The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it is sending a new package of more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, three congressional aides said Tuesday.

It’s the first arms shipment to Israel to be announced by the administration since it put another arms transfer — consisting of 3,500 bombs — on hold this month. The administration has said it paused that earlier transfer to keep Israel from using the bombs in its growing offensive in the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        7 months ago

        Please do not respond to multiple comments with the same post. That is essentially spamming, no matter how well-intentioned you are.

      • beardown@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        7 months ago

        Why should we believe that a more equitable voting system would solve this issue? Or any similar issues?

        To be sure, ranked choice voting would result in some improvements to the United States, and should be supported on that basis. But it would do nothing to modify the current structure wherein oligarchs rule the United States with impunity. It’s just that this would empower the neoliberal Democratic oligarchs rather than the fascist Republican oligarchs. Which is harm reduction and is therefore preferable, but is not a meaningful solution - especially to something as entrenched as Zionism

        • venusaur@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          7 months ago

          We would have to dismantle capitalism entirely and a huge cultural shift to fix that. Huge spending caps on campaigns would be a good start.

          RCV allows people to vote for candidates of a third party without wasting a vote like they would now. The problem is that much of society is brainwashed with red vs. blue politics and it would take a long time for everybody to get on the same page about a third party candidate.

          • beardown@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            ·
            6 months ago

            I agree.

            And, again, RCV and campaign finance reform would certainly be an improvement.

            But the root issue would remain untouched. And eventually, the ruling class would find ways to grossly manipulate that system to their own ends as well - or would gradually chip away at it through the judiciary that they control

            These proposals should be adopted nevertheless. But we should be clear-eyed about what they will and will not accomplish

        • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          6 months ago

          Because the electoral and voting systems in the US are, respectively, intentionally undemocratic and extremely inconsistent depending on the state.

          RCV for national elections would materially address the former, and enforcing RCV as the system to use for all elections at all levels would materially address the latter.

          I am not claiming RCV (or any other similar/related system) would be a panacea, but it would be a damn sight better than the intentionally flawed shitshow we have to use now.

      • flames5123@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        6 months ago

        STAR voting is so much better than RCV. RCV is only marginally better than first past the post.

          • flames5123@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            6 months ago

            You can rank every candidate, so you can give multiple people 5’s. If you can’t decide between them. In RCV, if 51% vote #1 for candidate A, 49% vote #1 for candidate B, but 100% vote #2 for candidate C, the winner is still candidate A even though everyone voted for C. Everyone would’ve been a little satisfied. In STAR, if everyone put 4’s for C, they would win.

            • venusaur@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              6 months ago

              Most people would still give A and B 5’s or 4’s, so C still loses even if they get all 4’s, no?

              • flames5123@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                6 months ago

                You total all of the points. So say 100 people with the 51/49 doing A/B at 5, and all 100 do C at 4. A would have 255 points, B would have 245 points, and C would have 400. C wins by a landslide.

                • venusaur@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  edit-2
                  6 months ago

                  Ah right assuming A and B are opposing candidates. Kind of a way to eliminate the most popular opposing candidates in a runoff assuming there is a middle of the road candidate that everybody likes.

                  In RCV this might be translated differently tho. Maybe 26% vote C #1, 49% A #1, 25% B #1 with C #2, then in runoff, C would win.

                  I don’t see everybody liking the same candidate for #2.

    • andrew@lemmy.stuart.fun
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      6 months ago

      Nonsense! We will write that history so that we’re clearly the good guys!

      Unless you’re saying it’s possible we’ve not always been the good guys but surely that’s not it.

    • retrospectology@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      6 months ago

      Which is why so many people simply cannot put their name in support of Biden and AIPAC democrats.

      There’s pragmatic politics and then there’s supporting actual genocide. For many people that line is something they just won’t ever compromise on because it’s so unequivocally immoral, there’s no justification to actively support it.

      Personally if he doesn’t reverse course there’s no way I’m voting for this. I’ve lived through one Trump presidency, I’ll do it again if I have to and find other ways to resist.

      If Democrats can’t do better than genocide they can’t demand my vote.

      • jumjummy@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        6 months ago

        What a completely foolish take. “I won’t vote for Biden, I’ll just vote for the guy who wants to be a dictator and who cares even less about Palestine”

        Russian troll or a completely deluded and/or privileged person who “lived through one Trump presidency”.

        I can’t begin to stress how completely, off the rails, crayon eating levels of stupidity this approach is.

        • retrospectology@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          6 months ago

          Who said I was voting for Trump?

          Biden can easily get my vote, there’s literally only one thing he has to do; stop supporting genocide. It’s not rocket science. Don’t like the idea of him losing? Then you need to be doing everything in your power to communicate to him that he needs to do a 180 on this issue. People aren’t going to vote for him because you try to badger and shame them, didn’t work in 2016, won’t work now.

