Posted on 04/20/2015 9:44:56 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The son of Democratic mega-donor George Soros is gearing up to play a more active role in the 2016 election with the launch of new political action committee focused on representing the views of Jewish Americans — beyond foreign policy.
Alex Soros, 29, who has steadily increased his political and philanthropic giving in recent years, has helped establish Bend the Arc PAC, the first ever national Jewish political action committee in America focused entirely on domestic issues. Bend the Arc, a non-profit, has an advocacy arm chaired by the younger Soros but has not previously had a political action committee.
Bend the Arc PAC will back progressive candidates by making direct contributions to their campaign committees. It will focus on issues such as income inequality, marriage equality, social justice and immigration reform.
“There’s an opportunity to launch something that actually speaks to what the American Jewish community cares the most about and to show the narrative of what the real American Jewish experience is,” Alex Soros said in an interview.
“The Jewish community has a lot to say based on what we, as Jews, have contributed to the country. It really reflects a lot about me personally. I’m really excited about it.”
Soros, who formed his own foundation in 2012 to promote social justice and human rights, has given $1.2 million to Democratic candidates and groups in the last three elections. Of his disclosed contributions, the biggest checks he’s cut have gone toward Friends of Democracy — a super PAC started by his half-brother Jonathan Soros, who has focused his political efforts on getting money out of politics – and to the Jewish Council for Education and Research.
Top Democratic donors are joining Soros in giving to the effort, including Marc Baum, a lawyer for Serengeti Asset Management who will chair the political action committee, Paul Egerman and Terry Winograd. Egerman serves as treasurer of the influential Democracy Alliance, a group of wealthy donors that funds liberal causes. Overall, the group hopes to raise $500,000 for the 2016 cycle but is nearly half-way to its goal in pledges even before the official launch.
Soros said he hasn’t reached out yet to his father — a Hungarian Jew who became a billionaire after surviving the holocaust — about giving to Bend the Arc PAC.
Hadar Susskind, who has previously worked for other Jewish organizations including J Street, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, will serve as director of Bend the Arc PAC.
Susskind emphasized that Bend the Arc fills a void with its emphasis on domestic issues.
“We don’t touch any foreign policy stuff,” he said. “One of the reasons behind doing this is that [the other Jewish groups] aren’t really representing the views of the American Jewish community. And we know full well that the bluntest language in politics comes down to political dollars.”
“We hear all the time on Capitol Hill anything from, ‘We are so glad to have the Jewish community’s voice,’” he added.
Bend the Arc PAC made its first round of endorsements on Tuesday. The group will be backing: Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Rick Nolan (D-Minn), Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), and Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.).
Of those House members, Nolan and Honda could face a tough re-election.
The political action committee will endorse more candidates in the House and plans to be active in at least one Senate race.
But any involvement on the presidential level will only happen after the primaries, organizers of the political action committee said.
Soros said the decision to wait out the primary has nothing to do with criticism progressives have leveled again Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
“Hillary Clinton is good on a lot of issues and is progressive,” Soros said. “I’m really fond of her personally. That is not related at all to us not getting involved right now on the presidential level.”
“The idea to focus on the congressional level is a lot easier. There are three branches of government. No matter who becomes president, they’ll be constrained by the House and Senate.”
Same as that old horror movie "The Blob" This groups other purpose is to divert Jewish donor money away from Republicans who are pro-Israel.
I like how they are backing that wacko Muzzie Keith Ellison who by the way does not represent a black congressional district
| 73.5% White, 12.9% Black, 5.2% Asian, 6.0% Hispanic, 1.6% Native American, 3.2% other | ||
We’ve always thought.... how very much better the world would be if Soros the Nazi and international criminal ... would have used all those billions for good rather than so much evil.
I'd say that's its only purpose.
> Can a jewish person explain this question? Why do Jewish allow themselves to be abused? Is the love of money so great you will support evil?
No, it’s to get access to Christian children so we can drain their blood to make matzos.
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