Passover is the anniversary of our emancipation from Egypt and our birth as a nation. It is also a new year of sorts as Nissan is the first month in the Hebrew calendar. It is a time of renewal with the start of springtime and the ecosystem's life cycle. For me, it marks a personal renewal.
As of April 1, I am working at Zion Oil & Gas as an operations engineer. It is my first full-time position in seven years and I feel fortunate for the opportunity to work with some great people on a project to help make Israel energy independent. Because of my job-hunting, I have not been able to dedicate very much time to Shelanu. At this point, I hope to be able to better structure my time in order to give a fresh push to Shelanu's cause, which is so vital to the wellbeing of our nation and our country.
I am looking for individuals willing to take on the leadership of this cause, or at least take an active role in sharing the leadership. We have a great message and a great potential, but it takes a great deal of attention and coordination. And so, I'm looking for someone with experience in non-profit organizing and someone who truly understands and believes in our cause. If I'm talking to you, please talk to me.
Lately, I've been watching another renewal in America, the renewal of "We the People" as embodied in the April 15th "tea parties" all across the U.S., regional protests against the runaway spending that characterizes the current congress and executive administration. Fox News's Glen Beck has brought in an actor to dramatize one of the key writers of the American Revolutionary period, Thomas Paine, as he might have felt about the tea parties. It made me curious to go back and read Paine's classic work, "Common Sense," specifically the chapters relating to representative government.
"Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.
"Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one: for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries BY A GOVERNMENT, which we might expect in a country WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer."
I cannot think of anything more cogent that better captures the problem with Israeli politics and Israeli political media. Quite simply, the pundits and the reporters are constantly, misleadingly, and falsely emphasizing the political cliques as if they truly characterize Israeli society. And, conversely, the proportional parliamentary government, rather than limit itself to providing essential governing services, tries to pry its way into every aspect of Israeli society and, in so doing, become a bloated, encroaching albatross on our shoulders.
I'll be applying the words of Thomas Paine in future blog entries as well.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Haisraelim Part 2
Today, I spoke with Prof. Gideon Doron, the head of the Haisraelim party and holder of its top slot on the list. He clarified some important items on the party's platform.
Haisraelim is not pushing the Megidor proposal. Gil Hoffman made an incorrect connection between Gideon's prior involvement with the President's Commission chaired by Megidor and his current party activity. Haisraelim is not stating any specifics regarding how many in the Knesset should be directly elected, only that there should be representatives directly elected. Furthermore, according to Gideon, they are indeed supporting single-representative districts. So, I do feel alot better about that.
I still have my reservations about the party. Haisraelim should not address the issue of the constitution nor make gender equality an issue in the party's list selection. Gideon qualified these as "marketing issues." I also feel that those financing the party are "blowing their wad" too early, without even a minimal cultivation of Israeli community support. One thing for sure, Shelanu will still have plenty to do after this election.
Haisraelim is not pushing the Megidor proposal. Gil Hoffman made an incorrect connection between Gideon's prior involvement with the President's Commission chaired by Megidor and his current party activity. Haisraelim is not stating any specifics regarding how many in the Knesset should be directly elected, only that there should be representatives directly elected. Furthermore, according to Gideon, they are indeed supporting single-representative districts. So, I do feel alot better about that.
I still have my reservations about the party. Haisraelim should not address the issue of the constitution nor make gender equality an issue in the party's list selection. Gideon qualified these as "marketing issues." I also feel that those financing the party are "blowing their wad" too early, without even a minimal cultivation of Israeli community support. One thing for sure, Shelanu will still have plenty to do after this election.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
January 2009 Update
Inauguration Day
Today is Inauguration Day and the celebration of the incoming 44th President of the United States has been, by any scale, the grandest in history. A record two million people attended in person and I have no doubt that live viewership on broadcast, cable, and internet channels was the largest of any political event in history.
I did not support Obama and I am, indeed, wary of how he will lead the United States. Yet, the event inspired me. As in Israel and every other functioning democracy, the transition of power was peaceful. But today, in the United States and on the Congressional Mall in particular, there was something more. The vast majority of Americans, including those who voted against Obama, expressed the sentiment that Barack Obama, who will lead America as its commander-in-chief, was the choice of the people. They felt this because he was personally chosen by individual voters, not through back-room deals and cross-party manipulations. In America, political parties are organizers and facilitators. In Israel, they are interest groups which act as public proxies; this must change.
