 140 per cent increase for the Iron Dome".

Rashida Tlaib on Twitter: "Israel is an apartheid state. Period." / Twitter

Well, however you feel about Israel, The iron dome is a defensive platform. It intercepts missiles launched at Israel. It saves lives. It saves Jewish lives and Palestinians.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Well, however you feel about Israel, The iron dome is a defensive platform. It intercepts missiles launched at Israel. It saves lives. It saves Jewish lives and Palestinians.

At $100k a missile, they need to come up with a better system of stopping the thousands of rockets and mortars launched toward Israel.
Are we chipping in because they cannot afford it or what? My understanding is they are not even buying missiles made in the good old USA. I believe it’s an Israeli version of the Sidewinder.

 

[Derec]

She changed her vote from "No" to "Present" late in the vote, and she was apparently very tearful about that. She didn't explain further, however.

The Hamas Caucus managed to kick the Iron Dome funding out of the government funding bill, but there was then a standalone vote that overwhelmingly passed.
She did say something about it in this article, but it is pretty confused.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez explains why she shed tears on the House floor Thursday

“What we saw is a disappointment of just a willingness to rip our communities apart and put member safety at risk,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez told The Independent.

Wat?
What I think is going on is that AOC has ambitions to seek higher office, perhaps eventually even presidency, and a "no" vote would not play well if she runs for Senate when Schumer retires or maybe for Governor at some point.

Voting against it: Cori Bush D-MO-01, Andre Carson D-IN-07, Chuy Garcia, D-IL-04, Raul Grijalva D-NM-03, Thomas Massie R-KY-04, Marie Newman D-IL-03, Ilhan Omar D-MN-05, Ayanna Pressley D-MA-07, Rashida Tlaib D-MI-13

So all thee Muslims voted against it. No surprise there, and neither is that Squad members like Bush and Pressley joined Tlaib and Omar. What's Messie's deal though?

The US has long supported abusive regimes in South America and the Middle East to serve our own interests, yet we seem somehow shocked & confused when refugees from these places show up at our borders seeking asylum from the inhumane conditions we helped create.

Israel is not an "abusive regime". Saudis are, but they are better than their likely replacement should the monarchy fall, which would be somewhere between ISIS and the Taliban. Say what you will about MbS, at least he is trying to implement some long needed reforms.

The Israeli government is an apartheid regime — not my words: the words of Human Rights Watch and Israel’s own human rights organisation, B’Tselem,” Ms Tlaib said before the 420-9 vote in favour of the funding.

B'Tselem is a hard left organization that always blames Israel for everything, and always gives a pass to Palestinians. They are not a credible source. Israel does not practice "apartheid". Palestinians do.

Abbas wants 'not a single Israeli' in future Palestinian state
Gaza under Hamas is already judenrein.

Her comments drew condemnation from Republicans and fellow Democrats alike.

And rightly so!

Ms Tlaib called the $1bn price tag “absurd, an unjustifiable 140 per cent increase for the Iron Dome".

Now she is a spending hawk, lmao! It costs what it costs. If her Hamas and Islamic Jihad friends were to stop shooting rockets at Israel, the cost would be much less of course.

Israel is an apartheid state. Period.

Lies don't become any less libelous through endless repetition.

 

[Derec]

At $100k a missile, they need to come up with a better system of stopping the thousands of rockets and mortars launched toward Israel.

There is another way, but it is questionable whether it is "better". It would involve a massive bombing campaign against all known Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets, including leadership and rocket storage and manufacturing sites regardless of whether they are situated under residential areas, hospitals or mosques. It would probably also involve Israel having to reoccupy Gaza, or at least severely restrict anything coming into the Strip. Of course, all this would mean a lot more dead Palestinians, including civilians.

Do you remember Pulp Fiction, specifically the diner scene? Jules tells Pumpkin that he is not just giving him the money, but that he is buying something - Pumpkin's life. He is giving him some money so he and Honey Bunny would walk away and Jules doesn't have to kill them.

Iron Dome is similar. It is there so Israel doesn't have to kill as many Palestinians as otherwise would be necessary for Israel to defend itself from genocidal aggression by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian terrorist groups.

