Barack Obama Good for Jews

Barack Obama has been a stalwart supporter of Israel, as he made clear in the MSNBC debate this week. He believes the path to peace starts with a firm commitment to the security of Israel as America’s most dependable ally in the Middle East. He therefore sees a close U.S.-Israeli partnership as fundamental to American interests. He stands ready to help Israel’s leaders achieve peace in cooperation with moderate Palestinian voices, while remaining vigilant against any party trying to derail progress. He co-sponsored the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, which bans assistance to any entity controlled by Hamas. He urged the European Union to add Hezbollah to its list of terrorist groups. He views anti-Semitism as a form of racism, and has denounced as reprehensible those who question Israel’s existence or engage in anti-Semitism. Obama is concerned about bias in the U.N. Security Council towards Israel. Last month, he pressed U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad to take a stronger stand against Hamas actions that threaten Israel’s security. Obama termed it unacceptable that “Gaza is governed by Hamas, which is a terrorist organization sworn to Israel’s destruction, and Israeli civilians are being bombarded by rockets on an almost daily basis.” He proposed that any Security Council resolution pass only if it unequivocally condemned the attacks against Israel and supported Israel’s right to defend itself. As Shmuel Rosner, chief U.S. correspondent for the Israel newspaper Ha’aretz has said of Obama, “he is pro-Israel. Period.”
Obama has been tough on Iran, as he should be. He introduced legislation to increase divestment, particularly by U.S. pension funds that invest in companies supporting the Iranian oil and gas industry. He has been outspoken about the dangers inherent in Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. He declared “make no mistake – if the Iranians and Syrians think they can use Iraq as another Afghanistan or a staging area from which to attack Israel or other countries, they are badly mistaken.” He understands that keeping U.S. forces tied down in Iraq for years to come will only strengthen, rather than weaken, Iran.
People should not confuse a willingness to talk to a dangerous state like Iran with a willingness to negotiate away American principles. It is easy to speak only to friends, but it takes vision and courage to engage with enemies. But that is how to tell them, bluntly and directly, what America stands for. Israeli prime ministers like Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin understood this paradigm and boldly reached out to their foes in the search for peace. The next American President should tell Iran it has a choice: relinquish nuclear weapons and support for terrorism in order to join the international community, or face harsher sanctions and further isolation. Obama was right on Iraq in 2002, and he is right on Iran now.
Someone asking the question whether Obama is “good for the Jews” is likely to weigh also his commitment to important social issues. As President, will Obama fight for justice, civil rights and economic opportunity for all Americans? The answer is emphatically yes. He is ready to lead an Administration that helps struggling homeowners, working families desperate to make ends meet and seniors simply trying to live with dignity. He is committed to repairing our educational system so American graduates can compete effectively against their peers abroad. And he is determined to make health care affordable and available for every single American.
Beyond Israel and domestic issues, people must consider also what happens come November. Polls released by the Cook Political Report, Washington Post/ABC and others predict that only Obama can beat Senator John McCain. In addition, a Pew Research Center poll concluded that Obama has the highest approval rating of any major candidate among independent voters. No doubt all of these reasons influenced a majority of Jewish voters to choose Obama in the primaries earlier this month in California, Massachusetts and elsewhere.
Barack means “lightning” in Hebrew. Like lightning, Obama has captured the imagination of millions of Americans who are thirsty for new leadership and a brighter future. He was not a household name before he announced his bid for the presidency last year. But he has been working in the trenches for more than 20 years, building communities, defending civil rights and fighting for those the system left behind. His years of experience have demonstrated that he has the character, leadership and judgment we badly need in our next President. A vote for Barack Obama will be good for Israel, good for Jews and – importantly – good for America.

Vote YES On California Proposition 92 Community Colleges

About Prop 92
Lowers fees to $15 a unit
Limits future fee increases
Provides stable funding for community colleges for more classes and services
Guarantees that the community college system is independent from state politics
Does not hurt K-12 funding or raise taxes
California Community Colleges prepare students for four-year college, provide workplace skills and life-long learning skills, increase community economic development and provide instruction in basic skills for those who lack them.
Proposition 92 - the California Community College Initiative - will enhance this mission by lowering fees to $15 per unit - ensuring that community colleges are affordable. It also limits the rise in future fees to the cost of living. It provides stable funding for California community colleges. In addition, it guarantees that the community college system is independent from state politics.
Lowers Student Fees

Proposition 92 provides stable, affordable and predictable student fees by lowering fees to $15 per unit and limiting future fee increases to no more than the cost of living. When the Legislature doubled student fees in 2003-04, they also cut the state’s contribution to community colleges by an equal amount. This meant that the community colleges were no better off and that the students paid more. It also meant that once again the students were pawns in the budget battle. In 2004, when fees were hiked, 305,000 fewer students in California enrolled. Now that fees are starting to stabilize, we are starting to see community college enrollment increase across the state. Recent projections from the California Postsecondary Education Commission suggest that by the year 2010, 500,000 - 700,000 additional applicants will be heading to higher education – likely three-fourths of them to community colleges. We need to ensure the community colleges are ready for this surge.
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Student Stories
Bernard Casey
Named the #1 community college student in California by the American Association of Community Colleges and one of the top 40 students in the nation by USA Today in 2006, Casey said that his recent achievements and awards were "something he never dreamed possible" in his troubled life.Read more student stories
Prop 92 in the News
Business and Taxpayer Groups Across the State Support Proposition 92
Business groups across the state are part of the broad coalition including labor and community organizations, as well as college leaders, advocates, local trustees and students supporting Proposition 92, the Community College Initiative, on the February 5 statewide ballot.Read more
Proposition 92 Endorsed by Santa Cruz Sentinel
The Santa Cruz Sentinel has called on voters to support Proposition 92, the Community College Initiative on the February 2008 statewide ballot, with an encouraging editorial recognizing the significance of California Community Colleges. Read more
Mayors Endorse Proposition 92
SACRAMENTO – Numerous mayors from across the state have endorsed Proposition 92, the Community College Initiative, set for the February 2008 statewide ballot.Read more
More from the newsroom
About Community Colleges
Community Colleges Provide Opportunity

Community colleges are affordable and accessible. Low student fees and financial aid have made community colleges a gateway to a better life for millions of Californians.
More than 70% of students taking college classes in California are taking them at community colleges.
Two-thirds of CSU graduates and one-third of UC graduates begin their college careers at a community college.
Proposition 92 Benefits Community College Students

Reducing fees helps give every Californian a chance to go to college.
In 2004 when fees were raised to $26 per unit, 305,000 fewer students than expected enrolled.
Community college students who earned a vocational degree or certificate saw their wages increase almost 90 percent after earning their degree.
By making college education even more affordable, students will have increased opportunities to pursue degrees or enhanced workforce training, thereby making a better life for themselves and their families.