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As I have posted many times, although I do vote in Likud primaries and am not shy about publicizing my opinions about the candidates I haven't voted for Likud, or was it still GaHa"L, since 1973.
Since Israel is a democracy, it's perfectly legal to join any party you want (only one at a time according to law) and vote for a different one. There's no "big brother" following you into the voting booth.
Prior to these big computerized primaries, the Likud, when still Herut, as part of GaHa"L, had a different, no less confusing method to compute the order of candidates. We'd go to the Herut offices in downtown Jerusalem, near Menorah Square, Horse Park, behind the then new Hamashbir Letzarchan modern department store, and get two pieces of paper with lists of names from Emanuel Hanegbi, Tzachi's father. The names were the same on both lists, but one of the lists had the prescribed amount of names checked off. Considering that I, for sure, knew pretty much nothing about 90% of the people on the lists, this was a service of sorts. If I couldn't trust our dear friend Emanuel, whom could I trust? I must admit that I'd make a few changes, substituting a few female names for some of the men. At that time, there were very few females, besides Golda Meir, Labor Party, in Israeli politics.
Emanuel Hanegbi passed away when Tzachi was in the IDF, and today I get my suggestions from other sources. One of them is Mattot Arim, which did a very detailed study of the Israeli Ministers and Knesset Members a couple of years ago. I just sent them a note to ask if a new study is underway.
The other day, I had a short talk with a Limor Livnat telemarketer. He asked if I would vote for her in the Likud Primaries and was impressed with Limor's achievements. I had to tell him the truth. I've been very disappointed in her performance as MK and minister. Unfortunately, he didn't ask for details. I guess he just wrote me off as 100% negative. I don't know who trained him, but he should have asked a few questions to find out what I had against her. That would be better marketing.
I've been observing Limor for quite a long time, her entire career as a fact. She always placed herself in the Center or whichever side she thought would be politically expedient. As Education Minister, she promoted the Dovrat proposal which I opposed. And it was only after the Arab terrorist murder of her nephew did she wake up for a bit about the issues.
That's the situation with many politicians. They check out the priorities of the potential voters, like myself, and then attempt to "tweak" their positions to attract our support.
More to follow...
4 comments:
Livnat was totally passive on the subject of the expulsion from Gush Katif in 2005. She went along with Sharon, then went along with Bibi. I'm also leaving her out. I'm certainly voting for Feiglin. He's been screwed enough. What do you think of Zev Elkin? I got a recorded message about him. I don't answer polls anymore because, as you detected, they aren't really listening.
G-d bless israel. i pray Hashem will guide you all to vote for His candidate. or the some closest to Him. the world is chaotic. i pray Hashem gives us israel, the light to all nations, not just as words in the holy tanach, but in actual action. we need mosiach now.
I also commented on Arutz-7. Naftali Bennett has basically copycatted Moshe Feiglin, which is fine. In politics as in many other fields imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Feiglin emphasizes faith-based as a baseline for the true Jewish political movement rather than strict observance. He also emphasizes getting into the national leadership rather than merely defending the turf of the religious community. That means that some of the candidates may be not necessarily totally observant. Naftali Bennett is doing all of the above in order to make the Bayit Hayehudi relevant to the general public. After this election we will see by the results of voting, coalition negotiations, and performance in the Knesset and the cabinet (if they are in the coalition) how to evaluate them. Meanwhile Bennett, a son of American olim from San Francisco who speaks flawless English, has won the leadership of his party decisively, taking 66% of the votes and driving classic NRP sectoral leader Zvulun Orlev into retirement. I will vote for Feiglin in the primaries and in either Bayit Yehudi or the right-wing party of Ben-Ari and Eldad if they do not join the merger. Feiglin's idea of creating a large block right of center seems to be working with Yisrael Beiteinu and the Likud merging and the National Religious parties doing the same. At a later date these two could form one super-party which would include religious members in increasing numbers as the demography shifts. But even if they don't,the Bayit Hayehudi will not want to sit in the opposition. The question remains, where will we find a constructive opposition with an alternative vision of where to take the country? Maybe the Labor party will evolve into such a body and maybe it won't. We'll see.
goyish, my biggest problem with Bennet is his aim to be a government minister at this stage. I don't think being in Bibi's noose is the right/Right thing for the country. It just shows he wants power.
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