Citing Israel, GOP eyes Jewish vote

[ingemann]

Even if the Republicans did end up with a majority of the Jewish vote, how much would it really mean?

[ingemann]

The Evangelical right scares the crap out of both American and Israeli Jews. It's been made very clear they want preserve Israel for Armageddon and convert them.

While they accept their support, they're not keen on the right being at the controls necessarily.

The Jewish people are not single issue voters, and even if they were, a lot of Democrats support Israel anyway.

Speaking as someone who actually is Jewish, I can confirm both of these, especially what King said.  I would add two other things, however:

1) Both Judaism and Jewish culture place an extremely high value upon social justice while the Republican Party is filled with folks like Glenn Beck who are running around screaming that social justice is somehow a code word for eugenics and/or Nazism.

Yes because most other religions don't do that.

Catholism, Lutheranism, Othodoxy and Islam all place a great value on taking care of poor people.

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Again some other religions also do that, if it was that simple the prarie states would be overwhelming Democratic as Lutheranism and German Catholism put an incredible high value on education.

[ingemann]

Yes because most other religions don't do that.

Catholism, Lutheranism, Othodoxy and Islam all place a great value on taking care of poor people.

Is there not a distinction to be made by mitzvot and salvation through good works (Catholicism) as opposed to salvation through faith (Lutheranism)? Catholics used to vote more heavily Democratic until they were cross-pressured on abortion and crime worries, plus assimilation. Catholic advocacy was crucial for the success of PPACA, even over the objections of their own bishops.

While Lutheranism believe in salvation through faith, good work are seen as a outward sign of salvation. So if you're asshole who leave a starving man to die in the streets, it's good sign that you're going downward after you pass on.

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Well, Minnesota hasn't voted for a Republican since 1972...
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[ingemann]

The Evangelical right scares the crap out of both American and Israeli Jews. It's been made very clear they want preserve Israel for Armageddon and convert them.

While they accept their support, they're not keen on the right being at the controls necessarily.

The Jewish people are not single issue voters, and even if they were, a lot of Democrats support Israel anyway.

Speaking as someone who actually is Jewish, I can confirm both of these, especially what King said.  I would add two other things, however:

1) Both Judaism and Jewish culture place an extremely high value upon social justice while the Republican Party is filled with folks like Glenn Beck who are running around screaming that social justice is somehow a code word for eugenics and/or Nazism.

Yes because most other religions don't do that.

Catholism, Lutheranism, Othodoxy and Islam all place a great value on taking care of poor people.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Again some other religions also do that, if it was that simple the prarie states would be overwhelming Democratic as Lutheranism and German Catholism put an incredible high value on education.

Where in that post did I say no other religions place a value on helping the poor/education/social justice?  That said, I do think that overall, the white Protestant and (albeit probably to a somewhat lesser degree) Catholic establishments in the U.S. tend to prioritize "culture warrior" issues like abortion over social justice.  Furthermore, I would argue Jewish culture (at least in the U.S.) probably does place a higher value on education and intellectualism than Catholic and Luthern culture.  This isn't to say that those groups don't place a high value on education, learning, intellectual curiousity, etc, but I don't think it is to the same degree overall that Jewish culture does.  I don't mean that as a knock on other religions or anything, but it is what I have observed.

You're welcome to have that belief, I just don't share it.