A New, Selective ‘Semi-Antisemitism’? Only Jews Opposing Obama Are Evil, Greedy, and Have Dual Loyalty
I was horrified by reports that a powerful congressman, Henry Waxman, had said that Jews in New York’s ninth congressional district voted against President Barack Obama “to protect their wealth.” Could the obsession with backing Obama have led a leading Jewish politician to make such a stereotypical antisemitic remark?
In fact, Waxman’s statement was taken out of context. As usually happens, however, a proper understanding of what someone is saying teaches far more than stereotyping their argument.
Let’s examine Waxman’s statement as quoted in The Hill newspaper:
I think Jewish voters will be Democratic and be for Obama in 2012, especially if you get a Republican candidate like [Texas] Gov. [Rick] Perry. But there’s no question the Jewish community is much more bipartisan than it has been in previous years. There are Jews who are trending toward the Republican Party, some of it because of their misunderstanding of Obama’s policies in the Middle East, and some of it, quite frankly, for economic reasons. They feel they want to protect their wealth, which is why a lot of well-off voters vote for Republicans.
Let’s consider this statement. The first part is correct: More Jews are voting against Democrats and will vote against Obama, but the majority will continue to support them. The problem comes in the second part, and an accurate reading teaches us several things.
First, the Democratic Party has taken a sharp turn to the left and much of which passes for “liberalism” nowadays is in fact a radicalism that opposes traditional liberal ideas. American liberalism has never been systematically or doctrinally anti-capitalist, much less anti-American.
There is a vast scam going on that represents the current left’s success in doing what the Communist Party tried to do in the 1930s. That’s why many liberal — and especially Jewish — intellectuals have turned against what’s happening now. Even many of those Democrats and Jews in general who vote for radicals-pretending-to-be-liberals do so with deep doubts.
Hey, Mr. Waxman, I’d love to vote Democrat, but I can’t because your party and president advocate and implement policies that endanger the United States, destroy the economy, create unemployment, and destabilize the world. They also damage Israel’s security, Middle East stability, the struggle against revolutionary Islamism, and even build anti-Israel views and hatred among many American supporters of your side. If you want my vote, get rid of Obama and change your policies.
Instead, what we’re getting is the manipulation of habit and fearmongering to make Jews — and others — think of conservatives and Republicans as a blend of country club antisemite, Nazi storm trooper, and religious fanatic. The administration and its supporters are doing everything possible to spread hate, fear, and arrogant snobbishness toward fellow Americans.
The reference to Perry is an example. Is the fact that Governor Rick Perry is a pious Christian really some threat to Jews? Definitely not, but how many Jews will believe that? Well, under 50 percent for sure. There is, however, a new paradigm, at least in the United States, in which believing Christians are more friendly to Jews and Israel on the whole than are atheists.
Second, it is absurd to say that Jews “misunderstand” Obama’s Middle East policy. They understand it all too well. I want to stress, however, that the problem is not just U.S .-Israel relations, but the wider regional approach taken by the administration that makes Israel’s situation far worse and more dangerous.
Let’s remember that Waxman campaigned hard for Obama by telling Jews that the candidate loved Israel and was no problem for it. Waxman lied; the peace process died, thanks not to Israel but to Obama. Equally, Obama has been soft on or actually favored the forces most inimical to Israel: Egyptian revolutionaries including the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, the Islamist regime in Turkey, and the Syrian government. His policies have helped to block any discussion of Islamist and Islamic antisemitism, the main threat to Jews in the world today.
Thus, while many have overstated the problems Obama’s policies have brought to Israel — for example, military ties are as good as they have ever been; Obama will veto the unilateral Palestinian independence move in the UN — the dangers and damages arising from Obama’s administration have been gigantic. Incidentally, in three years I don’t think Obama has made a single statement ever that combined support for Israel with blame for its enemies.
Finally, there is the big controversial point. Waxman doesn’t say that Jews are voting based on their wealth but only Jews who vote against Obama and his supporters. This is an old theme: anyone who doesn’t support this administration is doing so because they are greedy, while supporters vote for it because they are noble and altruistic.
This mirrors Obama’s own claim that those who vote against him are merely reactionaries, racists, religious fanatics, and gun nuts. When he said that, Obama was speaking to a wealthy crowd of rich people in San Francisco, ridiculing the less affluent. In some ways, despite the pejoratives, it was more truthful than what Waxman said, implying that Jews who don’t vote for Democrats are “bitter clingers” to Israel and their wallets.
Of course, this misrepresents points that people like Waxman want to hide.
I would bet that on the whole the income of Jews who will vote for Obama in 2012 is higher than those who will oppose him. A large proportion of those opposing Obama are not affluent but are hurt by his policies. I wouldn’t be surprised that if one only counts white voters, the average income of Obama supporters is higher than that of Obama opponents.
While the most wealthy people are probably disproportionately anti-Obama (though by a smaller margin than many would think), the upper-middle class is disproportionately pro-Obama. Among white workers, at least, Obama supporters come from what Marxists used to call the “labor aristocracy,” highly paid union members. The ninth district of New York is a good example. Those voters are not affluent at all.
I cannot prove the above points statistically, but there is undeniably a lot of truth in them.
In addition, Obama supporters are also acting “for economic reasons” and “to protect their wealth.” On one hand, there are the beneficiaries of government spending, many of whom don’t pay taxes. Those who work for government and those who benefit from handouts are also voting for their material interest. What do they care if taxes go up and debt becomes dangerous? And what of crony capitalism, in which favored fat-cats get billions in taxpayer money? Bureaucrats of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your entitlement claims.
