Jewish GOP group: Ron Paul too extreme for our forum

The Republican Jewish Coalition elected not to invite Ron Paul to its Dec. 7 forum - which all the other Republican presidential candidates are expected to attend - because it rejects his "misguided and extreme views," Washington Jewish Week reports.

"He's just so far outside of the mainstream of the Republican party and this organization," RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said. He went on to compare extending an invitation to Paul to "inviting (President) Barack Obama to speak."

Paul said in a November debate that America should have less involvement in Israel's affairs, saying "they're quite capable of taking care of themselves." The United States sends roughly $3 billion to Israel in military assistance every year; Paul opposes all U.S. foreign aid. He is also on record as opposing aiding Israel in a military action against Iran.

Brooks told Washington Jewish Week the RJC's 2012 Republican Presidential Candidates Forum would be a chance to "unequivocally put to bed the political smears" perpetrated by Democrats who suggest "that the leading Republicans want to cut aid to Israel."

Democratic National Committee Chair Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz criticized GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry for suggesting that his foreign aid budget would start at zero - though Perry added that "my bet is that we would be funding them at some substantial level."

According to Washington Jewish Week Brooks "is certain that each of the Republican candidates will assure the crowd [at the forum] that they would never abandon Israel - and that as commander in chief they would do all they can to bolster it."

Full CBS News coverage: Ron Paul

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Ron Paul on the campaign trail

[hwt123]

I want you to watch this video ..this is the man you call extreme..
After you watch it , you better have your head bowed down in shame.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWxaGRZ7Nrs

[philthy748]

Jonathan Taubes, a self-professed Orthodox Jew, wrote the following comment on a Washington Jewish Week article:

"As an Orthodox Jew, I think it's disgusting that they didn't invite Ron Paul.

Especially because Ron Paul is THE single best candidate for Zionists and pro-Israel people such as myself.

Why? Paul wants to end foreign aid to Israel. When we give foreign aid to Israel they become our slave. We can make them do whatever we want. In 2005 when Israel wanted to bomb a nuclear facility in Saudi Arabia we said no and forced them not to. Ron Paul says stop making them dependent on us and give them their sovereignty back. The less foreign aid we give Israel, the more free THEY are to follow THEIR agenda, not ours.

Ron Paul thinks we should let Israel be fully sovereign and independent. He DOESN'T think we should be dictating its policies from Washington.

Every other candidate does, though, which is a big reason for my support of Paul, as an orthodox, pro-Israel Jew."

[TruthAlways1]

If Jews are so conservative, why do they think it is ok for them to be a welfare state? I think it is more honest to say that they are Democrats who support and vote Republican because the Christians faction within the Republican Party want to support "God's chosen people" and they are taking full advantage.

[media1953]

Middle-eastern dictatorships may be falling but the spirit is alive and well in America in the form of the RJC. Which begs the question: Now who's being persecuted?

[ubwrong4it]

Israel is like a tic on the scrotum of uncle Sam they really serve no purpose other than feeding off the U.S.A.
Israel has cost us billons that could have been put to better use.
It is funny how countries say they are Gods chosen people.When was the last time god said this about Israel? Maybe 5000 to 8000 years ago Last I heard god banished the Jews so much for being chosen

[pstanley54]

"My friends, you don't need to do nation building in Israel. We're already built. You don't need to export democracy to Israel. We've already got it. You don't need to send American troops to defend Israel. We defend ourselves."

-Benjamin Netanyahu

[OnConditionOfAnonimity]

Too Extreme = He is going to end military support and cut our money off.

[levy1223]

I would also like to say. Israel is a very wealth country. Just go to youtube type israel and see the new highways clean streets and new building. Israel does not need a dime of USA taxpayers dollars. And in truth my congressman told me its over 16 billion a year in total aid to israel. WE NEED THE MONEY HOME IN THEW USA
VOTE RON PAUL END THE MADDNESS.

[levy1223]

Ron Paul too extreme What a joke the jewish republicans are. Ron paul is a man of peace. And wants troops out and end the useless wars. He know ISRAEL is a very wealth state and does not need tax dollars from the USA. JRC is for what best for israel. And they only care about israel interest. They are a total shame
RON PAUL IS THE LAST HONEST MAN LEFT IN POLITIC. HE DID NOT SELL OUT TO BIG MONEY OR OVERSEA LOBBIES

[JI_Mora]

If Ron Paul's ideas are so easily refuted, why not invite him to the debate and refute them? What are they afraid of?

If Israel is a vibrant democracy whose people have diverse viewpoints, how does this group help to convey that by using censorship of ideas it disagrees with?

How is it not an indirect subsidy of the US military-industrial complex to give aid to Israel, while requiring Israel to purchase US military hardware, and to have the US meddle in the licensing of the kfir and other systems? How is that respecting Israel's sovereignty?