The recriminations came fast and furious. Right after what news networks have dubbed the 鈥淏lue Tsunami鈥� (or 鈥淏luenami鈥� for short), the Iran war appeared like a bolt of lightning.
鈥淲e got destroyed because of Iran,鈥� a top Republican strategist told The New York Post. 鈥淚ran is what caused gas prices and diesel prices to skyrocket– not tariffs. If Republicans want to rebuild, the first step is ending the war in Iran and embracing an actual America First foreign policy.鈥�
鈥淚 hope Chuck Schumer calls Bibi Netanyahu and thanks him for his victory. This war was a disaster. People need to be clear-eyed about it,鈥� added another Republican strategist.
Even Vice President JD Vance said the Iran war is 鈥渢he reason we lost midterms.鈥� As far as voters, about 6 in 10 said the U.S. made the 鈥渨rong decision鈥� in taking military action against Iran. 听
Here鈥檚 the thing about Americans and war. It鈥檚 not that they hate war; it鈥檚 more that they hate losing. Trump and Netanyahu could never show a clear 鈥渧ictory鈥� against Iran. The war dragged on and on. Iran shrewdly took over the Strait of Hormuz and changed the rules. Gas prices rose. The war turned into a mess.
Just as it鈥檚 easy to blame the Iran war for Trump鈥檚 loss, it鈥檚 easy to blame Israel for the Iran war.
Perhaps sensing this, right before the Bluenami hit Trump detonated an election day earthquake of his own, declaring that the U.S. would end military aid to Israel beginning in 2027.
Was he hoping this last-minute move would influence voters?
Was he giving credence to the propaganda that U.S. aid to Israel was hurting Americans and increasing prices?
Trump claimed he coordinated the move with Netanyahu, but as Dennis Ross wrote on X, 鈥淏ibi talked of phasing the aid out over the next 10 years, not ending it this year. He saw U.S. investment gradually replacing aid and putting it in joint R & D, ventures and production of weapons that serve both countries.鈥�
An abrupt end to military aid on the eve of elections doesn鈥檛 pass the smell test. It looks more like a punishment.
With Bibi fighting for his political life and Trump scrambling to stay relevant, Jews are left with two epic messes. In America, we鈥檙e facing a Democratic congress that has just been infused with anti-Israel animus. And in Israel, we鈥檙e facing the prospect of a leadership that won鈥檛 have the savvy to repair a fraying relationship with its most important ally.
Sometimes a mess just humbles you.
This mess humbles me.
Hearing an Israel-hater like Abdul El-Sayed gloat after his Senate victory is a sobering reminder of the unpleasant times ahead.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want our money sent to do apartheid, or genocide or war,鈥� El-Sayed said in his victory speech.
That preposterous connection between people鈥檚 welfare in Michigan and a war against an evil regime is endemic of a new era for Jews in America: It pays to go after the 91传媒 state, and it’s cool if you want to use the word genocide.听
This chronic obsession with bashing Israel, coupled with the Republicans鈥� spectacular collapse, means no one is talking about the growing progressive takeover of the Democratic party. This development is not just bad for the Jews, it鈥檚 bad for America.
Socialism, even when disguised as progressivism, never works. It offers everything for free and demands no sacrifice. This is anti-American. Of course, it can sound wonderful when the alternative is an administration that worries more about ballrooms and arches than people鈥檚 daily concerns.
What can really poison things now is hubris. Just as Trump used his second term to take revenge on his enemies, the Democrats may be tempted to give him a taste of his own medicine. Will impeachment and subpoenas overrule legislation?
In Israel, the people also rebuked their leader, but compared to the U.S. it was a slap on the wrist. Netanyahu鈥檚 coalition lost 15 seats, from 68 to 53, but the opposition bloc only got 48 seats. The battle to shape a new government has only started.
We won鈥檛 know for a while who will prevail. If new elections are called, a weakened Netanyahu will continue as caretaker.
As much as Bibi loves power, I can鈥檛 imagine he鈥檚 looking forward to dealing with an angry U.S. president who’s likely to blame him for his sudden downfall.
We may hear bluster from both sides about taking on Iran, but that will ring hollow. If the word Iran used to represent a 鈥渢hreat to humanity,鈥� right now it represents a 鈥渢hreat to the Republican party.鈥�
That threat has led us into a political tsunami with a million moving parts that will surely please news junkies who love conflict and drama.
For now, I’m looking forward to Shabbat.