A useful way of thinking about it is that Americans who vote against Obama are indeed thinking about their wealth. If the depression continues, if the economy collapses, if they cannot find a job or lose their job, if the dollar is reduced in value, if energy and other prices rise due to administration policy, then these people will certainly have less wealth. Since the administration’s policies are so damaging, there are likely to be more people worried about losing their lifestyle or livelihood than those who think the administration will give them “free” (that is, funded by other American) goodies.
Of course, Waxman is still playing with dangerous antisemitic concepts. Similarly, the demonization of Israel by Obama supporters also feeds antisemitism. What is one to make of such common themes as Israel doesn’t want peace, is oppressive and brutal, etc.? How far is the distance between that and saying that terrorism against Israeli citizens is justifiable or that Israel should be a pariah?
We haven’t gotten to the point where Waxman is saying that Jews who oppose Obama kidnap little Democrats and use their blood to make matzot but — and, yes, I’m joking — we may see something like this before November 2012.
See also my article reprinted from Bitter Lemons: International Efforts to Avoid the Palestinian UN Bid Will Inevitably Fail Because Western Policy is So Bad.
First off, Prof. Rubin, you have to look at the ”tweets” from ”liberals” when their candidate was defeated in New York. I saw them on a few blogs, literally hundreds of them. And what did these ”liberals” & progressives have to say? ”F*ck the Jews” ”Israel can burn” ”Israel can go to hell”
As it happens, just this morning, I was reading ”The Telegraph – U.K.” & there was an article about Israel & Egypt.
You should see the comments. It was a veritable hate-fest. There were at least 600 comments & I would say that 85% were not just critical of Israeli , policy but rather out-right anti-Semitic attacks. Israel was accused of every crime imaginable. They don’t even bother to say Israel anymore. It’s the ”Jooooos” ……
Admittedly, this is Britain, a very anti-Semitic country. Normally, you get this from Muslims. But these were not Muslims, they were English Leftists.
And, they cursed America just for good measure.
The irrationality was mind-boggling.
Obama & his ”friends” are no different.
Jews who vote Democratic are worse than useful idiots – they’re insane, suicidal.
Yes why is it that antisemitism and the left go hand in hand . Just look at the National SOCIALIST German WORKERS party (NAZI’s) and of course the Russian COMMUNISTS with all their antisemitic pogroms. Most Left wing moonbats are Green NAZi’s too.
Perhaps Obama’s anti-Semitic policies are aimed at currying further favor with the Europeans? And, of course, the Arab countries. Perhaps Obama isn’t all that anti-Semitic but is mindlessly pretending to be so, knowing that some groups will love him for it and American Jews will forgive him.
A sage on Twitter, dirtymartinigal says
A Jew voting for Obama is like a chicken voting for KFC.
Jews for Obama is like Turkeys for Thanksgiving.
Jews for Obama is like stupid.
: )
This is nothing but duckspeak, mindlessly repeating something without any attempt at intellectual engagement; this is particularly true given Waxman’s constituency and supporters, many of whom are fabulously wealthy Hollywood types, Jews and otherwise.Their big money is going to Obama as it has before.
Interesting, speaking of Orwellisms, the doubtlethink involved in this view of the Republican Party–it’s a bunch of country-club elitists, industrialists and such–and it’s also run by those ignorant, racist Tea Partiers.
Alex…What an incredibly moronic post! No wonder everyone ridicules the left!
@Denise,
I think you need to read his comments again. They were not defending liberals, they were equating them with Orwellian doublespeak, not doublethink. In short, liberals are using the 1984 doublespeak propaganda methods to demonize and marginalize Republicans. Make up half-truths, lies, and twist the truth to use as a weapon against the “enemy”, in this case for Democrats and liberals equals Republicans, conservatives, and the Tea Party.
Strange don’t you think? There has never been a reported incident of violence committed by any member of the Tea Party, yet, at Tea Party events, the violence has been committed by union thugs and liberals? Now, do see the point of his comments?
You just explained how stupid and illogical that Liberals truly are . One day soon , if Obama is re-elected you will realize the true intent of Obama and his minions in Washington !
New? It’s as old as antisemitism itself. A sentiment I heard in Germany in the 70′s was that Hitler went after the wrong Jews, letting the rich ones get away and going after the poor ones.
Himmler in his speech to SS gives them kudos on the job made harder by everyone having a “favorite jew” they want spared.
“While the most wealthy people are probably disproportionately anti-Obama …”
What about Robert Rubin, John Kerry, the Sandlers, George Soros, Warren Buffet, Steven Spielberg – all among our most wealthy? They’re all sticking with The One. Then of course one finds those wealthy crony capitalists like Imelt, Kaiser, and many others sucking on the government teat. Are they true believers, or are they simply in it for their own gain?
@Raymond in DC: “Then of course one finds those wealthy crony capitalists like Imelt, Kaiser, and many others sucking on the government teat. Are they true believers, or are they simply in it for their own gain?”
It’s called “working the system”… not that I support it; I’m just saying…
Until the Democrats start confiscating “excess” wealth, the wealthy will vote predominately for them. The wealthy are not afraid of high income taxes in the least. There are so many tax avoiding or tax deferring investment alternatives and so many loopholes for those whose income derives from their wealth more than from their labor.
Think about it: You and your family have more than you could ever actually use no matter how lavish your life style. What is the best way to protect your status – to appear to be denying poor people? The last thing you want is for the serfs to storm the castle. Cutting through their sanctimonious phoniness, this is how you explain Buffet, et al, calling for more taxes.
