"Everytime I think our bootlicking congress couldn't stoop any lower than they already have to kiss AIPAC butt, they prove me wrong.
Congressional Democrats voted in aid to Israel, and
now they want payback from the
pro-Israel lobby: Drum Republicans out.
Behind the scenes, Democrats are pressing the American Israel
Public Affairs Committee to make a case against Republicans
in the U.S. House of Representatives who voted overwhelmingly
last week against the foreign operations appropriations bill,
which included $2.44 billion for Israel.
Republican leaders opposed the overall $34.2 billion bill on
two counts: It restores funding for overseas women's health
groups that use non-U.S. funds for abortions and represents
10 percent more than the amount appropriated last year by Congress.
"Notice, neither reason has anything to do with israel.
So far, the Republican explanations seem to be sitting well
with AIPAC, which currently has no intention of making an
issue of the vote. The sense at the pro-Israel powerhouse is
that the wrangling over abortion is politics as usual and that
further down the line, when the bill comes back from Senate-
House conferencing, it will have massive bipartisan backing.
AIPAC's decision to refrain from criticizing the GOP is likely
to reinforce the view in some Democratic circles that the
pro-Israel lobby has been favoring Republicans in recent years.
The situation is drawing comments from House Democratic leaders.
"If there aren't going to be consequences on the single most
important piece of legislation for Israel, when will there be
consequences?" Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) told JTA.
AIPAC released a statement "applauding" passage of
the bill, noting its many pro-Israel components and mentioning
only in passing the vote without noting the strong
Republican opposition.
That infuriates Democrats, who have a keen memory of
the hard time AIPAC gave them in 2001 when some Democrats
voted against the first foreign operations appropriation under
Bush because it slashed Africa spending. At the time AIPAC
made it clear to members that it would publicize yeas and nays.
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