So, did you hear about the “Massie Amendment” to the 2027 defense/State Department funding bills which woulda cut nearly $3.3 billion in annual U.S. military assistance and foreign aid to Israel? The amendment’s author, fearless maverick Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie, is both the only Congressional Republican with a conscience and the only Republican to vote for it. And it sadly failed on Wednesday, 104-314-10.

But the big news was: a little more than HALF of Democrats supported it – a huge shift in the Party against Israel and it’s about time, after the genocide in Gaza, the ongoing slaughter in Lebanon, the slow ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, and the dragging US into a stupid war with Iran that doesn’t look like it’s gonna end any time soon. This is what we get out of our billions every year?

To me, not only was this a noble effort that needs to be brought back, but I’m glad as a Democrat to see my Party NOT as clearly pro-genocide as the Republicans are. And that half our members can stand up to the biggest scariest special interests. Just think – we’re halfway to being the Party of Human Rights, and a lot of these Democratic Socialists winning primaries across the nation is going to bring us even closer! A big surprise yes was Nancy Pelosi, in the very 11:59 pm of her political career.

But WE want to know how our OC delegation voted.

No surprise that Republican Young Kim and our Zionist Democrat Lou Correa voted no, they want to keep shoveling our treasure to Netanyahu to do WHATEVER HE WANTS WITH. Disappointingly, South OC’s Mike Levin who’s been very compelling on Trump corruption also voted no. And Linda Sanchez voted “present,” so that, as Jonathan Larsen wrote in today’s “The Fucking News,” her voters can “see exactly where she doesn’t stand.”

But let us dish out praise and thanks to our two Congressmen who voted YES, both first-termers who did not get off to auspicious starts (see Laken-Riley) but both of whom seem to have grown wiser and stronger in office: Dave Min and Derek Tran! This was something of a brave vote, for which you could expect to catch a lot of shit from certain quarters, and get a lot of AIPAC money spent against you this fall. And both Dave and Derek provided statements explaining their votes (which I’ll post below).

We never had any idea why AIPAC spent SO MUCH money against Dave Min during the ’24 primary – $4.6 million. It was mystifying even to Dave; he had never said anything bolder than that he “supports a two-state solution” – and this was during the height of Israel’s assault on Gaza. Did AIPAC love Democrat Joanna Weiss that much, or did they want Republican Scott Baugh to win and gambled that Dave was most likely to beat him? Once elected, Dave – far from defiant – was pretty timid on the Middle East, refusing to meet with Arab spokesmen and (even to this day) refusing to use the word “genocide” in reference to Gaza.

But SOMETHING changed with Dave this year and he saw the light. Donna and I attended the 15th annual Arab-American Heritage Gala at the Garden Grove Sheraton in April, and Dave spoke. He had just signed on to the Block the Bombs Act, and he apologized for how long he had taken to finally becoming a fierce critic of Israel’s “war crimes.” A small group heckled Dave from the corner for his past behavior, but most of the hundreds of guests were happy to finally have him on board. And now this:

Washington, D.C. — Representative Dave Min (CA-47) released the following statement on voting yes on Amendment #8 to the National Security, Department of State and Related Programs Appropriations Act, offered by Rep. Thomas Massie.

“I voted yes on the Massie Amendment because I cannot in good conscience vote to continue the status quo where American taxpayers are subsidizing the wars being waged by Israel under the direction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It appears clear that Netanyahu’s government is seeking to expand and prolong war in the Middle East, with no interest in abiding by the terms of a two state solution, which has long been the guiding principle for U.S. military and diplomatic efforts in the region. American tax dollars should not be used to bankroll military action by other countries that do not align with the United States’ interests and values. 

“I will always stand for the right of Israel to exist and to defend itself, and I will be a staunch vote for the provision of defensive armaments, including components for the Iron Dome, to Israel – which are not affected by this amendment. This amendment would stop Israel from using the Foreign Military Financing program, which provides certain countries with grants or loans to purchase American offensive weapons and equipment. I remain committed to building lasting peace in the Middle East, and fostering security and freedom for Palestinians and Israelis alike.” 

###

Thank Dave!

(949) 668-6600

And…

Remember, I was an early supporter of Derek Tran, in the ’24 primary against DPOC-endorsed Kim Nguyen-Penaloza (one reason the Anaheim Democrats Club ended up losing its charter.) And remember this election came against the backdrop of the Israeli Genocide in Gaza. Try as I might I couldn’t get Derek to talk about that – he was watching the millions AIPAC was spending against Min, and he didn’t want to attract their attention too. And maybe he was right – his primary victory against Nguyen and his November victory against Michelle Steel were both razor-thin. But it made it hard for me to get the support, especially financial support, from my Arab-American friends who REALLY wanted to believe in him.

Well, in the 18 months since his victory he has stepped up, as one of the original co-sponsors of the Block the Bombs Act. And now there’s this:

Representative Derek Tran Supports Massie Amendment to Block U.S. Military Funding to Israel

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Representative Derek Tran (CA-45) issued the following statement regarding Representative Thomas Massie’s (KY-04) amendment to H.R. 8595, the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2027. The amendment would eliminate the $3.3 billion in United States military aid to Israel for the 2027 fiscal year.  

“American funding for the Israeli military has moved forward for years without real audit or oversight. I supported Representative Massie’s amendment to end unconditional funding for Israel because it’s time we treat Israel as the strong and wealthy nation it is — capable of standing on its own two feet and deserving of accountability. While imperfect, this amendment is an important signal that the United States will treat Israel as we would any other ally. Further actions, like those laid out in Leader Jeffries’ proposal, are necessary to build sustainable security in the Middle East,” said Representative Derek Tran. “I support continued funding to keep the Israeli people safe through tools like the Iron Dome, and I will work to ensure that funding for diplomatic programs is assured to build real, lasting peace in the region. As the leader of the free world, America must not only stand firm against our adversaries, but hold our closest allies to account.”

…

###

Thank Derek!

(714) 960-6483