Senate

I'm having a hard time getting my hands around President Obama's expected call for a domestic spending freeze in response to the populist surge that ended the Democrats' Senate super-majority and threatens to cut deeply into their absolute majority come October.  (He will make his case in tonight's State of the Union address).

Well, it sounded like a good idea.

Yesterday the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) urged candidates in both parties to sign a "pledge to condemn and repudiate abusive Holocaust comparisons and anti-Semitic rhetoric carried out by anyone claiming to support my candidacy or attending my campaign events.”

According to NJDC CEO Ira Forman:

I had a bunch of calls and emails in the wake of yesterday's blockbuster Supreme Court decision on corporate political contributions basically asked the same question: what does it mean for Jewish political clout?

The decision overturned a half-century-old ban on using corporate money to endorse political candidates – or to oppose them.  The rationale of the Court's majority:  corporations basically have the same free speech rights as individuals.

In the wake of Tuesdays’ disastrous election results for the Democrats, Americans for Peace Now (APN) wants President Obama to ratchet up Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, even if it means getting  tough with both sides.

Sorry, guys, I know what you’re saying, but it ain’t gonna happen.

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

The housing crisis we keep hearing about is being reported almost entirely from the vantage point of speculators and sellers. But if you are a young couple starting out in life, seeking to buy your first apartment or home, why is it a crisis if the housing market is in a recession, prices dive and you can suddenly afford to buy?