Democrats and Progressives: Don't Take the Jewish Vote for Granted [View all]

[ericson00]

Since 1924, the Jewish vote has voted majority/plurality Democratic in every Presidential election. Jewish voters make up a sizable portion of the electorate in many states, some modern swing states, like OH, VA, FL, and in states that had voted GOP from 1968-1988 but have voted Dem since 1992, such as CA, IL, PA, CT, NJ, MD, etc, which are parts of the Democratic electoral college wall, but all voted GOP by mostly small margins in 1988. American Jews played one of, if not, the largest role of non-black ethnic and/or religious (Jews are ethnoreligious) groups in the Civil Rights movement. Jewish donors have provided a considerable portion of the money needed to compete in modern campaigns, especially when Trump is going to rake in the Wall Street and special interest cash he used to complain about. The Jewish community has also played a large role in the LGBT rights movement.

When I see anti-Semitism here, which usually hides behind anti-Zionism, but frankly, just delves into standard Jews-behind-the-scenes tropes, delegitimization, demonization, and double standards, or uses names and terms and epithets about Debbie Schultz that I don't see other Dems attacked with, I kind of feel like not only am I not appreciated, but that my vote isn't wanted.

I used to think the Democratic Party protected people like me from anti-Semitism. I can't see that much anymore. I still agree on most of the issues with them, hence why I haven't left the party. But if you didn't notice, the 75%+ of the Jewish vote Dems had been getting since 1992 fell 10% in 2012 from 2008. Why might this have happened? Israel/Palestinians was part of it, but its not lost on American Jews the anti-Semitism coming from the far-left these days, being peddled on college campuses, and then being dubbed "progressive." Is it some wonder that of the Democrats who voted with the GOP on Syrian Refugees, that many, if not most of them, came from largely Jewish districts?

Gratitude and loyalty to constituencies matter. Democrats, don't take the Jewish vote for granted, nor think losing it doesn't matter. This country does not need a Labour Party-like situation.