Republican Operatives Launch All-Out Effort To Unbind The Delegates And Deny Trump The Nomination - Michael Snyder THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG

Republican Operatives Launch All-Out Effort To Unbind The Delegates And Deny Trump The Nomination

Posted: 19 Jun 2016   Michael Snyder  THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG

If you think that Donald Trump already has the Republican nomination locked up, then you don’t understand what is going on behind the scenes.  It has long been my contention that the elite will move heaven and earth in order to keep Trump from ever setting foot in the Oval Office.  One way that they could try to do this is by attempting to deny him the nomination at the Republican convention next month. 

Over the past couple of days, the Washington Post, CNN and a whole host of other mainstream news outlets have been reporting on a new “last-ditch effort” that has been launched by Republican operatives to get the Republican convention Rules Committee to unbind all of the delegates and allow them to vote however they want.  As you will see below, they can do this, and if they get enough votes they will do it.

This current effort is different from what we have seen so far during this campaign season, because it is actually being organized by the delegates themselves.  The following comes from the Washington Post…

Dozens of Republican convention delegates are hatching a new plan to block Donald Trump at this summer’s party meetings, in what has become the most organized effort so far to stop the businessman from becoming the GOP presidential nominee.
The moves come amid declining poll numbers for Trump and growing concern among Republicans that he is squandering his chance to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. Several controversies — including his racial attacks on a federal judge, his renewed call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States and his support for changing the nation’s gun laws — have raised fears among Republicans that Trump is not really a conservative and is too reckless to run a successful race.

This movement is being spearheaded by a delegate from Colorado named Kendal Unruh.  She is actually a key member of the Republican convention Rules Committee, and this is very important for reasons that I will explain below.

For her, it is not about getting some other specific candidate nominated.  Rather, the entire goal is simply to stop Donald Trump…

“This literally is an ‘Anybody but Trump’ movement,” said Kendal Unruh, a Republican delegate from Colorado who is leading the campaign. “Nobody has any idea who is going to step in and be the nominee, but we’re not worried about that. We’re just doing that job to make sure that he’s not the face of our party.”

So what will it take for Unruh and her allies to be successful? As Fox News explained, there are basically two courses of action…

To prevail, Unruh needs a majority of the 112 members of the convention rules committee, which has two delegates from each state and territory. Then, a majority of the full convention’s 2,472 delegates would have to approve.
There’s a Plan B. If Unruh can win over one-fourth support from the rules committee — just 29 delegates — the full convention must vote on her proposal. So far she’s got around 10 supporters though some prefer delaying the rule’s impact until the 2020 convention, she said.

On Thursday night, Unruh was on a conference call that included at least 30 delegates from 15 different states, and the Washington Post says that regional coordinators for this effort have been recruited “in Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Washington and other states.”

One individual that took part in this conference call on Thursday night told CNN that calls are pouring in from people all over the country that want to be part of this movement…

“I will tell you, about every two hours people contact me about how to join this effort,” Lonegan said. “This has never been done before, so there’s no textbook on how to do it. So we’re building an organic effort, state by state, to convince members of the Rules Committee to sign onto a rule that unbinds the delegates to vote their moral conscience.”

So could the Republican convention Rules Committee actually do this?

Could they actually unbind all of the delegates and allow them to vote however they wished?

Well, yes they actually could do this.  As Time Magazine has explained, the Republican convention Rules Committee essentially has the power to make up any rules that they want…

It has the power to review and amend all of the rules of the Republican Party, pending ratification by the full convention. If it wanted to, it could insert a rule that says only candidates with blue hair could be the party’s nominee. It’s that powerful. In a contested scenario, the Rules Committee would be ground zero for fights over who and how candidates are nominated on the floor, as well as how the convention itself is conducted.

And thanks to political wrangling by the Cruz campaign, we do know that the rules committee is dominated by delegates that are loyal to Cruz…

The convention rules committee is made up of one man and one woman from each of the 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. Dominated by party insiders and loyalists to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz—who aggressively worked state conventions to secure slots on the committee—it remains to be seen what the committee’s appetite would be for such a dramatic break from the existing rules.

