Mitt shows lack of understanding of Israeli history
Romney Comments on Palestinians Draw Criticism
By ASHLEY PARKER, NYT
3:12 p.m. | Updated JERUSALEM - Mitt Romney found himself on the defensive yet again on his overseas trip, this time after offending Palestinian leaders with comments he made at a breakfast fund-raiser here on Monday.
Speaking to roughly four dozen donors at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, Mr. Romney suggested that cultural differences between the Israelis and the Palestinians were the reason the Israelis were so much more economically successful than the Palestinians, without mentioning the impact that deep trade restrictions imposed by the Israeli government have had on the Palestinian economy. He also vastly understated the income disparities between the two groups.
In his speech, Mr. Romney mentioned two books that had influenced his thinking about nations - "Guns, Germs and Steel," by Jared Diamond, and "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations," by David S. Landes. Mr. Diamond's book, Mr. Romney said, argues that the physical characteristics of the land account for the success of the people living there, while Mr. Landes's book, he continued, argues that culture is the defining factor.
"Culture makes all the difference," Mr. Romney said. "And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things."
(More here.)
3:12 p.m. | Updated JERUSALEM - Mitt Romney found himself on the defensive yet again on his overseas trip, this time after offending Palestinian leaders with comments he made at a breakfast fund-raiser here on Monday.
Speaking to roughly four dozen donors at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, Mr. Romney suggested that cultural differences between the Israelis and the Palestinians were the reason the Israelis were so much more economically successful than the Palestinians, without mentioning the impact that deep trade restrictions imposed by the Israeli government have had on the Palestinian economy. He also vastly understated the income disparities between the two groups.
In his speech, Mr. Romney mentioned two books that had influenced his thinking about nations - "Guns, Germs and Steel," by Jared Diamond, and "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations," by David S. Landes. Mr. Diamond's book, Mr. Romney said, argues that the physical characteristics of the land account for the success of the people living there, while Mr. Landes's book, he continued, argues that culture is the defining factor.
"Culture makes all the difference," Mr. Romney said. "And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things."
(More here.)
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1 Comments:
Another thing that Romney does get about Israel is that they are fiscally responsible ... just after he left, facing a budget imbalance, the cabinet agreed to what Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called “a responsible step that will preserve Israel’s economy and jobs for its citizens.”
The finance ministry’s economic “fix“ includes a one percent increase in the Value Added Tax to 17 percent; and a one percent hike in income tax on those earning more than 8800 shekels and two percent above 80,000 shekels a month. Conversion rates are subject to the market, but the US dollar equivalent would be that if you earned more than $28,000 annually, the increased income tax would be 1% and if you earned more than $257,000 the increase would be 2%.
My commentary from today provides the highlights.
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