Buerger Bites

Israel at 60

Tonight at sundown marks the start of Israel’s 60th birthday.

Last week, the JEWISH TIMES Jewish cover story celebrated the relatively young Jewish state with 60 great things about Israel.

The 100,000 Jewish Baltimoreans – and anyone reading this around the world – can each add one thing they love about Israel. It may be its natural beauty or how it is the birth place of the world’s three great religions. It could be the Zionist spirit or the wonder of what the Jewish people have done in what was once an arid, desolate dessert.

Each time I go to Israel or learn about it, I find another thing to love. 

Unfortunately, I found another by accident.

One of my loved ones was just diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).  It’s a horrible disease with no treatment or cure. Thankfully, there is a drug that helps prevent the disease from progressing and becoming terribly debilitating. The daily injection is called Copaxone.  It’s the only non-interferon for MS. That means it’s much more easily tolerated by a larger population.

Yes, you guessed it. It was discovered by Prof. Sela, Prof. Arnon and Dr. Teitelbaum at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. The drug is marketed internationally by Israel’s Teva Pharmaceuticals, which trades on the U.S. stock exchange. This medicine, which is produced in a country of six million people, helps many millions all over the world lead better lives.

It’s wonderful knowing that my loved one is receiving treatment; it’s inspiring to know that it’s happening because of the world’s only Jewish state. Today, we should all celebrate that the hard work, investment in education and the emphasis on science in Israel that is helping do a little tikkun olam. There’s so much written out of context about how oppressive Israel is. In reality, it gives the world so much more than it takes. 

I think that’s just one of many things that makes Israel great. 

Tax Breaks A Bunch Of Gas

People rag on Sen. Barack Obama, asking, “What has he done?” My question isn’t what has he done, but, “what will he do.”

If the election campaign is any example, I like his thinking. He says what’s on his mind and mostly avoids pandering, or I should say, less so than the other politicians.

Take, for example, the most recent notion of some to help the American consumer. Both Sens. John McCain and Hillary Clinton are not backing off their stupid idea of providing a “gas tax holiday” this summer. They want to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax to help working Americans. Obama is opposed.

Obama says it like it is: The relief is only $28 per driver!

Now the conversation is working its way into our state. Some elected officials want to also suspend the 23 cent state tax on gasoline. According to the Baltimore Examiner, “State Sen. Andy Harris called for a special session to pass such a measure, but said Gov. Martin O’Malley and other state leaders did not advance the proposal.”

Harris went on to say, “There’s very few things we can do at the state level to help, and this is one of them. The state leaders don’t like tax cuts and they don’t like this one, but the people are clamoring for [lawmakers] to do something about gas prices.’”

Of course Harris is running for Congress and he’s out to show how conservative he can be. He wants to be Mr. Anti-Tax, putting a whopping $35 into your pocket.

More important to me is that we’re once again sending the wrong signals to our citizens. We’re saying, “When gas prices go too high, we’ll help you.” What we should be saying is, “Gas prices are high, they’re going higher. So get used to it, and if you don’t want to pay them, drive a more fuel efficient car, carpool, bike, or take the Light Rail.”

People will be mad; it’s anti-American to call for conservation. But you don’t have to wear a flag pin on your lapel to be patriotic. You have to want to drastically drop the demand for Middle East oil from whose profits in turn fund the killing of Americans in Iraq and innocent Israelis thanks to some Arab countries funding Hamas and Hezbollah.

If we really want to help working class Americans and hard working Marylanders, let’s eliminate the state sales tax on things like energy efficient light bulbs and phosphorus-free dish detergent. That will help Marylanders and help our Bay at the same time.

Federally, we can lower the payroll tax on lower income Americans. Let’s be smart with our tax holidays. We don’t want to encourage more use of oil that supports terror. Gas prices are finally getting high enough where it’s affecting people buying habits.

On this Yom Hazikaron/Israel Memorial Day, let’s remember the Israelis who died at the hands of terrorists and pledge to say no to politicians who won’t do anything to stop it from continuing.

Getting Plugged In

It’s 2008. That’s almost seven years since 9/11, when President Bush declared a war on “terrah.” Our enemies are funded by oil. Yet it is miraculous that we are consuming more and more oil every year.

Of course, our auto industry is in the tubes, bleeding billions of dollars in losses over the past few years.
What’s so laughable is that two college-age brothers transformed their parents’ hybrid car into a “plug-in hybrid” that gets 100 miles per gallon because it can go 40 miles on a charge. Then the hybrid gas engine kicks in.

Why is it that a pair of 20-something guys can build a hybrid for $3,000 and “The Big Three” can’t get one to market?
Why do we spend $100 billion a year fighting a war in Iraq that is about oil and terror, but yet our government can’t seem get an American company to build a plug-in hybrid? The technology obviously isn’t that difficult.

Sadly, we’re fighting radical Islam the old-fashioned way—with weapons. If we had any kind of political leadership, our roads would be filled with plug-in hybrids.
The Jewish community should be demanding that these vehicles become as common as Hummers on American roads so we can protect the State of Israel against oil-funded terrorists.