If I was Donald Trump, I would be taking this very, very seriously. But at this point he seems to be brushing it off …

“I have tremendous support and get the biggest crowds by far and any such move would not only be totally illegal but also a rebuke of the millions of people who feel so strongly about what I am saying,” Trump said in a statement. “People that I defeated soundly in the primaries will do anything to get a second shot — but there is no mechanism for it to happen.”

Right at this moment we still have about a month left before the convention.

So that gives those involved in the anti-Trump movement quite a bit of time to rally their forces.

The rule change that would unbind all of the delegates and free them up to “vote their consciences” has already been drafted.  Here is the text of the proposed rule change…

Preserving Delegates’ Ability to Vote Their Individual Conscience
The secretary of the national convention shall receive and faithfully announce and record each delegate’s vote in accordance with these rules. If any such delegate notifies the secretary of his or her intent to cast a vote of conscience, whether personal or religious, each such delegate shall be unbound and unconstrained by these rules on any given vote, including the first ballot for the selection of the Republican nominee for President of the United States, without the risk of challenge, sanction, or retribution by the Republican National Committee. Allowable personal reasons shall include the public disclosure of one or more grievous acts of personal conduct by a nominee candidate, including but not limited to, criminally actionable acts, acts of moral turpitude or extreme prejudice, and/or notorious public statements of support for positions that clearly oppose or contradict the policies embodied in the Republican Party’s platform as established at the national convention.

In my new book, I warn about the great political shaking that is coming to this nation, and if this rule change is even attempted at the Republican convention it would create seismic shifts in the U.S. political landscape.

Of course there is still one huge question that I have not even addressed in this article yet.
If Trump has the nomination taken away from him, who would the Republican nominee be?
Some are convinced that it would be Paul Ryan, but I believe that it would be somebody else.
Mitt Romney has certainly not hidden his disdain for Donald Trump, and right now he is quietly waiting in the wings.  If the anti-Trump forces get their way, I believe that he would be the man that ultimately walks away with the prize.

*About the author: Michael Snyder is the founder and publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog. Michael’s controversial new book about Bible prophecy entitled “The Rapture Verdict” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.*

Iran: Time to Destroy Israel

Sunday, November 09, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff

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TOPICS:

Iran

Just days after US President Barack Obama reportedly sent a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei extolling America’s and Iran’s shared objectives in the Middle East, the Iranian leader on Saturday again called openly for the destruction of Israel.

“This barbaric, wolflike & infanticidal regime of #Israel which spares no crime has no cure but to be annihilated,” Khamenei wrote on his official Twitter account. “The only means to confront a barbaric regime like #Israel is arming [the Palestinians],” he continued.

Former US presidential candidate Mitt Romney said he was astonished to learn that the Obama White House had even considered the possibility of working together with such a regime.

“I was frankly stunned that the president of the United States would write a letter of that nature and in effect, legitimize a nation and a leadership which is violating international norms and is threatening the world,” Romney told the inaugural conference of the Israeli American Council.

The secret letter that Obama is said to have sent Khamenei reportedly offered an American-Iranian partnership in combatting the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS), so long as Tehran agreed to a comprehensive deal regarding its defiant nuclear program by the end of the month.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, said in remarks cited by Reuters over the weekend that his government was taking seriously the November 24 deadline, and was keen to conclude an agreement with world powers.

But it would appear Iran’s new willingness to negotiate has less to do with accepting global concerns, and more to do with Washington’s increasing flexibility regarding the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

“Iran and the US have come to terms that despite more than three decades of mistrust, it is now in their national interest to constructively negotiate and reach an agreement,” Ali Khoram, an adviser to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, told Asharq Al-Awsat. “Both sides seem to have recognized each other’s concerns and are ready for maximum flexibility.”

Araqchi likewise clarified that the agreement Iran is looking to reach will not bring and end to its enrichment of uranium or its nuclear program as a whole. “Iran’s [uranium] enrichment will continue. This issue has been agreed upon by both sides,” he told Iran’s Press TV, referring to more recent talks between Iran and the six world powers known as the P5+1.

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Standing with Israel as they did and do. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.

Mike Huckabee

Abraham Lincoln

Franklin Graham

David Ben Gurion and Golda Meir

 

Glenn Beck

Mitt Romney

Ronald Reagan - Yeah!!

