Should AIPAC be banned or registered as a foriegn lobby?

[oc2002]

For a long time, I have wondered what the laws are in this matter. That the foreign nations can freely come here into our country and force their will on our elected officials by funding Political Action commities like AIPAC, or something like it.

As far as I know AIPAC does not get any money directly from the US government, but there is no way to find out if AIPAC is funded mostly directly by Israel or not.

according to newsmax report.
on AIPAC
# "No lobby has managed to divert foreign policy as far from what the American national interest would otherwise suggest, while simultaneously convincing Americans that U.S. and Israeli interests are essentially identical."
# American supporters of Israel promoted the war against Iraq. The senior administration officials who spearheaded the campaign were also in the vanguard of the pro-Israel lobby, e.g., then Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz; Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith; Elliott Abrams, Mideast affairs at the White House; David Wurmser, Mideast affairs for Vice President Richard Cheney; Richard Perle, first among neocon equals, chairman of the Defense Policy Board, an influential advisory body of strategic experts.
# A similar effort is now under way to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities.
# AIPAC is fighting registering as foreign agents because this would place severe limitations on its congressional activities, particularly in the legislative electoral arena. ... American politicians remain acutely sensitive to campaign contributions and other forms of political pressure and major media outlets are likely to remain sympathetic to Israel no matter what it does.

\\http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/4/30/224418.shtml

[lapfog_1]

1. how about arrested and deported

along with all the members of PNAC (those who aren't facing war crime trials)

[acmavm]

2. How about tried and sentenced like Larry Franklin? Wonder

when he goes behind bars.

I bet he never does.

[Mir]

3. All nations lobby Washington

It's how things get done. Washington is the management of the world and you have to deal with them if you want something. It is resolutely unfair to single out AIPAC in this regard. I think its powers are damaging to our policies in the ME, but that's more the fault of our system than AIPAC. The Saudi Wahabbi lobby is just as bad.

[oc2002]

4. but the Saudi Wahabbi is REGISTERED a FOREIGN lobby.

..and that makes them limited to what they can do.

[JackNewtown]

5. that is interesting nt

[Mir]

6. Ahhhh...

I did not know that. And with as much money and influence they have, it makes your suggestion all the more poignant I think. What was it in Moore's 9/11 movie when he was talking about Saudi investment in the U.S.? They own like 7% of the country or something. And they're registered as foreign? Yeah, AIPAC definitely needs to be registered foreign as well as they do nothing but lobby for Israel -- and seemingly always at our expense and against our national interest.

[JackNewtown]

27. Saudi influence on US policy is economic

The Saudis have great influence on US policy via their economic clout, such as what you mentioned. Israel's clout is via domestic politics and AIPAC is the key to that.

[JackNewtown]

7. All lobbies should be banned IMO nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. You Would Have To Repeal The First Amendment

which provides for freedom of speech and freedom of association.

[Lance_Boyle]

11. Not at all -

just take the $$$ out of the equation, and no lobby would have any greater voice than you or I.

Of course, there would be no such thing as lobbyists if the money were taken out of it...

[oc2002]

12. thats absurd, you do not have the right to lobby for a foriegn country.,

show me where you have the right in the constitution?

as a matter of fact, George Washington was afraid that such entities could contaminate our democracy.

The defense of AIPAC by these Israeli supporters always involves the claim that "citizens have a right to lobbby for their interest" and that "AIPAC is "free speech".

In fact Washington's warning on foreign influence's is so accurate to our current time and the true "foreign nature of AIPAC it is errie, and even more scary that this influence is coming from within our country itself by groups that insist dual loyalty is normal and their "right" and base their identity on being hyphen-Americans instead of just American:

"Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you
to believe me, fellow citizens) the jealousy of a free people
ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove
that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of
republican government. But that jealousy, to be useful, must
be impartial, else it becomes the instrument of the very influence
to be avoided, instead of a defense against it. Excessive
partiality for one foreign nation and excessive dislike of
another cause those whom they actuate to see danger only on one
side, and serve to veil and even second the arts of influence
on the other. Real patriots who may resist the intrigues of the
favorite are liable to become suspected and odious, while its
tools and dupes usurp the applause and confidence of the people
to surrender their interests."


