It's All About the Benjamins

Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Netanyahu

Last July, I wrote about Bibi Netanyahu’s speech before the U.S. Congress and the fawning, almost fanatical support given to him by virtually all Members of Congress. Small wonder that America continues to arm Israel to the hilt as it prosecutes a genocide in Gaza and a regime change war in Iran.

My father used to say. “the chickens are coming home to roost”; in this case, I suppose it’s America’s chickenhawks, who are always eager to follow Israel’s lead into more wars in the Middle East. Our chickenhawks are all capons.

It’s MIGA time, making Israel great again, for a whole host of reasons. Keeping it simple, think money and power.

It’s all about the Benjamins, they say, in this case Benjamin Franklin (as in money) and Benjamin Netanyahu (as in winning elections and burnishing one’s future prospects after politics).

It’s all so depressing because we citizens of America know we have no say in our government, but a foreign leader like Netanyahu has virtual veto power over the Congress. What a “superpower” we are! What a “democracy”!

Anyhow, here’s that article I wrote last July, following Bibi’s triumphant speech before Congress:

Netanyahu and Biden Speak

A Grim Day in Washington, DC, and Across the World

BILL ASTORE

JUL 25, 2024

I was wrong about Congress and its subservience to Bibi Netanyahu. I had set the over/under at 50 for the number of ovations he would receive, and 25 as the number of standing ovations. Apparently, he received 58 standing ovations in his address to Congress yesterday. Though not every member of Congress joined the orgy.

With respect to what Netanyahu said, Caitlin Johnstone covers it well. I’m less interested in what he said than what the orgy of applause says about America. Stormy applause for a foreign leader engaged in a genocide in Gaza: you can draw your own conclusions here. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the power of AIPAC and similar Zionist lobbies.

At 8:00PM EST, my wife and I tuned in to President Biden’s first speech since his surprise withdrawal by tweet from the 2024 campaign. I sure wish politicians could speak simply, clearly, and sincerely. How about a short speech like this?

My fellow Americans, thank you for your confidence in me, thank you for allowing me to serve for more than fifty years, and thank you for your patience as I recovered from COVID. After much reflection, I’ve decided I’m simply too old, too compromised, to be president after my current term ends in January 2025. In my stead, I heartily endorse my vice president and running mate, Kamala Harris. I have complete confidence in her. With that said, I want to thank everyone watching, here and around the world, for the best wishes you’ve shared with me. I will continue to work tirelessly for peace and for the betterment of the human condition everywhere, not forgetting the health of our environment as well. Thank you all again, and good night.

A person can dream, right?

Instead, Biden plodded through a speech that lasted about fifteen minutes but which seemed much longer. I was a bit surprised at how long it took him to mention Kamala Harris by name. There were the usual blessings extended to America and the troops, and the usual rhetoric that nothing is impossible to America and Americans, though I’m not sure of that. High-speed rail seems impossible, to cite one example.

All in all, the Congressional orgy for Bibi together with Biden’s sad withdrawal speech made for a very grim day in Washington, D.C. and indeed across the globe. For what happens here in America doesn’t stay here. It ripples to places like Gaza, Russia, China, powerfully and unpredictably.

As I said, yesterday was grim, and the prospect of a Trump/Harris race makes the future even grimmer for meaningful change toward a less militaristic and more peaceful world.