I believe you are correct. The Democrats are the party of big business and anti-small business. They pretend to care about the “common man”, but they really care about government jobs, lawyers and big business.
The poor are always the first to suffer under their oppressive thumb.
Exactly. This is why individuals making $200K and couples making $250K in EARNED INCOME are included by Obama as being among the “millionaires & billionaires” (who do not rely upon “income” to sustain their wealth) who just aren’t being taxed enough.
Congressman Chazzerschnozzle has it so wrong. Jews do not “misunderstand” Obama’s policies in the middle east. His intentions are clear to anyone, Jew or gentile, who cares to look at what Obama has done and those with whom he surrounds himself. His goal is to undermine Israel and the international standing of the US.
Let´s not forget that Obama´s first phone call to a foreign leader was to Mahmood Abbas. What transpired in that phone call should be all to obvious to anyone who follows Obama´s actions against the Jewish State.
This is just a variation on what they do to blacks who leave the plantation. Or conservative women. Now it’s the Jews turn to discover Liberal toleration and diversity.
The Hive brooks no dissent…
What Obama has “done” to Israel thus indicates that he’s not gonna veto the palestinian/OIC proposal for statehood at the U.N. hate-fest beginning soon. This will be the pivotal decision of course – everything else will pale in comparison. Henry “nostrilitis” Waxman is an angry windbag with some power; but if Obama doesn’t veto the OIC proposal we’re gonna see some consequences; and it ain’t gonna be very comfortable. Guys like Waxman and Obama think that the U.S.A. will not suffer consequences of cursing Israel – wrong:
Genesis 12: 1-3
“And I will bless those that bless you and curse the one who curses you. And in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
“He crouched. He lay down as a lion, and as a great lion. Who shall stir him up? Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.”
In summary: Don’t mess with Israel. Pray for the peace of Israel and the U.S.A.
because our destinies are intertwined.
Yep, but if one brings a religious tone to this argument, they accuse you of being a religious zealot, or dismiss you right out because of your Christian belief. I dare say to all of those who do not believe in God’s words, soon we will find out and I pray for all of those who are not on the side of Israel because God will destroy anyone who attacks Israel. I think the day of reckoning is closer than many think.
I’ve been thinkin about this for a couple of years now, and I think you’re right. God protects his own, even after the man-made catastrophe of the Shoah. Any group that maintains a culture lasting over 3000 years has to have the support of a Divine power; human endeavor alone is not a sufficient explanation.
Germany is already paying dearly for their love affair with socialism and anti-Semitism by having to live with the knowledge–now deeply imbedded in Jewish culture–of their genocidal efforts.
Besides, any group that disavows the active presence of God in their affairs, relying solely on human flaws and failties, is doomed to a short life.
Too bad the cost is going to be so high.
Living with the knowledge of their past sins is nothing, compared to having to rebuild after the Nazi regime saw to it that the Allies had to destroy the whole country before they admitted defeat.
I am wondering if it is possible for Obama to do an Obama on the UN vote on Palestine and just say “present?”
Every nation has the option of just abstaining from a vote.
But I’ll bet that if Obama tells Hillary he’s going to abstain, she’ll resign.
It’s crucial that the U.S. veto the unilateral proposal of statehood. Obama may indeed veto this proposal because he actually has a conscience in there somewhere.
My post was definitely NOT a gloom and doom; fear-mongering post. Rather, it is simply an acknowledgment that God is in control. The “day of reckoning” is a gloom and doom and judgement scenario; and I believe that the goodness of God is what turns hearts and minds to Him not the threat of judgement only. Israel is already independent in energy; they do not need the Egyptian natural gas pipeline because somehow, they suddenly have their own natural gas! Same with oil … they have their own now! Coincidence? No; it’s God’s provision.
When I said that the destiny of Israel and the U.S.A. is intertwined; I believe that Israel will be a beacon to the rest of the world; a platform if you will from which God performs and shows his love for us in the present day. Same with the U.S.; we have a destiny; the U.S. was established for a reason. That reason I believe; is to prosper; and nurture missionaries and provide aid to the rest of the world. Not even Obama can stop THAT. Obama has taught us a valuable lesson which in effect has chastised us and caused us to think about our country’s founding. This is a dynamic through which we will emerge much stronger than before. We are resilient people; enduring a lesson where others would have caved. We’re on the right path and Obama’s veto will help.
As the world turns upon Israel – watch closely the events that take place and listen to what Netanyahu has to say at the U.N. gathering for starters. America WILL prosper; because THAT is our destiny. America will be a “shining city upon the hill” – count on it. That is my sincere belief.
Everybody likes to see themselves as the underdog.
You should speak for yourself.
A little mathematics:
“There are 49,522 Jewish voters in the district, according to Voter Contact Services, which compiles lists of voters in districts across the country. That compares to 29,123 Asian voters, 40,566 Hispanic voters, 35,265 Italian voters, and 26,238 Eastern European voters.”
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2011/09/3264144/turner-targets-conservative-leaning-jews-ninth-just-how-conservative
So that’s 27.4% of the total voters. Assuming all the Jewish voters turned Republican there are still 72.6% who are just as equally greedy with dual loyalty but let’s not be bothered by details.
While it was nice of Mr. Waxman to remind everyone the Jews are greedy, he should also have mentioned the big noses and ears.
So Waxman ADMITS that Democrats’ Leftist policies destroy wealth.
No, the democrat policies rearrange the wealth to their own pockets.
