A note about Eliot Engel

[manhattan123]

I see posters here bemoaning his likely primary loss.


New York Magazine has a timely reminder of why he may have overstayed his welcome in this liberal state:


"Engel was one of blue America’s most enthusiastic supporters of the war in Iraq. He was an opponent of Barack Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran. After the Obama administration allowed the passage of a United Nations resolution condemning Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, Engel introduced a House resolution condemning the U.N. In 2016, as Saudi Arabia was starving and bombing Yemeni civilians, Engel joined Republicans in defeating a measure that would have restricted Riyadh’s access to cluster munitions, weapons that leave behind mine-like explosives that can kill civilians for decades after a conflict has ended.

Bowman, by contrast, has called for slashing the Pentagon’s budget and conditioning aid to Israel on its government’s observation of human-rights laws. Bowman did not make the latter point central to his campaign, but he did attack Engel for his stances on the Iraq War and Iran nuclear deal."

- snip -

"The Netanyahu government’s open alliance with the Republican Party in general — and Donald Trump in particular — has helped to fortify skepticism of the Israeli government among younger Democratic voters, especially liberal ones."


https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/06/bowman-taught-eliot-engel-a-foreign-policy-lesson.html

[underpants]

1. Plus he looked like Inspector Clouseau

Sorry. Just saying.

[live love laugh]

33. 🤣😆🤣😆

[onecaliberal]

2. He votes with republicans far too often.

[Grins]

7. More like he votes for Israel too often!

I didn’t know this about his voting record for Israel and against the UN. So eff this guy.

Israel’s government, i.e., Netanyahu, conspired with the Russians to get the pliable orange marauder elected.

How do we know this?

Because it is in the FBI notes FOIA’d by the media in the investigation into Roger Stone, released after Stone was convicted.

Stone, along with Jerome Corsi, Assange, and a 3-star, and possibly a 4-star general, in Israel’s Defense Forces, are all mentioned in the notes.

[George II]

13. According to Progressive Punch his Progressive rating was 9th in the House, far ahead of several...

...members of the House who consider themselves the leaders of the "progressive movement".

[czarjak]

30. Every time?

[Voltaire2]

3. Also a hot mic confession that he doesn't give a shit about his (ex) constituents didn't help.

"If I didn't have a primary, I wouldn't care,"

was the end of his career.

[Autumn]

4. "if I didn't have a primary, I wouldn't care." I'm so glad Bowman took him out.

He's a nasty little man.

[Tipperary]

6. That is what I remember the most.

Good riddance.

[Autumn]

9. Me too. He's a shining example of the difference between progressives and moderates.

He never should have gotten any endorsements from any Democrats after saying that. And those who endorsed him before should have rescinded their endorsement.

[George II]

14. Oh no, he's not progressive at all:

https://progressivepunch.org/scores.htm?topic=&house=house&sort=overall-current&order=down&party=

1 Levin, Andy D MI-9
2 Bonamici, Suzanne D OR-1
3 Maloney, Carolyn D NY-12
4TIE Lowenthal, Alan D CA-47
4TIE McGovern, Jim D MA-2
6 Raskin, Jamie D MD-8
7 Meng, Grace D NY-6
8 Barragán, Nanette D CA-44
9 Engel, Eliot D NY-16

[Autumn]

17. Engel isn't a progressive. nt

[George II]

19. According to those who don't want him to be progressive. But those with objective views like....

...that site, he certainly is.

[Autumn]

20. Objective? "if I didn't have a primary, I wouldn't care."

Whatever George

[George II]

21. Unfortunately few who aren't objective ignore the context of that comment. But if it serves....

....the purpose, whatever. "That's politics"!

[Autumn]

22. Context? That was the excuse he used. In context it sounded even worse.

[George II]

24. No, that was the twisted "context". Surely you know what it was, and it wasn't that.

[Autumn]

26. Bet your boots I know what it was. I listened to the whole thing, I'm even capable of

understanding words and stuff. Without any mansplaining .

[George II]

27. .....

[Autumn]

28. ...

[Blue_true]

18. Maloney could well lose her primary.

I think the issue is larger than progressive record. If a young progressive comes along and challenges an older progressive, the younger person stands an excellent chance of winning. I have seen Maloney, I saw pictures of Engle, both frankly look a little tired, not old, but tired.

[moondust]

5. Bibi says

thanks for the help, Eliot.

Israel set to annex one-third of occupied West Bank

Netanyahu Plans To Annex Parts Of The West Bank. Many Israeli Settlers Want It All

[stopbush]

8. He's Jewish. His support for Israel should be expected.

I don’t see how said support is disqualifying as a Dem.

[Celerity]

10. it went far beyond just Israel, he was arguably the biggest hawk in the entire House Dem caucus

He was fine on social issues, but extremely problematic on the war/security/surveillance state.

I could go on and on, but you get the point.

[manhattan123]

12. Support for the country of Israel and the Jewish people is pretty much a given for a NY politician..

...whether they're Jewish or not.

Unwavering, blind support for a right-wing Israeli government, especially one led by Bibi Netanyahu, is not the same thing.

[SCantiGOP]

16. stopbush: your statement is indefensible

If my parents came from Russia, should I vote pro-Russian in Congress?
What if my ancestors were from either India or Pakistan; should that determine how I respond to their ongoing hostilities?

[George II]

23. When I lived in New York, being a supporter of Israel was a political asset, not a liability...

It's sad how that has been twisted over the years to be considered a negative. It certainly wasn't disqualifying. Most of our local office holders were Jewish and supporters of Israel, and they were all Democrats (the term "progressive" wasn't being tossed around then).

[manhattan123]

29. Being a supporter of Israel is still as asset here

...being a lapdog for Netanyahu is not. People don't like how Bibi has aligned himself with Trump and the GOP, and how he treated President Obama. Like the time he spoke before a Joint Session of the Congress at the invite of the GOP without even alerting or clearing it with the White House, a standard diplomatic courtesy between heads of state.

Okay, so you don't like change or younger people taking seats of congressmen who have been around 30 years. It's not a god given right for them to hold that seat until they're carried out feet first. If constituents want a change, it happens.

[George II]

32. I love how people make assumptions based on characteristics of a candidate that one supports.

So, since you've concluded that I don't like change or younger people taking office, I couldn't possibly have supported Barack Obama during the primaries of 2008, what with the older, more traditional candidate he was running against.

That conclusion is offensive and insulting, along with your last.

Bye!

[manhattan123]

35. Aww, sorry your feefees were hurt. Bye

[aikoaiko]

11. But his endorsements? Don't they count for anything?

[bringthePaine]

15. good riddance - he'll be forgotten in no time

[dlk]

25. The people of New York District 16 have spoken

They get to choose who best represents their values.

[question everything]

31. Moderates flipped the House in 2018

Having many moderates replaced by leftists could jeopardize the majority.

[manhattan123]

34. If it's a safe blue district, unlikely

Are progressives targeting moderates in districts that could flip back to Republican easily?

If so they shouldn't, but if they want to push the party more to the left, and think they can win a safe Democratic seat, why shouldn't they try.