I believe that all of America, including those who felt, as I did, that John McCain was the better choice, are proud to follow and be served by a President of African-American descent. For some, it was the dominant factor in their voting choice, a phenomenon that may have resulted in an unqualified individual leading America and the free world. Yet, I also believe that America and its political system, with its institutional political checks and balances, are robust enough to endure this. Even if the Obama administration disappoints greatly, Americans can take pride in their part of the process insofar as they respect the decision of their collective franchise. The point is that the American voters had the final word in this hiring process. And they will have it again when they, as voting individuals, re-evaluate the Obama administration in less than four years.
Haisraelim
A new political party is promoting the regional election of some Knesset Members as their main platform issue. The party is called "Haisraelim" and you can read about them at http://www.haisraelim.org. Though the party promotes the concept of regional representation, I cannot support it for several reasons. According to Gil Hoffman's recent Jerusalem Post article, "The power-to-the-people party," the party supports the Megidor Commission's disastrous proposal for only half of the Knesset to be regionally elected; the regions would not be drawn for single-legislator representation; there would be 17 regions with 2 to 5 legislators per region, resulting in some ambiguous accountability and representation issues. As I have explained before (see the FAQ page of Shelanu's web site), hybrid solutions which result in a hybridized direct/proportional system will be disastrous because the balance of power will be taken out of the hands of the voters. The influence of publicly accountable legislators will be diluted by the inclusion of publicly unaccountable party appointees. Also, in a hybridized system, the legislative "whipping boys" will not be the underperforming MKs; those who are punished for the lack of excellence will be those whom the voters are able to kick out; i.e., their incumbent representatives.
Secondly, Haisraelim approaches the problem of unprofessional government ministers by setting up a panel of MKs to oversee the "appropriateness" of ministerial candidates. This will certainly not make the process less "political." Knesset votes to confirm candidates are important, however this does not take the vital step of separating the branches of government that will result in an effective, responsive, and responsible government bureaucracy. This may also serve to obscure Haisraelim's key message of popular empowerment.
Thirdly, Haisraelim throws its hat in with other groups demanding a national constitution. However, at this time, pushing for a constitution would likely prevent the most important reforms that Israel needs. Those presently sitting in the Knesset, who were appointed on the basis of the current, disastrous proportional system of representation, are absolutely unfit to be writing and dictating the content of a constitution. An enduring, fitting, and beneficial constitution is much more likely once the public has voted in a better quality of legislator.
Fourth, Haisraelim insists on expressing the equality of the sexes by alternating its list slots by sex. In other words, the first slot will go to a man, the second to a woman, the third to a man, and so on. This flies in the face of one of the key aspects of regional, direct representation, namely, the value of individual empowerment and responsibility. A consideration of an individual's fitness to represent should mean looking beyond one's sex. In my lifetime, I have been served by male and female legislators; their sex had very little to do with their fitness and effectiveness. While gender equality is an important value, it should be manifested in a legislative selection that is gender-blind, not gender-centric. Haisraelim should stick to a message of individual accountability and individual excellence without gender restrictions.
Lastly, it is premature to launch a political party with regional representation as its main issue until the public is prepared for it. This should be done only after a dynamic movement has been operating and recruiting massive support from the Israeli public. Most Israelis who support regional representation will not dedicate their one vote to it for a simple reason. The party will do poorly at the polls and may not win even a single mandate. This itself may be unfortunate, but the real negative consequence will be the interpretation that the poor showing indicates widespread opposition to regional, direct representation. While I greatly respect Prof. Gideon, Haisraelim's leader, as an academic and visionary, I believe that he should have laid a more comprehensive groundwork of cultural activism and rallied significant public support before forming a political party. In fact, with a successful national movement, no single issue party would be needed; the largest parties would adopt a regional election platform as a means of finally eliminating the extortion of the small parties.
T-Shirts Have Shipped
The first batch of Shelanu shirts have shipped and they came out beautifully in all sizes, including toddler size 4 (which are available in pink and blue). We are now accepting donations for the next batch, so if you haven't already, please donate towards the t-shirt campaign. And if you have already, then send us pictures of you them so that we can put a personal, popular face on our web site. Click here for details on the t-shirt campaign.
Annual Meeting
Finally, we will be planning our annual meeting soon. If you'd like to help with the planning, please contact me.
Today is Inauguration Day and the celebration of the incoming 44th President of the United States has been, by any scale, the grandest in history. A record two million people attended in person and I have no doubt that live viewership on broadcast, cable, and internet channels was the largest of any political event in history.
