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...the knee-jerk reflex “Republicans are greedy Capitalists and remind me of Nixon” stereotypes.

First time in quite a while I've heard the name Nixon brought up here.

There isn't much of a similarity between the ideology of Nixon on domestic and economic issues and the ideology of Reagan and of R&R today. Nixon was a big government Republican, with such creations as EPA and OSEA, and even engaged in the last US government effort at coercive wage and price controls.

In terms of his relationships with Jews, he is still very much admired in Israel for his administration's emergency assistance at the outset of the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

Of course, there are those leftist Jews who would call Nixon antisemitic because of some private remarks he made against them and their Jewish left cohorts, remarks that were never intended for public dissemination. However, it is equally true that Nixon maintained a few genuine and important friendships with some Jews who were very influential within his inner circle throughout his political career.

I bring up Nixon's name on purpose. The Baby Boomers are active politically and are involved and care about the current issues WITH AN OLD REFERENCE point (which colors their world view to this very day)of what I call the “Trilogy Period” which means those that remember:

1) Vietnam
2) Watergate
3) Nixon's resignation in disgrace

Many in that Baby Boomer crowd still see the word “Republican” as a cigar-chomping, greedy, Capitalist, Militant abuser of power.

There is MISTRUST and TREPIDATION regarding Republicans. Add that to the Evangelical, Pro-Life, Tea Party crowd and you get a Left-wing panick attack. These folks cannot permit themselves to “betray the cause”, (the cause is still anti-government, pro-civil rights, blah, blah, blah causes so, they vote Democrat in order to “preserve basic human dignity” (gag*).

The truth of what Republicans have represented or offered in the past is irrelevant. The label is permanent for the vast majority of Liberals and more-so for Jews who are terrified by a man who believes openly, in, of all things, G-d! Jews (assimilated ones) are septics and debunkers of faith.

Israelis, who live on the edge everyday (and who fight our fight) are indeed more realistic and conservative because, after all, death is close at hand. When they make mistakes or dream of peace, they get killed along with their children so yes, the appreciated Nixon very much.