          • jumjummy@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            6 months ago

            Sadly with how the US general election works, if your not voting for Biden, it just helps Trump. You know his supporters don’t care about Israel, the Middle East, women, LGBT people, etc., so they’re not holding back.

            If Trump wins, none of your rhetoric will excuse where we end up, and yes Biden and the current lobbying groups so entrenched with Israel have their share of the blame, but absolutely so do the voters who let it happen.

        • retrospectology@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          6 months ago

          No. It is a genocide.

          Even Netanyahu admitted it was analagous to the genocide of the Amakelites in the Torah fairy tale.

          There is no debate here, it is a genocide and you are a supporter.

        • retrospectology@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          6
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          6 months ago

          No, who said that? Voting uncommitted is a valid third option when Democrats don’t give you someone you can morally vote for.

    • Mango@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      7 months ago

      Well, so far as the decision makers are concerned, the lesson is that we always win. It’s just unfortunate that what’s important doesn’t matter to them and they do not represent us.

  • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    109
    arrow-down
    11
    ·
    7 months ago

    Are these motherfuckers TRYING to lose the election and thus democracy to a fascist conman?! 🤦

    • Tryptaminev@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      52
      arrow-down
      16
      ·
      7 months ago

      Yes they are. They rather want Trump to win, than to end a genocide. And people are gaslighting themselves happily to suck up to the Dems instead of saying: “We will vote for you, but only, when you end this genocide and bring justice and peace to the people.”

      And the Reps are having a blast over it, because they know that the DNCs are their buddies in exploiting the normal Americans and murdering people outside the US.

      • shikitohno@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        8
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        6 months ago

        And people are gaslighting themselves happily to suck up to the Dems instead of saying: “We will vote for you, but only, when you end this genocide and bring justice and peace to the people.”

        Not just that, but they’re twisting themselves into knots to try and convince people that unconditionally supporting Biden is the better option than continuing to pressure him to stop this and calling out his terrible stance here. Sure, everyone can vote as they please come election day, but we’re a touch under 6 months out and people are all over this site browbeating anyone who doesn’t toe the line and going “Don’t you dare criticize our savior, Biden! If you say he needs to stop enabling Israel’s genocide, you’re just a Russian disinformation agent trying to keep people from voting so that fascists take over and murder all the minorities in the US. They’ll probably double murder Palestinians, even!”

        • jumjummy@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          6 months ago

          There’s a difference between criticizing, protesting, etc. but that’s not what people are advocating for here. It’s either “don’t vote” or “don’t vote for Biden in the General Election”.

          You see the difference right? Once that general election comes, Trump winning would be absolutely catastrophic for the US, so unless you’re a Russian plant, or one of those “let it all burn down” people, there isn’t much choice.

          • shikitohno@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            6 months ago

            Damn, you got me, I missed the part where I said not to vote for Biden under any circumstances.

            Way to prove the point. Elections are not today, there is no reason not to continue to criticize Biden and pressure him to change his position in a meaningful way in order to make him more electable for those who won’t support him if he continues his current policy, and along you come with the same tired shtick to say “If you don’t bend over backwards to sing his praises, you’re a Russian plant!”

            If Biden actually changed his stance in a meaningful way, there’s still plenty of time for him to win back those voters, but you folks come along running to shout out “But Trump!!!” once anyone suggests that maybe giving him unconditional support no matter how shitty his stances are isn’t the best way to convince him to not be just as awful while he still has time to do so.

      • jumjummy@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        6 months ago

        Ok, so vote for the guy who will literally make all of this worse. You won’t have to worry about a genocide in another part of the world because there would be some starting up right at home.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      19
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      6 months ago

      Trump’s the best thing to happen to Biden. He has a blank check to do whatever he likes, knowing full well the only response is “Trump will be worse”

      • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        6 months ago

        Yeah, he’d never had become president in the first place if not for a horrible alternative.

        Now that he’s been for a few years of him mostly being the same conservative he was as a senator, it’s even more obvious that there’s going to be many times more votes AGAINST Trump than FOR Biden.

        I just hope he doesn’t alienate so many people with his steadfast support of, even participation in, the genocide bring peroetrated by a fascist apartheid regime that he actually loses the second most winnable presidential election in US history (the most easily winnable being 2020) to someone who’s objectively much worse for the country and thus the world…

    • zerog_bandit@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      12
      arrow-down
      27
      ·
      7 months ago

      Lol, go ahead and vote for Trump. If you think what’s going on now is “genocide”, just wait and see…

    • Linkerbaan@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      16
      arrow-down
      33
      ·
      edit-2
      7 months ago

      Genocide Joe is a fascist con-man. Anyone defending this is a hardcore tankie.

