This **'s attitude toward Gaza is a moral and political disaster, which greatly increases the likelihood of a Trump return to the White House. What can we do about it?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greets U.S.**Joe Biden when he arrives at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion Airport on October 18, 2023. (Brendan Smirovsky, AFP, Getty).
Article source: The NationThe crisis in Gaza and Biden**'s response to the crisis dramatically changed the political dynamics in the United States prior to October 7. Two major challenges are now at the heart of left-wing and progressive strategies. U.S. policy toward Israel and Palestine must change, both in terms of the immediate imperative of an immediate and lasting ceasefire today and, in the long term, the need for the U.S. to end decades of unconditional Xi of unconditional checks to Israel.About the source: The Nation is a company filled with unwavering revelations of scandals, provocative commentary, and heated debates about politics and culture, dedicated to inspiring readers to fight for justice and equality. The newspaper offers an in-depth understanding of the state of the world and what is possible, bringing bold ideas into conversation and sparking debates far beyond its pages. It strongly believes in the freedom of knowledge and values facts and transparency. The newspaper believes that dissent is a form of patriotism and demands that powerful people, regardless of their political beliefs, should be held accountable. At the same time, The Nation makes radical promises for the future and agitates for meaningful change today. It aspires to inspire a more informed public – with a deeper understanding of events, ideas, and history. Founded in 1865 by abolitionists, it has long believed that independent journalism can lead to a more democratic and equitable world. Its writers exert influence by shifting paradigms and opening their minds. In-depth investigative reporting has initiated congressional hearings, forced policy changes, and shaped news cycles.
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However, if the Democratic candidate is still Joe Biden, let all constitute opposition to MAGAMake America Great Again, a campaign slogan used by some American politicians.) It was first used by Republican candidate Ronald Reagan in the 1980 U.S. election, and later by Republican candidate Donald Trump in the 2016 election. MAGA has also been used to refer to Trump's political base).The task of voting for the Democratic candidate by majority voters has become more difficult.
Even if Trump and the Republican Party are openly talking about the brutal repression that is at the heart of their agendaBiden's embrace of Israel's overwhelming violence continues to cause widespread revulsion, costing him significant Democratic district support in key battleground states. As November 2024 approaches, no one can say whether such antipathy will continue. However, it is entirely possible that it would encourage abstention or voting for a third party, which in either case would be effectively voting for a Republican candidate.
To meet these challenges, the left will need to adjust the political and electoral tactics that dominated party before October 7. We need a way that both advances the movement for Palestinian rights and increases Biden's pressure to withdraw or force him to step aside in favor of a candidate who is better able to win 2024.
Biden's attitude toward Gaza is a moral and political catastrophe. Embracing Netanyahu and pledging billions of dollars in new military aid to Israel has made the United States and this **individual champions of the Israeli Great**. Paying lip service to expressing concern for the lives of Palestinian civilians, without taking any meaningful action, pales in comparison to its support for a leader who has publicly made a genocidal statement.
Anti-Israel marches.
Biden's stance has deeply alienated key constituencies in the coalition that helped him win over Trump in 2020. As James Zogby warns in an article published in this journal on November 8:Some Democratic strategists claim that young Arab-Americans, people of color, and progressive young voters will soon forget their disappointment and vote in 2024 as they did in 2020. Such a position is insulting and fraught with danger. ”
The stakes for 2024 are too high, so Zogby's alarm bells can't be ignored. Since it now seems unlikely that Biden would win back those voters even if he tried to, let alone that he had no intention of trying so far, we need to consider ways to push him aside.
It's a difficult task, but it's not impossible. For months, there have been reports that top Democrats are anxious that Biden is a weak candidate. David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist for a successful campaign, recently floated the idea that Biden should consider resigning. Thomas Friedman's recent column suggests that at least some in the foreign policy establishment recognize that aligning Washington's policies with Israel is seriously damaging America's standing in the Global South. If a large group of energetic anti-MAGA voters mobilizes to demand that Biden withdraw from the race, it could turn the uneasiness of these elites into a strict dialogue with Biden's top brass or inspire another ambitious Democrat to join the race.
Democratic members of the House of Representatives, including the only Palestinian-American in Congress, Rashida Tlaib (second from right), called for a ceasefire in Gaza. Anadolu News Agency, Anadolu Getty.
The best way to achieve such a mobilization is to launch a subversive campaign for the nomination of the Democratic candidate. Such an attempt would recognize Biden's victory over Trump in 2020 and begin to distance the Democratic Party from neoliberalism. But he will criticize his unconditional support for Israel and hawkish foreign policy in general, and offer to replace him to provide Democrats with the best chance of retaining their ** and Senate seats, as well as winning back their seats in the House of Representatives in 2024.
Whether or not this campaign succeeds in pushing Biden aside, it has other benefits: It will make defending every elected ceasefire** a national cause, injecting more energy into a progressive cause that has begun to be a top priority. It could also bring together voters who are both enthusiastic about anti-MAGA and urging deep structural change under a common umbrella, adding momentum to change after 2024**.
Admittedly, it's a bit late, and to make such an attempt, you need to start with finding a willing and capable candidate, which is daunting in practice. However, if the dialogue already underway about exploring such a path is accelerated, and there is auspiciousness that enjoys broad support, then these obstacles may be overcome.
Even if this is not the case, it is possible to implement a backup planning policy that implements the same basic strategy. An organized "replace Biden to defeat the MAGA" campaign could maintain pressure during the Democratic National Convention by flexing its power in other ways, including calling for a self-filled candidate ballot or blank ballot in the Democratic primary. ‘
FinallyThe fight to make Palestinian rights a recognized part of the anti-MAGA effort is very important, and not only in winning more votes for Muslims, Arabs, and young voters in 2024. Today's U.S. policy toward Israel-Palestine is the backbone of Americanism and the gateway to the normalization of a new version of McCarthyism in American politics and culture. Opposition to Israeli apartheid means weakening policies that favour the military-industrial complex and those that guarantee the constant risk of regional and even international war in the Middle East. This is a key fulcrum in countering attacks on free speech and freedom.
Any anti-MAGA coalition that excludes this component of the struggle for peace and democracy will lose not only the loyalty of millions of voters, but also the moral high ground on which any lasting victory must depend.
Harvard University students rally for Palestine on October 14, 2023.
by Bill Fletcher JrHe is a former president of the TransAfrica Forum, a long-time supporter of trade unions, and a co-founder of the Ukrainian Solidarity Network. He is a member of the editorial board of The Nation.
Translator: yaqi, **人. Focusing on international politics, gender issues and their intersectionality, as well as the framework for these issues. If a large group of energetic anti-MAGA voters mobilizes to demand that Biden withdraw from the race, it could turn the uneasiness of these elites into a strict dialogue with Biden's top brass or inspire another ambitious Democrat to join the race.