Posted on 08/27/2006 9:20:23 AM PDT by justiceseeker93
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." If this is true in politics, many of my fellow American Jews have smaller minds than they think.
Why so pessimistic?
Because the recent conduct of many important Democrats with regard to Israel's current war -- when contrasted with the steadfast support for the Jewish state evinced by President Bush and virtually all Republicans -- serves only to highlight the peculiarly, but enduringly strong predeliction of Jews for the Party of Jackson.
Numerous explanations have been floated for the link between the Democrats and American Jews -- adulation of President Roosevelt, the immigrant experience, ethnic group solidarity -- but none explain the persistency of the affinity, even into its third generation after FDR.
To be sure, Jewish Republicanism is slowly escaping its oxymoronic origins; the percentage of Jews voting for a Republican president has crept upward from a low of 11% in 1992 to 19% in 2000 to as much as 25-30% in 2004.
But that 3 out of 4 Jews supports a single party remains perplexing -- especially considering that party's recent behavior.
Take the vote in the House of Representatives for the Stand With Israel resolution introduced on July 21 by Republican leader John Boehner in which the House "reaffirm[ed] its steadfast support for the State of Israel; condemn[ed] Hamas and Hezbollah; ...and support[ed] Israel's right to take appropriate action to defend itself."
Yet Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi -- who would be Speaker if the Democrats retake the House in November -- refused to co-sponsor the bill (although she voted for it).
Even more surprisingly, seven Democrats voted against the resolution and four voted "present." Several of these Democrats would become chairmen of powerful committees such as Judiciary, Energy and Commerce, and Resources, as well as one of the Armed Services subcommittees.
These naysayers aren't backbenchers but popular Democratic leaders who declined to stand with Israel. One of them, Rep. John Dingell of Michigan, added that "I don't take sides for or against Hezbollah; I don't take sides for or against Israel."
The Democrats have compounded these problems by opposing the renomination of Ambassador John Bolton to the United Nations. From his earliest years in public service, Bolton has consistently demonstrated his backing of Jewish causes, championing freedom for Soviet Jewry and bolstering Israel's position through his role in the State Department. On the latest crisis, Bolton remarked that "it says something about morality and respect for human life of Hezbollah that they would use innocent civilians as shields; that's just something that for civilized people is unacceptable."
Democrat antagonism to Bolton -- much like the boycott of many Democrats of the Iraqi Prime Minister's recent address to Congress -- is little more than a cynical attempt to embarrass President Bush politically at the expense of the Jewish community.
Finally, a few weeks ago, Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, tried to distinguish Bush's response to the crisis from that of his predecessor, President Clinton.
Yet by doing so, Dean unwittingly praised Bush's approach. Recall that when Israel accidentally shelled Qana in 1996, killing 100, President Clinton called for an immediate cease-fire, a request that Israel's Labor government grudgingly obliged.
By contrast, Bush has stood firm even amidst the outrage attending this year's Qana attack. In a climate far more hostile to both the United States and Israel, the Republican Bush has further reinforced his status as the most pro-Israel president in history.
But it's not just Bush. Two recent experiences bear out the unprecedented support Republicans have displayed toward Israel.
At a fundraising breakfast I attended this week, Republican Congressman Darrell Issa of San Diego delivered a brief but stirring endorsement of Israel's right to self-defense. The grandson of Lebanese immigrants, Rep. Issa could be forgiven for not singling out Hezbollah for its craven conduct. Yet this is exactly what the congressman did, blasting the Iranian-backed terrorists not only for targeting civilians in Israel but also inviting death and destruction upon upon its fellow Lebanese citizens.
Issa's congressional district is not especially Jewish; his strident criticism of Hezbollah instead reflects a support for Israel now inculcated in virtually all Republicans. (Despite initial ambivalence, Issa signed onto the Stand With Israel resolution.)
In addition to this, the Stand With Israel rally sponsored by the San Diego Jewish Federation featured an inspirational address by a representative of Christians United for Israel. It would have been unthinkable just a decade ago for such a group to be warmly embraced by the Jewish community. But now, American Jews are increasingly realizing that the steadfast support of our devout Christian brothers and sisters -- who overwhelmingly support Republican candidates -- is as necessary as it is appreciated.
More and more Jewish Americans are coming to recognize this. They're just not doing so fast enough.
Michael M. Rosen, TCS Daily's Intellectual Property columnist, is an attorney in San Diego.
Can quibble with a few of Rosen's points, but certainly the main thrust of his piece is right on target.
Sometimes I fear that good works cannot get people out of automatic, unthinking habits. The younger Jews support the President, I think.
It is also quite possible that the long-term safety of Israel's enemies is not very secure, either.
Yes, exit polls in 2004 showed greater support for Bush among younger Jews than older ones.
...automatic, unthinking habits.
That's why I called it an addiction.
"Democrat antagonism to Bolton -- much like the boycott of many Democrats of the Iraqi Prime Minister's recent address to Congress -- is little more than a cynical attempt to embarrass President Bush politically at the expense of the Jewish community."
It may be a "cynical attempt" by the democrats, but the Iraqi PM unfortunately didn't break with the time old tradition of scapegoating Israel as the external enemy to feed the disease which unites the poisoned masses in the Muslim world. Supporting this behavior is antithetical to the Bush WOT and the Sharansky roadmap to freedom.
As documented by several actions taken in his admistration hostile to European Jews who were in deep trouble due to Nazism in that era.
I was born in Michigan and came to Israel at age 14. I have had many talks with US Jews in the last years about Pres. Bush. - Many of them have the same mental problems alot of Israelis have with Netanyahu... what can I say?
The only good thing I CAN say is that more and more realize that Bush is better and voting for him and the republican party.
LOL The party of Jesse Jackson ... good one!
The writer needs to realize that Jews are individuals who do not necessarily think alike. Just because a person is Jewish doesn't mean that that person is programmed to support Israel.
There are some Jews who never supported the creation of Israel (including some religious ones who regularly demonstrate against Israel in front of the United Nations). There are other Jews to whom Israel is a matter of indifference. And there are others to whom their liberalism is more important than Israel, in their ranking of priorities.
Has he forgotten the fact that Hezbollah has killed hundreds of Americans in terrorist attacks?
From 11% GOP voters in 1992 to 25-30% in 2004 is pretty fast, historically speaking. The fact that it's not faster can be attributed to: 1) Voting habits/traditions can be very difficult to break. (Many Southern conservatives still vote Democrat, for example); 2) Liberal-Democrat Jews have plenty of political concerns other than Israel.
Excellent point. And the Americans they killed included Marines in Lebanon during the 1980s.
Yep, we have plenty of unfinished business with that particular terrorist outfit.
As do conservative-Republican Jews (of which I am one), of course. For me 2nd Amendment issues, lowering taxes, limiting gov't spending, border control, and a host of other issues take precedence over issues regarding Israel (even though I'm staunchly pro-Israel).
But getting an abortion is not a "Jewish" concern. Nor are the vast majority of other issues on their agenda.
Same thing can be said for the blacks who vote democrat
Same thing can be said for the white liberals who vote democrat
Same thing can be said for ANY of the dumbasses who vote for the democrats
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.