American Jews, Hispanics and SWPLs seem to be awakening to the overtly divisive, race based, statist debacle hatefully driven by Obama/Holder. Additionally the more traditional elements of the Dem party recognize the political liability this soon to crash and burn Icarus duo embody. Black Americans are doomed to accompany their Captain downward. I fear black urban flash mobs will rumble, enraged by their losses, economic and political. To what extent this chaos directly impacts the cloistered enclaves of SWPL “white guilters”, may indeed determine Obama’s/Holder’s fate. Shout out to Jimmy Huero, glad you’re here.
That is one of the most clear headed articles I have read on what vexes me; Why do American Jewish voters consistently vote against their self interest? (With the exception of the special election)
And Blacks, and Hispanics, and women, and gays, and atheists — I’d say a combination of Republican social engineering (our stupidity) and identity politics (their stupidity).
How much do you want to bet that Obama splits the difference on the Palestinian State vote in the UN? He won’t vote for the Palestinian State lest it seriously rile the Jewish and Evangelical communities. He won’t veto the motion lest it seriously rile the Arabs, the Muslims here in the USA, and the Left. What he’ll do is to follow his Illinois Senate practice: he’ll instruct our UN ambassador to vote ‘Present’. How does that grab you?
It grabs me as insane, stupid and evil.
Therefore, I shall now gloomily expect it.
“Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish and all her young lions ask, ‘Have you come to take a spoil?’” That sounds just like Obama, doesn’t it? War is coming and all he does is meekly ask what they are doing, not that he has any intention of stopping it.
“This mirrors Obama’s own claim that those who vote against him are merely reactionaries, racists, religious fanatics, and gun nuts. When he said that, Obama was speaking to a wealthy crowd of rich people in San Francisco, ridiculing the less affluent. In some ways, despite the pejoratives, it was more truthful than what Waxman said, implying that Jews who don’t vote for Democrats are “bitter clingers” to Israel and their wallets.”
I was right there with you until I got to this paragraph? I don’t know anything about your personal life or your economic or social status, Mr. Rubin, but your suggestion that Obama’s statement may have been more truthful than Waxman’s makes me wonder what you think about the less intellectual conservatives among us. Couldn’t we just say that both statements are wrong?
I’m just an average American. But I did not vote against Obama because I am a reactionary, a racist, a religious fanatic, or a gun nut. I am a Christian. And like most conservatives, I do support the 2nd Amendment. I voted for someone other than Obama because I am a libertarian-leaning conservative. I believe in the rule of law and our Constitution. I am against socialism and the current understanding of “social justice”. I don’t agree with Obama’s goal of redistributing wealth. I want less government rather than more. I believe we should support Israel because it is a democracy.
Why would you think that I voted against Obama for less noble reasons than a conservative Jewish person would?
Maybe Rubin meant that Obama was more truthful about expressing his real thoughts than was Waxman, that is, Waxman was hiding – not that what Obama said was true.
Joel, I’ll give that some thought.
You would find some clarification to your concern if you will follow Mr Rubin, to some of his other writings, especially about how he tries to assure the Jewish audiance that Christian Evangilicals art really true friends of the Jewq and Israel….Super letter…..jimi
This is key: “[The] Democratic Party has taken a sharp turn to the left and much of which passes for “liberalism” nowadays is in fact a radicalism that opposes traditional liberal ideas. American liberalism has never been systematically or doctrinally anti-capitalist, much less anti-American.”
But to talk to them or listen to them, they’ll try to say otherwise…that they’re the ‘centrists’. Many have not caught up with the fact that the meaning of “Liberal” is not what the left is today. Today the Democrats are malignantly infected with radicalism.
With the help of a compliant media they try, successfully in many cases, to relegate those that note this change to “the extreme right”.
But I think the point here may be that although many Jews are ‘liberal’, fewer are truly ‘radical’ hence the apparent shift we’re seeing.
“I cannot prove the above points statistically, but there is undeniably a lot of truth in them.” Mr. Rubin, you should know better than to do this! This is intellectually sloppy. Take the time for due diligence and write about what you KNOW to be true, not what you think/hope/wish/have faith must surely be true. This disease is rampant throughout today’s journalism and does tremendous damage. Only critical thinking followed by diligence in finding the facts enables us to base our actions on truth. The alternative is doom.
You guys have a former Nazi working for you named David Goldman so who give a damn what you pontificate?
Do you mean the Shabbat-observant David “Spengler” Goldman, or are you lying about someone else, kapo?
BO has a Nazi collaborator named Soros financing him so who cares what *you* think?
I’m in SE Asia and unfortunately the ‘news’ stations available are BBC World News, Australia Network (which is FAR MORE Illiberal than BBC!) and Al Jazeera. It’s not hell but you can hear the gates squeak.
The 1st 2 stations touched on the Israeli Forces found NOT GUILTY of their response to the flotilla incident though both station’s harped on about ‘excessive force’ the Israeli troopers supposedly used.
If some nutter(s) is coming at me with pipes, large wrenches, etc., that person(s) would have a closed casket.
The other day on BBC’s ‘HardTalk’ (similar to CNN’s Hardball though the host, Jim Rogers sounds nothing like our Chris ‘Sylvester the Cat’ Matthews) the host Jim Rogers spoke with BBC’s boss. The loaded questions were-a-flying. The boss was boasting of their ratings and viewership whereas citing Mr. & Mrs. David Bowie ‘watch nothing else for their news but BBC’.
David and his wife are ‘validity’?
Though the ratings are fantastic many cuts and streamlining will commence at BBC in the near future.
