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Such a great discussion. Well informed and respectful participants, despite their different PoVs. I could watch discussions like this every week of the year! It struck me that perhaps it's because this group shared a common value in their Judaism. We *should* be able to have such respectful debates on other issues with multiple POVs with a common core value of being American, no?

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Lesson 1: Just because the media echo chamber says something does not make it true. Donald Trump may be a lot of things, but fascist antisemite is not one of them.

Lesson 2: Since the Kerry faction has taken over the Democratic Party what I call antisemitic chic has become a Democrat thing. Meaning that it’s now cool to be pro Palestinian and anti Israel (Jewish). It is extremely difficult, if not impossible to be anti Israel and neutral toward Jews simply because the Jewish faith seems to be linked to the land. In short, American Jews who support progressive Democrats are getting all the antisemitism they are paying for.

Lesson 3: I spent a significant part of my adult life in combat zones. That period started in the 1960s in Vietnam and Laos and ended with Djibouti in the late 1980s. I learned one true thing during that part of my life. That is, if someone says they want to kill you, believe them.

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Fantastic discussion. Thanks so much.

It was wonderful to hear how compassionate the guests all were towards each other.

Something that wasn’t emphasized so much were the two candidates’ economic policies and how closely aligned Israel is to US capitalism, security and technology broadly speaking. That goes deeply into the vibrant society and economy Israelis have been so able to make flourish. Would that influence their voting?

I was waiting for our intrepid host to ask whether participants had a view on Trump’s claim that Harris is a Marxist (at heart) as taught by her father. Or whether which candidate better appreciates the extent of Israel’s intricately intertwined alliance with the US to grow and spread liberal Western values.

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I appreciate this debate. As a non-Jew, but one who supports Israel and the concept of Zionism, I’ve wondered over the past year how many Jewish Americans will swing over to vote Republican this time. This conversation, along with the comment section, gave me an idea. I’m glad to see some are waking up to where the biggest threat to their existence really is.

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Republicans: we don't care about Jews, they won't vote for us anyway

Democrats: we don't care about Jews as they will vote for us anyway

p.s. Can't help but be reminded of the quote from the movie "Bulworth" when the politician admits to have been lying to his voters : "So what're you gonna do, vote Republican?"

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I'm back! I sure missed 7 days of juicy stuff, but I think the election is still going to happen, whether TFP likes it or not.

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Great discussion

Take away from discussion . In previous elections I estimate 80% or more of The Jewish community voted democratic. Now similar to this group 50/50

The Democratic Party has moved way left and left the moderates many of whom are Jews behind. Harris is part of the machine and will perform as directed and that will not be good for Israel and Jews in the US

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"Jewish leaders demand Harris issue strong denial to ‘libel’ Israel committing genocide in Gaza--

The demands came as Harris responded “what he’s talking about, it’s real” to a heckler who accused Israel of genociding Palestinians in Gaza."

https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-825876

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"2-to-1 Team Kamala" is conclusive proof that Hashem's chosen people are very far from perfect. :-)

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Really? And here all along I've been certain that we are perfect. Thank you for clearing that up.

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"It went the other way as well, with one lifelong Republican unable to get past Trump’s vulgarity, and unconvinced by his supposed Zionism."

I don't give a fat rat's ass about his vulgarity.

I can only assume that this lifelong Republican would prefer a candidate who is much more genteel....and then lose.

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Such a fantastic debate. Why can't these people be running for something....anything...

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I strongly suspect there is a significant minority of American

voters who will silently vote

on their relatively secret ballot,

for a candidate whom their neighbors and workmates abhor.

Voting silently and secretly to avoid being figuratively “cast out”

from their neighborhoods and work places is a survival must.

Of course, there will be Jews in this

number. Failing support for Israel is

a reason as well as the worst antisemitism since the 1930s.

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This was a fantastic conversation, well moderated. Thank you.

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What really upset me about this debate. These are normal everyday people in this debate. They sound smarter, logical, clear, and more rational than our candidates. This is a hard subject and they both made rational reasonable sense. I want to see this with our elected officials.

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Could NOT agree with this statement more!

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This comment at the 6 min mark sums up my concerns with Harris

"very sadly I think the Democrat party has been overtaken in many ways by the progressive left

which tends to have sympathy with Islamic extremism and I don't think most Democrats think like that. But I do think if Kamala Harris was elected into office I think she would be kind of held hostage by the radical left base which got her elected. I'm not voting for (trump) because I love him I'm voting for him because I I don't see any other choice"

I'm less concerned with Harris herself, much more concerned with the leverage racist groups like the squad will have. Because they can, and we know they will, exercise a lot of leverage.

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This, 100%, is why I’m crossing party lines for the first time ever, holding my nose, etc, and voting for a man whose character is non-existent. Because I’d rather not see so much antisemitism in our universities and even in the schools in the so-called liberal district we live (oh wait, my bad, that’s WHY there’s antisemitism unfettered here, the ultra woke BOE doesn’t give at hoot)

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IMHO much like abortion makes for a single issue election for many young women, antisemitism and support for Israel makes this a single issue election for Jews, and that means voting for the mainstream Republican party, and therefore Trump. Harris(/Biden) have shown their hand on this subject. The Democratic Party of old that the Jewish community supported during the Civil Rights era is no more.The parties have now undergone and 180 degree switch. Old habits, like knee-jerk support by the Jewish community for the Democratic Party dies hard. Personally, I do not like the way Trump comports himself, his lack of civility, his general viewpoint about women, but as someone said "I am not going to dinner with him", American Jews need to judge who is best for the job, not who is the best "date".

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What is his general viewpoint about women? Is it the same as Kamala, who think men who think they are women have more rights than actual women and can exists in womens sports and spaces? The Supreme court justice who she picked, Ketanji Brown Jackson, couldn't even tell you what a woman is? There were plenty of woman in Trump's staff who loved him and had great benefits. There are plenty of mothers of children who were killed by the open boarder policies who love Trump. There are plenty of pro-life women who appreciated that Trump was the only president who spoke at their gatherings. The Democrats - especially in Hollywood and the media who hide the horrific treatment of women in their industry. And of course, they report nothing of the accusations against Kamala's husband.

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