Paul & Luanne Wilbur 

Warren Marcus

Rick Joyner

Morris Ruddick

Oskar Schindler

Sid Roth

Walid Shoebat & Dr. Joseph

Laurie Cardoza-Moore

Phil Keaggy

Margaret Thatcher

All these have stood, 

or now stand 

with Israel.

And so do we!

Mitt Romney meets with Rev. Billy Graham

By Kasie Hunt on October 11, 2012

BusinessWeek

 

Mitt Romney, Billy Graham, Franklin Graham

 

 

MONTREAT, N.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is visiting the Rev. Billy Graham at Graham's home in North Carolina.

Romney on Thursday went to see Graham and his son, Franklin, at the elderly evangelist's mountaintop home near Asheville while in the area for a campaign event. The 93-year-old Graham is in frail health.

Romney told the Grahams that, quote, "prayer is the most helpful thing you can do for me."
The Republican nominee has faced some difficulty making inroads with evangelical voters, in part because some believe his Mormon faith means he is not a Christian.

Romney also once supported abortion rights, and raised questions again this week when he told a newspaper he would not pursue abortion-related legislation as president. He later said he would be, quote, "a pro-life president."

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-10-11/mitt-romney-meets-with-rev-dot-billy-graham

Rabbis Laud Romney: 'Stated Halakhah on Land of Israel'

Rabbis Laud Romney: 'Stated Halakhah on Land of Israel'

Pikuach Nefesh rabbis happy with Mitt Romney's "sober" view regarding conceding land to the Arabs.

 

 

By Gil Ronen, Israel National News

First Publish: 9/23/2012

Pikuach Nefesh, the Rabbinical Congress for Peace, has sent a congratulatory message to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, praising him for accurately stating the opinion of Jewish Halakhah regarding the Land of Israel.

The rabbis noted that during his visit to Israel, Romney received a Halakhic opinion signed by 350 rabbis, which states that any negotiations for Israeli retreat from land will not bring peace, but rather increase danger of bloodshed.

A week ago, a press release from Pikuach Nefesh noted, Romney made a statement at a private event that appeared to echo this opinion:



"Some might say, ‘Well, just let the Palestinians have the West Bank, and have security, and set up a separate nation for the Palestinians," Romney said. "And then come a couple of thorny questions. I don’t have a map here to look at the geography, but the border between Israel and the West Bank is obviously right there, right next to Tel Aviv, which is the financial capital, the industrial capital of Israel, the center of Israel… And of course the Iranians would want to do through the West Bank exactly what they did through Lebanon, what they did in Gaza, which is, the Iranians would want to bring missiles and armament into the West Bank and potentially threaten Israel."

"Your words express a realistic approach that a Palestinian state would hurt the interests of the U.S. as it would Israel's," the rabbis wrote Romney this week. "This is a true, sober vision that finally removes the smokescreen from the false peace embodied by the idea of two states. These things were stated in the immortal Torah of Israel and unfortunately have been proven accurate over and over again in the last few decades."

The rabbis added a message referencing Yom Kippur – and possibly the upcoming U.S. elections: "In these days, when the Creator of the world sits in judgment of all the world's denizens, surely your important statement will assist you in being written and signed for much blessing and success in all that you do."

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/160232

 

 

 

Israel's Right praises US Republican presidential candidate

Romney excites settlers by shunning 2-state solution

By GIL HOFFMAN, Jerusalem Post

09/20/2012

Israel's Right praises US Republican presidential candidate after he is filmed mocking Palestinian interest in peace; Peace Now: Romney, Netanyahu both backed by extremist coalition of evangelicals, Sheldon Adelson.

Photo: Jim Young / Reuters

US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney found himself in the heat of a decades-old political debate in Israel Wednesday after he was taped criticizing a proposed two-state solution and mocking the Palestinian interest in achieving peace with the Jewish state.

Romney’s comments at a Boca Raton fund-raiser about peace being “almost unthinkable to accomplish” were praised by the Israeli Right and residents of Judea and Samaria, and slammed by the Left.



“The Palestinians have no interest whatsoever in establishing peace,” Romney said in a leaked video of the event. “I look at the Palestinians not wanting to see peace anyway for political purposes, committed to the destruction and elimination of Israel, and these thorny issues, and I say there’s just no way.”

