Is Rand Paul the Tea Party? Is he anti-Israel?

Labels:
The New York Times raises the concern that Israel is becoming a partisan issue (in fact, it has been one for at least the last two years) in the US Congress, but frets that some Republicans may not be as supportive of Israel as we would like them to be. However, the Times only has one example: Rand Paul.
Scores of Tea Party-backed candidates are entering Congress, many of whom favor isolationist policies and are determined to cut American foreign aid, regardless of its destination. Rand Paul, the newly elected Tea Party-backed senator from Kentucky, bluntly told the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel lobbying group, that they were going to disagree about the need for foreign aid and suggested that they move on to other topics, according to a person briefed on the meeting.

...

Yet the Tea Party-backed lawmakers remain something of a mystery. One of their brightest stars, Marco Rubio, went on a personal trip to Israel days after winning his Florida Senate race. But pro-Israel analysts point out that Mr. Paul once said he did not view an Iran with one nuclear bomb as a threat, though he has subsequently been more hawkish. Mr. Paul did not reply to a request for comment.

Yes, there may be an issue with Rand Paul. But the same issues exist with some Democrats as well (Keith Ellison?).

But is the Tea Party Rand Paul or is it Marco Rubio? And didn't most of the Tea Party candidates (Christine O'Donnell) supposedly lose anyway?

I'll put up with one Rand Paul if the rest of the Republicans are more pro-Israel than their Democratic colleagues. Marco Rubio? John Boehner? Eric Cantor? Mike Pence? Do I need to go on?

Read the whole thing.

I have a feeling this may just be the Times trying to head off a massive flood of Jewish votes to the Republicans in 2012. I'm inclined to wait and see how Paul behaves once the new Congress is in session.

UPDATE 2:05 PM

For a more positive view of Tea Party support for Israel, go here.

The Times also expresses concern about foreign aid to Israel, but the truth is that what Israel needs (and mostly gets) is military aid, much of which is paid for in cash or in kind, albeit generally at a discount.

Posted via email from noahdavidsimon's posterous

Translate