Breaking down the Jewish vote
I'm sure many of you recall the McLaughlin and Associates survey that I discussed here. On Wednesday, there was a bloggers call with John McLaughlin, in which I participated but did not speak up. Jennifer Rubin, who asked one of the questions I wanted to ask (Anne Lieberman of Boker Tov Boulder asked the other), summarizes some of what we learned. He stressed that although exit polls showed 78 percent of Jews voted for Obama, it is significant that 46 percent would now consider voting for someone else. That number is dramatically higher among Orthodox voters (69 percent) and somewhat higher among denominationally Conservative Jews (50 percent) as well as those with family in Israel (48 percent) or those who had been to Israel (49 percent). This pattern – linking criticism of Obama with religious observance and affiliation with Israel — held on virtually all questions, including Obama’s job approval, the imposition of a peace plan, and the division of Jerusalem. On Obama’s job performance, for example, 80 percent of Orthodox Jews disapprove, and 50 of Conservatives disapprove, but only 26 percent of Reform Jews.Sounds like another winner for religious observance and for Birthright as the future of the American Jewish community.
I asked McLaughlin if Reform Jews were also more liberal. He answered, “They are definitely more Democratic, more liberal and more concerned about domestic issues.” I also asked about the correlation between support for Obama and age. His poll screened for likely voters in the coming November and suggested there will be a drop-off in general among younger voters from 2008, which brought many new voters to the poll. Within American Jewry, older voters are more loyal to Obama and to the party. Among voters over 55 years old, only 42 percent would consider voting for someone other than Obama, while 52 percent under 55 would. In the sample, among voters over 55 years old, 64 percent were Democrats, while “only” 53 percent under 55 identified as Democrats. As a group, however, Jews remain far more liberal (40 percent identified as such in the poll, only 21 percent as conservative) than voters in general.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:06 PM
3 Comments:
Sorry to post off subject but I thought you might be interested in two of the resolutions to be discussed at this years conference of the University lecturers' Union in the UK
SFC15 Palestine solidarity, BDS, and Histadrut, University of Brighton Grand Parade
Congress notes the successful international BDS conference hosted by the UCU in line with Congress policy;
The statement that emerged from that conference and the call from the Palestinian Boycott National Committee for an isolation of Israel while it continues to act in breach of international law.
Congress resolves:
· To reaffirm its support for BDS, and to seek its implementation within the constraints of the existing law;
· To seek in conjunction with other trade unions, nationally and internationally, to establish an annual international conference on BDS, a trade union sponsored BDS website and a research centre on commercial, cultural and academic complicity with Israeli breaches of international law, with appropriate cost sharing;
· To sever all relations with Histadrut, and to urge other trade unions and bodies to do likewise;
· To campaign actively against the EU-Israel Association Agreement, and to coordinate that campaign with other trade unions and solidarity movements.
SFC16 Ariel and West Bank Colonisation, University of Brighton Falmer
Congress notes
The continuing colonisation of the West Bank – construction of illegal settlements, Israeli-only roads, diversion of Palestinian water, disaggregation of the territory, disruption of Palestinian life, destruction of olive groves and separation of Palestinian cultivators from their land, denial of educational and scholarly opportunities to Palestinians, and the continuing construction of the wall;
The contribution of Israel’s academy in this process – scientific and social and historical research, sitting of annexes on illegally confiscated land, and support for military occupation;
The particular contribution of Ariel College in this process – recruiting Israelis as settlers for their education – and the recent decision of Israel to recognise Ariel as a ‘university centre’, on the way to its establishment as a university on occupied territory.
Congress resolves to commence the investigatory process associated with the imposition of a boycott of Ariel College.
I'm looking for a "lone member" service, like the Girl Scouts have. The Israeli govt rabbis slime me and I've pretty much stopped participating with the URJ dem party PAC. Quite distressing, actually.
Norman, I've always thought that the U.K. hard science people sit quietly while these "lecturer" types keep pushing boycotts ... because they are envious of the progress in science and technology that Israel keeps achieving, in spite of (or because of? who knows?) everything that goes on in Israel's neighborhood. The U.K. technology people don't look as shiny, so they let people try to throw impediments in front of the Israelis. While maintaining their own tsk tsk tsk deniability.
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