“And so what you do is you say you move things along the best way you can. You hope for some degree of stability, but you recognize that it’s going to remain an unsolved problem,” he continued.

 

Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria chairman Dani Dayan said Romney’s viewpoint had become more common in recent years among international figures, who have started admitting publicly and not just privately that they do not believe there will be a two-state solution and are seeking other alternatives.

“He described the reality that anyone with eyes can see,” Dayan said. “More and more people around the world realize it. After 20 years of the Oslo diplomatic process, anyone who thinks two states is still possible doesn’t know what he is talking about.”

While praising Romney, Dayan issued surprising optimism about the Middle East policies in a potential second term of US President Barack Obama.

“Romney understands the Middle East better than Obama, but I think the Obama of 2012 is not the Obama of 2008,” Dayan said.

“I think Obama also understands that a deal cannot be reached, even though he might wish it wasn’t true. So even though I appreciate that Romney is saying such things out loud, I am not panicking about an Obama victory.”

By contrast, Peace Now head Yariv Oppenheimer expressed confidence that if Romney would win, he would follow a long line of politicians whose campaign promises and rhetoric do not match their actions when they take office.

“Romney represents [Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu and the Israeli Right, who are trying to remove the effort to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the international agenda,” Oppenheimer said.

“There is a clear connection between the Republicans and Netanyahu, who are backed by an extremist coalition of Christian evangelicals and [casino magnate] Sheldon Adelson.

“This has made the Republicans turn their back on the traditional American support for two states for two peoples, but candidates before elections and after elections are often not the same,” he said.
Asked about reports of Israeli leftists who fear a continued stalemate in the peace process if Obama is re-elected, Oppenheimer said they would still prefer Obama to Romney, despite the president’s mistakes in the diplomatic arena.

“Leftists who oppose Netanyahu can’t back Romney because of his strong connections to the prime minister,” Oppenheimer said. “With key universal non-diplomatic issues like abortion and same-sex marriage also decided in this race, the dichotomy between the Left’s views in Israel and the US is clear.”

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=285616

 

Ryan comes out swinging as Romney VP pick

Ryan comes out swinging as Romney VP pick, condemns Obama 'record of failure'

Published August 11, 2012

FoxNews.com

Paul Ryan came out swinging Saturday in his new role as Mitt Romney's running mate, accusing President Obama of presiding over a "record of failure" and promising to speak "truth" to America's problems and correct course.

"We can turn this thing around," Ryan vowed, as he and Romney joined for the first time as the official 2012 Republican ticket.

The Wisconsin congressman, to the backdrop of retired battleship USS Wisconsin, gave a feisty opening speech -- setting the tone for the Romney-Ryan bus tour that's next on the agenda, and the race going forward. Dutifully promoting the top of the ticket, Ryan touted Romney as the solution to the economic problems under Obama.

Met with chants of "USA, USA" from a riled-up crowd in Virginia, Ryan spoke broadly about the virtues of free enterprise and specifically about America's economic woes, all laced with pointed attacks on the White House incumbent. Though Ryan's reputation is that of a reserved and wonkish pol, his break-out speech as running mate signaled he'll be playing offense for Romney quite frequently.

Ryan accused the Obama team of being "more worried about their next election than they are about the next generation." He blamed Obama's "misguided policies" for the economic rut the country's been stuck in.

"No one disputes that President Obama inherited a difficult situation. And, in his first two years, with his party in complete control of Washington, he passed nearly every item on his agenda. But that didn't make things better," Ryan said. "In fact, we find ourselves in a nation facing debt, doubt and despair. ...

"Whatever the explanations, whatever the excuses, this is a record of failure."

Ryan may continue pushing for a version of the budget proposal he reintroduced earlier this year. That proposal would overhaul Medicare and Medicaid and make other sweeping changes that Democrats have labeled as extreme. But Ryan has stuck by his proposal as the solution to an ever-growing deficit inflamed by out-of-control entitlement spending.

In a dose of the tough-love approach Ryan's become known for, he said: "We promise equal opportunity, not equal outcomes."

