Evangelicals abandon GOP, teens abandon evangelicals; Update: KP calls B.S. on the Times!
posted at 3:35 pm on October 6, 2006 by Allahpundit
Which I guess for us means not only are we going to lose now, we’re going to lose big time in the future!
The bad news:
Their alarm has been stoked by a highly suspect claim that if current trends continue, only 4 percent of teenagers will be “Bible-believing Christians” as adults. That would be a sharp decline compared with 35 percent of the current generation of baby boomers, and before that, 65 percent of the World War II generation.
The good news? The poll’s ten years old. If we’ve got both houses of Congress and the White House with only 4 percent onboard a decade later, then there’s no place to go but up. “Traditional values,” i.e. sexual circumspection, appear to be making a comeback too (at least in the UK), which also sounds promising electorally.
On the other hand:
A nationwide poll of 1,500 registered voters released yesterday by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center found that 57 percent of white evangelicals are inclined to vote for Republican congressional candidates in the midterm elections, a 21-point drop in support among this critical part of the GOP base.
Even before the Foley scandal, the portion of white evangelicals with a “favorable” impression of the Republican Party had fallen sharply this year, from 63 percent to 54 percent, according to Pew polls.
Moran puts a little lipstick on that pig by noting that most of those disaffected voters don’t appear to be crossing the aisle, just staying home. So it’s not a worst-case scenario.
It’s just really, really bad.
I leave you with Benjamin Netanyahu telling American Jews to get out while they can. 230 years of tolerance and we’re still on probation, huh? I guess you can never be too careful.
Update: KP e-mails to say that the Times article about declining enthusiasm for religious among teens is nonsense, and points me to her latest blog post and this lengthy article she wrote a few months ago for the Washington Spectator on the subject. Quote:
According to a 2005 study by UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute, which has been surveying college students for 38 years, today’s students rank spirituality and religion as high as getting a job or doing well economically. The study found that three-fourths of college students say they are “searching for meaning or purpose in life,” more than three-quarters believe in God, and three-quarters say they pray. Bull sessions on the meaning of life are nothing new, but the existence of a charismatic and organized religious movement dedicated to changing American culture is.
This is happening despite the decampment of many evangelicals to Christian schools. According to the Department of Education, total fall enrollment at member campuses of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) grew more than 70 percent from 1990 to 2004. In the same time frame, all public four-year campuses grew only 12.8 percent; all independent four-year campuses grew 28 percent and all independent religious four-year campuses grew 27.5 percent.
Naomi Schaefer Riley, author of God on the Quad: How Religious Colleges and the Missionary Generation Are Changing America, says students graduating from religious colleges are determined to influence American culture from the inside. Rather than retreating to red-state safety, they want to be around people who don’t share their beliefs. Riley describes this “Missionary Generation” as a savvy group who are seeking the same kinds of careers as those who attend secular schools. A contributor to the Wall Street Journal and National Review, Riley says that the students at religious colleges are “red through and through.” Since she surveyed only 20 schools, it’s hard to know if this assertion is fact or wishful thinking.
Blowback
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Perhaps he is motivated by the demonstrable intolerance of Jews in this country by a certain political persuasion that hides said intolerance behind their feigned concern for the Palestinians and criticism of the Israeli government.
thirteen28 on October 6, 2006 at 3:48 PM
The first link alludes to some broad assumptions that are not really supportable, such as present statistics predict future numbers in a religion. Just reading the article I think that the methodology for coming to that conclusion is highly suspect. How do you judge whether or not someone will or will not become an evangelical based on present data? Research made today couldn’t predict if someone would convert to a new faith tomorrow, much less in a decade. What kind of question could lead to an answer? “Do you plan on becoming a christian? Yes or no…”
As for voting… I’m inclined to think that “staying home” is the reason for low support. What other option does an evangelical have really? Even if Republicans have become worse at representing Christian values, it is not as though Democrats have become better at it.
Lehosh on October 6, 2006 at 4:03 PM
I didn’t read the article all the way through, or get down in the Pew numbers… but in addition to the lipstick from Moran, many may not stay home, but they may just not be as enthusiastic about voting GOP. It just says that 57% are inclined to vote GOP, but doesn’t say they’re going to stay home or vote Dem… they may do the “lesser of two evils” thing… Isn’t that what virtually all of us rightwingers are doing? We’re pissed about the border, we’re pissed about spending, and we’re pissed about the pussy way we’re fighting the war… but the alternative is unthinkable.
