Dagny's mom and dad are having respective birthdays on Dec 31 and Dec 30. Happiest of birthdays and good luck with our next grandson to be born in March!!!
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I am constantly being asked, as I was again yesterday by my Conservative Christian friends, why so many Jews are Liberal. I have tried to explain this phenomena on previous occasions and will repeat my thoughts again.
Obviously there is no one reason but I will list what I deem are the main reasons and in no particular order:
First, most American Jews came from Europe which, at the time, was very Socialist. Thus, there are historical family roots and traditions which are emotionally difficult to overcome.
Third generation attachments are not as strong so I believe the tide is slowly shifting and the establishment of Israel is a factor that enters the picture as well in terms of loosening the bondage attitudes but it was a Democrat President, Truman, who defied the odds..
Second, when Jews arrived in this country, Roosevelt was seen by most as fitting the mold of a progressive Socialist and though he did little if anything to stop Hitler's Holocaust they ignore this fact.
Again, in my opinion, emotion trumps rational logic.
Third, in the early years, Republicans were considered 'white shoe' as opposed to members of the 'union class,' so to speak, and were exclusive. Jews were the object of their prejudices and were barred from country clubs, corporations, Ivy League Schools and various professions, most particularly in the medical field..
Many prominent Liberal Jews became Protestants and lessened their ties to Judaism. I reported on this a few days ago as relates to The New York Times' founding family.
Furthermore, Jews from Germany considered themselves elite and looked down upon Ashkenazy Jews from Poland, Russia, Hungary etc. and thus sought to Americanize themselves by associating with Liberal Politics, ie. Democrats.
Fourth, Liberal Jews, according to Norman Podhoretz, have substituted politics for their religion. Again this is an emotional act and defies practical logic and reasoning.
Finally, since Jews have been subject to religious and ethnic persecution they are justifiably leery of anything that threatens them and they fear that a large part of the Republican Party's social message has been identified with extremist thinking when it comes to religion, abortion etc.
Personally I believe Liberal Jews think far too much with their heart than their head and have re-ordered the priorities of government to bolster their feelings.
The first and primal purpose of government is to protect its people.
The second reason for government is to enhance the economic welfare of its protected citizens so they can prosper. You cannot have commerce without contracts and a judicial system that enforces them. We are a nation of laws and that is one reason why America has prospered, in addition to our work ethic and blessed resources and geographic expanse.
The final reason for government is determining the legitimate role of affirmative action and redistribution of wealth in order to level the playing field somewhat and here is where everything falls apart.
The right to tax and transfer from pocket to pocket is a powerful right and though Jews should know better, because they stress education, and have proven successful in business, science, finance and other professions. That said, they become illogical and too emotional when exercising their political judgement.
As a Conservative, I understand there is a social role for government to play but I believe balancing the budget, maintaining a strong dollar and an adequate defense is primal and unless we are willing to tax ourselves to pay for expanded social programs, many of which I believe are socially destructive, we must restrain ourselves. Therefore, I must disagree with my Liberal friends who place no boundaries. Every program that fails they seem to maintain failed because of lack of funding. However, they never identify, in advance, how much should be a limit. For them there are no limits.
I am sure there are other reasons why Jews remain disproportionately Liberal but these are mine.
All is not lost, however, because David Mamet, David Horowitz, Norman Podhoretz and many many other bright Jews have seen the light, have left the 'brain dead party' and I also believe Obama will prove a driving force away from Liberal theocracy in general.
That said, it also should be pointed out that Jews comprise a disproportionate number of elected Federal politicians, particularly in the Senate and advisory executive positions in government so they have been smart enough to prosper with the growth of big government they have helped to create.
Jews are not stupid just emotional, stubborn and too often intellectually dishonest
Jews are like people, only more so!
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NO NATIVITY SCENE AT THE WHITE HOUSE THIS CHRISTMAS
The Supreme Court has ruled that there cannot be a Nativity Scene on at the White House this Christmas season.
This isn't for any religious reason. They simply have not been able to find Three Wise Men in the Nation’s Capital.
A search for a Virgin continues.
There was NO problem, however, finding enough asses to fill the stable.
This isn't for any religious reason. They simply have not been able to find Three Wise Men in the Nation’s Capital.
A search for a Virgin continues.
There was NO problem, however, finding enough asses to fill the stable.
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Fairness food for thought: "(Don Boudreaux)
• Do you [proponents of 'redistribution'] not worry that creating government power today to take from Smith and give to Jones — simply because Smith has more material wealth than Jones — might eventually be abused so that tomorrow, government takes from Jones and gives to Smith simply because Smith is more politically influential than Jones?
• Suppose that Jones chooses a career as a poet. Jones treasures the time he spends walking in the woods and strolling city streets in leisurely reflection; his reflections lead him to write poetry critical of capitalist materialism. Working as a poet, Jones earns $20,000 annually. Smith chooses a career as an emergency-room physician. She works an average of 60 hours weekly and seldom takes a vacation. Her annual salary is $400,000. Is this “distribution” of income unfair? Is Smith responsible for Jones’ relatively low salary? Does Smith owe Jones money? If so, how much? And what is the formula you use to determine Smith’s debt to Jones?
===• While Dr. Smith earns more money than does poet Jones, poet Jones earns more leisure than does Dr. Smith. Do you believe leisure has value to those who possess it? If so, are you disturbed by the inequality of leisure that separates leisure-rich Jones from leisure-poor Smith? Do you advocate policies to “redistribute” leisure from Jones to Smith — say, by forcing Jones to wash Smith’s dinner dishes or to chauffeur Smith to and from work? If not, why not?"
A dear friend is bringing the noted Israeli Educator to Savannah to speakProf. Mordechai Kedar, Thursday evening, Feb. 6th, at the Savannah World Affairs Council (open to all, free of charge). His topic will be "Israel in a Changing Middle East".
Dr. Mordechai Kedar:
Director of the Center for the Study of the Middle East and Islam (under formation);
Research Associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies;
Lecturer in the Department of Arabic,
Bar-Ilan University, Israel, is one of Israel's leading figures in understanding the Arab world. He is the Middle East analyst of the daily newspaper “Makor Rishon” as well as other publications. Dr. Kedar is a frequent guest in the Israeli, Arab and international media. In January of 2011, Dr. Kedar gave a very insightful presentation on Capitol Hill on "Why is the Middle East Such a Difficult Area for Americans and Westerners to Understand?”
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Dick
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