The Republican presidential candidate called his new running mate a man of "steadiness" and "integrity" as he introduced him. Speaking Saturday morning, Romney praised Ryan as an "intellectual leader" of the party, one who understands the toll the debt is taking on the country but is optimistic about the future.

"He doesn't demonize his opponents. He understands that honorable people can have honest differences and he appeals to the better angels of our nature," Romney said. "He's never been content to just curse the darkness. He'd rather light candles."

Romney initially fumbled his introduction of Ryan. In the closing line of his remarks, he referred to Ryan as the "next president." Romney quickly returned to the podium to correct himself.

The selection comes roughly two weeks before the start of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, and gives Romney plenty of space to rally the party behind his pick before the official nomination.

  

The announcement comes as some polls, including a recent Fox News survey, show the Republican presidential candidate losing some ground to President Obama.

Ryan, 42, already considered a rising star in the Republican Party, is chairman of the House Budget Committee. He's been in Congress since 1999 and is best known this session for his controversial budget plan that includes an overhaul of Medicare.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/08/11/ryan-comes-out-swinging-as-romney-vp-pick-condemns-obama-record-failure/

Romney Tops List of Pro-Jewish Non-Jews

Romney Tops List of Pro-Jewish Non-Jews

Republican candidate for president cited alongside Rupert Murdoch, leaders of Canada and India.

By Gil Ronen

Mitt Romney

Israel news photo

The presumptive Republican candidate for president, Mitt Romney, tops a Jewish publication's list of non-Jews "who are most positively influencing the Jewish future."

"Love or hate his politics," writes the Algemeiner, "Romney’s vocal support for Israel as a contender for the world’s top job, has challenged the incumbent and many Americans to rediscover their own understanding of the United States’ special relationship with the Jewish state."

"His tough stance on Iran has put the Ayatollahs on notice. In his recent trip to the Holy Land, he acknowledged Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and cited the historic connection of the Jewish people with the land, which has gone a long way in underlining the Jewish narrative regarding Israel on the world stage, thereby earning him the top spot this year."

Also on the list were:

Rupert Murdoch, CEO of News Corporation, who was described as "the patriarch of an unparalleled international media conglomerate that has stood out for its overall fair portrayal of Israel in related news items."

Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, whose "support for Israel and friendship to Canada’s Jewish community has been unwavering."

Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, who is cited as being largely responsible for cultivating and developing the "vital alliance" between his country and Israel.

MK Ayoob Kara, Deputy Israeli Minister, "a Druze Israeli who has been recognized as the Knesset’s most pro-Israel Arab."

Eric Schmidt, Google Chairman, who said in June: “There are no disadvantages to investing in Israel – just advantages. Israel has the most important high-tech center in the world after the US.”

Michael Gove, British Secretary of State for Education, who has been "particularly active in stamping out curriculum anti-Semitism that appeared on more than one occasion," and has shown support for Jewish education, according to the Algemeiner.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/158764

 

 

 

Mitt Romney Forms Jewish American Coalition

Mitt Romney Forms Jewish American Coalition

Days after returning from his trip to Israel, Mitt Romney formed a Jewish American coalition in an effort to bolster his bid for presidency.

By Rachel Hirshfeld

First Publish: 8/2/2012

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney meets with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Reuters

Days after returning from his trip to Israel where he declared Jerusalem to be the undivided capital of the Jewish state, Mitt Romney formed a Jewish American coalition in an effort to bolster his bid for the presidency.

"The Jewish community has made contributions to American society that stand in amazing disproportion to its numbers, and I am genuinely honored to have so many of its leading thinkers, diplomats and political leaders support my campaign," Romney said in an announcement released Tuesday through his presidential campaign.

The coalition is co-chaired by the Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), former Hawaii Jewish Governor Linda Lingle, former Senators Norm Coleman and Rudy Boschwitz, and Adam Hasner, a Florida congressional candidate.

“Governor Romney understands that peace in the Middle East will only be achieved when Israel is secure within its borders and not the target of violence fueled by senseless hatred,” Cantor wrote in the coalition’s opening statement. “He will leave no stone unturned in the effort to keep Israel secure.”

The group's 39-member advisory board includes top advisers to his campaign who have served in previous Republican administrations, including Tevi Troy, Dov Zakheim and Den Senor.

