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Israel should issue ‘Munis’ now

 As ran in Israel National News Arutz Sheva .   A country’s government’s revenue stream can come from a variety of sources other than taxation. Here is why "Munis" are a good option.   The cost of Israel's current multi-front war has been estimated to be reaching tens of billions of dollars. The Israeli Finance Ministry reported that in 2024 Israel spent about $46 billion (8.4% of GDP) in total defense spending. The average of “ conflict countries ” is 4.4% of GDP. The ongoing war has obviously put tremendous strain on Israel’s budget and economy, resulting in increased defense spending, projected to continue rising over the next decade. Where will the income needed to close the debt gap come from? Taxation is obviously the primary source of a government’s income. However, if the tax rates are too high it can be an onerous burden on the population, hurt economic growth and even lead to yeridah (Israelis leaving Israel). However, seemingly to contradict ...
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Remembering the Phrase: “No taxation without representation.”

 Also posted as a LinkedIn article.   As Americans prepare to celebrate the 250 th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it might be a good time to review one of its founding principles: "No taxation without representation."  It was a powerful political slogan championed by American colonists in the 1760s and 1770s. This motto clearly communicated the thought that taxes should not be imposed by the British Parliament, as the colonists had no representatives and, therefore, no say in how or why taxes were levied. The colonists argued that taxing a populace without their consent, through representatives, was a violation of their rights as Englishmen (since as British colonists, they were). The principle behind "no taxation without representation" was, and is, a cornerstone of American democracy and its capitalistic ‘free enterprise’ economic system. The motto clearly emphasizes the importance of consent by elected representation in all ...
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Islamic Jihad is not Just an anti-Jewish Thing. It is Much More.

 As appeared in the Jerusalem Post  and my Times of Israel blog.    Islamic Jihad is often a phrase referenced in the media as simply anti-Semitic/anti-Jews/anti-Israel. In reality, Islamic Jihad is an ongoing holy war against infidels, meaning everyone who is not Muslim. This term pits the entire Muslim Islamic world against everyone else. Proof can be found on the streets of Tehran and in multiple cities in the United States with the shouts of “Death to America” in the same breath as “Death to Israel” and the desecration of their national symbols. The reality of the Muslim goal of world dominance can be seen throughout Islamic history to the present. A very revealing current example of this phenomena can be found in Israel, in the city of Bethlehem -so precious to Christians. In the last year of British rule over the region (1947) and even under Israeli control, approximately 85% of Bethlehem's population were Christian.   Bethlehem has been under the con...
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