Monthly Archives: May 2021

EXCLUSIVE: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican Sen. Mike Braun are rolling out a measure Thursday that would prevent Democrats from "weaponizing" the Internal Revenue Service to target conservatives, by codifying a Trump-era rule that would protect groups regardless of their political ideology, and prevent the IRS from doxing donors, Fox News has learned.

Fox News exclusively obtained the legislation on Wednesday, titled the "Dont Weaponize the IRS Act," which would ensure that certain tax-exempt groups are no longer required to provide the names and addresses of major donors on annual returns filed with the IRS.

HR1'S SWEEPING CHANGES AND DEADLINES COULD SOW 'CONFUSION, CHAOS, FRAUD, AND LITIGATION, REPORT SAYS

The bill would, though, require the tax-exempt groups to report to the IRS the amounts of donations from their substantial donors, while maintaining the names and addresses of those donors for their own records.

Sources familiar with the legislation said the removal of the requirement to report the names and addresses of donors would help protect taxpayers First Amendment rights, while noting that such information is not needed for tax administration purposes.

"The IRS is not a campaign finance enforcement agency," a source familiar with the legislation told Fox News.

The legislation was drafted due to provisions under H.R. 1, which would permit the IRS to investigate and consider the political and policy positions of nonprofit organizations before granting tax-exempt status, which Republicans argue would enable IRS officials to target organizations engaging in First Amendment activity with "disfavored views."

"We saw during the Obama years that the IRS was used as a political weapon to target conservative nonprofits, and under H.R.1 the Biden IRS would be empowered to block tax-exempt status and publicly expose a groups donors to harassment from liberal groups and the media if their beliefs are deemed to be politically unfavorable," Braun, R-Ind., told Fox News.

"This bill will prevent the IRS from being weaponized against conservatives like it was under President Obama," Braun added.

Under H.R.1, For the People Act of 2021, Democrats sweeping election reform legislation, Section 4501 states the "Repeal of restriction of use of funds by Internal Revenue Service to bring transparency to political activity of certain nonprofit organizations."

The restriction was a final rule promoted by the Trump administration in May 2020, which did not require tax-exempt 501 ( c ) (3) and political organizations to report the names and addresses of substantial contributes to the IRS on annual information returns.

And in April, Senate Democrats penned a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, urging the agencies to reverse the Trump administrations decision to "eliminate disclosure requirements for certain tax-exempt organizations that engage in political activity."

20 STATE AGS DENOUNCE DEMOCRATS' HR1 AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

"As it stands, this policy weakens federal tax laws, campaign finance laws, and longstanding efforts to prevent foreign interference in U.S. elections," more than three dozen Senate Democrats wrote, urging the agencies to "reinstate the requirement that certain tax-exempt organizations engaged in political activity disclose information about their major donors to the IRS."

Meanwhile, McConnell and Brauns bill is related related to the Obama-era IRS targeting scandal, where the agency spent more than two years targeting conservative tax-exempt groups.

The Trump administration, after years of litigation, in 2017, settled lawsuits with Tea Party and other conservative groups who say they were unfairly targeted but the IRS under the Obama administration.

FLASHBACK: TRUMP DOJ SETTLES LAWSUITS OVER TEA PARTY TARGETING BY OBAMA IRS

The targeting scandal drew heavy attention in 2013 after the IRS admitted it applied extra scrutiny to conservative groups applying for nonprofit status. Lois Lerner, then-head of the Exempt Organizations unit responsible, became the public face of the scandal, though many other IRS officials were also involved.

In a 2017 settlement, the IRS offered an apology, saying the agency "admits that its treatment of Plaintiffs during the tax-exempt determination process, including screening their applications based on their names or policy positions, subjecting those applications to heightened scrutiny and inordinate delays, and demanding some Plaintiffs information that TIGTA determined was unnecessary to the agencys determination of their tax-exempt status, was wrong."

"For such treatment, the IRS expresses its sincere apology," the IRS said at the time.

McConnell and Braun's legislation is set to be rolled out on Thursday.

Originally posted here:

McConnell, Braun to roll out bill to prevent Democrats from 'weaponizing' IRS to target conservatives - Fox News

Momentum for a fourth round of stimulus checks is building in the halls of Congress as more than 80 Congressional Democrats and Vice President Kamala Harris have now expressed support for additional payments to Americans.