Alluding to his recent visit to the Jewish state and highlighting a stark contrast between the current administration’s stance on Israel and his own, Romney asserted, "Having just visited Israel at a critical juncture in the history of the Middle East, I am persuaded that now, more than ever, America needs to stand with Israel."

"I will extend the hand of friendship because our partnership is not merely a strategic alliance but a force for good in the world,” he said.

The main purpose of the coalition, he said, is “to reach out to the Jewish community and help increase support for the Governor which in my mind has been escalating daily.”

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/158519

 

 

Romney: Deeply moving to be in Jerusalem, Israel's capital

Romney: Deeply moving to be in Jerusalem, Israel's capital

By TOVAH LAZAROFF, HERB KEINON , JPOST STAFF

07/29/2012

US Republican presidential candidate stresses shared values between US, Israel in J'lem foreign policy speech; says diplomatic distance between Israel and US emboldens the Jewish state's adversaries.

Photo: Screenshot

US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney delivered a foreign policy speech in Jerusalem on Sunday, saying it was a deeply moving experience to be in Jerusalem, "the capital of Israel."

Romney stated that not only did Israel and the US hold shared interests, the two countries hold "shared values," despite the 5000 miles between them.



Addressing Iran, Romney said that the US has a "solemn duty" not to let Iran's leaders act on their malevolent intentions toward Israel. He stated that history teaches that when despotic regimes secure weapons, peace gives way to violence.

Romney added that while he hopes diplomatic measures and economic sanctions will stop Iran's nuclear drive, no option should be excluded to stop a nuclear Iran.

Romney called Israel's security a "vital national interest" of the US. "Israel must defend itself and it is right for us to stand with you," said Romney.

In what appeared to be veiled criticism of US President Barack Obama, Romney said that standing by Israel meant more than just providing military aid. He said that the diplomatic distance between the US and Israel serves to embolden Israel's enemies.



Following the Olympic Committee's decision not to hold a minute of silence to remember the 11 Israeli victims of the 1972 Munich Olympics terror attack, Romney made a point to honor the victims in his speech, which was met by applause from the audience.

The Republican candidate praised Israel, the "start-up nation," for its "cutting-edge technology," thriving economy, democratic values and freedom of press.

"I love this country, I love America, I love the friendship we have," Romney stated as he concluded his speech.

Romney was in Israel for a two-day diplomatic visit during which he met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, opposition leader Shaul Mofaz, President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Following his speech, Netanyahu thanked Romney for his warm words. On his part, Romney wrote the prime minister a letter thanking him for his warm hospitality and lasting friendship. "Your service for peace is an inspiration," he wrote.

Before taking off, he is scheduled to host a fund-raiser at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem on Monday morning.

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=279326

Israel’s greatest asset and best friend

Israel’s greatest asset and best friend

By EARL COX, Jerusalem Post

07/12/2012

Evangelicals use their political, financial and spiritual leverage to help Israel withstand whatever attack might come next.

Photo: Courtest Danny Danon

Since its reemergence as a nation in 1948, Israel has suffered opposition on nearly every level possible. It has been attacked repeatedly in the military arena by its Arab neighbors, in the public relations arena by the world media, in the political and diplomatic arenas by the United Nations and the European Union, and in the religious arena by mainstream Christians and their Replacement Theologians.

In recent years, however, a groundswell of support for Israel has arisen, creating a new and powerful friend for Israel in the form of Evangelical Christians. From all over the world these Evangelical Christian believers, including many Americans, are proud to be labeled as “Christian Zionists.”

They use their political, financial and spiritual leverage to help Israel withstand whatever attack might come next.

Without the Evangelical Christian community standing in the breach with both prayer and action, the United States may have entered a free-fall in its foreign policy that would have ended in a far more hostile environment for Israel.

The current White House has encouraged, aided and facilitated the destabilization of the Middle East, as evidenced by its use of either diplomatic or military assets (or both) in Libya, Yemen, Tunisia, Egypt and now Syria. Amidst all this political and social upheaval in the name of democracy, the underlying result has been the elevation of Islam, Islamic-centered constitutions, and Islamists being “elected.”

The longstanding tradition of the US being Israel’s closest ally is arguably being dismantled by policies detrimental to Israel. But there is one ally that is steadfast... the Evangelical Christian.