Again, perhaps I’m wrong because I didn’t read the entire article or the Pew study, but that’s my take/wishful thinking anyway.
Also, with all this talk about kids, I can’t not mention the “fertility gap” study showing the opposite happening… and that even states like California could be decidedly red states in a decade.
RightWinged on October 6, 2006 at 4:07 PM
I’ve never really gotten what the big deal was all about with the Christian Right. Christian have always been about 60-40% in politics.
Does the 20% gap make that big a difference?
Esthier on October 6, 2006 at 4:14 PM
No worries…
Children will become Adults/Parents; and will most likely turn conservative and religious/spiritual – unless they are rich liberal commie power hungry morons – that are not righteously principled.
Another thing, Radical Muslims will continue to kill “Christian” Americans – Christianity will grow…
Christianity has survived this long… lol, a poll…
Christianity Vs. a Liberal Poll… rofl
Plus, recall that evil such as the likes of:
1. Ted Bundy – will cause decent folks to flock to things like Christianity (Ask Dobson about how he interviewed Bundy – interesting stuff – mind blowing)
2. “Columbine’s” and murder sprees will happen (Recall that Columbine was “triggered” by Evolutionary thought – Just look at the video’s of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold – they admit the very “trigger” – well the Authorities/Police have sealed the videos but leaks prove the evidence).
No worries…
ar_basin on October 6, 2006 at 4:18 PM
On that same note, basin, Jeff Dahmer became a Christian while in prison, and said that his pre-prison psychopathic tendencies were fueled by evolution.
And as far as what you said,
I give you this quote from early Christian philosopher Tertullian: “We are not a new philosophy but a divine revelation. That’s why you can’t just exterminate us; the more you kill, the more we are. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church”
BigOrangeAxe on October 6, 2006 at 4:39 PM
I am about as conservative as they come. I am also about as fundamental and evagelical as they come. And I will freely admit that I am fed up with the GOP. Their inability to do anything about illegal immigration, their virtual impotence when it comes to doing what is necessary to when the war on terror, and their utter lack of any backbone when it comes to standing up to the liberal establishment has left me (along with many other fundamental evangelical Christians) absolutely disgusted with our current Republican party. This November, I will be voting for the Constitution Party. Although some may think I’m throwing my vote away, I would rather vote for someone who shares my core convictions and be able to hold my head high with a good conscious than to vote for someone who has no clue what it truly means to be a real conservative. Although I don’t agree with the Constitution party on 100% of it’s platform, I agree with probably 95% of it and that’s a much better percentage than I can say for the GOP platform.
maud'dib on October 6, 2006 at 4:42 PM
RightWinged, the ONLY argument I have with your theory about California, is the fact that no matter how many babies are or aren’t born there, the state a looney-magnet, a mecca, if you will, for those lacking in any sense of reality, and will continue to pull nuts to it. (Yes, I know that there ARE rational folks there, but they are obviously not the majority.) Don’t think there’s any real chance of it ever turning Red…well, until the Islamos take the U.S. and turn us all into IslamoStatists.
(No offense to you intelligent Righties in CA… You guys know you live in Looney Mecca.)
tickleddragon on October 6, 2006 at 4:46 PM
maud’dib
It’s your vote and you should do what you think you have to. But I think you’ll find that trying to enjoy that high moral feeling you hold so dear will be pretty tough once far left dems take control of this country.
You make good points, and I agree with you and am frustrated too. But I really believe we have a moral obligation to our Nation and the world at large to keep the liberal dems from taking power right now, and especially in ’08. Things are just too critical right now. We’ll fix the GOP. But we have to win this one first.
Respectfully,
techno_barbarian
techno_barbarian on October 6, 2006 at 5:23 PM
Sorry barbarian I ain’t buying it. I just moved to CA from Ohio. Were I still there I would be voting for Sherrod Brown(D) and Peirce(L)for Governor. The ONLY thing that motivates politicians is the vote. Losing a few seats will be a nice wake up call. I am more afraid of a GOP that does as it wishes than Democrats that will agitate and consolidate the base.