China Syndrome

The 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin were supposed to be the showcase for the Nazi concept of Aryan supremacy. That was dashed in about 10 seconds when black sprinter Jesse Owens took the gold medal.

We need that kind of moment for the upcoming Summer Games in Beijing. Just as Americans debated whether to attend the games 72 years ago, we are confronted with the same problem: are the Olympics purely an athletics event or is it an opportunity for the host country to show its wares?

This year, China’s support of Sudan and its human rights violations against the Tibetans give us pause as to how we approach the games. Hindsight has shown us that boycotts – such as the Moscow games in 1980 because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan—aren’t helpful and often create a backlash.

As Jews, this situation is crucial. There’s a genocide happening in Sudan that we swore would never happen again, but the Chinese are part of the problem, not the solution. And the Chinese are not allowing religious freedoms in Tibet. We can’t allow the Olympics to highlight what a wonderful society the Chinese have.

Some have floated the idea of just boycotting the opening ceremonies. Others insist that we force China to allow the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet.

I have a better idea: combine those solutions. Have the Dalai Lama carry the American flag during the opening ceremonies for the United States. Or even better yet, the Israeli flag.

Maryland: Stop Aiding Iran

I don’t think it’s just me, but during the five minutes or so I that I’m filling my gas tank, I watch the pump’s numbers move so fast now that they’re a blur. Since I’ve heard it’s not safe to use your cellphone near a gas pump, my mind wanders to thinking about cash registers ringing in Iran – thanks to me and some 300 million other Americans. I feel as if I’m just transferring my hard earned money straight to the mullahs, who then transfer it to al-Qeda in Iraq, Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.

In case you’ve missed it, as Hamas’s biggest backer, Iran is basically handing over to the radical Islamists our oil money to launch missile after missile into Israel towns. (That is, except for when Sen. John McCain is touring those towns. Even for Hamas it would be bad P.R. to shell a leading presidential candidate.)

Like you, I feel helpless reading the daily papers as Sderot and Ashkelon get shelled. And I feel helpless when hearing about how Iran continually is making the situation in Iraq worse. Military action won’t work. A fence won’t work. Nor will peace talks.

But money? Money will work. Cut of the supply of dollars from Iran to Hamas and others and we’ll get everyone’s attention. That’s why it’s so important for the Maryland Legislature to pass the Iran Divestment law, which is now languishing before committee.

It’s stuck in front of the legislators because they are fearful that State Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp might not support it. She’s afraid that it does not meet constitutional muster because Maryland’s citizens might not think such limitations are the most fiscally responsible way to manage state funds.

Other states, such as Missouri, have already passed the bill, and others are considering it. The performance of their portfolios has not been affected by this.

This War on Terror has already cost our state plenty. Our National Guard troops have been killed, as have so many other Americans and others. This is a case of an ounce of prevention. If we can hurt Iran economically, it could save Maryland millions in dollars and more importantly in priceless lives. We can avoid an invasion of Iran and suppress the heavy costs of terror.

Don’t let our state’s money go to supporting corporations who do business with Iran. Act now to encourage your state legislatures to make sure this becomes Maryland law. Specifically talk to them about Senate Bill 214 and House Bill 371.

Swing Set and Missles

Only two months ago, 250 Baltimoreans joined with their Israeli counterparts in our sister city, Ashkelon to build a playground in a wonderful mission by the Associated.

What a beautiful and peaceful act. Nearby, just south of where Baltimore’s lasting ties to Israel are now enjoyed every day by children, peaceful acts don’t seem to exist. In Gaza, the preference is to build weapons to murder innocent children rather than building infrastructure that will make lives better.

Yesterday, an Israeli man died when a rocket – one of dozens fired that day—struck his minivan just in Sederot, which is just south of Ashkelon. In Ashkelon itself, eight Hamas rockets fell on Thursday, destroying homes and injuring people. (Read more about this.) These events are now daily occurrences.

Less than three years ago, Israel walked out of Gaza, leaving the Palestinians to govern their own land. We all expected celebration to erupt for their newfound freedom. But it’s so clear that the Palestinians don’t know how to govern, only how to fight. It takes no leadership to be rebels and terrorists; you can’t be a PR darling if you are shown on TV as prosperous and happy. It’s far easier to fire rockets on Israel, inviting necessary retaliation, than to build a civil society.

So now that Hamas has full control of Gaza, of course they chose to terrorize rather then act responsibly. No surprise there, just sadness – sadness that there is no end or solution for the Israelis trying to live in peace.

I’m just proud that the citizens of our sister city, in partnership with friends here in Baltimore, continue to invest in the future by building playgrounds for their children.

Ugly Politics Reigns Again

During the past December holiday season, I ran into Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) a few times. I asked how it was going with his new gig as the state’s newest U.S. Senator. I figured that going from being a Congressman in a minority party to this new job in the now majority party must have been heaven. He said it was. As someone who’s served in Congress since 1987, he said he’s never seen the U.S. Capitol so ugly and partisan as it is right now.

The animosity across the aisles, he said, is mean-spirited and makes it near impossible to get anything significant done.

