House approves $1 billion for Israel's Iron Dome defense system

[Jose Garcia]

Source: CNN

(CNN)The House on Thursday easily approved a bill to provide funding for Israel's Iron Dome after it was removed from a separate bill to prevent a government shutdown and suspend the nation's borrowing limit.

The $1 billion in funding allocated for the aerial defense system had initially been included in the must-pass legislation that the House considered earlier in the week, but the provision was removed from the final version to appease a group of progressives who said they would sink the legislation unless that funding was struck from it.

The bill now goes to the Senate where it's unclear when it will get a vote.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer created a separate bill to bring to the floor Thursday under suspension, which means it bypassed the normal rules required to pass the bill and required a two-thirds majority to pass.

Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/09/23/politics/iron-dome-house-vote/index.html

[ck4829]

1. We should certainly show solidarity with Israel

I think we should also show solidarity by having similar healthcare systems and college tuition systems.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. Yeah

Link to tweet

[underpants]

4. Damn for that kind of money I'd think we could buy another aircraft carrier

or at least a new one that works.

[Sneederbunk]

15. Not a very big carrier. The Gerald R. Ford cost approximately 13 billion.

[underpants]

20. Okay

Then maybe just an aircraft

[sarisataka]

17. Obviously you have not

Been aircraft carrier shopping in a very long time.

[underpants]

19. No

No I haven’t

[Lovie777]

3. Will pass in the senate. .....

[PoliticAverse]

8. Of course it will. It's corporate welfare for the defense industry. n/t

[sboatcar]

5. Maybe a dumb question

but why isn't Israel paying for this system that only benefits them?

[PoliticAverse]

6. Why should they pay for it when they can get the US to pay for it? n/t

[Jose Garcia]

7. It benefits the Palestinians also

[Steelrolled]

25. Yeah, I don't know if many people think about this,

but the interception of missiles by the "iron dome" saves Palestinian lives.

[George II]

36. Correct. Some seem to forget that there are many Palestinians living in Israel, not just Gaza....

So Iron Dome not only saves Jewish Israeli lives it saves Palestinian Israeli lives too. More than 20% of the population of Israel are Palestinian Israelis.

Plus, without Iron Dome Israel would be more inclined to destroy Hamas rockets at their source in Gaza, civilian neighborhoods.

[treestar]

51. OK but why is the US paying anything?

[Diraven]

9. Because it benefits US defense contractors

If it were just up to Israel they might not buy it. But if there's an opportunity to further enrich a rich defense company using taxpayer dollars so they can turn around and give some of that back as campaign donations, then it's a political no-brainer.

[Backseat Driver]

13. I didn't see where Isreal wasn't paying toward that goal, and

support for our/their R&D and implementation doesn't just benefit our ally, Israel!

[sboatcar]

22. Is it a system the US uses?

[Beastly Boy]

26. It also has directly benefited other countries:

Azerbaijan, India, Romania and the United States.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Dome#Foreign_sales

It also indirectly benefits the entire Middle East, since Iron Dome, being a defensive weapon that mainly protects Israel's civilians, is a stabilizing factor in this volatile region.

[joetheman]

10. So the Congress is more concerned about insuring Israel get is funds than US citizens?

Wasn't Iraq enough???

[Bayard]

11. I never got the impression that Israel was a poor nation

They can't afford their own defense? We really need that money for domestic programs.

But then, I've never understood why we keep subsidizing oil companies.....

[Beastly Boy]

28. Israel ain't exactly rich.

Israel's GDP is about $400 billion, compared to Egypt's $360 billion, compared to Saudi Arabia's $700 billion, compared to the US' $22 trillion

On edit:

A report issued by the OECD in 2016 ranks Israel as the country with the highest rates of poverty among its members. Approximately 21 percent of Israelis were found to be living under the poverty line – more than in countries such as Mexico, Turkey, and Chile. The OECD average is a poverty rate of 11 percent.


If you lived in Israel instead of the United States, you would...

-- make 39.1% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $59,800 as of 2017, while in Israel, the GDP per capita is $36,400 as of 2017.



-- be 45.7% more likely to be live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Israel, however, that number is 22.0% as of 2014.



-- pay a 26.3% higher top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Israel, the top tax rate is 50.0% as of 2016

Tip of the hat to Nurse Jackie
https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2803525

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. 420-9 !!!! Support for Israel's security remains overwhelmingly bipartisan in the House.

Link to tweet

[Chainfire]

14. I don't know why American taxpayers

are funding Israeli defense. We should keep our noses out of it. We should learn to do without Arab oil and let Israel learn to live with their neighbors. A good start would be for Israeli to stop breaching the borders with "settlements." Settlements are just a slow motion grab for "living space." I would think, that of all the peoples in the world, the Israelis would be the first to get that and that Americans would be the second.