Speaking for myself, as a plain un-hyphened American, I have informed my congressman and senator that I WILL not vote for anyone of either party who does not disassociate themselves from AIPAC and all other foreign influences that sway our own best interest and policy, other than strictly humanitarian, any any election. Period.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. Wow

I can lobby for any cause I want.


I can get ten of my friends together or a thousand , set up a political action group, and lobby for increased funding to Sierra Leone if I wanted.

[oc2002]

24. ..that depends on the funding of what to Seirra Leone.

..like for food, or famine, humanitarian reasons, that may be okay. But if Sierra Leon gave you millions to hire lawyers and pr firms, you may find the FBI on your doorstep, especialy if your '1000' friends where made up.

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. Even labor unions?

[treestar]

9. Only if they fit the legal definition applied to everybody else

for what constitutes "foreign." It seems it may be made up of Americans. Groups of Lebanese-Americans and whoever might support them could form a similar lobby. For all we know, there are such groups for any and every country, given that in the long run, Americans come from all over the world. Native Americans have their lobbies, and some of them will consider themselves as if they were foreign countries.

Though lobbying for another country's interests doesn't interest me, and I'd think they'd have to consider that the US government will act in US interests first, and so they have to persuade somebody that doing good for (Israel) is doing good for the US simultaneously, nothing forces the US government to listen to any lobby. But that's the problem with special interests generally.

[H2O Man]

10. Register as a foreign lobby.

It is important that they be recognized as a foreign lobby that has attempted to do far more than "lobby." They run an intelligence program that was involved in espionage.

[mmonk]

18. How true.

I believe they first should be recognized as such and then banned.

[oberliner]

13. AIPAC is a group of 100,000 Americans

Newsmax is your source of choice for information?

[Freddie Stubbs]

15. Newsmax is a perfectly acceptable source of information for some DUers

as long as it is reinforcing their worldview.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. I Thought It Was A Right Wing Newssite

eom

[jonnyblitz]

19. it is. I wouldn't be caught dead using it even If I agree with it.

same with Pat Buchanan or Paul Craig Roberts opinion pieces.

[JackNewtown]

25. Or Bush, Hannity, O'Reilly, Savage, etc. talking points?

The "progressives who agree with right-wingers on the ME crisis" card cuts both ways. ;)

[oberliner]

29. although I would hope those progressives

Would be called out if they actually were to cite one of those people you mentioned as a source in their actual post.

[Emit]

20. The more interesting and curious question is

Why Arnaud de Borchgrave has written such an article.

[oberliner]

22. well he is the editor of one of the more RW papers in America

Why do you think he wrote it?

[Emit]

23. I don't know. n/t

[Octafish]

30. de Borchgrave worked for Newsweak as well as Rev Moon.

Regarding AIPAC: They've got donkey pictures on most of Washington.

Edit: Wrong weeklly.

[H2O Man]

31. My father used

to tell me about how LBJ would growl, "I want his goddamned balls in my hand," when discussing both friends and foes who dared oppose his plans. I think that AIPAC has used that same basic theory of political hardball.

[oc2002]

26. ..google and find it yourself, the point is that AIPAC is a foreign lobby.

and should be registered and follow regulations of foriegn lobby.

and who cares if its a progressive or conservative? Its the right thing to do.

[mmonk]

17. I'd like to see it banned.

I guess I'm one of those who thinks money shouldn't influence the foreigh policy of the US. I always think the policy should be geared to what's best for American citizens and to strive for peaceful solutions in the world.

[JackNewtown]

28. Sadly, that is revolutionary idea these days nt

[rucky]

32. Not banned, just ignored. n/t