According to Newsweek, the latest sign of support came Monday when six members of the House Ways and Means Committee sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling on additional payments to be made as Americans continue to work through the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter called the direct payments a lifeline to Americans whove been impacted by the pandemic and went on to say consistent sources of relief are imperative right now.

The pandemic has served as a stark reminder that families and workers need certainty in a crisis, reads a portion of the letter. They deserve to know they can put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads.

Those who signed the letter also argued that a possible fourth and fifth check could keep an additional 12 million people out of poverty, according to Newsweek. Those checks could potentially reduce those in poverty from 44 million to 16 million when combined with measures from the American Rescue Plan, such as the upcoming Child Tax Credit payments.

Mondays letter marked the third time Biden has been petitioned by lawmakers about a fourth round of checks. Earlier this month, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked about a possible fourth check and while she didnt commit either way, she did say it was essentially up to Congress to make the next move.

Well see what members of Congress propose, but those are not free, Psaki said.

Newsweek reports Democrats may push to tie the stimulus checks to the proposed $1.8 trillion American Families Plan that Biden has been pushing in recent weeks. That plan would include money for education, child care and paid family leave.

Any fourth stimulus check round would have to be approved by both the House and Senate before it lands on Bidens desk to be signed into law. Democrats may face an uphill battle, however, as the split in the Senate is 50-50, with the Democrats holding the tiebreaker via Harris, who would cast a vote in the event of a split vote.

If just one Senate Democrat were to not support the proposal, it would likely not pass as every Republican Senator -- aside from Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, who did not vote -- voted against the last bill that included stimulus checks.

Newsweek reports at least 21 Senate Democrats support recurring payments, but it is unclear if the entire caucus would vote in support.

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Read more here:

Possible 4th stimulus check now has support from over 80 Democratic members of Congress - MLive.com

Traffords Republican voters gave the lone incumbent on the GOP ballot one of the four nominations for a seat on borough council in the November election, while the write-in votes on the Democratic ticket were higher than the number of votes for the lone candidate on that ballot in the May 18 primary.

Based on unofficial results, Lauren Lindsay, 27, led the GOP ticket with 21.1% of the Republican vote, followed by incumbent Zack Cole with 20.2%, Justin Batzel, 28, at 16.8% and Brian Lindbloom, 53, at 13.5%. Bill Mence, 53, captured 12.6% of the vote, but was just eight votes behind Lindbloom, who is chief of the borough volunteer fire department.

Incumbent councilman Casey L. Shoub Sr., 70, was the lone Democrat on the ballot.

But, Shoub likely will have company running on the Democratic ticket in November, because there were 185 write-in votes, which was 15 more votes than Shoub received.

Incumbent council members Ralph Deabner and Leslie Peters are not running again.

Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe at 724-836-5252, jnapsha@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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Write-in votes expected to fill Democratic ticket for Trafford council - TribLIVE

WASHINGTONPresident Biden faces a significant political and foreign-policy challenge as fighting intensifies between Israel and Hamas and Democrats have become more divided on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

As the violence nears the end of its first week, the president has sought to defuse tensions while avoiding taking sides in the conflict, drawing criticism from many in his party. Republicans have pressed him to take a more firm stance in defense of Israel.

The White House said that Mr. Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in separate calls on Saturday.

The White House on Friday said it was engaged extensively in behind-the-scenes discussions with Israelis, Palestinians and other key players in the region, following the Israeli military launching the most intense bombardment of its five-day military operation in the Gaza Strip, adding tank and artillery fire from the ground to its campaign of airstrikes.

In a statement on the White Houses Eid celebration, Mr. Biden said Friday both Palestiniansincluding in Gazaand Israelis equally deserve to live in dignity, safety and security.

Originally posted here:

Democratic Divide Over Israel Puts Pressure on Biden - The Wall Street Journal

The Summit County Democratic Party has chosen a successor for retired County Clerk Kent Jones, nominating Peoa resident and former magistrate judge Eve Furse to serve until the term expires at the end of next year.

The position will be on the ballot in the 2022 general election and Furse committed to running for a full term. The county council is expected to appoint Furse to the position in the coming days.

The Democratic Party selected Furse after its organizing convention Tuesday evening. Only the 101 county delegates were eligible to vote, 77 of whom cast votes, according to Democratic Party Chair Katy Owens.

Furse defeated Chief Deputy Clerk Kellie Robinson 56 votes to 21. Robinson has worked for Summit County for decades, including holding the highest non-elected position in the Clerks Office, and has spoken for the office about election issues.