Now, pardon me while I slip on my asbestos underwear because I dare to share my opinion.

[JustAnotherGen]

42. This sounds like the Nazi Germany idea: Lebensraum

Essentially - Lebensraum roughly translates to "living space". Their Manifest Destiny if you will.


You wrote:
"I would think, that of all the peoples in the world, the Israelis would be the first to get that . . ."

Why is that? Why should they understand that? What makes Israel so unique? Do their neighbors have to play nice too? Or is it only Israel that has to apologize for existing?

.

[Chainfire]

47. Yes it does sound like Lebensraum doesn't it? I am glad you used the term, I avoided it...

It is the same thing that the Nazis did to the Czechoslovakians the Poles and Soviets.

What makes Israel unique? Well, it may be the only advanced nation, Russia excluded, that is using force to expand their borders. Israel has been at war, hot or cold, with their neighbors since their nation was founded. I guess that you would tell me that they share absolutely no responsibility for that situation. Sorry, but I a not one of the people who believe that Israel can do no wrong.

Of course, disagreeing with Israel's land theft automatically labels me as someone who would expect Israel to apologize for existing. I have to say that that kind of reaction was not unexpected. For some people, if you disagree with anything that Israel does you are automatically some type of Fascist. It is the problem of the accuser, not the accused.

But, again, I ask "Why should American taxpayers foot the bill for Israel's defense?"

[JustAnotherGen]

49. Theft

Then we should vacate North, Central and South America. I'm good - have Italian citizenship through my husband.

Then again - I think Scotland should leave "great" Britain and Puerto Rico should kick us out (go the way of Singapore and build absurd wealth) but people make all kinds economic and go along to get along excuses for them having boots on their neck.

In regards to your question - data and hyper scale data is where the future is at. Critical Network Cards are made my Israeli companies. Critical to US Green Infrastructure and 5G expansion. As critical to the US supply chain as South Korea - which should also have an iron dome with the miserable dictator to the North.

Funny - the Arab League's embargo is going to very quickly become a self-inflicted inflicted wound - leaving them behind. Can't bring those network cards even transformed into a compute or storage server - through the embargo country borders.

Thank you for not asking Israel to apologize for existing. They rock! Can't wait to go my dear friend's daughter's wedding there next year!

[SarcasticSatyr]

18. Just wondering why Republicans would support giving a billion dollars ...

to a country with the most liberal abortion laws on the planet. (sarcasm, but not exactly)

[Steelrolled]

23. They compartmentalize.

It is how many people, including myself, deal with inconsistences in our beliefs.

[ck4829]

39. Also how mentally ill people deal with their delusions

Last edited Fri Sep 24, 2021, 10:38 AM - Edit history (2)

Also how racists defend their views… “Oh. Well, you’re one of the GOOD ONES” instead of having to discard or even question their racism.

This is not a normal thought process.

Let's stop making excuses for Republicans and their fascism and hate.

[ck4829]

40. Weird how we don't "Stand with Israel" by adopting their healthcare or college tuition systems

But, hey, I guess it's because we don't really matter, do we?

[area51]

41. +1 n/t

[George II]

21. Congressman Ted Deutch of Florida, was particularly angry about some of the comments....

....during the debate, one of whom accusing Israel of maintaining "a violent apartheid system."

Deutch:

"I cannot allow one of my colleagues to stand on the floor of the House of Representatives and label the Jewish democratic state of Israel an apartheid state. I reject it," he said on the House floor. "Today, this caucus, this body, the House of Representatives will overwhelmingly stand with our ally, the state of Israel, in replenishing this defensive system. If you believe in human rights, if you believe in saving lives, Israeli lives and Palestinian lives, I say to my colleague who just besmirched our ally, then you will support this legislation."

Steny Hoyer was equally angry, and turned to point at some in the chamber during his speech but stopped short of calling them out by name.

Those who voted "Nay" were:

Omar
Carson
Tlaib
Newman
Pressley
Grijalva
Garcia (IL)
Bush

republicans:
Massie

Two Democrats voted "Present" - Johnson and Ocasio-Cortez.

It's well worth going to C-Span to watch the debate:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?514761-2/house-approves-1-billion-military-aid-israel-420-9&live

[Cha]

24. TY for that.. I see Bowman isn't

that list of the Nays.

He's usually votes with those listed.

I don't know who Carson , Newman, and Johnson are.

[George II]

27. Newman is a Justice Democrat from Illinois, I'm not familiar with Carson, but he's a Democrat....

....from Indiana. Johnson is a great representative from Georgia - he relishes taking on the likes of Matt Gaetz in committee hearings.

Since there were total of 431 votes several times yesterday, I assume Bowman was a Yea vote. None of the votes have been posted on the House site yet.

[Cha]

32. Thank you! Yeah, I was

wondering if Bowman's District wouldn't appreciate him voted "Nay" on this particular bill?

