A Reply To The Last Comment (Sorta), About Why Jews Vote Democrat

(Note:  On the April 28, 2024, post, a friend/reader asked me:  "As a Jew, I'd like to see you a write a post on why the Jews continue to overwhelmingly support the Democrat party!"  This post is an effort to address that...sort of.)

Let's start with former President Barack Obama.  In July, 2009, his first year in office, he was reported to have said:  "Look at the past eight years.  During those eight years, there was no space between us and Israel, and what did we get from that?  When there is no daylight, Israel just sits on the sidelines, and that erodes our credibility with the Arab states."  It was one big, fat lie.  In 2000, President Bill Clinton invited then Israeli P.M. Ehud Barak, along with P.A. President Yasser Arafat, to the White House.  Israel offered to give up land won in the 1967 war, in order to create a Palestinian state. 

Arafat refused, returned to Ramallah, and started the Second Intifada.  That lasted from 9/28/00 to 2/8/05.  Israel was not sitting on the sidelines during that time.  Israel was trying to defend against the murderous Palestinian attacks (often by so-called suicide bombers) that ended up killing over 1000 Israelis.  But the problem was Israel??!!  Let's not forget to mention Obama's mistreatment of, and complaints about, Netanyahu.  Did Obama's lies or mistreatment of Netanyahu deter my fellow Jews on the left from voting for Obama a second time?  Of course not.

Fast forward to Obama's last full month in office, December, 2016.  Obama in coordination with New Zealand, pushed a UN Security Council resolution that passed 14-0, with the US (holding a veto power) abstaining.  This resolution set forth the parameters of a Palestinian state, based on the so-called pre-1967 borders.  The result was declaring that the Old City of Jerusalem, home to the two holiest sites in Judaism (the Temple Mount and the Kotel aka Western Wall) would be in Palestinian territory.  Did this outrageous concession by Obama deter my fellow Jews on the left from wishing that Obama could run for a third term?  Absolutely not.  In fact, I just heard from a left-wing fellow Jew the other day, telling me he would happily vote for Obama again.

It appears that my fellow Jews on the left got their wish for a third Obama term - on steroids.  Current Secretary of State Antony Blinken was Obama's Deputy National Security Advisor, and then became Obama's Deputy Secretary of State.  Current National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was Obama's Director of Policy Planning for a couple of years, before becoming then VP Biden's National Security Advisor.  

But hasn't Biden supported Israel after the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7?  Yes, he did.  But now elections are coming up.  Top serving Jewish official in our government, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, called for new elections in Israel, essentially saying that Netanyahu had to go.  Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi subsequently chimed in, calling for Netanyahu to resign.  Just how outrageous is that?  Senior members of Congress calling for the duly elected, democratically elected, leader of a key ally, to be removed from office.  I have zero doubt that Schumer and Pelosi coordinated their remarks with the Biden White House.  Will those kinds of outrageous and unprecedented comments deter my fellow Jews on the left from voting for Biden in November?  Don't be silly.

Now, in Gaza, Israel has Hamas on the ropes.  It is said that Hamas has 4 remaining battalions, all in Rafah, in Southern Gaza.  Israel has delayed major operations there, undoubtedly under pressure from Biden.  Now, Biden held up arms to Israel, in the middle of their war.  Arms that were voted on and duly authorized by Congress.  Now, Blinken says that Israel needs to "get out of Gaza."  So, Israel needs to allow Hamas to continue to control Gaza.  The same Hamas that has promised to attack Israel, as they did on October 7, over and over and over again.  Will that deter my fellow Jews on the left from voting for Biden again?  Don't count on it.  

What about the widespread demonstrations on college campuses and in our cities?  We have seen Jews harassed and attacked both verbally and physically.  Hasn't any of this gotten the attention of my fellow Jews of all political persuasions?  Actually, it has.  But do I believe it will change votes?  Let's be clear.  The individuals and groups funding these protesters are assuredly Democrats, or vote Democrat.  The university administrators and faculty supporting these protesters are undoubtedly Democrats, or vote Democrat.  Then we have the Democrat members of Congress supporting the protesters and pro-Hamas crowd.  And following my last post, a critique of Biden's poor performance in a speech addressing antisemitism, I was advised by quite a few fellow Jews about how good a speech it was.  

So, do I expect people unhappy with the protests to vote Republican?  Not likely.  Why?  Abortion and Trump.  Trump is roundly detested by many of my fellow Jews.  They give Trump no credit for being the best president ever for Israel and the Jewish people.  Biden reinstated funding to UNRWA, the UN agency in Gaza that works hand in glove with Hamas.  Trump had cut off that funding.  Trump cut off money to Iran.  Biden released that money.  Does supplying money to groups that turn around and use that money on weapons to kill Jews in Israel make any difference to many of my fellow Jews?  Unlikely.  

So what will make a difference?  Sorry, but I have no idea.