Are we chipping in because they cannot afford it or what?

No, but it definitely helps. Israel is a small country of 9 million. $1G is a lot of money for them, but a rounding error for US budget.

My understanding is they are not even buying missiles made in the good old USA. I believe it’s an Israeli version of the Sidewinder.

Israel is working with US companies like Raytheon on the Iron Dome system. Also, Israel is a partner on other military technologies as well. There is a lot of technology transfer between Israel and good old USA.

 

[Derec]

Just for fun ...

 

[lpetrich]

There is another way, but it is questionable whether it is "better". It would involve a massive bombing campaign against all known Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets, including leadership and rocket storage and manufacturing sites regardless of whether they are situated under residential areas, hospitals or mosques. It would probably also involve Israel having to reoccupy Gaza, or at least severely restrict anything coming into the Strip. Of course, all this would mean a lot more dead Palestinians, including civilians.

So it's important to do what is supposedly so horrible about Hamas -- attacking civilians. What opponents of Communism have long attributed to Communists is a bit more straightforward: "it's necessary to break eggs to make an omelet".

 

[lpetrich]

Nicole Alexander Fisher on Twitter: "Interesting interaction on the House floor. ..." / Twitter

Interesting interaction on the House floor.

On the vote for Iron Dome funding, Rep Ocasio Cortez voted "no", but there was a minutes-long interaction between her and Speaker Pelosi (where Rep Ocasio Cortez seems visibly distraught) which preceded her vote switch to "present".

Interaction con'td.

It ends with Rep Ocasio Cortez switching her "no" vote to "present".

Noting that I’m not speculating anything that may have happened in this exchange or if the votes had to do with it—I just found this interaction followed by the present vote interesting.

According to Rep Dingell (who is likely the woman in blue, but I can’t see her face) she and Rep Ocasio Cortez were both upset because the Iron Dome funding was not brought through committee.

She also cites the large Jewish community in AOC’s district.

NEW: A statement from AOC that specifically addresses her communications with Pelosi on the issue.

Apparently she requested to Pelosi a 24 hour stay of the vote so that there could be consultation with her constituents and discussion on the amendment.

This request was rejected.

The Very Serious Trump-Hillary Pipeline on Twitter: "@_nalexander @gaijingirl2004 Think this is a pretty good summation of what probably happened (vid link)" / Twitter
Someone noticing NP in a pink dress in the left of the video, DD in a dark-cyan dress to her left, Pramila Jayapal in black further left, and AOC behind PJ. He imagined NP making lots of threats like kicking her off her committees, not supporting her if she challenges Chuck Schumer, and the like.

 

[lpetrich]

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "A note to our NY-14 constituents, from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (pix link)" / Twitter

She noted that Israel has plenty of money for its Iron Dome, and she objected to how this measure was rushed through without it being properly debated in committee hearings.

 

[lpetrich]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Apologizes for Vote on Iron Dome Funding - The New York Times - a rather odd take.

Some progressive lawmakers grew furious with Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 Democrat, who pushed for the swift vote on Iron Dome funding. His maneuver appeared to be intended to calm Israeli officials, who had watched the dispute with alarm.

Yair Lapid, Israel’s foreign minister, called Mr. Hoyer and emphasized the need for the House to approve the request as soon as possible, according to an account of the call released by Mr. Lapid’s office. Mr. Hoyer assured him that the decision to drop it from the government spending measure had been no more than a “technical delay,” the account said. Hours later, Mr. Hoyer announced that the House would hold a separate vote to approve the funding later in the week.

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said she had personally appealed to Mr. Hoyer to delay the vote.

“Even the night before, as it became clear that the discourse around this issue was quickly devolving from substance to hateful targeting, I personally had a call with the House majority leader to request a 24-hour stay of the vote, so that we could do the work necessary to bring down the temperature and volatility, explain our positions and engage our communities,” she wrote. “That request was summarily dismissed.”

