Thursday, December 26, 2019

Current Events Discussion Topics

An on-line "Zoom" discussion is conducted every Monday morning at 9:30am Chicago time through the North Shore Senior Center hosted by Ron Mantegna. You can enroll in this discussion session at   https://www.nssc.org/

Ron conducts a Northbrook Library zoom discussion every 1st and 3rd and 5th Thursday, 10-11:30am. Open free to all who enroll.  Contact the Northbrook Library to connect with Ron Mantegna.

What can President Biden do to quell Pro-Palestinian protests taking over college campuses? Are they more anti-American than anti-war?  Why are students ignoring Hamas culpability in started the war? Does police action share culpability for escalating violence? 


How much immunity from prosecution does any President require to be effective? How do you feel the Supreme Court will rule on this issue?

 

Homicide may be down. But violent crime is not. How much do issues like “no bail”, and not enforcing penalties, contribute to the perception that lawlessness is on the increase?

 

Does this help or hurt? Chicago City Council approved $70M for migrant care despite voter backlash. The money sparked a massive backlash from residents at their city council meeting.

 

What is behind significant Republican support for Putin? McConnell blames Tucker Carlson for anti-Ukrainian sentiment in the Republican Party.

 

How do you feel about the Chicago Bears plan for a new stadium? What about their Draft?

 

Do you think we will see Presidential debates? Biden said he would be "happy" to debate Trump, who immediately said “anytime, anywhere”.  Who would fare better, in your opinion?

 

Birth rates at record low.  What are the ramifications of not “replacing ourselves”?  How much might we need to change current Immigration laws to provide an influx of more workers?

 

Grandson Jacob Craft says COVID school lockdowns is directly hurting hiring for his coffee shop. “Applicants don’t know what to do when a customer hands them $5.16 for a $4.16 tea.”

 

Is the Movie Business Over? Jerry Seinfeld has said the movie business is over, suggesting films do not occupy the same social and cultural significance they once did. “But film doesn’t occupy the pinnacle in the social, cultural hierarchy that it did for most of our lives.” The New Yorker went on to share his experience of the industry at its peak. “When a movie came out, if it was good, we all went to see it. We all discussed it,” he continued. “We quoted lines and scenes we liked. Now we’re walking through a fire hose of water, just trying to see.”

 

Pennsylvania closed primary had Trump beating Haley by 83% to 16%. Are Haley’s voters still most likely to vote for Trump come the election?

 

Major Supreme Court case: can a state deny emergency care because doing so may be in conflict with a state’s abortion rights?

 

How might this Arizona “fake electors” issue affect the election? A state grand jury in Arizona indicted so-called "fake electors" who backed Trump (as key Trump aides as well).

 

Trump continues to claim that Biden is 100% behind his NY indictment and trial. How much do voters buy into this falsehood? What can Biden do to push back?

 

How much does the Trump Trial remind us of what a Trump Presidency might look like? Even if most voters aren’t following the trial, how much are they considering how 4 more years would look?

 

What is the best argument for allowing biological males to compete in female sports?

 

Who may have the more appealing Tax message? Biden: “No billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a teacher.”  Trump: “We need to cut taxes and regulations.

 

Ban TikTok and more? Your thoughts. Congress has sent a bill to Biden’s desk that would ban the popular video-sharing app TikTok unless it divests from its Chinese parent company. The legislation is a shocking crackdown on a social media business, but it comes as lawmakers dawdle on whether to rein in the broader industry or protect Americans’ digital privacy. A bipartisan proposal would outlaw social media accounts for children under 13 and require parental consent for kids under 18.

 

Should Justice Sotomayor retire before 2025 and guarantee that Liberals replace her?

 

Your thoughts about the politics of Guns - Biden approved the largest expansion of background checks in decades, issuing a new rule that would require thousands of gun sellers to register as federally licensed firearms dealers and run criminal and mental health background checks on potential buyers. The regulation is certain to be challenged in Congress and in courts.

