“Federal Election Commission records show Stein paid $100,000 in July to a consulting outfit that has worked with Republican campaigns, as well as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent presidential bid. The firm, Accelevate, is operated by Trent Pool. The Intercept reported that he appeared to be part of the mob that breached the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6., 2021. The Journal hasn’t independently verified the reporting.”

  • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    That’s not my argument.

    Then what is? It’s fine to buy candidates as long as your PAC has the fig leaf of US funding when it operates on behalf of a foreign government? Because that’s what happened. Israel didn’t like the incumbents. AIPAC spent loads of money on their challengers.

    Back in 2022, we were told that when the party propped up the anti-choice, pro-nra, anti-labor Henry Cuellar against his progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros, it absolutely wasn’t because he was a centrist and she a progressive. It was that the party protects its incumbents in order to maintain the incumbency advantage and the proven track record for winning.

    But we just saw the party do absolutely fucking nothing at all to protect the progressive incumbents Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, while their opponents took boatloads of cash from AIPAC to sink them.

    As far as I’m concerned, the party supports Netanyahu’s ongoing genocide, and in exchange AIPAC spends heaps of money in opposition to progressive incumbents that party leadership refuses to protect.

    • TheFonz@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      I understand what you’re trying to say, but you’ve mixed in 3 different topics into a blender to build up a narrative. This is literally a gish gallop and it’s intentional.

      The only thing I pushed back was that AIPAC was taking money directly from Israel and circumventing FARA, which is a common conspiratorial talking point.

      Now in addition to addressing FARA, you want to talk about

      • incumbent advantage and popularity of these candidates

      • dems support for genocide,

      • the influence of lobbying in elections.

      • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        The only thing I pushed back was that AIPAC was taking money directly from Israel and circumventing FARA, which is a common conspiratorial talking point.

        Ok, let’s both take a step back here, I ask that you humor me for a moment. Could you please quote where I said that Israel directly funded AIPAC in contravention of FARA? I don’t recall making such an assertion, but you seem to be arguing as though I did.

        Accusing me of being a conspiracy theorist for noticing that AIPAC spent loads of money to essentially buy candidates is low. Calling it a gish gallop when I expanded on it is lower still.

        • TheFonz@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          Netanyahu. AIPAC bought two candidates right out in the open. The party welcomes foreign interference against progressives.

          Isn’t the implication here that Israel - a foreign entity - is directing an american Lobby directly?

            • TheFonz@lemmy.world
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              1 month ago

              I don’t know if you are doing it intentionally. The alt right uses AIPAC funded by Israel extremely often as an Anti-semitic talking point and also as a method to minimize any Ukraine involvement. Whether intentional or not, your initial claim insinuated this heavily as if Israel and the deepstate are pulling the strings on our politicians. The reality is there are many Jews living in the US, and those jews are sympathetic to Israel. It also happens that Israel has been a longstanding ally of the US (whether that’s ethical or not is a different discussion). If you want to make the claim that AIPAC has influence in politics that’s significantly different than a foreign entity crossing FARA and directing US policy. The world is not so black and white.

              • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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                1 month ago

                The alt right uses AIPAC funded by Israel extremely often as an Anti-semitic talking point

                You see me say AIPAC and add “funded by Israel” which I never fucking said or even implied. They aren’t funded by Israel. You will of course ignore this and keep lying about my position.

                and also as a method to minimize any Ukraine involvement.

                Dafuq? I didn’t even mention Ukraine. For the record, Putin is a dictator who is also committing genocide. I’m glad we’re not selling him weapons. It’s too bad we’re selling any to Netanyahu just so he can murder Palestinians in order to prop up his political career.

                Whether intentional or not, your initial claim insinuated this heavily as if Israel and the deepstate are pulling the strings on our politicians.

                The deepstate? Dude. AIPAC shoveled tons of money at two centrists right out in the open. There was no secrecy. No attempt at secrecy. Just money for people who do what Netanyahu wants.

                If you want to make the claim that AIPAC has influence in politics that’s significantly different than a foreign entity crossing FARA and directing US policy.

                You’re deliberately and repeatedly lying about my position. I never said that Israel is funding AIPAC. Not fucking once. Nothing you have said during this entire conversation has even approached good faith.

                You can’t argue against what I’ve actually said, so you falsely claim I said things I did not say and hold positions I do not hold. You can beat the shit outta the straw effigy you’ve constructed of me in my absence.

                • TheFonz@lemmy.world
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                  1 month ago

                  What does this mean:

                  The party welcomes foreign interference

                  Walk us through what you meant to say with that.

                  • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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                    1 month ago

                    I already did. You added things I didn’t say to construct a strawman. You and him have fun.