Every official who holds countywide elected office in Summit County is a Democrat, and Furses nomination appears to give her an advantage in securing a full term in next years election.

Before running for clerk, Furse, 48, practiced law for 25 years, including stints working for private law firms and for Salt Lake City and, most recently, as a federal magistrate judge. U.S. district judges in 2020 declined to reappoint Furse as a magistrate judge, in what was reportedly a rare move.

Furse said that marked a turning point in her career.

I decided after, following that, I wanted to go in another direction. I no longer wanted to practice law, she said. This was more in line with what I want to be doing going forward, building community and being part of positive developments.

As clerk, she plans to focus on registering people to vote, including the countys new residents, and trying to promote public confidence in the voting system.

I have become convinced in the last year of just how important our county clerks are to our right to vote, she said. We havent had voter suppression issues in Summit County the way some of the other states have, or other counties have, and I really want to help make sure that doesnt happen going forward.

In addition to overseeing elections, the Clerks Office administers a bevy of official documents including passports and marriage and business licenses. Furse said shell work to ensure the administrative process continues to be smooth and that shes always had positive experiences with the Clerks Office, including when shes voted and sought a marriage license.

Furse has lived with her husband in Peoa for 15 years.

Were big hikers and mountain bikers and skiers and just love the outdoors, she said. All those years working in Salt Lake, its been this wonderful paradise to come home to, being in Summit County. I love the idea to be able to work and play in Summit County.

This was Furses first run for public office and said she was gratified by the results.

Participating in Tuesdays partisan election was a stark diversion from Furses career for most of the past eight years.

She said she felt constrained by the strictures placed on federal judges and that voting was the only political activity she was able to do during her time on the bench from 2012 to 2020.

She said she registered recently as a Democrat, and has previously registered as both a Republican and an unaffiliated voter.

My values have always aligned with the (Democrats), Furse said. She added that she had previously voted in Republican primaries.

In Utah, where voting in the Republican Party has been really important that was the way I could exercise my voice, she said.

The County Council is expected to appoint Furse in a special meeting later this week or early next.

As soon as I hear that, Ill get to work, she said.

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Summit County Democrats have nominated a former judge to be the next county clerk - The Park Record

Cash and E-Z Pass signs at the New Jersey Turnpike. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images ... [+] Group via Getty Images)

President Biden and Democrats and Republicans in Congress have begun a fascinating game of three-dimensional chess over Bidens $2.2 trillion infrastructure spending plan and the way to pay for it. As the game begins, it may be worth looking at where public opinion stands on infrastructure spending and how it should be funded.

To start, there appears to be broad-based public support for increased spending on infrastructure. Thats probably why Senate Republicans quickly put their own $568 billion counteroffer on the table. Besides, what politician doesnt like to cut a ribbon?

But survey results are extremely sensitive to the way the question is framed. For instance, there is far more support for the individual elements of the presidents plan than for something identified as Bidens infrastructure proposal. Still, almost every survey shows that at least half and often far more than half of those polled back additional spending on roads and bridges.

How to pay?

Paying for it all is another matter. Biden favors corporate tax increases. Congressional Republicans prefer unspecified user fees. Moderate Democrats such as Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) support some corporate tax increases but wont go as far as Biden. For example, while Biden would raise corporate income tax rates from 21 percent to 28 percent, Manchin says he would limit the rate hike to 25 percent.

What does the public think of corporate tax hikes versus those user fees?

There has been widespread support for raising taxes on corporations and high-income households for years. Recent polling suggests there may be some differences in support for one over the other. But support for these taxes hikes remains strongly held.

Recent public opinion surveys

For example, a Morning Consult in March found that 54 percent of respondents favored Bidens infrastructure improvements financed by raising taxes on those making $400,000 or more or on corporations. Only half as many backed new infrastructure without tax increases. Of course, the poll showed deep partisan divisions, with 72 percent of Democrats but 32 percent of Republicans favoring the pairing.

By 10 percentage points 57 percent to 47 percentrespondents favored tax hikes on high-income individuals over corporations

An April Monmouth University poll found that about two-thirds of respondents favored a tax hike on either high-income individuals or corporations to fund the new spending.

And a mid-April Washington Post poll found that while 52 percent of respondents backed Bidens infrastructure plan, 58 percent favored the idea if it includes a corporate tax rate increase. All this puts Biden on pretty firm ground.