Christians believe that Jews are G_d’s chosen people. For reasons known to Him, he placed upon their heads, His mark. It is not surprising the godless fear and disrespect them, or that Christians display loyal support for them. To acknowledge divine love would be an admission that He exists at all, and we know that the communist Left will never support this truth. Jews are experiencing an awakening, inspired by the revelation of what a true friend might be, and this administration’s example of what a true friend is not.
“Jews are experiencing an awakening….”
Sad to say, but 70% of Jews will vote for Obama even if they’re in a coma.
I can understand why you want to call it anti-semitism, but Jews really aren’t the point of his remarks.
The Democratic Party at the national level has been saying that Republicans oppose their policies because Republicans are immoral. They are refusing to address the real, data-based policy reasons behind Republican economic positions.
This denigration of real policy differences among reasonable people is a fascist technique. It has no place in a democratic, helpful political discussion about what we are going to do.
I think that when you write
Is the fact that Governor Rick Perry is a pious Christian really some threat to Jews? Definitely not, but how many Jews will believe that?
now is the time to start educating American that there are Christians and there are Christians.
There is the Anglican Replacement Theology excuse for antisemitism Christians Archbishop Tutu and Naim Ateek of the Sabeel group as a threat, along with the Presbyterian’s BDS, but then there are those Christians who are not a threat and this should be divulged not left hidden for the “Democrats” to metaphorically assault the opposition.
Exactly! The ability to distinguish between different categories is one of my definitions of intelligence. There are different types of Christians. And I feel thankful to those Christians who support us. We need all the support we can get.
Since Jews and Arabs originate from the same part of the world it is not surprising that one finds similarities among them. For instance, Muslim Arabs produce suicide bombers and East Coast American Jews have produced suicide voters. Perhaps the next time around, enough of them will wake up and think before they vote.
Jews for Obama would be like Blacks for David Duke.
Traditionally, liberalism has been better for Jews, but too many Jews fail to see that the most vile genocidal anti-semitism comes from the left and their islamofascist allies. Rather than switching parties, they are running off the cliff like lemmings and sticking with the demonrats.
I was horrified by reports that a powerful congressman, Henry Waxman, had said that Jews in New York’s ninth congressional district voted against President Barack Obama “to protect their wealth.”
I think it was good of Waxman to openly admit that the dems are out to steal people’s wealth. Not just their income, but their WEALTH!! We should be thanking Waxman for clearly expressing this part of the insidious nature of the modern self-hating, anti-American left.
Please, Please no more pictures of waxman. i’m running out of places to put the vomit.
Mr. Simon: Can you please devote a post to explain “…Is the fact that Governor Rick Perry is a pious Christian really some threat to Jews? Definitely not, but how many Jews will believe that?…”
As a secular Jew who votes in NY17, I have been following Perry very closely and am very puzzled by the Jewish conservative pundits at Commentary and Jen Rubin who seem to be pushing this false picture of Perry as ‘scary to Jewish voters’.
As to Henry Waxman? considering the uber-rich Jews in his CD, that comment was out-of-bounds. I have noticed that even Eliot Engel is following the ‘Obama is misunderstood on Israel’ talking points, which is a big disappointment because I thought Engel was the sole liberal Dem in congress who had openly pushed back at Obama on Israel. Now he is on the same leash.
My vote will not impact the GOP nomination, but I will vote for Perry in the general with enthusiasm. I see an Eagle Scout Methodist (and now happens to attend a mega-church) whose leadership will fuel confidence, something Obama has failed to bring to the WH.
“I thought Engel was the sole liberal Dem in congress who had openly pushed back at Obama on Israel. Now he is on the same leash”
You probably caught Engel on one of his “I Luv Israel” days…& now you’re disappointed. When will you ever learn? If a Democrat’s breathing, he’s lying.
You forgot toothless hick. And gun nut. You can’t be a country club millionaire Republican without also being a hick with a third-grade education who shoots squirrels for dinner.
The correct answer to Nostrilitus is “Off course Jews with half a brain want to protect their wealth from the likes of you, parasitic putz!”
Well, would the jews from new york mind vacationing in the deep south? the “bitter- clingers” part? B/c that’s usually fundamentalist, and conservative evangelical, and not organized into great national groups. That’s most of the south- military service, traditional marriages, patriotism, and so on. It’s easy to make fun of, from new york or minneapolis or chicago- but these are people who love Israel, and respect Jews, b/c they do believe in an inerrant bible where G*d says jews are his chosen people; the new testament says that christians are grafted branches onto this tree.
I know there’s a lot that makes it easy to look down on- it’s so not new york- if you think the world begins and ends at fifth avenue-but, please, get to know us. we’re the ones sending care packs to little israeli kids we’ll never meet.
if you think the world begins and ends at fifth avenue
Traditionally, Jews weren’t allowed into the restricted co-ops on Fifth Avenue (which is why Central Park West was built). Same with the traditional Wall Street firms (which is how investment banking got built). Same with the Ivies (which is why CCNY was such a major powerhouse for a good while).
Just sayin’ …
NO ONE has any possible sane excuse in voting for Obama. The information of his background/agenda was widely and readily available on the net. America knew it and the world knew it;
“You have to pinch yourself – a Marxist radical who all his life has been mentored by, sat at the feet of, worshipped with, befriended, endorsed the philosophy of, funded and been in turn funded, politically promoted and supported by a nexus comprising black power anti-white racists, Jew-haters, unrepentant former terrorists and Chicago mobsters, is on the verge of becoming President of the United States. And it’s considered impolite to say so!” – Melanie Philips, The Spectator ( UK ) 10/14/08
CCNY…a major powerhouse for a good while.