In America, members of Congress, various pro-Israel Christian organizations, conservative Christian media and Evangelical Christians in positions of influence have at least put a check on the policies of this administration.

Imagine, for example, if there had not been a public outcry in response to the remarks of then-White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who sought to tie the US pressure against Iran’s nuclear program to an Israeli unilateral land-for-peace giveaway? This “blackmail foreign policy” may have been far more severe if those remarks, said behind closed doors, had not been widely reported.

Evangelical Christians have been quick to expose this administration’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, even as close as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s closest aide, Huma Abedin. And it has been Evangelical Christians who shout the loudest about lack of foreign policy balance toward Israel at the United Nations.

While America continues in a recession, and the economy may well be the center stage issue of the upcoming election, Evangelical Christians will also be moved to the polls by each candidate’s stance regarding Israel.

Obama’s policies and dealings are well known. And Republican challenger Mitt Romney has already vowed that his policies toward Israel would be the opposite of Obama’s. Speaking before the Faith and Freedom Coalition last month, Romney said of Obama, “He almost sounded like he’s more frightened that Israel might take military action than he’s concerned that Iran might become nuclear.”

Given both candidates’ blemishes, Israel is the one issue that may coalesce and energize the Evangelical Christian vote more than any other. If events continue to spiral out of control in the Middle East, and this administration continues to add fuel to the flames of discontent rather than lending its undeniable support to Israel, Evangelical Christians could play the key role in the November election.

In the event of an Obama reelection, Evangelical Christians arguably would again be the most valuable asset Israel could have in America. It is this courageous and vocal group that makes up the hedge and stands in the gap for the nation of Israel.

Many people will remember back when Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu himself acknowledged that Evangelical Christians are “Israel’s greatest friends.” Following a meeting he had in Washington with a large group of Evangelical Christian leaders, he told then-US president Bill Clinton, “Mr. President, you know that Israel has very few friends, and these Evangelical Christian leaders are the best friends that Israel has in all the world.”

Many Evangelical Christian organizations in Israel, with support from Evangelical Christians around the world, are providing food and other assistance to thousands of Israeli immigrants and poor families.

Others have provided portable concrete bomb shelters to protect Israeli residents living along the Gaza border and elsewhere in Israel.

A good number of Evangelical leaders in America have been hosting events and rallies across the United States to promote support for Israel. These rallies are attracting crowds as large as 12,000 strong. Tens of thousands of Evangelical Christians visit Israel each year helping boost the economy. Soon some 2,000 bulletproof backpacks will be distributed to children living in southern Israel.

Christian radio and television networks in America are broadcasting Israel’s message around the world. Millions of Evangelical Christians are proud to be considered Israel’s best friends and supporters.

They are not ashamed to speak out against the pro-Muslim and pro-Arab actions of Barack Obama and they are bold enough to encourage the US Congress to stand strongly with Israel.

The God of Israel does not need anyone to support Israel, but He tends to work through the hands, hearts and voices of men. One voice Israel can count on is the heart-felt cry of the Evangelical Christian, who stands with God with Israel, whose voice is loud in the politician’s ear.

Earl Cox writes for numerous Christian publications and hosts a popular radio show.

 

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=277319

 

 

Mitt Romney Planning Summer Visit to Israel

CBNNews.com

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

  

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney plans to visit Israel this summer, the New York Times reported Monday.

"He's a strong friend of Israel and we'll be happy to meet with him," Ron Dermer, senior advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told the Times. "We value strong bipartisan support for Israel and we're sure it will only deepen that," Dermer said.

Romney has been critical of Obama's policies toward the Jewish state, accusing him of throwing Israel "under the bus."

"I think, by and large, you can just look at the things the president has done and do the opposite," Romney said in June when asked about Israel.

The two-day visit will take him away from the campaign trail during a crucial period of his general election fight against President Obama. But Romney hopes it will help him gain support of Jewish voters, evangelicals, and conservatives. It could also help boost his foreign affairs credentials.

Details of the trip have yet to be disclosed, but Dermer said he will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior government officials, including President Shimon Peres, in Jerusalem during his two-day visit.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2012/July/Mitt-Romney-Planning-Summer-Visit-to-Israel/