Gas taxes

What about those user fees?

For now, Republicans are hiding behind the blandand largely meaninglessphrase. But at some point, they may have to be explicit. When it comes to roads and bridges, user fees for individuals generally mean either a motor fuels tax or some form of tolling.

Most politicians oppose both, probably on the assumption that so do voters. But survey research paints a much more complicated picture.While ether idea probably violates Biens pledge to not raise taxes on those making $400,000 or less, they dont seem unpopular.

It very much depends on how the questions are framed.

For instance, The Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University has been polling on gas taxes since 2010. In 2019, it found that 40 percent favored a 10 cent-a-gallon tax hike, up 11 percentage points from a decade earlier. But even more75 percentsupported the gas tax hike if they were told the money would be used to improve roads and bridges.

It didnt matter much whether the respondents drove a lot or not at all. And while there were some regional differences, they were not large.

It is worth noting that a variant of the gas taxa tax based on miles traveled polled more poorly, though peoples responses indicated they were, more than anything, confused by the idea.

Tolls

Polling on tolling is even harder to sort out.

There is surprisingly little recent survey data, and many polls were done by interest groups. Independent surveys generally were positive but also highly sensitive to framing. in general, they found more support for tolls than taxes.

A 2008 National Academy of Sciences analysis of the then-available survey research concluded, The pubic favors tolls over taxes....Tolling represents freedom of choice. Only users pay.

While the study is quite old, its results are music to Republican ears.

A more recent 2013 study by the Brookings Institution found cautious support for tolling and other forms of congestion pricing. But a 2018 survey found that people are more willing to pay both higher tolls and taxes for better roads and faster commutes.

If these surveys are to be believed, Biden appears to be starting with the upper hand. But public views on how to fund infrastructure spending are likely to be driven, as usual, by who is best at framing the debate over the next few months.

Originally posted here:

What Plays Better With the Public, Democratic Corporate Tax Hikes Or GOP User Fees? - Forbes

Part of that also means forcefully setting the stakes for a second term before his opponents can.

One of the things that happened in 18 was I got defined as someone I wasnt, and the way I was defined turned out to be false, he said. Thats not going to happen this time because people know where I stand.

The Democrats are really good at nationalizing races over the last several cycles, but that table will be turned on them in this race, Gov. Brian Kemp said in discussing his campaign plans for 2022. Especially if President Biden keeps getting pulled to the left. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

The governor added: Voters are smart. You cant play them. Theyre going to figure out who you are, what you believe in, what you stand for. And Im going to remind them of my record, an agenda thats been really good for a lot of people. I think thats a message that can build the party in Georgia.

Kemp entered the year in a precarious political position, with Trump vowing to back a Republican challenger and some senior GOP officials wondering whether he would even stand for a second term.

But hes worked to steady his standing with conservatives, in part thanks to his signing of a rewrite of Georgias election law that includes new restrictions on voting. Hes also avoided a serious GOP opponent, with Trump favorite Doug Collins passing on a campaign.

Still, the governor faces continued backlash from a base still under Trumps sway. More than a dozen county GOP groups voted to censure Kemp in April, though the movement mostly petered out at larger meetings over the past weekend.

And Democrats promise stiff resistance to a governor they accuse of embracing policies that are far out of step with the rest of the state.

With members of his own party rebuking him and his approval ratings among voters shaky at best, Brian Kemp is standing on thin ice from left to right, said U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, who chairs the Democratic Party of Georgia.

While Kemp spends his reelection campaign trying to defend his awful record, she said, Georgia Democrats will be reminding voters just how much he has failed our state.

Kemp said he plans to step up his efforts to assuage the concerns of the partys base.

He spoke at a pair of GOP district meetings over the weekend, and he plans to present himself as a fierce ally of Trump who was upholding the law by certifying Georgias election results and refusing to call a special session to reverse his defeat.

Gov. Brian Kemp still faces opposition from former President Donald Trump after refusing to overturn his defeat in Georgia. But the governor continues to portray himself as a supporter of the former president's policies. A lot of people think the governor can do a lot of things that the governor doesnt necessarily have control over because of the Constitution, he said. And nobody really understands that better than I do. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

A lot of people think the governor can do a lot of things that the governor doesnt necessarily have control over because of the Constitution, he said. And nobody really understands that better than I do.