And then Progressive Jews in their ever vigilant fight against exclusivity forced open admissions, consigning CCNY to the outer darkness…forever.
Most Jews will probably follow the outline laid out by Anthony Weiner and David Weprin in that they will hold their noses about Obama’s anti Israel and largely anti Jewish policies, and still vote for Obama based on his Left wing proto Socialist economic and social policies.
The Jewish voter numbers for Obama may fall slightly in 2012, since Obama has been pretty brazen in his antagonism towards Israel, and his record is there for all to see, but most of my American Jewish friends, the few I have left, are still in the tank for Obama.
Israel used to be an important issue for Americans and American Jews, and politicians who abused Israel could count on facing the wrath of Americans and American Jewish voters come election time.
But now about the only reason that Americans and American Jews will vote anybody but Obama will have to do with whether they still have a job or a home, and Israel will be in the mix, but no longer a primary issue.
The emancipation that started in Europe in the 1850s and from which the Jews were not excluded gave rise to an unprecedented optimism among the Jews. The great Zionist leaders like Hertzl and Nordau were convinced that the end of the mass-murdering of Jews had come and the idea of the Jewish State was less related to Israel becoming a sanctuary and more a place where Jews could realise their great potential for themselves. They were wrong. We all know what happened in Europe form 1930 to 1948. The next shoah is coming. And the Jews who are weakening Israel with criticism will be the first knocking on the door of the only sanctuary we have.
The other day, I saw a former classmate’s Facebook status that said something like “My fellow liberal Jews: We may not agree with Obama all the time, and some people wo misunderstand his policies may think that he’s anti-Israel. But the Republicans are anti-women, anti-gay people, anti-poor people, anti-science, and anti-equality. Please don’t fall into this trap again in 2012.”
I was quite tempted to write back, simply: “NO WE’RE NOT”. But I’m a big fat chicken.
Will the Jews supporting Obama be the last ones to go into the oven?
To any American Jews reading this, I highly recommend you get out of the country and move to Israel, because things are about to get really ugly. Antisemitism is growing, and I fear that it will no longer be safe in America in just a few short years.
I grew up near Pico Bl. & Robertson Bl. in West L.A. which is also known as Jewish Junction and Kosher Corners. People like Waxman (currently my Congressman) make me ashamed to be a Jew, even though I am not Jewish. Jews take care of old people (not just Jewish old people) and are charitable and kind to all. ALL of my best friends are Jews. Mormons are excellent folks as well, unlike the psycho Muzlim killers.
My jewish dad and mom left the democratic party in the late seventies. Did not know why at the time since I was a young kid. But now I know. By the way, is there something wrong with protecting your money when the government wants more and more it? Waxman is unfortunately in my district and I’m tired of his routine.
Rubin you’ve got a lot of suppositions in this article, and you left out the biggest of “the forces most inimical to Israel:…..”, Iran.
With regard to your suppositions you do acknowledge that you “cannot prove the above points statistically, but there is undeniably a lot of truth in them.” I suspect there will be a great many who will deny that there is any truth in them but, though I’m no doubt sounding critical I tend to agree with your suppositions, without proof.
But here’s another bone of contention; your statement that “believing Christians are more friendly to Jews and Israel on the whole than are atheists.” Is that another supposition you have no statistical evidence for?
I am an Atheist, an unbeliever in what George Carlin once referred to as the great ghost in the sky but, for the record, unlike Mr. Carlin I have nothing derogatory or defamatory or funny to say about Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Hindus, etc. I believe in our Constitutional rights of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience (and freedom of speech) but am greatly concerned about the so called religion of peace, Islam, whose zealots and proponents are subverting the nature of these freedoms to further their nefarious ends.
But about the generally bad rap against Atheists probably resulting from the publicly displayed, controversial antics of some who misunderstand or are confused about the freedom of religion as requiring that their minority view should prevail in the public square. There is no Constitutional right to freedom from religion.
Being born and raised and having spent most of my life in New York, doing a hitch in the US Navy, 1953 to 1957 and now retired in North Carolina I was raised and taught to respect and assimilate behaviors that are regarded as acceptable in American society; i.e., Judeo/Christian values, key, of course, the Golden Rule; “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” Universal and it works wherever it’s tried among most Judeo/Christian societies on earth. As one might expect of most being born and raised in America, I have been surrounded all my life, by people who do believe, nearly all Christian, by circumstance not by a deliberate effort at anti-Semitism, people I like and/or respect from the avid church goer to the twofers, the Easter Sunday, Christmas midnight mass crowd. And I find the treatment of Israel and the Jewish people as pariahs reprehensible and inimical to the Judeo/Christian values some anti-Semites claim to live by. I have contributed what I can afford to Christians United for Israel and will continue to do so materially, when possible and in spirit always.
Other than myself I know no one else that is a self proclaimed Atheist. Like being romantically attracted to members of the same sex I suspect, without proof, that many prefer to stay in the “closet.” That makes your supposition that more of us than Christians hate the Jews somewhat suspect. I would tend to agree however, again without proof, that a majority of the more vocal Atheists, those who thrive on notoriety and on stirring the cauldron of conventional wisdom, would hate the Jew, the Christian, the Zoroastrian, etc. than the outspoken Christians who tend to thrive on their expressions of piety; peace, love, tolerance, compassion and all that.
And remember, all of you God fearing people everywhere, “Do unto others…….” I respect your faith, your beliefs and your religious freedoms. Please respect the beliefs of those who disbelieve. This is America, our country, the one most of us love. It was founded on Judeo/Christian principles with inalienable rights granted by a Creator. Obama has a problem with the latter; I don’t.
