Wolraich: Obama at the Gates of... Gates
Dr. C: In Praise of Writing Binges
Maiello: Gatsby Doesn't Grate
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Wolraich: Obama at the Gates of... Gates Dr. C: In Praise of Writing Binges Maiello: Gatsby Doesn't Grate |
Blowing |
Knees jerk on many issues, but nowhere as much as with respect to the voting habits of Americans who happen to be Jewish. The assumption of some is that [some] Jews put another nation-state, the Jewish State, first, and then they put the United States second (or third, or whatever--even after derma and pickled herring). From that springs the hateful allegation that [some] Jews are "Israel Firsters". Even in the most progressive of salons, even in the year 2012, there is a presumption that some Jews put the interests of the Jewish State above the interests of the United States of America.
Returning to reality, the most recent survey results bring the heinous lie to this knee jerk notion--again--at least on an aggregate scale. Jews, more than any other ethnic group except perhaps for African Americans and maybe Hispanics this year, support President Obama. Let me repeat that, Jews more than any other ethnic group except perhaps for African Americans and maybe Hispanics this year, support President Obama.
Of course, some cynics might say that well, hey, supporting Obama doesn't mean that the Jews put America first like other Americans do, because of course Obama like all American leaders, is in the pocket of the Jewish Lobby and is no different that Romney on the issue of Israel. But the survey I link to demonstrates that Jewish Americans put the economy and other issues way above Israel when it comes to issues that influence how they vote. Imagine that.
These are the facts. The discussion should proceed accordingly.
Prompted by Peggy Noonan's claim in The Wall Street Journal that "we are in the midst of the worst Washington scandal since Watergate," Andrew Sullivan steps forward to defend Pres. Obama's honor. "Can she actually believe this?," he asks incredulously.
By Julian Pecquet, The Hill, May 18, 2013
Congress is ramping up a new round of sanctions against Iran, ignoring the Obama administration's request to let diplomacy run its course.
In back-to-back hearings this week, lawmakers on key House and Senate panels put the State and Treasury departments on notice that their patience is wearing thin after the latest round of talks last month failed to produce a deal. Both chambers have legislative efforts in the works – the House foreign affairs panel will vote next week – but the administration is warning against any moves that could undermine international support for the existing sanctions against Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program [....]
By Carl Zimmer, New York Times/Science, May 16/17, 2013
An article that summarizes the recent work of Ya-Ping Zhang, a geneticist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who has led an international network of scientists who have compared pieces of DNA from different canines which is pointing to the theory that dogs domesticated themselves.
But the article's message is not just what it first appears to be. When you get to the concluding paragraphs there are some real though provokers:
[....] SLC6A4 may have played a crucial part in this change, because serotonin influences aggression.
To test these ideas,...
By Neha Paliwal, Passport @ ForeignPolicy.com, May 17, 2013
On Friday, chaotic clashes broke out in Georgia as an angry mob -- comprised mainly of young men but also including robed priests and some women -- descended on a gay rights rally commemorating International Day Against Homophobia. A day earlier, the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church had demanded that authorities stop the rally, calling it a "violation of the majority's right."
According to EurasiaNet, the mob, which numbered...
By Miriam Elder in Moscow, The Guardian, May 17, 2013
Federal Security Service spokesman breaches protocol as he accuses US agency of crossing 'red line' in its recruitment efforts
Well this isn't anything I didn't already know. I was introduced to being a Democrat by my first boyfriend who happened to be Jewish.
He was right and I never went back to calling myself an independent.
The finding that jolted me was this one:
I haven't seen the question wording, nor have I seen or looked into either overall US electorate or other subgroup poll data on that topic.
I'm not sure how that compares to the overall population. The apples to apples comp. would require a question, as reflected above, that speaks of military intervention after diplomacy and sanctions have not worked. Interesting question.