I did not support Obama and I am, indeed, wary of how he will lead the United States. Yet, the event inspired me. As in Israel and every other functioning democracy, the transition of power was peaceful. But today, in the United States and on the Congressional Mall in particular, there was something more. The vast majority of Americans, including those who voted against Obama, expressed the sentiment that Barack Obama, who will lead America as its commander-in-chief, was the choice of the people. They felt this because he was personally chosen by individual voters, not through back-room deals and cross-party manipulations. In America, political parties are organizers and facilitators. In Israel, they are interest groups which act as public proxies; this must change.
I believe that all of America, including those who felt, as I did, that John McCain was the better choice, are proud to follow and be served by a President of African-American descent. For some, it was the dominant factor in their voting choice, a phenomenon that may have resulted in an unqualified individual leading America and the free world. Yet, I also believe that America and its political system, with its institutional political checks and balances, are robust enough to endure this. Even if the Obama administration disappoints greatly, Americans can take pride in their part of the process insofar as they respect the decision of their collective franchise. The point is that the American voters had the final word in this hiring process. And they will have it again when they, as voting individuals, re-evaluate the Obama administration in less than four years.
Haisraelim
A new political party is promoting the regional election of some Knesset Members as their main platform issue. The party is called "Haisraelim" and you can read about them at http://www.haisraelim.org. Though the party promotes the concept of regional representation, I cannot support it for several reasons. According to Gil Hoffman's recent Jerusalem Post article, "The power-to-the-people party," the party supports the Megidor Commission's disastrous proposal for only half of the Knesset to be regionally elected; the regions would not be drawn for single-legislator representation; there would be 17 regions with 2 to 5 legislators per region, resulting in some ambiguous accountability and representation issues. As I have explained before (see the FAQ page of Shelanu's web site), hybrid solutions which result in a hybridized direct/proportional system will be disastrous because the balance of power will be taken out of the hands of the voters. The influence of publicly accountable legislators will be diluted by the inclusion of publicly unaccountable party appointees. Also, in a hybridized system, the legislative "whipping boys" will not be the underperforming MKs; those who are punished for the lack of excellence will be those whom the voters are able to kick out; i.e., their incumbent representatives.
Secondly, Haisraelim approaches the problem of unprofessional government ministers by setting up a panel of MKs to oversee the "appropriateness" of ministerial candidates. This will certainly not make the process less "political." Knesset votes to confirm candidates are important, however this does not take the vital step of separating the branches of government that will result in an effective, responsive, and responsible government bureaucracy. This may also serve to obscure Haisraelim's key message of popular empowerment.
Thirdly, Haisraelim throws its hat in with other groups demanding a national constitution. However, at this time, pushing for a constitution would likely prevent the most important reforms that Israel needs. Those presently sitting in the Knesset, who were appointed on the basis of the current, disastrous proportional system of representation, are absolutely unfit to be writing and dictating the content of a constitution. An enduring, fitting, and beneficial constitution is much more likely once the public has voted in a better quality of legislator.
Fourth, Haisraelim insists on expressing the equality of the sexes by alternating its list slots by sex. In other words, the first slot will go to a man, the second to a woman, the third to a man, and so on. This flies in the face of one of the key aspects of regional, direct representation, namely, the value of individual empowerment and responsibility. A consideration of an individual's fitness to represent should mean looking beyond one's sex. In my lifetime, I have been served by male and female legislators; their sex had very little to do with their fitness and effectiveness. While gender equality is an important value, it should be manifested in a legislative selection that is gender-blind, not gender-centric. Haisraelim should stick to a message of individual accountability and individual excellence without gender restrictions.
Lastly, it is premature to launch a political party with regional representation as its main issue until the public is prepared for it. This should be done only after a dynamic movement has been operating and recruiting massive support from the Israeli public. Most Israelis who support regional representation will not dedicate their one vote to it for a simple reason. The party will do poorly at the polls and may not win even a single mandate. This itself may be unfortunate, but the real negative consequence will be the interpretation that the poor showing indicates widespread opposition to regional, direct representation. While I greatly respect Prof. Gideon, Haisraelim's leader, as an academic and visionary, I believe that he should have laid a more comprehensive groundwork of cultural activism and rallied significant public support before forming a political party. In fact, with a successful national movement, no single issue party would be needed; the largest parties would adopt a regional election platform as a means of finally eliminating the extortion of the small parties.
T-Shirts Have Shipped
The first batch of Shelanu shirts have shipped and they came out beautifully in all sizes, including toddler size 4 (which are available in pink and blue). We are now accepting donations for the next batch, so if you haven't already, please donate towards the t-shirt campaign. And if you have already, then send us pictures of you them so that we can put a personal, popular face on our web site. Click here for details on the t-shirt campaign.
Annual Meeting
Finally, we will be planning our annual meeting soon. If you'd like to help with the planning, please contact me.
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