Sep 17, 2007

ho hum. what a disappointment

We all thought Ami Ayalon was going to be the Great White Shark of Israeli politics.

He came into the Labor party and shook things up. He was a man who stood his ground and stood for his ideals. His popularity in nearly taking control of Labor leadership was based not on previous Knesset experience and what he can do, but based on a reputation he developed of being clean and idealistic.

He came in as somebody who wants to fix the system He was not going to sit in the Olmert government at any cost. If he would win he would insist on new elections right away. He was even offered a position after he lost to Barak and he refused because he would not sit in the Olmert government.

He looked like a promising future leader. A leader like the leaders of old, who had ideals and were not just interested in the perks of the office and the power.

Ami Ayalon has now agreed to Ehud Barak's offer and has been sworn in to the government as a Minister without Portfolio.

That brings the Olmert government to 26 ministers. It is the most bloated government ever and is symbolic of exactly how Olmert stays in power. They just give whoever needs it a big salary and some perks and that shuts them up.

Tzippi Livni was the big threat to Olmert. She called on him to resign as she could no longer work with him. When he said no, she did not resign herself to show that she could not work with Olmert. She simply said ok and went back to her office. She would not give up her job. That is not ideals. That is not improving government. Olmert did not fire her because that would have made trouble. He let her stay in the position of Foreign Minister because it gave him quiet.

Labor party, who claims its main issue to be that of social welfare, is partner in the government responsible for the most outrageous spending of any previous government. Not only that but they are directly responsible, not just partner to, for the needless increase of wastefulness that is happening because of the new appointment of Ayalon as a Minister with no responsibility. This whole appointment is purely a payoff. They should be embarrassed of themselves.

But Ami Ayalon's whole selling point was just lost. He was the clean guy. The throwback to the old days when politicians had ideals and stood their ground. He said he could not and would not sit in Olmert's corrupt government.

But now he is. And what is his excuse? Why did he cave?

He gives nothing more than the standard politicians excuse. And I quote Ami Ayalon, "I can influence the government better by being a member of the Cabinet."

Ho Hum. He is just like the rest of them.

7 comments:

  1. Rafi,

    You forgot to knock Avigdor Lieberman while you were at it.

    Zevy

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  2. Assuming that we may be headed into conflict, Ayalon's military and secret service background can, indeed, be of use in the Cabinet

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  3. My point here was to comment specifically on Ayalon. I got a bit sidetracked using Livni as an example..

    Anyways, I am still not sure what happened with Lieberman. I think it was amistake and he will lose out in the next elections because of it (unless something unusual happens in between), but I do not think he was motivated by the same reasons.

    Ayalon said he would never sit in this corrupt goovernment of Olmert's. For him it is really a backtrack. Not only that, Bu tI just saw a quote in which he said back then that he would never be a Minister without Portfolio because it is a waste of money - he works one day a week with no responsibility and gets a volvo and an office.

    way to go Ami.

    anonymous - yes he might be of use. But if it came to that, I think he could join then or be put to use somehow even without joining. Barak is a loner. I am pretty sure he is not including Ayalon in his consultations just because he joined now..

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  4. The sad thing is, not only to politicians keep saying they have ideals, but we keep believing them! Hope springs eternal I guess....

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  5. maybe he has a plan up his sleeve?
    another thought: We are so busy trying to kick Olmert out, we would be willing to lower ourselves to anything to get it done. But I dont know that allowing Labor or Likud to take back control will be better decisions. Doesn't anyone remember that Barak was two inches from giving back yerushalayim?
    I always get myself all worked up, and realize there is no real choice, this is all just gulos, and we just have to keep learning, doing mitzvot and putting our faith in HaShem.

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  6. true, but we still need to do hishtadlus. and that also requires us to at least try to have a government with as little corruption as possible, along with doing what is right. Sure, I think this is right and someone else thinks that is right. But it seems almost nobody thinks Olmert is right.

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