Even as Kemp spoke at his campaign office, Trump offered a reminder of the governors challenges ahead. The former president fired off an email that slammed both Kemp and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who this week announced he wont seek a second term in 2022.

While Duncan has repeatedly roasted Trump, Kemp has stuck to a different strategy: He has said nary a harsh word about Trump, focusing instead on his support for the former presidents policies and his own political agenda.

I can only control what I can control. I learned that a long time ago in politics. And youve got to pick the right battles to be successful, Kemp said.

Im going to keep doing the things I told people Id do, the governor said. And Ill keep reminding Georgians of what I promised them, what Ive delivered and what we want to do next.

About the Author

Greg Bluestein is a political reporter who covers the governor's office and state politics for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Brian Kemp aims to flip the script on Democrats with 2022 reelection strategy - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Hows it going?

Thought wed make an entrance.

Hello, everyone.

How you living?

OK, lets go through this way.

[music]

Am I just goingto the chair?

Theres lot of cameras.

I could go into the movie business

I feel pretty good.

Ive never walkedout on an interview yet.

All right.

Tell me what you need.

So starting with pandemic.

What is the firstthing you would

do to helpNew York City recover?

Systemic racism.

Educational losses.

Amazon headquarters.

A car-free Manhattan.

What is the key to improvingpublic transportation?

Police reform.

Traffic congestion.

Climate change, in general.

Thats an interesting way to ask it.

Do I get choices?

Do I get to chooseamongst my answers?

I dont talk as much asthe other guys.

That is a secret.

I know, what does that say about me?

Do you want me toexpound on that?

No questions about my cats?

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These 8 Democrats Want to Be Mayor of New York City. We Have Questions. - The New York Times

Over the past several years, the Democratic Party has moved further left on US policy toward Israel, showing a greater willingness to criticize Israel and speak up in defense of the rights of Palestinians.

But President Joe Biden doesnt seem to have gotten the memo. And that gap between him and the more progressive members of his party is becoming a visible rift as the Biden administration struggles to address the escalating conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

The recent fighting between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist militant group that has controlled Gaza since 2007, has so far left at least seven people in Israel dead from Hamas rockets and around 70 Palestinians, including 16 children, dead, more than 300 injured, and entire apartment buildings flattened in Gaza from Israeli airstrikes.

The Biden administration has firmly and publicly denounced Hamas for firing rockets indiscriminately at civilians in Israel. Yet it has refused to say a single harsh word to Israel publicly for its precision bombing of civilian targets in Gaza, instead repeating the constant refrain that Israel has the right to defend itself.

A summary of National Security Adviser Jake Sullivans Tuesday call with his Israeli counterpart said that He conveyed the Presidents unwavering support for Israels security and for its legitimate right to defend itself and its people, while protecting civilians.

That kind of unwavering defense of Israel wouldnt have ruffled many feathers in the Democratic Party 20 or maybe even 10 years ago. But times have changed. The party has changed. And now its doing more than just ruffling feathers.

By only stepping in to name Hamas actions which are condemnable & refusing to acknowledge the rights of Palestinians, Biden reinforces the false idea that Palestinians instigated this cycle of violence, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tweeted on Wednesday. This is not neutral language. It takes a side the side of occupation.

This is becoming a problem for Biden, who promised to put human rights at the center of his foreign policy. Instead, hes finding himself calcified in the US-Israel policy of yesteryear, while his left flank on Israeli-Palestinian issues becomes ever more vocal.

It is splitting the party, a Democratic Senate staffer told me. Its splitting between those who think support for human rights includes Palestinians and those who dont.

Biden is standing still as his party is moving on this issue.

In March, a Gallup poll showed that 53 percent of Democrats favored placing more pressure on Israel to make compromises to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a 10-point jump from 2018, and 20 points higher than in 2008.

That finding tracked with poll after poll showing liberal Democrats are less sympathetic to Israel than they were in years past, although most Americans still say they support Israel and Americas alliance with it.

Why the change? Much of it has to do with former President Donald Trumps favoritism toward Israel.

As president, Trump gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nearly everything he wanted, including recognition of Israeli sovereignty over disputed territory like the Golan Heights, moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, and a peace plan that fulfilled nearly all of the premiers wish list. Meanwhile, Trump closed a Palestinian political office in Washington, DC, stopped aid to the West Bank and Gaza, and effectively cut ties with top Palestinian officials.

