Kadima, Great Name, But Empty of Values and Vision

My earliest reading was store names and labels; then I quickly graduated to advertisements.  And to this day, I love reading ads.  During my short (just a couple of years) career as an advertising agent, my favorite part of the job was to "help" the graphic artist properly interpret the clients' wishes and get the wording just right in the ad.

With that background, no surprise that I consider קדימה Kadima, to be a fantastic choice as a name of a political party.

2.קָדִימָה adverb  forward, onward; in front, in the front, ahead ; מקדימה  in front, in the front
3.קָדִימָה interjection  Forward!, Onward!, Let's go!

The Kadima Party isn't really quite "forward" thinking.  Its history shows that it's more inward, considering that it was begun by Likud politicians protecting their own "backs."  The troika most involved with its establishment were all under police investigation for various corruption charges, Ariel Sharon*, Ehud Olmert** and Tzachi Hanegbi***.

Yes, how moral, realiable and forward thinking can a political party parented by such politicians be?

*Sharon and his sons have been named or investigated in four cases of suspected misdemeanor or felony:
-A mysterious loan from an Austrian bank.
-The so-called "Greek island affair," in which Sharon's son Gilad was paid huge sums of money by a leading Likud activist when Sharon was foreign minister and, later, a candidate for party leader.
-Building permits for that same activist in the town of Lod.
-The proposed rezoning of agricultural land in the center of the country, where the Sharons have a second farm. (complete article)

**Haaretz expose: All the corruption charges being leveled against Ehud Olmert Former prime minister to be questioned on Tuesday in Holyland affair, over allegations he accepted bribes totaling more than NIS 1 million from real estate developers to promote their interests in several projects. (complete article)

***A three-judge panel ruled Tuesday that MK Tzachi Hanegbi's perjury conviction consists of moral turpitude and sentenced him to pay a NIS 10,000 fine. The ruling bars Hanegbi from continuing to serve in the current Knesset, yet will enable him to run for the next Knesset. (complete article)

Israeli political history is  riddled with large "Center" parties that came and went onto/from the political scene and are now just postscripts in history.  They have been as long-lasting and reliable as balloons, large and impressive for a short period of time, until they pop.



That's because, just like this balloon, they were only filled with hot air, empty words.

Shaul Mofaz, Kadima's newly elected leader is already showing himself a weak unimaginative follower.  He has pledged to "lead" next summer's Korach aka (faux) social justice carnival demonstration.  He's hoping to attract voters from those wealthy enough to take the summer off and play "pauper" in the streets, while being entertained by Israeli celebrities.  The truly poor and suffering have no time and money for those games and festivities. 

Kadima has been dropping in the polls.  Its great support seems to be coming from the media which has less and less influence on the voters.  If we want to watch fiction, we can watch a movie.  Science fiction is even more convincing than Kadima politicians.