Let the games begin – again.

Now that the Summer Olympics Games are over, the November Election Games have begun. That means at the Baltimore Jewish Times we’re being courted heavily by surrogates from both parties who are out to convince us that their candidate is the best choice to lead our country these next four years.

Now the first thing they do is trot out the pro-Israel card. Frankly, I find it shallow and sad. That’s not only because the campaigns think that this is the beginning and end of what their importance to Jewish voters will be, but that many Jews agree.

The reason I’m downplaying the Israel card is actually because of the tremendous success of American Jewry in making the pro-Israel lobby – complete with its evangelical allies (at least on this issue) – a huge success. Indeed, each year the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee is ranked right up there with the National Rifle Association as one of the two most influential lobbies in the nation’s capitol. Now many Jews might not like the comparison, but when it comes to raw power our sliver of the population – about 1.9 percent in recent years – carries a mammoth wallop in the Halls of Power. We shouldn’t be ashamed of that, but proud of it.

But what about health care, immigration, religion in the public square, vouchers for private schools, national defense policies and more? I’m not taking sides here, and know that there is far from uniformity in the Jewish community on this and nearly anything else.

What I am saying is that Jewish groups in particular should press the candidates and their surrogates to detail these views. Push them to be specific, particularly when it’s Jewish surrogates that come in front of us.

Thanks to the pro-Israel lobby, there is no way in the world that an anti-Israel candidate can rise through the ranks of either party. That’s the way it should be. But we are still allowed to argue over what being pro-Israel means. (As but one example, is it in Israel’s best interest for the U.S. to pressure it to abandon West Bank settlements more quickly, or is it best to avoid the issue and let the status quo drag on – or even just say that those communities are now a permanent feature of the landscape?)

American Jews are likely the most educated, informed and sophisticated ethnic community in this country. Now we need to act that way.

Kooky politicians never fade away … they just run for president.

That’s my response after learning that Cynthia McKinney of Georgia is the Green Party nominee for president, as announced today. For sure, unlike year 2000 party candidate Ralph Nader, Ms. McKinney will not come remotely close to influencing the election. That’s because if she ever gained traction, the vast majority of Americans would see her as an increasing number of Georgians did over the years – a divisive, angry and out-of-whack politician.

I speak from personal experience. Back in the 1990s, I was editor of the Atlanta Jewish Times when she was a congresswoman. Her district was majority black, but had a healthy chunk of the Jewish community. Jewish leaders repeatedly tried to be friendly toward her; she repeatedly said in so many words, “I don’t need you so go stick your love somewhere.”

That was even before her father, long-time state representative Billy McKinney, began claiming that his daughter’s Jewish Republican opponent was being funded by national Jewish groups.

When that happened, Ms. McKinney slowly, with great reticence, ever-so-slightly distanced herself from her father’s comments. (For the record, no one was asking her to denounce her dad, just what he said.) I went up to her at a political event a day later, identified myself and said to her, “I’m glad you said what you said and look forward to now covering the issues of the campaign.” She gave me a glare and walked away. Her Jewish advisor was mortified. I told him, “Now we’re learning a lot about what she really thinks.”

Breaking tradition for the Atlanta Jewish Times, I refused to endorse the Democratic candidate in that race. Based on the history of Atlanta’s Jewish community – remember Jimmy Carter?—I was not ready to endorse Republican challenger John Mitnick. Looking back, I was wrong.

Back then I wrote that on the one hand Ms. McKinney, a black and single mom, was the type of person who should be in the U.S. House of Representatives because she truly represented a disenfranchised portion of the electorate. On the other hand, her behavior and beliefs were so outrageous that they raised serious questions.

Since then, she went on to win and lose her seat several times, finally being knocked out for good in 2006. Now she is calling for a new investigation of the 9/11 attacks – which would undoubtedly delve into the idiotic theory that Israel and/or American Jews are responsible. She also has said that peace in the Middle East could come “based on self-determination, respect for human rights and justice.” My guess is that she does not realize that Jewish settlers and their supporters might agree: justice for them comes in the right to self-determination and human rights in their ancient homeland.

That’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Ms. McKinney is such a contrast to the great Georgian African-American political leaders of past and present, including John Lewis – one of my heroes.

Well, at least we now know what Ms. McKinney is up to – at least until early November.

So now it’s Israel’s fault that gas prices are rising. Reports are increasing that the summer’s soaring cost of petroleum for the inefficient U.S. auto fleet is due in large part to speculation of a rumored pending Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear sights. (Sure, the price for a gallon has dropped in the past few days. But people, it’s still over $3.70 in most places, or some $1.50 more than the cost not so long ago.)