I too am a rock solid atheist that lives by the values of our judeo-christian society. I endorse those values strongly. Often I have had the inalienable rights argument thrown in my face. Try this;
Atheist to Christian – So you believe god endowed all men with inalienable rights, correct?
Christian – Yes. Without God giving them to us, there is no argument to justify them.
Athiest – But you believe God endowed all men with noses, dont you?
Christian – Yes, he plainly did.
Athiest – See, that is where we disagree. I do not believe God is the creator of noses, but I can plainly see that all men have them. It would be absurd for me to argue that since I do not believe in God, that I dont believe in noses.
In the same way, I can see that most men yearn for liberty, for control over their own destinies. It is plain to me, as noses are, that desire for freedom is inherent in people. We may disagree on the source of those rights, but we certainly dont on the their existence.
Ok, y’all, I know that hypothetical is over-simplified and has a straw man in it, but surely you can see my point.
I like it!
I can’t look at Henry Waxman nostrils without thinking of the Holland Tunnel.
Shame on me.
More seriously, in his previous committee assignment when democrats held the majority in the House, I think the committee now chaired by Darrell Issa…Oversight ? Waxman came across as a true idiotlogue* in his choice of topics to pursue.
*more interested in an agenda than in uncovering the truth
Now a word about Waxman:
First of all, that nose that has been brought up repeatedly is a result of a bad nose job. It is what is now referred to as the pinch treatment. Because his nose must have been enormous originally, you see the resulting Holland Tunnels.
Secondly, Waxman was one of the Falujah four, which is the name for the group on behest of Code Pink halted the siege of Falujah and sent in “humanitarian” aid. At no time in history had anyone lobbied the President to halt an attack on an enemy. This fool did and aided Al Queda. If you are interested in finding out more about this traitor, please look up the Falujah Four.
Thirdly, Waxman has an interesting relationship with the Botach family who have been very generous with him.
This is a family of international arms dealers who have defrauded the US government of millions of dollars( this was due to contracts with the US government). This family was brought up for investigation before Congress and our friend Waxman was the head of the investigating committee. He did not excuse himself because of conflict of interest, instead nothing has been done about the investigation’s results.
Fourthly, if Waxman was really representative of his constituency he would be busy trying to find an answer to the impending grocery workers strike. The union wants to start picketing tomorrow. As a result about 350 local stores will completely close their doors during this strike. Let’s see how happy everyone will be when they run out of milk, cereal and diapers. Where the hell are you on this one Waxman?
Other than all this, he is a nice man. He is the kind of man a parent would be proud of when his son would bring him home to meet the family. Enough said!
In regard to people like Waxman I like the comment of Hoffa turned on them.
It is time to take the sons of bitches out. And unlike liberals that look to riot and damage the propety of others, the tsunami is coming that will take those sons of bitches out of power, and hopefully it will be by people that are new to Washington, have value system much like that espoused by those Tea Party candidates that won, and will come up with the basic solution to the problem, It isn’t a revenue problem it is a spending problem
It is not money that distinguishes one Jewish voter from another, it is education. I do not mean secular education I mean Jewish education. Unfortunately the Jewish community in the United States has been plagued by a group of charlatans motivated by financial reward who have claimed to be spiritual leaders in the Jewish tradition. We live in a society where anyone can become a minister by buying a degree online. These ” jewish ministers ” have swelled the ranks of people who claim to be Jewish but are not. They would fill their seats with camels if a camel could open a wallet. Sadly some authentic Jews , who have no real Jewish education, get taken for a ride by these snake oil salesmen. Their anything goes attitude is as close to judaism as a ham sandwich.
Educated Jews have always based their vote on the individuals stand on issues not party affiliation. In 2012 the choice could not be more obvious. The cancer of the Obama administration must be cut out before it can metastasis any further.
The Democrat Party has always been the party of bigots.
As an Orthodox Jew, with no wealth to protect (just debt) who hasn’t voted Democrat since 2000, I’ll vote for a Conservative candidate not because of his or her views on Israel, but because of his or her views on America. We need public servants who believe in God, love this great country, respect and abide by the Constitution, are commmitted to small (Federal) government, and who believe that the main job of the Federal government is to protect our borders and protect us against enemies. We also need public servants who recognize and stand by our international allies and understand that WWIII has already begun (and who started it).
As the leader of the majority of AMerican Jews, I confidently predict that Obama will not lose a single Jewish vote by being tough on israel. Why? Because under my leadership, American Jews have coalesced around my trinity of Social Justice, Economic Justice, and Right of Return of Endogenous Peoples, especially the Palestinians. We are tired of being embarassed amoung our European colleagues when it comes to israel. I support a nuclear armed Iran that will make Obamas job easier when forcing israel to obey the myriad UN resolutions that israel routinely flaunts. A second term Obama presidency will allow Obama to ditch the special relationship it has with israel, and open up relations with Iran. Between the righteous indignation of second term Obama and an Iran with nuclear muscle, we will impose peace on the Middle East. This is why Obama needs a second term. Amandla!!!!!! from San Francisco
You are such a liar professing to be a Rabbi let alone a Jew. Just answer one question, where did you get your smecha?
Waxman is my congressman and I can’t tell you how many times I have called his office concerned about Israeli or Jewish issues. I can tell you that his staff doesn’t have a clue about Israel or the issues. On one occasion he personally met with a very progressive anti Bush “peace protester,” who was also an anti Semite who was supported by an anti Semitic group. When I asked why the congressman was meeting with an avowed Israel hating anti Semite, the best his staff could do is state, “how were we supposed to know she is an anti Semite?”
