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 now? Federal food assistance for more than 40M Americans stops being distributed Saturday due to a lack of funding. This is prompting soul-searching within the Senate Democratic caucus, who refused to fund the government without an extension of subsidies for people enrolled in the Affordable Care Act. Democratics are juggling the needs of two key constituencies: folks who need help affording health insurance and folks who need help affording food.

 

What does resumption of nuclear testing mean in today’s world where warfare seems to be executed more by drones and cyber-attacks?

 

What significant news came out the meeting between Trump and Xi? What was gained by our initiating a trade war that now seems to be in a Truce? Did either nation “come out ahead”?

 

The GOP asks DOJ to invalidate some pardons and EOs signed with Biden autopen.

 

How much is Chaos being seen as “worth a try”, both in Washington and NY City? What might make the possibility of dire consequences acceptable?  

 

Are National Guard troops needed in our urban centers? Trump told U.S. troops in Japan that he was prepared to send “more than the National Guard” into American cities as he ramped up his rhetoric on cracking down on crime and immigration. The Pentagon ordered thousands of specialized National Guard personnel to complete civil unrest mission training over the next several months, an indication that the Trump administration’s effort to send uniformed military forces into urban centers—once reserved for extraordinary emergencies—could become the norm.

 

Is Bill Gates correct? He believes a doomsday outlook has led the climate community to focus too much on near-term goals to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that cause warming, diverting resources from the most effective things that can be done to improve life in a warming world, Gates says the world’s primary goal should instead be reducing suffering, fighting poverty and preventing disease—particularly for those in the world’s poorest countries.

 

Is the U.S. putting effective pressure on Putin? The Treasury Department sanctioned Russia’s two largest oil producers, escalating pressure on the Kremlin to end its war in Ukraine. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the move targets the oil companies that "fund the Kremlin's war machine" and called on Moscow to agree to an "immediate ceasefire. Any meeting with Putin was canceled

 

Canada paid millions to put Reagan’s anti-tariff words on American television. In response, we ended trade talks with Canada. Who is hurt more by this trade war? Was Reagan anti Tariff?

 

Is this Racist? Or treating Immigration more fairly? Biden’s limit on refugees was 125,00. Trump limits it to 7,500. 7,000 are Afrikaners, a group not traditionally eligible for the program, but one the Administration says has been “tyrannized by South Africa’s Black majority”. The remainder may be chosen because of ability to speak English or views on “free speech,” upending a system that for decades took in people fleeing conflict and persecution anywhere regardless of race or language.

 

For years, Trump has asked for $230M for being “wronged” by the Justice Department. How valid is his charge? Now Justice is his. Is it meant to be more of a distraction? Is it working?

 

Paul Ingrassia, a racist, was picked to lead the office of special counsel. Lacking votes, he dropped out. Staff incompetence? Or was a political message sent to please racist voters?

 

If Israel annexes the West Bank, would doing so lose U.S. support?

 

Are national parks and museums wrong to cover how bad Slavery was? Does History need to be more positive? What’s more harmful: not covering full details, or covering it all?

 

Her book is out. Do most people accept that “Epstein is just a Democrat hoax”? Do we need to know more via all the files? Or is this story being overblown?

 

What should we make of RFK jr. (and Trump) saying Tylenol causes Autism…and so does circumcision?  How confident are you with who is in charge of America’s Health?

How is this in America’s best interests? Hegseth: “The U.S. is building a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility to enhance our combined training, increase the lethality and interoperability.” 

 

The stock market continues to do well. But is our Economy positive for working-class people?  Job Market is stalled. Unemployment ticking up.  We’re in a “no hire, no fire” mode. Prices are going up. Interests rates lowered by .25%. Are Tariffs creating new alliances that help China? Has “America First” become America Alone? Is China the winner from distancing ourselves from our Allies, and abdicating soft power?

 

Does Cashless Bail put more peace-loving Folks at risk while putting Law Breakers back on the street?

 

What more should be done to avoid repeating what led to that tragic Charolette stabbing? A young woman was killed by a mentally ill man with multiple arrests, yet multiple releases. Should we change our Justice system and not strictly follow “Rule of Law”? If not, what do we do?

 

How excited are you about Swift and Kelce getting engaged? Why are Conservatives critical?

 

Are things going too far in pushing back against “Woke”? Cracker Barrel is accused of being “woke” after their flap with their logo to “erase the White guy”?

 

The Justice Department will conduct a Grand Jury to look at “Russia-Gate”.  Muller, Durham and Rubio’s Senate Committee have found no wrong-doing. Does that matter?

 

Is a “Christian Soldier” heading our Military? Hegseth is openly aligned with Christian nationalist, Doug Wilson. Wilson believes in a patriarchal society: stop women from voting, criminalize homosexuality, build a government ruled by Christ.

 

What about the 2025 Melonia (Kennedy) Center awards. Trump as MC?

 

Good move? Trump has directed the Commerce Department to start working on a new census, noting that illegal aliens in the U.S. will not be included in the count.

 

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



“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.

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. 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 may not get to everyone for some topics.

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

5. 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.