 

Do you feel Christian Nationalism a serious threat, or mostly Liberal Hype and not a concern? How do you feel about Trump’s Bible?  Christian Ministers are pushing back against Trump.

 

How much is relitigating the 2020 election the focus of Trump’s Campaign? Election Fraud was on stage when Speaker Johnson visited Mar-a-Lago. Is this what this election is going to be about?

 

People now believe “old age” begins at 75. Is retirement at 65 becoming impossible? We’re living longer, and life is more expensive.  How do you kids feel about what’s happening? Are they looking to work longer before retirement than we did?

 

How meaningful are today’s poll about the Presidential Race?  Would either Trump or Biden be the nominee if selection was made via Party leaders in “smoke-filled rooms” like the 40’s and 50’s?

 

What’s best for grocery shoppers? The FTC wants to stop the merger between Kroger (Mariano’s) and Albertson’s (Jewel-Osco). The companies say consumers will see higher food prices, fewer stores and strengthens huge non-unionized retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon.

 

Have House Republicans substantiated any crimes that can lead to Biden’s Impeachment?

 

How diminished is NRA’s political influence? The National Rifle Association and its longtime former leader have been found liable in a lawsuit centered on the organization’s lavish spending. 

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Israeli History/Israeli Current Events


Upcoming Discussion

Mark Gelfeld leads a Zoom discussion at the Northbrook Library 10am to 11:30am every 2nd and 4th Thursday. Signup is free at this link. A library card is not needed. 
https://visit.northbrook.info/event/4628524

Israeli Current Events will be discussed for the first portion of our session.
Then...we'll continue reviewing events related to the First Lebanon War
Links below allow you to review slides we show and discuss at each session.

Zionism/Israeli History through 1967  

Below is a list of books mentioned during our sessions:

· "The Arab-Israeli Wars" by Chaim Herzog
· "Kissinger and the Yom Kippur War" by David Morse
· "The Making of Modern Israel 1948-1967" by Leslie Stein
· "Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict" by Charles D. Smith
· “The Iron Wall: Israel & The Arab World” by Avi Shlaim
· “Transformative Justice: Israeli Identity on Trial” by Leora Bilsky
· "Six Days of War : June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East" by Michael Oren
· “The Secret War Against The Jews: How Western Espionage Betrayed the Jewish People” by John Loftus and Mark Aarons
· “A Safe Haven: Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel” by Allis Radosh and Ronald Rados
· "Truman" by David McCullough
· “Louis D. Brandeis: A Life” by Melvin Urofsky
· “The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership” by Yehuda Avner
· “George C. Marshall” by Forest Pogue (a 4 volume work- the most definitive biography)
· “1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War” by Benny Morris
· “Woodrow Wilson: A Biography” by John Milton Cooper, Jr
· “A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East” by David Fromkin
· "Constantine’s Sword: The Church and the Jews": A History by James Carroll
· “In the Garden of the Beasts” by Erik Larson
· “My Promised Land - The Triumph & Tragedy of Israel” by Ari Shavit
· "A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide" by Samantha Power
· "The Physician" by Noah Gordon
· "Start-up Nation: the Story of Israel's Economic Miracle" by Dan Senor and Saul Singer
· "Eichmann in Jerusalem: a Report on the Banality of Evil" by Hannah Arendt
· "The Eichmann Trial" by Deborah Lipstadt
· "The House on Garibaldi Street" by Isser Harrel
· "Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices" by Mosab Hassan Yousef
· “Eichmann Before Jerusalem: The Unexamined Life of A Mass Murder” by Bettina Stangneth
· "Jaffa Beach" by Fedora Horowitz
· "Operation Thunderbolt:  Flight 139 and the Raid on Entebbe Airport, the most Audacious Hostage Rescue in History", by Saul David
· "Abba Eban", A Biography by Asaf Siniver
· "Jerusalem: The Biography" by Simon Sebag Montefiore
· "The Way to the Spring: Life and Death in Palestine" by Ben Ehrenreich
· "Jabotinsky" by Hillel Halkin
· "Doomed to Succeed: The U.S. Israel Relationship from Truman to Obama" by Dennis Ross 
· "The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel" by Uri-Bar Joseph
· "FDR and the Jews" by Richard Breitman
· "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin
· "Remember the Liberty!:Almost Sunk by Treason on the High Seas" by Phillip F Nelson, Ronald G. Kukal, Ernest A. Gallo 
· "Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn" by Daniel Gordis
· "Every Spy a Prince" The Complete History of Israel's Intelligence Community by Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman
· "FDR and the Holocaust: A Breach of Faith" by Rafael Medoff
· "Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations" by Ronen Bergman
· "Then They Came for Me - Martin Niemoller, the Pastor Who Defied the Nazis" - Matthew Hockenos
· "We Stand Divided - The Rift Between American Jews and Israel" - Daniel Gordis
· "BiBi" - Anshel Pfeffer
· "Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the 40-year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East" - Kim Ghattas


















