Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Dems profess to be party of diversity, but leadership stacks U.S. Senate with Jews, slights blacks and Latinos

Paul Hodes could be 14th Jewish senator

(By Jeffrey Blankfort, MondoWeiss) -- November 22, 2009 -- The National Jewish Democratic Coalition may play up the fact that New Hampshire Congressman Paul Hodes, now a candidate for Senate, is pro-choice but this organization exists for one reason. This was expressed in the first sentence in a letter to its subscribers:

"In 2010, we have the unique opportunity to elect a strong progressive, guitar strumming, Israel supporting, New Hampshire congressman who comes from a Hungarian and Russian Jewish immigrant family to be Senator of the State of New Hampshire."

Times have changed. In "Jews and American Politics," the very revealing book by Stephen Issacs, published in 1974, and, according to Isaacs, the first written on the subject, the dust jacket asked three questions, one of which was, "Why do Jews seldom run for office,and why do so many work behind the scenes as strategists?"

In 1974, there were three Jewish Senators, today there are 13– not enough, per the NJDC. There is one Black senator, Roland Burris, who is not long for his office and not a single Latino. One would think that those in the Democratic Party who decide such things would see something wrong with this picture. As for those who say that religious affiliation shouldn’t make a difference, I would agree– and I’m Jewish– were it not for the dominant role that Jewish Americans in Congress have played in maintaining America’s unconditional support for Israel’s continuing dispossession and repression of the Palestinians and for its war against them and the people of Lebanon. Even the nominally Independent Bernie Sanders has, unfortunately, contributed his share to that...LINK

1 comment:

Chu said...

Just what is the Congress needs is another Pro-Israel Senator. If you have 14 Senators that all see Israel's need's threatened in some way by the president, You (as pres)can kiss your domestic agenda goodbye.
This is what Lieberman is doing right now. Posturing on Health Care, for his moneyed interests groups and surely Israel.