Left Could Push Pro-Israel Voters To the GOP

[Frodo]

Left could push pro-Israel voters to GOP

By: Jennifer Rubin
Jul 18, 2007 06:23 AM EST

Support for Israel has long been a tenet of both political parties. Major Democratic and Republican 2008 presidential contenders have demonstrated their support for Israel by, among other things, attending the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, touting their pro-Israel voting records and personally traveling to the region.

Yet pockets of anti-Israel sentiment are active in American politics and have found a home among a small group of Democratic lawmakers and leftist activists. While it's tempting to dismiss them as irrelevant, the left's views on Israel have in recent years seeped into mainstream politics.

A small but significant group of overwhelmingly Democratic members of Congress have consistently voted against efforts to support Israel in its continual struggle against terrorists and now an Islamist Hamas government in Gaza. These votes demonstrate that anti-Israel views are a minority in Congress -- but a minority composed primarily of the most left-leaning members of the Democratic Caucus.

A 2002 House resolution to express support of Israel against terrorism passed by a vote of 352-21, with 29 voting "present." Of the 21 votes against, 17 were Democrats; of the 29 voting "present," 26 were Democrats, one was independent Bernie Sanders (Vt.) and only two were Republicans.

During the Lebanon War in 2006, Congress voted to confirm its support of Israel's right to defend itself against terrorism. While the measure passed overwhelmingly in the then-GOP-majority House, 31 Democrats and only nine Republicans voted "no" or "present."

Some of the most liberal (and often powerful) members of Congress regularly appear on the "no" or "present" side of these and other Israel votes, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (Mich.), House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (Calif.), House National Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (W.Va.), House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey (Wis.), Democratic presidential candidate and Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (Ohio) and Democratic Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas) and Jim McDermott (Wash.).

[Conan]

Israel is definitely my main concern.

[DanielX]

This could well see erosion in Democrat support by conservative and orthodox Jews. While I expect Reform Jews and non-practicing Jews to remain resolutely on the Left for a long time, more religious (and especially more doctrinaire) Jews are going to vote on Israel, and their generally more conservative social views. 

OTOH, this could lead to the Democrats gaining more of the Arab muslim vote, ironically it will be especially among the more religious/social-conservative types who hate Israel.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

As soon as the US starts having ethnic nationalist/regional secessionist troubles or after the ongoing demographic change/dieoff of the boomers expect it to drop its Israeli alliance ASAP. A multi-ethnic empire allying with a state based on the very idea of ethnic autonomy is NOT a stable arrangements. Its only AIPAC's CONSTANT interfering plus 9/11 which have kept the US's (IMO idiotic) israeli ties.

[Conan]

This could well see erosion in Democrat support by conservative and orthodox Jews. While I expect Reform Jews and non-practicing Jews to remain resolutely on the Left for a long time, more religious (and especially more doctrinaire) Jews are going to vote on Israel, and their generally more conservative social views. 

OTOH, this could lead to the Democrats gaining more of the Arab muslim vote, ironically it will be especially among the more religious/social-conservative types who hate Israel.

This won't happen though because most jews are smart enough to realize that the GOP doesn't actually care about them but their own interests. Besides, conservative jews aren't actually conservative anyway, they endorsed gay marriage.

[tarheel-leftist85]

is that why they came close to being as monolithically democratic as African-Americans in 2006?

[DanielX]

This won't happen though because most jews are smart enough to realize that the GOP doesn't actually care about them but their own interests.

Do the Democrats give a damn about them either? Not really. Exploiting people to further your own interests is par for the course in politics. Anyone who hasn't realized that is either naive, blind, or a total nitwit.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

one was independent Bernie Sanders (Vt.)

That crazy anti-semite!

[memphis]

The Jewish vote is staying Democratic. Most Jews are really freaked out by social conservatism and have deep concerns about the gap between rich and poor. Exception are the small minority religious segment, which is already often Republican. Evangelical Christians are often vehemently pro-Israel and Republican as well.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The Jewish vote is staying Democratic. Most Jews are really freaked out by social conservatism and have deep concerns about the gap between rich and poor. Exception are the small minority religious segment, which is already often Republican. Evangelical Christians are often vehemently pro-Israel and Republican as well.

Yup, Jews are sick of Republicans whining about "the war on Christmas" like anti-semites always have. They aren't going to care that Bernie Sanders voted against some resolution that claimed to support Israel.

[tarheel-leftist85]

is that why they came close to being as monolithically democratic as African-Americans in 2006?

Frodo is a troll.

ditto, but i couldn't let it pass.  you know how those given to the ideology of the corporate media fancying themselves as "moderates" or "New Democrats" are prone to giving such false assertions.  not only are jewish americans overwhelmingly against us getting into the hornets' nest that is the middle east, but they are also economically liberal (not talking about the liberal that HRC describes, since, apparently, she's living in the same era as john stuart mill).  everybody wants to think jews are economically conservative, but they know what a fascist state resembles--including the economic conservatism inherent in such a system.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

That seems very unlikely, given that Joe Lieberman, who is hawkishly Pro-Israel, still caucuses with the Democrats, I doubt that it will happen.

[Gustaf]

is that why they came close to being as monolithically democratic as African-Americans in 2006?

Frodo is a troll.

ditto, but i couldn't let it pass.  you know how those given to the ideology of the corporate media fancying themselves as "moderates" or "New Democrats" are prone to giving such false assertions.  not only are jewish americans overwhelmingly against us getting into the hornets' nest that is the middle east, but they are also economically liberal (not talking about the liberal that HRC describes, since, apparently, she's living in the same era as john stuart mill).  everybody wants to think jews are economically conservative, but they know what a fascist state resembles--including the economic conservatism inherent in such a system.

Oh, please. Economic conservatism is not inherent in a facist state. And I doubt most Jews want a socialist state either. They know how they end up in those places too. I think most of them actually are liberals precisely in the John Stuart Mill sense rather than anything else.

[Joe Biden 2020]

There will be no attacks on anybody on this forum.  Consider this your final warning.  Next time I see a personal attack will result in consequences yet to be determined.  We are all, or should all be, acting like adults here, not children.