The president’s shedding key constituencies. If morality won’t move him to end his support of this war, will self-interest?

Many voters believe, with good reason, that none of this would have happened without Biden’s assent. Biden has continued to speak of Israel’s attack on Palestinian civilians using the absurd language of “self-defense”. He has insulted Jewish Americans and the memory of the Holocaust by invoking them to justify the slaughter. And though his White House repeatedly leaks that he is “privately” dismayed by Israel’s conduct of the war, he has done little to stop the flow of US money and guns that support it.

Even after the US state department issued a vexed and mealy-mouthed report on Israel’s conduct, which nevertheless concluded that it was reasonable to assess that Israel was in violation of international humanitarian law, the Biden administration has continued to fund these violations. That state department report was published on 10 May. The Biden administration told Congress that it intends to move forward with a $1bn arms sale to Israel. “OK, [Israel] likely broke the law, but not enough to change policy,” is how one reporter summarized the administration’s judgment. “So, what is the point of the report? I mean, in the simplest terms, what’s the point?”

Meanwhile, Biden has expressed public disdain for the Americans – many of whom he needs to vote for him – who have taken to protest on behalf of Palestinian lives. Speaking with evident approval of the violent police crackdowns against anti-genocide student demonstrations, he said coolly: “Dissent must never lead to disorder.”

  • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
    2710·
    5 months ago

    There’s no need to engage with an argument that makes no sense.

    Biden’s pro-Israel policy is the same policy we’ve had for 76 years.

    Trump’s policy is “Gaza is a cancer, wipe them out fast”.

    Those are your two choices. You do not have an alternative.

    Choosing not to vote only helps Trump.
    Voting 3rd party only helps Trump.

    • xerazal@lemmy.zipEnglish
      61·
      5 months ago

      US presidents have told Israel to cut the shit and stop or else multiple times in the past and Israel has listened. The same can and should be done here. Eisenhower did it, ford did it, Reagan did it, and h w bush did it.

      Trying to voter shame people when they feel so strongly about this really isn’t going to work or help you. I agree, Trump really should not be allowed to get into office, but at the same time you can’t act as if these voters don’t have a right to be angry. For these people, it goes further than just voting.

      • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
        5·
        5 months ago

        They really haven’t listened, and will continue not listening.

        My favorite example was in the run up to the Iraq war. One of the excuses W. tried to float was that Iraq was in violation of 17 or 18 UN resolutions.

        At the time, Israel was violating over 80 of them and it would have been more except for US veto power.

        As long as the money keeps flowing, Israel doesn’t give two shits.

    • beardown@lemm.ee
      46·
      5 months ago

      Those are your two choices. You do not have an alternative.

      You think this is a persuasive statement?

      If the choice is between genocide and more genocide then voters are right to denounce the United States as a whole

    • JoBo@feddit.ukOP
      923·
      5 months ago

      Choosing to treat anyone who thinks otherwise as too stupid to realise this is exactly why Trump might win. Please stop.

      • MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world
        124·
        5 months ago

        And people refusing to acknowledge that Biden is better than Trump in every way is going to help Trump get elected as well. We’re not calling you stupid, we’re pointing out the facts on the ground and why your strategy results in more harm to the people you want to protect.

        The only way we beat Trump is by coalescing the Democratic coalition. That’s going to take the politicians responding to voters needs AND the voters to show up and prevent GOP victories. Withholding your vote in November, regardless of what Biden does, results in progressive causes backsliding further and makes it harder if not impossible to gain control in the future. I want people to understand that voting is a strategic choice, not a moral one.

      • Psychodelic@lemmy.world
        92·
        5 months ago

        It’s like 2016 all over again. It’s fascinating how we learned absolutely nothing.

        We’re fucked and there’s nothing we can do about it

        I’ll vote for Biden, and do it proudly, but I’d never be so pathetic as to resort to whatever the fuck these grandstanding libs/Dems/definitely not progressives are doing when they try to “convince” people to support the candidate they support (read: try to feel morally superior for their vote) as they look down their noses at anyone that dares to ask, “Hey, did Clinton oppose gay marriage? Did she do enough to oppose the Iraq War when she was Secretary of State? Is it true she’s said some super racist shit in the past?”