Political support is finite — here's how to maintain it
Unfortunately, this will not last. In the coming days, elected officials will flip-flop with conflicting statements. In the coming weeks, candidates for office will abandon support for Israel when it becomes “politically inconvenient.” In the coming months, legislators will choose not to make a difference through the power of their office.
I know this because I have had my run-ins with such officials time and again, and I have learned the hard way that strong statements of support are like echoes that gradually fade over time.
My earliest encounter with this was in 2010, when I met with a congressman who publicly pledged his support to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. I was stunned, and his frum constituents were even more surprised. He had backing from the most left-leaning part of the Democratic caucus, and despite that he pledged support for an issue that was risky for him. Once the excitement had worn off, I spent weeks waiting to get his name on the legislative resolution that would make his support tangible. At a certain point, I stopped waiting and moved on. The echo had faded, and I was left without the support that would have made a difference.
Two things from this experience made a powerful impact on me.
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