In Iowa today, the big question is whether a populist surge will leave Hillary Clinton third, behind Edwards and Obama, and thereby deal a blow to her candidacy. Can’t wait to find out.
What fascinates me about these trends is that Clinton seems the clear favorite of American Jews, and thus her support underscores the fact that Jews have mellowed politically– from being on the left in the 70s to being liberal/centrists today.
Consider the American Jewish Committee’s recent survey of American Jewish opinion. 58 percent of Jews say they are Democrats, only 15 percent Republican–still a strong tilt there. But compare them to other Dems. Overall, Democrats had a 53 percent favorable view of Hillary. Among Jewish Democrats, the feelings were a whopping 75 percent favorable. Obama and Edwards were both under 50 percent favorable feeling for American Jews (closer to the overall Dems’ feelings).
Then look at how Jews describe their politics. The results are remarkably balanced. 56 percent of Jews describe their political views as anywhere from "moderate" to "extremely conservative." Compared to 43 percent who say their views are anywhere from "slightly liberal" to "extremely liberal." OK, I’m lumping moderates with conservatives. But try it another way: add up all the centrists–moderates, slightly conservative, and slightly liberal–and you come up with 56 percent of American Jews who are centrists. Compared to 27 percent who identify as liberal and 16 percent identified as conservative. That’s pretty balanced.
As for the 70s and 80s, my data are ye olde reliable memory and anecdote. I’m sure the statistics are out there, demonstrating a more leftward skew among Jews. Why is this happening? Easy. The end of antisemitism, the growth of Jewish wealth, and the inclusion of Jews in the power structure. If you’re in the power structure, you’re a centrist. Ergo, Hillary.
Who has changed whom?
Being in the power structure may have changed Jews but Jews have changed the power structure too.
For example, tax rates on speculative investment vehicles such as hedge funds and private equity have declined and are less than those on, say, manufacturing.
Is that not simply self interest as Jews dominate financial services?
Being a centrist often means you like the status quo. Why be radical or embrace ideas from either end of spectrum: Would not a flat tax the rich and therefore many Jews?
Consider John Kerry's wife (not a Jew): In 2003 she paid $500K (1/2 million) on a net worh of 1-3 BILLION. Source: WSJ editorial quoting Kerry campaign.)With a flat tax and NO EXEMPTIONS she would have paid at least 50 million.
Ergo, a self-interested Jew is gonna say: let us not "damage" our economy with anything too radical. No flat tax. Just tweak the rates a little BUT keep all deductions.
I'm tempted to reduce your text to:
Hillary is a (she thinks) well-disguised traditional liberal, "balanced" only by the 9/11 attack, the purchase of "the war on terror" as a big picture ideology to sell to get elected; and enhanced (again, to get elected) by Jewish dollars and media praise–the real Hillary has not forgotten, e.g., the Palestinian problem, it's just that she (like Truman) hopes to handle all as the latest Cyrus The Great, have her cake and eat it too–it's way past 1948, the Palestinians still have no demographic in the USA, and the campaign and lobby dollars and positive media coverage ad up; the democratic moneybags for Israel First =65%, for the repubs=35%. Obama, a sneaking suspicion his heart is with the Hamas. And what's gained for Jews with the class conflict by the candidate from S Carolina? Rudi is trudy, but Jews do have sentimental emotioal ties as underdogs.
To be fair: British Chief Rabbi comes out against multi culturalism and mass immigration to the UK
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/16/nsacks116.xml
Let us hope that the Brit Chief Rabbi can be a role model for his U.S.-based cousins.
john, ONLY because it British immigration =Paki
And if Muslims became pro Israel and viciously anti-Christian the Chief Rabbi would be publishing tomes on how we need to be enriched by diversity.
Remember in the Jewish folk memory Moorish spain is a Golden age, Christians are always the enemy.
Re: British Chief Rabbi comes out against immigration
Mr. Me–you are pretty cynical…but maybe you are right…have you you read the Kevin Macdonald website?
Only because I live and grew up in New York and have seen this shit with my own eyes one too many times.
Yeah, I have read Macdonald. Don't agree with the theory so much as the documentation (same goes for "The Jewish Century") . However, I will say this, Macdonald is branded anti-semite, is currently being pressured to resign (I think his classes were canceled for undergrads) and I have never read a hurtful word from him, meanwhile, Alan Dershowitz advocates collective punishment of Palestinians, legal torture, and he gets a chair at Harvard and access to the NYT Op Eds when ever he pleases and glowing reviews in all main stream media.
Same goes for the Neocons who vilify muslims and palestininans. Granted the discussion on Weiss's blog can get a bit crude and edgy, but its the same guys who bitch antisemitism who in the same breath say 'but we can't allow palestinians the right to return because 'the palestinians'….fill in the blank – but if you say 'the Jews' or even "The Jewish elite" (probably more accurate) you are an antisemite.
'What fascinates me about these trends is that Clinton seems the clear favorite of American Jews, and thus her support underscores the fact that Jews have mellowed politically'
If the trends include the front-running Hillary being deposed in Iowa because of a 'populist surge', isn't it possible that Hillary being 'the clear favorite of American Jews' has something to do with that?
'What fascinates me about these trends is that Clinton seems the clear favorite of American Jews, and thus her support underscores the fact that Jews have mellowed politically'
If the trends include the front-running Hillary being deposed in Iowa because of a 'populist surge', isn't it possible that Hillary being 'the clear favorite of American Jews' has something to do with that?
I had an epiphany about Hillary when I read Philip's post. Hillary's pandering to the Israel lobby was not just to get the support and money of New York Jews for her Senate races. All along, she has been currying national support from pro-Israel forces for her contemplated Presidential run. And, as the numbers show, this strategy is working. The deeper question is why she didn't curry the favor of left-wing Jews who oppose US and Israeli imperialism? Is it because there are not enough of them among the big donors?