I’d go farther. It’s getting down right gross and dangerous. Like “Extreme Makeover,” the reality shows on TV, the most extreme one wins. Did you see those commercials that State Sen. Andy Harris (R-7th) ran in his race for the House against incumbent Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-1)? They lit into Gilchrest for voting with the Democrats—as if it were a crime to get things done for our country such as finally having an energy plan. Every candidate is pitted as “too liberal” or “too conservative” as if moderation is bad for our country.

Yes, our political system is set up for gridlock so that changes happen slowly, but we’re now in an ugly mode where doing anything to move our country forward is seen as extremism.

It’s gotten so bad that even the Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), who died this week and was the Congress’s only Holocaust survivor, is a target. Conservative talk show host Michael Savage, speaking on “Talk Radio Network,” the third most listened to program in the country, said this about the congressman’s February 11 death: “You’re not supposed to talk badly about the dead. I generally wouldn’t do it. But in the case of Tom Lantos, I’ll make an exception. I think he was one of the most—he was a scoundrel. And I’ll tell you why I detested Tom Lantos. The man survived the Holocaust of World War II and used it as a weapon the rest of his life.”

That’s sick. Savage is Jewish and should know better. Lantos was a man of conviction who spoke honestly and with moral authority. He chastised Bill Clinton for his behavior as well as led the fight against ANY genocide from Darfur to Armenia. He didn’t believe genocide could only be committed against Jews.

If he “used” the Holocaust, it was as a voice of reason to bring about positive change, which is exactly what he should have done. To say that made him a “scoundrel” is as wrong as it is offensive.

Enough of this ugliness. It has to stop.

Palestinian Suffering

It’s terrible to see the way the people in Gaza are treated.  It’s inhumane.  Shame on the way those perpetrators are keeping the Palestinians in those conditions. Call the UN. Alert Amnesty International.

Why would I condemn Israel?

I’m not. I’m pointing my finger at Egypt and the rest of the Arab world.

Hamas’s recent forced opening at the Egypt/Gaza border – the literally blew open the wall—highlighted how much the Palestinians need help. When the wall came down, literally hundreds of thousands of Gazans went surging into nearby Egyptian towns, seeking basic provisions such as food and gasoline.

So we see how easily the Palestinians could have been helped – if they had a responsible government in control and true friends. That is, if the Arab world was not too busy trying to score PR points against Israel.

How did this happen? Well, after Gaza’s Palestinians lobbed literally hundreds of rockets and mortars into Israel, randomly aiming them at civilians, the Israelis limited those supplies. If Hamas had worked on getting its citizens out from camps and into homes, or if it had created jobs and not suicide bombers, their citizens wouldn’t have been in peril.

It’s easy to blame Israel for closing the borders. Why hasn’t Egypt worked with Israel to open the border with Gaza? After all, Gaza was part of Egypt from 1949 until 1967. Then, when Israel and Egypt negotiated a peace treaty in the late 1970s, Egypt didn’t even want Gaza back. They wanted no part of a barren land with not natural resources—and filled with Palestinians. They didn’t even want Gaza back to help nurture it into an independent Palestinian state. Had they done that, they would have lost world opinion PR points against Israel. So they kept using the suffering Palestinians.

It’s no way for the Arab world to treat the Palestinians. Shame on them.

Gandhi’s Self-Inflicted Wound

On January 9, I blogged about an awful post on the Washington Post’s website by Arun Gandhi, grandson of the famous Indian preacher of non-violence. Bizarrely, he declared that Israel harps too much on the Holocaust and should simply lay down its arms to get along better with its neighbors. The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree

Arun was the president of M.K. Gandhi Institute. Some called his remarks anti-Semitic; I called them plain ignorant. Well guess what? Arun Gandhi offered his resignation and it was accepted on January 24.

I welcome that news because there is no room for such uneducated discourse, especially from the leader of a “non-violent” institute.

My only concern is that the announcement came from Joel Seligman, President of the University of Rochester, home of the Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. Seligman is Jewish and naturally people will blame it on the Jews. In reality Gandhi himself caused his own demise.

They Said No

George W. Bush went begging to Saudi Arabia in hopes that his friends would help him with a problem.

The high cost of oil was affecting the one thing he hoped he could leave as his legacy: a strong economy. Bush and the conservatives believed his tax cuts that helped only the wealthiest Americans would benefit the entire nation.

Six years later, we’re heading for a recession with the challenge of threats of inflation due to higher commodity prices like oil. So Bush tries to butter up his friends to increase oil production to meet growing global demand. An increase supply would lower the cost of oil.

Just after Bush left, Saudi Arabia made news. It would now be legal for women stay in a hotel by themselves! Huge. Gee, what rights women are now garnering in the Islamic nation.

How sad are we that our president has to go begging for lower oil prices? What really bothers me is that the Saudis are not the idealistic democracy that Bush has been pushing in the Middle East. Woman have little rights. They can’t drive or vote. There is no freedom of religion. Oh, and they sponsor terror against Israel.

All that qualifies them for a great friend to the U.S and Israel.

But in the end, OPEC and the Saudis said no. Is anyone surprised that this nation that teaches hatred against America and Israel would say no to increased production?

What is surprising is that Bush would even think they would.