IfNotNow on Twitter: ""We cannot be talking only about Israelis' need for safety at the same time Palestinians are living under a violent apartheid system... We must be consistent in our commitment to human life. Period. Everyone deserves to be safe there."
- @RashidaTlaib, with courage and clarity. (vid link)" / Twitter

AOC's brother:
Gabriel Ocasio-Cortez Unfiltered - YouTube

Evan Ross Katz interviews artist, activist and community organizer Gabriel Ocasio-Cortez. He discusses the impact of losing his father in his early teens, how the partial loss of his hearing impacted his life and decision to start the Deaf Collective, ableism on "RuPaul's Drag Race," homelessness, coming out to his family, how he handles the ongoing and relentless attacks on his sister, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Chromatica Oreo, why Instagram needs to add captions and, of course, Sarah Michelle Gellar.

 

[Derec]

So it's important to do what is supposedly so horrible about Hamas -- attacking civilians.

You are twisting what I wrote.
1. My point is that Iron Dome not only saves Israeli lives but also Palestinian lives because it allows IDF to have limited engagements with the Jihdadists.
2. There is a huge qualitative difference between targeting civilians and civilians inadvertently getting killed. What Hamas/PIJ are doing is attacking/targeting civilians. IDF targets the terrorists.
In fact, Hamas/PIJ are guilty of double war crimes - they target civilians, which is a war crime, and they store and fire their rockets from civilians areas, which is also a war crime. But the Hamas Caucus conveniently ignores all that.

What opponents of Communism have long attributed to Communists is a bit more straightforward: "it's necessary to break eggs to make an omelet".

What does that have to do with Communism? It's a good lesson about life - pretty much anything worth doing will have some downside.

 

[Derec]

He imagined NP making lots of threats like kicking her off her committees, not supporting her if she challenges Chuck Schumer, and the like.

There have been 8 Democrats voting no, including AOC's squad mates. Why no pressure from Pelosi on them?

I can't imagine Pelosi supporting AOC primarying Schumer in any case - plus he is 70, and will maybe retire in 2028, which is plenty soon for somebody as young as AOC.
But committees are a possibility. I still think it's the optics. Will be difficult running statewide in NY while voting against protecting Israeli civilians.

 

[TV and credit cards]

There is another way, but it is questionable whether it is "better". It would involve a massive bombing campaign against all known Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets, including leadership and rocket storage and manufacturing sites regardless of whether they are situated under residential areas, hospitals or mosques. It would probably also involve Israel having to reoccupy Gaza, or at least severely restrict anything coming into the Strip. Of course, all this would mean a lot more dead Palestinians, including civilians.

Do you remember Pulp Fiction, specifically the diner scene? Jules tells Pumpkin that he is not just giving him the money, but that he is buying something - Pumpkin's life. He is giving him some money so he and Honey Bunny would walk away and Jules doesn't have to kill them.

Iron Dome is similar. It is there so Israel doesn't have to kill as many Palestinians as otherwise would be necessary for Israel to defend itself from genocidal aggression by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian terrorist groups.

Looking at a bit of history that is about as long as one of those gifs you're so fond of posting, it becomes much easier for evil to justify it's actions as merely defensive.

 

[Harry Bosch]

There is another way, but it is questionable whether it is "better". It would involve a massive bombing campaign against all known Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets, including leadership and rocket storage and manufacturing sites regardless of whether they are situated under residential areas, hospitals or mosques. It would probably also involve Israel having to reoccupy Gaza, or at least severely restrict anything coming into the Strip. Of course, all this would mean a lot more dead Palestinians, including civilians.

So it's important to do what is supposedly so horrible about Hamas -- attacking civilians. What opponents of Communism have long attributed to Communists is a bit more straightforward: "it's necessary to break eggs to make an omelet".

I really think that there is no chance of making an omelet in greater Israel. There is just too much history, too much religion, too much tribalism, too much hate. The best we can hope for is stability minimizing civilian deaths. Before Iron Dome, the only way to stop the rocket launchers was ground invasion.

 

[Jayjay]

Ms Tlaib called the $1bn price tag “absurd, an unjustifiable 140 per cent increase for the Iron Dome".

Now she is a spending hawk, lmao! It costs what it costs. If her Hamas and Islamic Jihad friends were to stop shooting rockets at Israel, the cost would be much less of course.

Sure, it costs what it costs. But why should American taxpayers foot the bill? Let Israel finance its own wars. It can afford it.