We were joined by longtime political strategist and labor leader Michael Podhorzer for a Word on the Street Live conversation unpacking what last week’s election results really tell us about the state of American politics – and what it will take to pull the country out of its democratic crisis.
In a wide-ranging discussion, we explored:
- A new kind of political terrain. Between the Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine elections and the Roberts Court’s rulings dismantling long-standing guardrails, we’re now, as Michael put it, in “brand new territory.”
- Democratic complacency and alienation. Michael called out the Democratic establishment, saying too many voters feel trapped between “a fascist and a Party defending the status quo.”
- Building a broader coalition. To truly win power – and wield it – Democrats need a diverse coalition of candidates who reflect the full range of the party’s voters, not a narrow ideological lane.
After saying goodbye to Michael, we turned to Israel, Palestine and the week’s news on our issues – from Jared Kushner’s visit to the region to continue implementing the 20-point plan, to Trump’s demand that Netanyahu be pardoned to the resignation of Minister Ron Dermer, one of Netanyahu’s closest confidants, to visits by the Syrian and Saudi leaders, to our advocacy work demanding settler terrorists be sanctioned by the US.
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We were joined by longtime political strategist and labor leader Michael Podhorzer for a Word on the Street Live conversation unpacking what last week’s election results really tell us about the state of American politics – and what it will take to pull the country out of its democratic crisis.
In a wide-ranging discussion, we explored:
- A new kind of political terrain. Between the Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine elections and the Roberts Court’s rulings dismantling long-standing guardrails, we’re now, as Michael put it, in “brand new territory.”
- Democratic complacency and alienation. Michael called out the Democratic establishment, saying too many voters feel trapped between “a fascist and a Party defending the status quo.”
- Building a broader coalition. To truly win power – and wield it – Democrats need a diverse coalition of candidates who reflect the full range of the party’s voters, not a narrow ideological lane.
After saying goodbye to Michael, we turned to Israel, Palestine and the week’s news on our issues – from Jared Kushner’s visit to the region to continue implementing the 20-point plan, to Trump’s demand that Netanyahu be pardoned to the resignation of Minister Ron Dermer, one of Netanyahu’s closest confidants, to visits by the Syrian and Saudi leaders, to our advocacy work demanding settler terrorists be sanctioned by the US.
Former IDF Spokesperson on Why Reoccupying Gaza is a Dead End
J Street Conversations
52 minutes 59 seconds
3 months ago
Former IDF Spokesperson on Why Reoccupying Gaza is a Dead End
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to further escalate the war in Gaza is the equivalent of being stuck in a ditch and deciding that the solution is to dig deeper. Peter Lerner – a 25-year IDF veteran who served as its international spokesperson joined us on Word on the Street Live to unpack the life-or-death stakes of the extremist government’s decisions.
Speaking from a military perspective, Peter offered a candid assessment of Netanyahu’s disastrous approach to this war, from the Cabinet’s plan to reoccupy Gaza to the severe limitations on aid to civilians – and why changing course is a core security imperative.
From there, we turned to Peter for his take on not only how the war has damaged Israel’s credibility on the world stage, but how the Israeli public itself is reckoning with these perceptions.
J Street Conversations
We were joined by longtime political strategist and labor leader Michael Podhorzer for a Word on the Street Live conversation unpacking what last week’s election results really tell us about the state of American politics – and what it will take to pull the country out of its democratic crisis.
In a wide-ranging discussion, we explored:
- A new kind of political terrain. Between the Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine elections and the Roberts Court’s rulings dismantling long-standing guardrails, we’re now, as Michael put it, in “brand new territory.”
- Democratic complacency and alienation. Michael called out the Democratic establishment, saying too many voters feel trapped between “a fascist and a Party defending the status quo.”
- Building a broader coalition. To truly win power – and wield it – Democrats need a diverse coalition of candidates who reflect the full range of the party’s voters, not a narrow ideological lane.
After saying goodbye to Michael, we turned to Israel, Palestine and the week’s news on our issues – from Jared Kushner’s visit to the region to continue implementing the 20-point plan, to Trump’s demand that Netanyahu be pardoned to the resignation of Minister Ron Dermer, one of Netanyahu’s closest confidants, to visits by the Syrian and Saudi leaders, to our advocacy work demanding settler terrorists be sanctioned by the US.