Thursday, March 6, 2014

WELCOME TO TODAY'S DISCUSSION



¨  Please silence your cell phone during our discussion

¨  Respect the person speaking—please no side conversations

¨  If you’re not called upon by name, tell us your first name


¨  “Current Events” meets the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday of each month  

¨  “Israeli History/Israeli Current Events” meets 2nd and 4th Thursday 

¨   Pick up a Handout with our web address

¨  Visit our website for more information about discussions:¡   Current Events topics updated regularly

¡   suggested readings for Israeli History 

¡   current Israeli History discussion topic

¡   copies of the Israeli History slides – pdf format 

¡   Other locations and times Ron and Mark lead discussions

"Current Events" and "Great Ideas" meet at the Northbrook Library

We meet in Pollak Rooms A & B--with a capacity of 90-100 people.  You can bring in covered cups, mugs, etc. with coffee. Food is not allowed. There are vending machines in the lobby area right outside the Pollak Room if you wish to purchase a beverage. The library will not be providing coffee.


“Current Events” Code of Conduct

We respect each other and conduct our discussions with civility.

This includes:

      Never using loud, abusive, threatening or insulting language.
      Never offending, threatening, or insulting groups or individuals based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or any disability.
      Never being under the influence of anything but our best behavior.
      Never harming anyone, including fighting or challenging anyone to fight.
      Understanding every aspect of Sexual Harassment - This includes: • making inappropriate personal comments or sexual advances • using obscene or lewd language or gestures • staring at, or following anyone in a manner that reasonably can be expected to disturb him or her • exposing others to sexual Internet content.
      Handouts cannot be distributed. All material must be reviewed by the Library and when approved will be placed on our table for you to pick up after our discussion.


A comprehensive Northbrook Library Code of Conduct is posted on their website.


Ron's Rules:

1. Civility means treating each other with respect. Hate the comment. Love the commenter. When you make it personal, I will stop you. Look at me and talk to the issue. Respond like this: “I disagree. Strawberry is not better than butter pecan. Here’s why. ….”  Responses like this are out of line: “You’re an F-ing idiot if you think strawberry is better than butter pecan!”   Our goal is to shed light more than heat.

2. If someone else makes your point, you don’t need to make it again.

3. I try to seek different views. In doing so, I will call on some folks more than others so there’s a chance to hear different sides. But I won’t get to everyone for most topics.

4. If you’re seeking a “support group” to vent heart-felt rants, go elsewhere. Come with an open mind. You don’t need to agree with what you hear—just do try to see the other side. I’m preaching to myself here as well.

5. About our Diversity: be cautious. Ron does not speak for all Italian Americans.  I represent only Ron. Boris speaks only for Boris, not all Eastern Europeans. Charles just for Charles—not all Blacks. Richard speaks for Richard--not all Conservatives. (However, Mark probably does speak for most Jews. Just one man's opinion.)

6. Finally, It’s perfectly OK to push back against my questions you feel are too slanted or flat out incorrect. That’s going to happen.  Just don’t be picky in the interest of time.