As the narrative goes, for starters a preemptive Israeli strike may not succeed. After all, it’s a near-impossible task of hitting at least 10 reinforced and underground nuclear installations over hostile territory, a mission that will take several days and at least 100 planes.

And the potential response is horrifying: Hezbollah unleashing its 15,000 plus rockets on northern Israel, weapons supplied by Iran. Hamas reignites its missile barrages against southwestern Israel. Syria gives the green light for terror attacks on Israel’s northern border – albeit from Lebanon so that Damascus can claim neutrality. Iran targets U.S., British and other oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. The regimes in Egypt and Jordan could be toppled by street demonstrations if their governments do not break peace treaties with Israel. And one can imagine what happens to world financial markets.

All in all, it’s a nightmare scenario that seems far from impossible.

But you have to wonder, why isn’t the world instead focusing on what a nuclear-armed Iran will mean? An even bolder Tehran will permanently threaten Saudi, Kuwaiti, Iraqi and other regional oil fields. It will give the ruling mullahs even more leverage and stronger ability to project bravado in exporting their militant brand of Islamic radicalism. Meanwhile, the even higher oil prices will given Iran even more money. That country already threatens the world by arming Hezbollah – which has struck in Israel, Lebanon, Argentina and elsewhere – and has ties with Hamas.

Iran claims that its drive for nuclear power is meant for peaceful purposes. If so, why does it refuse to welcome U.N. inspectors? It’s not as if the world body is in the hip pocket of the U.S. and Israel.

Oh yes, Iran and its supporters claim that Israel already has nuclear bombs so there’s a double standard at work here. Not really. Israel has never threatened Iran with nuclear weapons, despite the heinous things Tehran’s leaders continues to say about and do to the world’s only Jewish state. Meanwhile, Israel keeps negotiating to get out of the lives of the Palestinians—and we all know what Iran has been up to during that period.

State Comptroller Peter Franchot stopped by today to touch base, as he does periodically. Not surprisingly Maryland’s November slots referendum topped the agenda. If approved, it would lead to 15,000 slot machines in five sites. Mr. Franchot is leading the public charge against the initiative, pitting him against the state’s power structure in the likes of Gov. Martin O’Malley and State Senate President Mike Miller. The Comptroller believes that slots would lead to all types of ills and is a silly way to try and deal with a short-term budget issue. Besides, he said, “If it’s approved, the legislature can turn these sites from slots parlors into casinos and by then we’re half pregnant when it comes to five more sites for slots.”

Now I’m against slots on a slew of levels, particularly religious ones. I just don’t see how gambling helps people. This is nothing new. Rabbi Leon of Modena wrote about this in his memoir in the early 1600s. (I even find it offensive when synagogues hold casino nights and cannot bring myself to bet more than a few chocolates during a dreidle game). I also believe that the General Assembly and Mr. O’Malley, as I wrote during the fall emergency legislative session, punted by tossing the question of slots back to the voters. So much for legislators taking the hard vote and paying the price – or reaping the rewards – at the polls.

Instead, we’re getting a costly, politically divisive and drawn out debate. If slots are defeated, Mr. O’Malley is going to say, “Now I have to slash programs such as education, help for the poor, etc. to balance the budget.” And if they are approved, he’ll not only find that the revenue is not what’s expected, but need to start increasing funds for gamblers’ anonymous and the likes. And with a predicted $35 billion changing hands, there will be corruption.

But the issue of balancing the state’s budget is real, especially as revenue keeps dropping due to declining consumer confidence. In fact, despite gas’s rise, gas tax is down from last year at this time. People just are not going out as much. At a coffee shop I frequent , a worker just told me business was down 50 to 60 percent. A friend who owns a restaurant says it’s down 30 to 40 percent.

Yikes. What will we do without gambling’s alleged financial windfall? Mr. Franchot’s idea: get the state’s leading business men and women together and some others to give hard advice. “They can do it in a non-ideological way,” he said. Well, they really cannot totally do that, but at least it will be in a fashion less invested in keeping certain jobs and certain department budgets in tact.

So I do like the general idea. Mind you, everyone knows that Mr. Franchot might be vying for Mr. O’Malley’s job, and the latter may be recruiting someone such as Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith to run against Mr. Franchot. So there’s a lot of political infighting going on here, too. Nothing new. Nor is the reality that if Marylanders rush into gambling parlors, more than a few will join a crowd in walking out a bit dazed and wondering what they just did.

This is the best Italian food in town. We have tried many others and nothing can top Fazzini’s. Everything is fresh, homemade and delicious.

The pizza here was undercooked and really doughy.
entrees on other tables looked good though.

we like fazzini italian kitchen because of good wait staff and consistently good italian food. everything there is homemade; pasta, sauce,bread,pizza dough,etc.  large portions and reasonable prices and no ambiance!