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October 22, 2004/Cheshvan 7 5765, Vol. 57, No. 8
Popularity contestEditorialWe're very popular this year.In a recent article in the Boston Globe, Jonathan Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University, called the Jewish vote "a coveted prize in the 2004 election." Large political ads aimed at Jewish readers, extolling the claimed virtues (and condemning the purported vices) of both major parties and their presidential candidates, have been running in the pages of newspapers including this one - and drawing the ire of some subscribers. Let's look at why we seem to be the belles of the political ball. Jews make up less than 2 percent of the U.S. population, it's true, but turn out on Election Day in impressive numbers, with as many as 80 percent of eligible Jewish voters casting their ballots. And Jews are geographically concentrated, with some 85 percent of the American Jewish population living in 20 cities. This year, even a minor shift toward the Republican Party among Jews in states like Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania - and, oh yes, Arizona - could have major implications. If the Nov. 2 presidential election is as tight as it was four years ago, and it may very well be, the Jewish vote could be the deciding factor. Sarna says the Republican Party hopes to improve on the 19 percent of the Jewish vote that George W. Bush won in the 2000 election and is targeting, in particular, Orthodox Jewish voters, young Jewish voters and pro-Israel activists. The Democratic Party, on the other hand, argues that it is the party that best represents traditional Jewish interests - the security of Israel, the sanctity of the separation between church and state and liberal social policies. Traditionally, of course, American Jews have espoused liberal causes. But experts say that may be changing. One reason is the growing Orthodox Jewish population, which is much younger than the total Jewish population and which tends, as a group, to vote in step with Protestant Evangelicals. In general, surveys show, younger Jews in the United States skew more conservative than their parents and grandparents. One study finds that 26 percent of Jews under 35 identify themselves as Republicans, compared with only 11 percent of Jews over age 65. It's a changing landscape, but then it usually is. One thing remains constant: Regardless of political affiliation, we have a duty, as citizens and as Jews, to vote in this election. And the fact that as a community, we take this duty so seriously is exactly why we're being courted by both parties. Whatever our political leaning, we must admit that it's nice to feel wanted. It would be that much nicer, of course, if we could remember that as Jews we remain united in our differences. |