My answer, as the longest serving Jewish member of congress with your experienced staff; you should be informing us of someone is an anti Semite, I shouldn’t have to inform you.
When I look at Waxman ,I see a little communist rat . As a matter of fact this is what I see when I look at any of them except Obama . When I look at him , I see a man beneath the mask , a man dressed in Muslim garb . I personally believe he is purposely helping Muslims to create their Caliphate .Why would he drive Mubarek out of Egypt knowing it would endanger Israel ? Why would he have Muslim Brotherhood members in our White House ? Why would he and Google work hand in hand to foment unrest in the middle-east and why for God’s sake would CAIR and others be working with our FBI and CIA when they are labled terrorist < Why is one of his best buddies , Rashid Khalidi a Pro-Palestian ???? WHY ???
Waxman is symbolic of what is the worst in Jewish liberal/leftist politicians with the exception of Debby Wasserman-Schulz, who wins the award for the stupidest Jewish politician of all time (despite a lot of competition).
I once tried to sit through what should have been a non-partisan, non-political speech he gave at a regional Federation of Jewish Mens Clubs awards dinner. He started out sounding sane and then drifted off into leftist environmental fantasies, and thankfully, I fell asleep and missed most of it. He just couldn’t resist propagandizing a captive audience.
Waxman, Ackerman, Berman, Little Debbie, Nadler, Weiner (the late legend in his own body), Cardin, etc. are far-leftists (I’ll say that Cardin is probably the closest to being a Left-Liberal). They are mainly, neo-marxists in their economics, anti-defense voices, anti-anti-communist in their stance against the reds, and haven’t a clue about the real world.
If they had lived during the 1930′s, they would be the ones who said “No threat from Adolph”. They just don’t understand reality. They didn’t like Mubarak and look what they are getting today. The same for Libya. While many of them are for action to bring down Assad, some don’t want the US to do it. The same for Iran.
They are, however, “conflicted” over aid to Israel in terms of confronting Iran. They want the US to give Israel the arms to do the job, but they then vote to cut defense spending so that these arms don’t get produced. That is schizophrenia to the nth degree.
They sold out Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, and the Shah of Iran (at least most of the old Democratic Jews at that time did), tried to sell out Colombia and Honduras, and have been largely silent on Red China (other than some protests on Tibet). Some supported the marxist Allende in Chile (Abzug, Weiss, etc) and Bishop in Grenada.
This anti-Americanism has been skillfully ingrained in them since they were kids, a combination of good Communist Party/Soviet propaganda operations in the American media, textbooks, movies, and esp. on television, as well as horror stories told by their parents about the Depression. Not mentioned was Roosevelt’s anti-Jewish refugee policies that cost so many lives. McCarthy was the devil, not Stalin. Castro was a hero as was Che’. This is how they view the world and that is why they are both political and intellectual disgraces. They live in a world of self-imposed ignorance and blindness, while claiming to be leaders for human rights, diversity, and kumbayism.
9/11 had diversity – those who composed the victims, yet almost all Jewish Democrats opposed the badly needed Patriot Act and related legislation. They supported the communist legal fronts in their efforts to repeal these laws, not caring that CCR and NLG are their enemies, and the enemies of Israel. Again, knee-jerk ignorance and stupidity.
Waxman is only a visual sympton of the mental illness that afflicts liberal and leftist Jews. If there is a cure of it, I don’t know what it is called. If 9/11 didn’t wake them up out of their stupor and stupidity, then nothing else will.
The only thing we can do is to vote the fools out of office, one at at time. Weiner got what he deserved. Now let’s get rid of the rest of this leftist, anti-American trash so that we loyal, sane Jews can say that we have cleaned out own house, just like we do for Passover. Chomitz and treif, out.
As others have pointed out — if Warren Buffett thiks he should pay more in taxes, why doesn’t he put a check in the mail — and also — why is he battling the IRS on past tax claims? (Inadvertently I first typed “the IRS” into “theIRS.” Perhaps this explains why the agenby was given the initials IRS — to make it clear that they regard the earnings of ordinary Americans as “theIRS.” Consider, too, that thestrength of democracy varies in direct proportion with thestrength of the middle class. The delcine of the middle class in America is, I believe, not good for American’s democratic tradition.
Now to acknowledge my cynical streak — that the current PA moves at the UN are part of an administration orchestration so that the president will later campaign on the claim that he rescued Israel from the PA and the UN. So what if the Palestinian Authority declares statehood? Have we forgotten the time when the UN declared Israel a racist state? Beware the Palestinian issue serving as Trojan horse that lulls Israelis and American Jews into accepting the anti-Israel leftists in and outside the administration as friends of Israel.
i got money…maybe not as much as others, but maybe the jewish community has finally learned their lesson..that no one cares about jews than other jews..if i lived there,(NY) i wouldn’t vote for the dems, cause i dont like obama, or any other lefty arab appeasing sellout, but dont worry, cause i feel the tea party and repubs suck the big one too….and you can send that to the “web” police..
when they give interest to lord rothschilds family for every national transaction of credit in the world and the most famous investment banking criminals are all Madoff–boskey-millikan–lloyd blankfien etc–there is no need to wonder why the world is becomong more anti-semitec–even israel is waking up !
It has long been looking for an article on Rubin Reports » A New, Selective ‘Semi-Antisemitism’? Only Jews Opposing Obama Are Evil, Greedy, and Have Dual Loyalty .