Counter-narratives

Some interesting positions counter to the accepted public narratives.What demographic problem?

When he was here, President Obama said that Israel had to reach a solution with the ‘Palestinians’ because otherwise we would be a minority in our own country. President Obama was wrong.

In 2013, in sharp contrast with projections issued by the demographic establishment, there is a 66% Jewish majority (6.3 million Jews) in the combined area of Judea, Samaria (1.66 million Arabs) and pre-1967 Israel (1.65 million Arabs), compared with a 40% Jewish minority in 1948 and a 9% Jewish minority in 1900. The Jewish majority benefits from a robust tailwind of fertility rate and migration, which could produce an 80% Jewish majority by 2035. [Related — see my prior post, Israel – Demographic Superpower]

Will Demographics Doom the Dems’ Demagoguery on Entitlements?

Obama is trapped…the Dems can’t be for tax reform, they can’t be for entitlement reform, and they can’t tax the middle class without destroying the left/New Class ruling coalition. There aren’t enough “rich” to tax sufficiently…AND there will soon be a borrowing constraint. The people have been systematically lied to for over 70 years–lies they have wanted to hear, though. If they ever figure out that it is THEY who have to pay for the welfare state and that–systematically–younger cohorts will pay a lot more and get a lot less, there will be hell to pay.

Was the Iraq Invasion Worthwhile? As an Iraqi

“From the perspective of the Kurdish people — and I dare say the majority of the Iraqi people — it was worth it,” he said. “War is never a good option, but given our history and the brutality of Saddam’s regime, it may have been theonly other option to end the genocidal campaign waged by Saddam against the Kurds and other communities in Iraq.”

Nouri al-Maliki: The U.S. has a foreign-policy partner in Iraq

Today, on the 10th anniversary of the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, the debate about whether it was worth it to topple the regime and the direction of the U.S.-Iraqi relationship is influenced by a pessimistic view that the United States has lost Iraq. Not true. Despite all the problems of the past decade, the overwhelming majority of Iraqis agree that we’re better off today than under Hussein’s brutal dictatorship…. The United States has not “lost” Iraq.

Sexuality more like religion than race: Column

My purpose here isn’t to weigh in on the side of destiny or free will; it’s simply to acknowledge that there’s an element of mystery surrounding sexuality and spirituality that doesn’t surround race. This element of mystery ought to engender humility among everyone on all sides. And it ought to remind us that shared beliefs need not be a condition of genuine friendship.I mean, my Hindu neighbors don’t say to me that I must accept their beliefs in order for us to be friends. Nor do I say the same to them. And if a U.S. senator’s child were to “come out” as a Scientologist, I don’t think anyone would consider it uncouth for that senator to continue to harbor doubts about the claims of Scientology (even though we’d still expect him to love his child).Viewing sexual orientation like religious identity could go a long way toward promoting tolerance of, but not agreement with, others’ beliefs and practices. And it could help us all better understand why many Americans remain resistant to same-sex marriage: They don’t want the state to force someone else’s “religious” beliefs on them.

Why The Senate Evolved On Marriage

Josh Marshall’s thinks money has played a major role:

The word has clearly gone out that if you want to fund a Senate campaign in the Democratic Party, you have to get right on Marriage Equality. Period. If you’re not, the funder class just will not be there for you, not to mention the grassroots Dems who give their $50 and $100 checks. Again, I don’t think this is a bad thing at all. But if you’re looking to understand the avalanche that is a big part of what’s driving it.

I’ll take it, depressing as it is.

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