October 18, 2019 “Punishment for the nations that will not observe”  Succot Haftorah 14:19

America has a history of supporting democracy and embracing independence. Though at times somewhat misguided (Viet Nam,Central America, Iraq and The Arab Spring), we proudly supported Japan, and Germany, a free Hungary, Polish independence, the Soviet republics, and democracy in Cuba, Venezuela, Cambodia, and Philippines. We passed the East European Democracy Act under Reagan and, in bi-partisan unity, banned political assassination, intimidation, and detention. President Trump turns history on its head by embracing despots in Poland, Hungary, Philippines, Turkey (how’s that working?), and Egypt, and his bromances with Kim Jong-Un and Putin disgrace us. And now, plumping for deposed, corrupt pro-Soviet former Ukrainian bureaucrats while slandering her anti-corruption champions, endorsing Soviet occupation of Syria by abandoning our Kurdish allies to Turkish butchery, and disavowing Hong Kong’s lovers of freedom, Trump has glitteringly burnished his anti-democracy laurels.