The Jewish Vote

Since when have the Jews voted Republican in such strong numbers? When I was a kid, I knew only one Jewish Republican -- my Uncle Ralph. And even he ended up voting for Bill Clinton. Perhaps it's because I work at a school with lots of Israelis (who tend to vote strictly according to a candidate's stance on Israel), but I think it's deeper than that. Democrats have been portrayed as weak on foreign policy since Jimmy Carter and the Iran hostage fiasco.

On the bus today on our way from Hod HaSharon to Tzipori, I overheard a conversation between one of the madrichim and a couple of the students. The madrich made a cynical comment about the U.S. going into yet another country, attempting to flex her muscles. One of the students immediately became defensive because in his view, America is Israel's only friend and the fact that we invaded Iraq was admirable. Independent, intelligent people can certainly disagree on this point and I chose to listen to both sides (as I am wont to do) rather than interject my opinion right off the bat. Our armed guard then jumped in and added that it's a good thing America elected George Bush because John Kerry was pro-Arab. At that point I felt it was necessary to at least set the record straight, if not offer my views on our president. I could tell this guy I was talking to was a tough nut because when I informed him that Kerry has Jewish blood in him, he retorted that no national leader in the history of mankind who had Jewish blood, but was not himself Jewish was ever a friend to the Jews. When I challenged the statement (because it seemed hyperbolic) he mentioned Casper Weinberger. Okay, so he named one. Big deal. That hardly constitutes a pattern.

It got me thinking, though. Are the Republicans that much stronger when it comes to Israel? Bill Clinton was a great friend of the Jews and of the Middle East peace process. Was he an anomaly? I didn't think so. But in the absence of a position, an opposting political party can paint the other as anything it wants -- sheepish, soft, wishy-washy, etc.

George Bush didn't beat Al Gore in 2000. Al Gore lost the election with a poor vision and worse handling. The Democratic party needs to redraw the political lines, underscoring its fundamental views in order to bring back a base that has long been forgotten. Included in that group is the Jewish vote. After all it was the Jews, led by Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. in the civil rights struggle of the 1960's. That is not the same struggle the Palestinians face and the Democrats shouldn't be painted in that corner. Democrats can no longer take the Jewish vote for granted or they will continue to face an uphill battle.