[JohnSJ]

33. I didn't realize she was a justice Democrat, but I think she may have a problem when her

Re-election comes up in two years. The district she is in is an open primary district

[JohnSJ]

31. Who was the person who threw out the apartheid card?

[George II]

34. Rashida Tlaib. About 5 minutes earlier....

C-Span has the entire proceeding here:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?514761-2/house-approves-1-billion-military-aid-israel-420-9&live

You can skip to the last few speeches - Tlaib's, republican Chuck Fleishmann from Tennessee, Deutch, and Hoyer are worth watching.

[JohnSJ]

35. Thanks. No surprise.

[JustAnotherGen]

43. I can't believe they are accusing Israel

Of Apartheid. That's over the top. And the Iron Dome creates stability for everyone in the region.

[ck4829]

44. So then everyone should get an Iron Dome then, yes?

Israel, Palestinians, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Jordan… IF it creates stability.

[JustAnotherGen]

45. I would say

South Korea first.

Israel then South Korea. Those two countries are critical to the hyper scale supply chain.

[George II]

29. Representative Ted Deutch's powerful speech on the floor of the House early this afternoon:

Link to tweet

[cinematicdiversions]

38. Good for him. Some representatives mistake Congress

For Twitter.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

50. And someone mistook my tax dollars as marked "for Israel".

Strange.

[JohnSJ]

30. It will get a vote in the Senate and pass

[DallasNE]

37. Look At The Optics Of This

This bill required a 2/3 vote for passage and got it.

What does the bill do? It assures that money for Israel bypasses a government shutdown while we invoke a shutdown for our own country. That's right, Israel comes before the American people.

Shows the outsized power that goes with generous cash to politicians'. Time for public financing of elections as that is the only way to clean up this mess. That would also negate Citizens United. Another recent example of this is the Democratic woman senator from Arizona that received $75,000 from drug companies/pharmacies then came out against Medicare being allowed to negotiate drug prices. Since the bad guys have more money than the good guys this is what you get every time. End the corruption now!

[lapucelle]

46. Democrats aren't "the bad guys" "We" are not "invoking a shut down of our own country".

Are all the Democrats who voted to fund Iron Dome the "bad guys"?

Is the junior senator from VT (who caucuses with and sometimes runs as a Democrat) also one of the "bad guys", given that that he's received $1,264,615 from the Pharmaceuticals / Health Products industry?

https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?ind=H04&cycle=2020&recipdetail=S&mem=Y&sortorder=U

*************************************************************************************

Can you name any Democrats who are planning on "invoking a shutdown for our own country"?

[EndlessWire]

48. I dunno.

I don't pretend to know. But, I do object to this:

"House Appropriations Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro expressed her support of the funding, saying in a statement, "the United States' commitment to the security of our friend and ally Israel is ironclad. Replenishing interceptors used to protect Israel from attacks is our legal and moral responsibility (CNN)."

Funny, but I feel no legal or moral responsibility to spend a BILLION bucks for ME protection. And, ironclad?? Okay, talk me through it. We have a contract to provide protection to Israel? What are we getting out of it? Because, a contract is a two-way street.

Like I said, I dunno. I don't see this as benefitting any country other than Israel. And, I am not antiIsraeli; I studied Hebrew at one time and had Israeli friends. I am not Jewish. I fall on the happily sort of Christian spirituality side of things. But, I don't believe in territory expansion by settlements. And, spending a Billion bucks is something that probably would benefit SK more, if they would have accepted it. Not that I think we should have done that, just saying.

How is this different from boots on the ground in Afghanistan? Sure, we had to honor some deal that TFG made with the Taliban, but isn't this the same kind of meddling that we just disdained? It doesn't look like they are paying a dime for it (I don't think we should be selling arms, btw.)

After the business with the Australian subs, it sure seems like we are setting up for something, doesn't it? Not enough of a sample, but let's see who else pops up and receives some kind of defensive help. And, I am in favor of NATO, believe in the concept, but geez, a billion bucks...

I'm open to education on the strategic and beneficial angles of this venture, but I don't think we should spend a billion bucks on some "moral" and "legal" supposition by people busy spending OUR effing money just to prop up governments that know how to sweet talk us. Because, this is not about the people; it never is. No one cares about Palestinian Israelis. You know it, I know it, don't try to BS the American people that spending a billion bucks on someone else when our own infrastructure is falling apart is somehow going to benefit us. So, what's the deal here?

Let's get off American dependence on ME oil...

[kwolf68]

52. Awesome

While we spend more on our military than the next 10 countries combined (most our allies) while our infrastructure crumbles, China continues to pour countless billions into improving theirs. While we still have millions without health insurance and pour billions into Israel defense systems the Israeli people have national health care.

God Bless the USA.

[honest.abe]

53. Mind boggling.