  • BlackNo1@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    47
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    7 months ago

    fuck this goddam fucking system thats going to force me to vote for this old cunt

  • spicysoup@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    46
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    7 months ago

    meanwhile in the US, the government can’t seem to find the money for continued funding of the ACP, a program providing internet and mobile services to the poorest people in the country, in a world where connectivity is pretty crucial to functioning in society

    • Tinidril@midwest.social
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      24
      ·
      7 months ago

      Austerity programs in the US have nothing to do with saving the government money. It’s literally the goal to make life worse for working Americans, this making them more subservient to employers.

  • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    46
    arrow-down
    4
    ·
    6 months ago

    Jesus tapdancing christ he just can’t fucking help scoring an own-goal. What the actual fuck.

    I’ve been trying to be as magnanimous and politically pragmatic as I can, but this is straight up idiotic. Come the fuck on, Biden. You are going to throw the whole fucking election if you keep this up.

  • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    52
    arrow-down
    12
    ·
    7 months ago

    So. do you think Netanyahu pinched his nose or something. you know. while biden was sucking his dick off? “withhold weapons, are you…?”

    it’d be nice if one of the most powerful men in the world actually had a fucking spine.

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      12
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      7 months ago

      I know that it’s beside the point, but just FYI: in most cases, pinching the nose of someone blowing you does nothing since the vast majority (all?) of humans can’t breathe in through their nose while their mouth is full and vigorously sucking.

      All it does is expose you as an ignorant jerk 🤷

    • index@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      7 months ago

      They have the spine to laugh at all the peasants below them, i think it’s someone else lacking spine

  • AmbiguousProps@lemmy.today
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    39
    arrow-down
    7
    ·
    7 months ago

    What a shocker. God, I wish I could afford to leave this country so that my tax dollars weren’t funneled directly to this genocide.

      • Emma_Gold_Man@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        19
        ·
        edit-2
        7 months ago

        Not necessarily. There is a foreign earned income exclusion, so if you pay income taxes on it in the country where you’re living you don’t pay taxes to the US.

        • Professorozone@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          7 months ago

          Up to a max. So paying a little in the foreign country will not invalidate ALL taxes owed in the US. You might still owe some. Just FYI.

          • Emma_Gold_Man@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            5
            ·
            6 months ago

            $126,500 per person, plus another $20,240 in housing expenses. Plus your $13,850 standard deduction (though if you’re making that much you’re probably itemizing for more). So $160,590 for an individual or $321,180 for married filing jointly. That’s assuming no kids and no other deductions or credits - which is pretty unlikely at that income level.

            $160,590 is the 93rd percentile for US income distribution. So yeah, if you (AND your partner, if any) are both in the top 7% income bracket, bad at tax preparation, and don’t hire an accountant, you might still pay tax on the income over that amount. Of course, making that much while keeping the kind of ethics that let you care about anyone other than yourself is a nontrivial endeavor.

            Don’t forget that your foreign employer won’t be reporting to the IRS. So if your protest extends to not voluntarily reporting that excess income …

  • selokichtli@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    39
    arrow-down
    14
    ·
    7 months ago

    We should start recognizing this genocide as an Israel and the USA one, not only Israel’s.

    • Squizzy@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      17
      arrow-down
      6
      ·
      7 months ago

      The people do, what makes it so much worse and really shows the monstrousness of the USA is that there was a palestinian teenager making music about his family amd life in an open air prison, occupied territory troubles and the like and he got picked up by a US music label and is there making music now. The US enabled his country to fall to shit only to then profit off his art he makes talking about how awful his life is amd how many cousins he has lost to Israeli aggresion.

      Pure microcosm but it is heartbreaking what the US gets away with.

  • Linkerbaan@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    32
    arrow-down
    7
    ·
    edit-2
    7 months ago

    Weekly Biden gaslighting complete, quick ship some $700m in tank shells they ran out shooting at tent camps in Rafah!

    The package disclosed Tuesday includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the congressional aides said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an arms transfer that has not yet been made public.

    So that’s 1.36 Billion.

  • Delusional@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    14
    ·
    6 months ago

    God damn it’d be great if we could stop supporting the fascist religious shitheads in charge of Israel.

  • 3volver@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    15
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    6 months ago

    Another step closer to getting an orange criminal as president from 2025 to 2029. What an absurd joke. Don’t make the majority feel like their voice isn’t being heard for too long, it’s never a good idea to do that.

    • seanziepples@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      6 months ago

      More like 2025 to indefinitely. Say goodbye to the 2-term limit if the tangerine becomes president.

      • 3volver@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        6 months ago

        Nah. There’s no way the orange man would get more than 4 years. If he tried, we would see a nation wide shut down, the riots would be beyond anything we’ve ever seen in this country. The people with money know they wouldn’t make more money trying that, so it won’t happen. Biden is already helping them enough.