I used to be shy about talking about Jewish money in the election process. But Sheldon Adelson has liberated us all. Commentary’s Jonathan Tobin agrees that Jewish money is an issue, even if it makes Jews “cringe.” He says 1/3 of Democratic money, when the estimates have actually been closer to half or more– 60 percent, from the Washington Post.
Note the obvious corollary of this truth, per Commentary; Obama is making all these pledges of support for Israel because he doesn’t want to alienate the Democratic donor base. Tobin:
Estimates of the amount of money Jews have donated to American politicians, parties, and causes are even less accurate than the loose estimates of Jewish votes, but there is little question that the figure is staggering. It is impossible to determine precisely the grand total contributed to only presidential candidates by individual Jewish donors, but it may well be as much or more than one third of all Democratic money and a lesser though still impressive percentage of the funds raised by Republicans…
Nevertheless, even though Jewish votes are important, Americans should expect far more media attention paid to Jewish fundraising. Thus, the true audience for the Democrats’ massive effort to convince Jews that Obama has stayed true to Israel may well not be the Jewish electorate but the Democrats’ base of Jewish donors. Reports about how his stance on Israel may affect his ability to raise money for his reelection are mixed so far. Anecdotal evidence and quotes from fundraisers about declining enthusiasm for the president are everywhere. But the vast majority of Jewish bundlers for both parties are not typical swing voters. They are in fact the most intense partisans. Given the proven willingness of many liberal Jews to grade any Democrat’s performance on Israel on a steep curve, it may be that Obama’s fundraising will not be substantially affected.
By the start of 2012, it was clear that even if reports of the Obama campaign’s ambition to raise a billion dollars were unrealistic, the amount of donated money would be enormous, if not record-setting. The same might be true of his Republican rival. Neither party nor the vast array of independent committees assisting the candidates’ efforts will lack funds in 2012.
Given the new freedom to spend money on advocacy as a result of Citizens United, one can expect that during the course of the 2012 campaign the question of the untoward influence of Jewish money will be raised repeatedly by Israel’s critics. This will make many Jews cringe, no matter where their political loyalties lie, but they should not shrink from defending the right of groups to highlight issues of importance….
Time for federal funding of elections. Get all of the corrupting money out of politics and decide the issues on the merits.
Is all that “Jewish Money” RIGHT-WING-AIPAC-N’YAHU money?
Is that what we are to think?
Is there any way to know?
Otherwise there is a proportion, perhaps as follows:
100% DEM MONEY
* 60% Jewish Money:
*** 55% pro-AIPAC Jewish Money
*** 5% liberal Jewish money <<< just kidding;
<<< where'd they get so much money
* 40% Non-Jewish Money
*** 5% pro-evangelical-AIPAC-type Money
*** 35% non-Israel-related money
RE: “…during the course of the 2012 campaign the question of the untoward influence of Jewish money will be raised repeatedly by Israel’s critics. This will make many Jews cringe, no matter where their political loyalties lie, but they should not shrink from defending the right of groups to highlight issues of importance….” ~ Tobin
BRANDEIS: In 1913 Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, a forceful proponent for open government, stated “Sunlight is the best disinfectant; electric light the most efficient policeman”.
I used to be shy about talking about Jewish money in the election process. But Sheldon Adelson has liberated us all.
If politics is a public conversation or debate, then it hardly makes sense not to talk about key political players and their motives. However. . . .
I feel shy talking about this subject, too. I think of the hurt look on, say, my Jewish doctor’s face if he ever read my name attached to a letter-to-the-editor bringing up this issue. I’m so conflicted, but ultimately, No, I just can’t bring myself to write such a letter.
Perhaps I’m what’s wrong with our country.
But it does feel unbecoming to complain about some other people group’s major organizations–as if the identity groups I’m associated with (evangelicals, for example) don’t have plenty of problems (the wooden literalism, the sensationalism, the Creationism, etc., etc.). As if I couldn’t spend my life criticizing those matters first.
Also, there’s the matter of engendering anti-Semitism. Even though my criticism would be limited to exposing what I perceive of as a problem and (perhaps) blowing off a little steam (rightly or wrongly), there could be others who take what I have to say and go much too far with it. That’s a genuine concern.
So I’m between a rock and a hard place.
Hypothetical: Suppose Jews never existed–no such thing as a Jew. If that were the case, it’s not as if I’d be content to not engage in politics. I want to take part in the public discussion. (Why? That’s a good question. I wish I knew. Sometimes I dream about “going Amish”–you know, living that content little life, focusing on local matters or getting my personal life completely in order–taking the time to make the soles of my feel soft and look nice and pink again like they were when I was young, for example–and not caring about the world outside and around me in the least.) Yet it seems to be in my DNA to engage. (Even though, in some ways, I’m not a super political person by nature, not the political wonk sort of guy.)
And people are naturally attracted to think about, criticize, or even laud those at the top levels of political power.
So how am I not supposed to talk about Jewish money and influence when major Jewish organizations are so obviously at the top of the political power pyramid? It’s like this: Not talking about the new girl who shows up to school who looks like a super model and drives a red ferrari. “Have you noticed anyone new at school lately?” “Uh, well . . . not really. . . . .”
And then there’s this war looming. And the prospect of (mostly) lower class and lower middle class Americans getting their brains/eyes/arms/legs/balls blown off and coming back never to be the same. Tears. Anguish. Pain. Suicide, even, in some cases. What about that?
Brilliant comment by HRK! You should be a Mondoweiss columnist.