Judaism and Democracy (part 1 of 2) Harav Aharon Lichtenstein

 https://www.etzion.org.il/en/judaism-and-democracy-part-1-2

 

This subject used to be a popular one in our circles. In essence it is immanent to the wider western society within which we live. The crown of democracy has traditionally been accorded a fair degree of prestige. There was a period when even fundamentally totalitarian states – such as East Germany or Communist China – called themselves “democratic” countries. The term “undemocratic” or “anti-democratic” was perceived as something to be ashamed of, as opposed to the stamp of democracy, which became a sought-after commodity. Thus, there are many who seek to grasp this crown, regardless of whether it suits their reality or not.

  The world of Torah, too, seeks inclusion within the sphere of democracy. This is understandable not only from the practical, pragmatic view – the public relations perspective. Fundamentally speaking, democratic perception and thinking include values that are very close to our hearts.

But can we wholeheartedly claim that we are democratic in the broad, secular sense of the term? Are we really able to abide by total democracy, in which this value is supreme? I believe that the answer to this question is in the negative.

Expert compares Trump's politics to fascism

Jerry Falwell Jr.'s fatal miscalculation

 https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/30/us/jerry-falwell-jr-downfall/index.html

 Fallwell Jr., whose tenure as president and chancellor of Liberty University crashed to an inglorious end this week, always seemed closer in spirit to his defiant, bootlegging grandfather than his Bible-thumping namesake.

 Each time, Falwell would insist he is not a moral leader. His job was to grow Liberty's endowment, campus and student body. 

 "I have never been a minister," he told one critic on Twitter, pointing to his background as a lawyer and real estate developer.

"The faculty, students and campus pastor ... are the ones who keep LU strong spiritually as the best Christian univ in the world," he added. "While I am proud to be a conservative Christian, my job is to keep LU successful academically, financially and in athletics."

 

The spotlight on Falwell Jr. intensified when he became one of the first prominent evangelicals to back Trump in early 2016, surprising fellow Christian conservatives.

During a Trump campaign visit to Liberty, Falwell glowingly compared the candidate to his late father due to their shared propensity for eschewing political correctness.

Republican Convention Hatch Act Crime Spree, Kellyanne Conway, Mike Pompeo & other Serial Offenders

Story Hour: Episode 2

Story Hour: Episode 3

Trump continues to break the polling

 https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/30/politics/trump-polling-analysis/index.html

 The result of the 2016 outcome for this cycle is that the general public doesn't buy the polling showing Biden clearly ahead. They think Trump is going to win.

How Trump could pull off another upset

 https://www.axios.com/trump-upset-biden-2020-election-da37cdd6-1b96-4377-9584-9df9f2554055.html

 It feels like August of 2016 all over again. Polls show Donald Trump losing big. Pundits proclaim he can't win. Reporters sneer at Trump voters on Twitter and cable. 

Why it matters: There are several signs that should give the Trump-is-toast self-assured pause.

• He’s doing better in some swing-state polls than he was at this point in 2016. And his floor of support holds strong, regardless of what he says or does. 
• Not only is the stock market on fire, but a lot of blue-collar workers in building, plumbing and other manual crafts are doing quite well, too.

Trump’s big bet is that there are a lot of working class voters, especially in rural areas, who did not vote in 2016 but will this time.

 His other bet is that months of dumping on Joe Biden, often with lies or wild hyperbole, will do what he did to Hillary Clinton: Make the Democratic nominee seem slightly more unpalatable than himself.

SE Cupp on Trump speech: Behind the curtain, things are bad

Sheldon Silver at upstate prison some inmates call coronavirus death camp

https://nypost.com/2020/08/29/sheldon-silver-is-at-upstate-prison-with-covid-19-worries/

 “These are people who are elderly with serious underlying conditions and it’s just mind-boggling that the prison is not adhering to the US attorney general’s directives,” said Neal Sher, a Manhattan lawyer who has been lobbying for the “compassionate release” of three elderly inmates. “The real threat is that this is a death sentence.”

One prisoner who Sher wants released is Mendel Epstein, a 75-year-old New Jersey Orthodox rabbi who is obese and has high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and impaired kidney function.

“His heart health remains in precarious condition, necessitating multiple medications daily and rendering him incredibly susceptible to illness,” wrote Sher in a May letter to the Bureau of Prisons seen by The Post.

In 2015, Epstein was convicted along with two other Orthodox rabbis of the kidnapping and torture of Jewish men to force them to grant religious divorces or “gets.” His release date is in 2024, according to public records.

Shields and Brooks on Trump’s RNC message, the politics of protests

Meacham On The DNC And The RNC: Patriotism Vs. Propaganda | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

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Judith Miller: Democrats and Republicans spread fear, warn of disaster if opposing party wins White House

 https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/republican-democratic-conventions-judith-miller

 Whether the ploy works depends on what many Americans fear most — disorder or the coronavirus pandemic

“Be afraid, be very afraid.” As a political independent who closely followed both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, I felt that fear was the underlying theme of both. While there were moments of eloquence and inspirational joy at each gathering, the number of upbeat messages paled in comparison to the harsh attacks and negative warnings issued by both sides.

Republicans CRUSHED Democrats In Ratings, Trump Black Support SKYROCKETS Hinting Trump Reelection