Theworldisnotenough on October 6, 2006 at 5:32 PM
Theworldisnotenough
That’s your right and your choice, and I respect that. But I still think the stakes are way too high to satisfy ourselves with basically going to war with the dems to oust us out of power. How can we effectively change things when we’re the minority party?
I agree that we need better leadership. But handing leadership to the dems is outright dangerous right now. The dems will not do what needs to be done to protect and defend us. Quite the contrary, they will actively seek to make us just that much more hamstrung and vulnerable at a time when we need to be steely-eyed and resolute when dealing with our many enemies.
I voted for Perot and helped cost the GOP an election that put Clinton in the WH. I voted for Perot for the same reasons you say you’re going to vote for the Constitution Party, (never heard of that before). In the years since I’ve often regretted my choice back then. My vote is the only voice I have, and I choose to use it to keep the strongest party we have in power.
But you do what you think you need to. That’s the most excellent thing about America.
techno_barbarian on October 6, 2006 at 5:47 PM
Theworldisnotenough
Got you mixed up with muad’dib on the Constitution party thing.
PIMF
techno_barbarian on October 6, 2006 at 5:54 PM
Calling the Pew Research Center “non partisan” is like calling the New York Times “non partisan”
Capitalist Infidel on October 6, 2006 at 7:31 PM
I am in agreement with muad’dib. Consider this brief analysis: The current GOP leadership knows exactly who the evangelicals are, and what they believe. They have us pegged as unable to pull the trigger for a Democrat, and know we will bite the “lesser of two evils” bullet and vote Republican again to keep the Dems out of power. In the meantime, while they use your vote, they ignore your voice, and continue to “Slouch Toward Gomorrah” (Copyright Robert Bork).
It is long past time to hold accountable that political party which presumes upon our loyalty while betraying our principles. I know I’ve said the same thing to friends and co-workers about how the Democrats use the black vote but don’t do anything which ever improves the “black condition”.
Moral integrity and principles do matter. I know the counter-arguments. If we split the Republican vote, the Dems win, and we get Speaker Pelosi and President Hillary.
The thing is, it just might require that to shake a party back to its foundation and begin to stand for the Constitution again. Or, a party already calling itself the Constitution party should begin to gain the loyalty of those whose principles agree with theirs. There are no ACP candidates that I know of on California’s November ballot, or they would have my serious consideration. It is time, and past time.
Off-topic, muad-dib, I was a huge Dune fan in my younger days; have you ever noticed how many terms and titles Herbert took from Islam, and from Iraq, for the Dune series? As an example off the top of my head, Muad’dib’s most trusted fighters were called the fedaykin (feh-dIe`-ken), and Saddam’s royal guard were known as the Fedayeen. Speaking of Saddam, the Emporer in the first two Dune books is Shaddam IV. Given when the books were written, some odd parallels.
Freelancer on October 6, 2006 at 7:37 PM
Well said Freelancer. Olivier is getting my vote in the CA Governors race.
Theworldisnotenough on October 6, 2006 at 8:40 PM
tickleddragon, you may be right about California, but that study seems pretty solid. The only thing I see stopping the growing conservative percentage of the population (again conservatives producing 41% more children and 80% of kids grow up to vote like their parents) is the illegal immigrant vote, which is why the Dems are so desperate to get it.
maud’dib and others
I think we all share your frustration, but do you really think that this is the time to “send a message” to the GOP? Do you have any idea what we’ll be in for? Countless investigations wasting all of our time, calls for Bush’s impeachment, grandstanding, getting nothing done. I’m too tired at the moment to argue against this, and obviously it’s your right, but I don’t think in these times, handing the election to the Democrats because you’re pissed that the GOP isn’t conservative enough is a good idea. I’m terrified at what that will mean, and I see it as the beginning of the end. Just consider some things that have been passed in recent years that wouldn’t have otherwise. Consider how hard it was to pass bills with all the filibustering and obstruction when the Dems weren’t even a majority.
RightWinged on October 6, 2006 at 9:10 PM
Techno_barbarian,
It is going to take the GOP losing power for them to change. Why should they currently make any changes when they know the conservative will vote for them simply to keep the Dem’s out of power? There is no reason for them to.
