I found this article on what the Brat win means for Jews. And especially Republican Jews (a distinct minority within a minority). I agree with some points and disagree with others. One thing the author fails to note is that America is becoming more secular. And that bodes ill for the future of the current Republican Party.
But I really liked the punch line (The Kristol in question is Irving).
I called Kristol after I read the article. Did he mean, I wondered, that Jews would have to draw in among themselves and live more separately from America at large? He did indeed.
And what about him? He’d started his journey years ago as a Trotskyite and remained quite secular. Had he now joined a synagogue? Yes, he had. What denomination? I asked.
“Conservative,” he said. “I looked for a neoconservative one, but I couldn’t find any.”
Comments
4 responses to “The Brat Win And The Jewish Factor”
What I read as I am not jewish is the jewish community perceives its main problem is that jewish assimilation into american society is making the the jewish community fearful of disintegration as the only anti-semites threatening jews are crazies usually already on the run from the law. The few attacks that occur usually kill a black guard as in washington or L.A. or non jews like in kansas. The biggest threat is non jews wanting to marry jews and since that really can’t be called a threat there is no defence against it.
One thing the author fails to note is that America is becoming more secular. And that bodes ill for the future of the current Republican Party.
Indeed it does. It turns out Mr. Kristol was wrong. Religious institutions don’t command the widespread moral authority they once had. Ironically, by turning to the “safe haven” of religious dogmatism to attract voters, the Republican Party has, in part, fueled the increasing secularization of America. It turns out that a lot of voters no longer to subscribe to 19th century (and earlier) views on things and Republicans are paying the price.
The dog whistle of religion that Republicans have employed these last few decades has become a double-edged sword for them. The socons have emerged as the most motivated faction in the Party and no Republican candidate for President can win without gaining their support. Unfortunately for Republican candidates, the socon approval turns off independent and independent-minded Democrats as the socon positions on several issues aren’t in line with the secular majority views on their pet issues.
In summary, the Republicans bet on the wrong horse of religious conservatism a few decades back. While it served them well for a few election cycles, it’s now become a liability for them except for mostly the southern states.
Randy,
Even in the Southern States it is losing its appeal.
“The socons have emerged as the most motivated faction in the Party…”
That is clearly untrue these days, although it was true at one time. The Tea Party wing is the most-motivated faction, and is composed of libertarian-leaning Republicans and socons who have agreed that social issues are really not important enough to worry about right now. The old-line socons are still playing footsie with the Establishment Republicans, for the most part.
I give it even odds whether the Republican party self-destructs or is essentially taken over by the Tea Party conservative-libertarian coalition.