As a result, Israel went from receiving broad bipartisan support to seeing concerns over its actions split along partisan lines. Donald Trump politicized US support of Israel, said Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America and a former national security adviser to then-Sen. Kamala Harris.

Thats why you see congressional Democrats with more willingness to lambaste Israel.

Take Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), a close Biden confidant who fashions himself one of Israels strongest supporters in Congress. He used a Twitter thread to denounce Hamass rocket attacks but also called out Israel for the attempted evictions of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and other provocations.

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), a Jewish lawmaker and chair of the House Judiciary Committee, also issued a statement criticizing aggression by Israeli authorities last week that helped trigger the current conflict: I remain deeply concerned by the violence in Jerusalem, including Israeli police violence, and I urge all parties to exercise restraints.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committees Middle East panel, told me its important for members of Congress to acknowledge that over the last few years, both the Palestinians and Israelis have taken a bunch of steps to make a two-state future less likely and create cultures of grievances.

Instead of making a big deal out of noting the Palestinian plight or finding ways to punish Israel, though, he said the goal is to seek deescalation. Were in the middle of a nightmare right now. People are dying, he said. Once the crisis is over, then it makes sense to have a broader policy discussion about Americas stance toward Israel.

But given the way the administration is acting so far, it doesnt look like it wants to have that discussion at all.

The Biden administration rejects accusations that its taking only Israels side or that its standing pat as rockets and bombs rip through civilian buildings in Israel and Gaza.

On Tuesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said US officials have spoken candidly with Israeli officials about how evictions of Palestinian families who have lived for years, sometimes decades, in their homes and of demolitions of these homes work against our common interests in achieving a solution to the conflict.

The next day, she told reporters US officials had held 25 high-level calls and meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, as well as other regional governments with stakes in the conflict. So our engagement is, a lot of it is happening privately through diplomatic channels, she said, and our objective here is deescalation as we look to protecting the people in the region.

Thats all well and good, experts say, but they say itd be better if Biden came out and showed support for Palestinians himself. I think its reached a point where that might not be a bad idea, said Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of the liberal pro-Israel advocacy group J Street, after I asked him about the presidents silence. But Ben-Ami added, hes not going to focus on this day in and day out.

At a minimum, theyd like to see Biden do something anything, really.

For the moment, he has yet to appoint a special envoy for the peace process or an ambassador to Israel, though a State Department official is headed to the region to speak with regional leaders. Psaki said Wednesday that the president will name someone to the ambassadorial post in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Biden has barely reversed Trumps actions against the Palestinians, except for restoring aid to refugees. When the US acted recently, it was to block a statement by the United Nations Security Council on the conflict. The US doesnt see that a statement will help de-escalate, an unnamed diplomat told AFP on Wednesday.

There doesnt seem to be a sense of urgency in the administration. Congressional aides and activists who have recently spoken to the White House told me the attitude of Bidens team is theres a lot going on right now.

In all fairness, there is.

Biden is still contending with the Covid-19 pandemic at home and now looking to quash it abroad, all while trying to push trillions in domestic programs through Congress. Blasting Israel could harm his standing with Republicans.

Biden also has diplomats negotiating Americas reentry into the Iran nuclear deal, a pact Israel hates and might speak openly against if the president publicly denounces Jerusalem.

Whats more, the US is far from being the only outside influence over the crisis.

Ilan Goldenberg, an expert on the Israeli-Palestinian issue at the Center for a New American Security think tank in Washington, DC, tweeted on Wednesday that The key mediators in this conflict and the ones with real leverage with Hamas and a close relationship with the Israelis are the Egyptians. Ultimately this round of violence will most likely end with an agreement in Cairo, not the White House.

Between those considerations and Bidens more traditional view of the US-Israel relationship, its possible the president simply wants to stay out of the fray.

But thats concerning, as most say a clear statement from Biden denouncing Hamass attacks but also noting Israels complicity in the violence might get Jerusalem to consider deescalating this crisis. After that, Biden could hold Israel accountable for its human rights abuses with the same vigor as his team does Hamas and other Palestinian leaders.

His silence on that front for now, at least has consequences.

The permanent occupation of Palestinian territory by the state of Israel, and millions of people in the occupied territory, held for decades and generations without rights remains an unsustainable situation, said J Streets Ben-Ami. That will lead to these regular outbreaks of violence if there is not an effort consistently made to, at a minimum, prevent the situation from getting worse.

See the article here:

The Democratic rift on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Biden isnt moving left yet - Vox.com