However, if a large, large portion of the conservative base were to suddenly withdraw their support from the GOP and vote Constitution Party or Libertarian Party or some other 3rd choice, yes the Dem’s would win likely win the election. But it would also serve as the wakeup call for the GOP to return to it’s roots.
And who knows, if enough people were to turn their backs on the GOP and vote a more conservative ticket, the third party may actually make some waves.
maud'dib on October 6, 2006 at 11:50 PM
Freelance,
I believe you are the first person to make the connection between my alias and the Dune series. Yes, I too noticed the similarities between the current Middle East culture and the Fremen cultures in the Dune series. You could probably go even further and speculate that the Atreides were symbolic of the West, the Harkonnens were the evil Communists, and the Corrinos were the Eurpoeans.
I don’t specifically have any issues with the Middle Eastern people. It’s just their “religion of peace” and it’s adherents that I don’t care for. The Freemen in Dune were an honorable people unlike the Middle East fanatics we are fighting today.
maud'dib on October 6, 2006 at 11:53 PM
Any other time, Maud’dib, I’d agree with you. But we are at war. Voting for a third party is handing a vote to the Democrats. The Republicans are far from spectacular, but they are a far shot better than Democrats. If they have control of Congress, they can easily defund the war effort. Further, they have already announced intentions to raise taxes and a whole slew of other left wing tripe. You won’t be punishing Republicans. You’ll be punishing the American people.
CT on October 7, 2006 at 1:00 AM
The Foley mess only underscores what I believe to be true for Christians, especially Evangelicals: our elected officials in Washington have more in common with each other than they do with us, regardless of party. Sort of like German officers in WWII treating French officers better than German soldiers. Gomorrah is Washington.
The sexual perversion and infidelity that is commonplace in Washington has worn thin with many Christians. The Machiavellian GOP types who believe that we can’t go over to the Euro-Dems are only half right; we can sit or look for other choices that make moral sense.
More importantly, we can continue to look for local candidates that reflect our world view.
Jaibones on October 7, 2006 at 1:50 AM
Maud’dib wrote:
“It is going to take the GOP losing power for them to change.”
Don’t you understand that letting the Democrats win this November will result in serious national security threats to America and worse?
The Democrats intend to raise taxes beyond rolling back the Bush tax cuts, INCLUDING Social Security tax increases.
They intend to let Al Qaeda win in Iraq.
They intend to abandon (cut and run) Afghanistan as well as Iraq.
They intend to cut the military.
They will forever stop the NSA from tracking terrorists down as they plan their attacks against us.
They will forever end the program to track down Al Qaeda terrorists by following the money.
They will prevent interrogation of any terrorists we capture.
They will paralyze prosecution of Al Qaeda by giving them “miranda rights” and ACLU lawyers as if they are simple convenience store robbers NOT vicious murderers who have declared unrestricted war on all Americans.
They will open the borders to illegal aliens and give them the right to vote in our elections.
The world has been here before, you know.
The people of Germany voted in enough National Socialists in 1932 to make it possible for them to take over the government after the Reichstag burned down.
Like Germany in 1932, we have the vote. We can vote for anybody we want to. However, the Germans threw away their vote, those who voted for Hitler and his Nazis.
Because for all Germans, Hitler’s rise to power in 1932 resulted in ONE MAN, ONE VOTE, ONE TIME — for almost 2 decades.
And given the pattern that the Democrats are promising to implement, you, me, this blog, Limbaugh, Hannity, and so on, WILL BE SILENCED. The goal of liberls and Democrats, like the Nazis, is to get into power AND STAY THERE. It took 12 years, and 60 million lives to end Nazi rule in Germany.
We are at war and YOU intend to help the Surrender Party take control.
techno_barbarian regretted his vote for Perot because it gave us Clinton. Don’t make his mistake.
A vote for anybody but a Republican is a vote for the Democrats.
georgej on October 7, 2006 at 8:28 AM
It’s interesting that so many people on this thread seem to believe that the best case scenario if to have power entirely concentrated in the hands of one party, indeed one portion of that party. Which brings to mine the old bromide that power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Not to mention that this idea basically is at odds with the notion that ours is a representative democracy, with all points of view not just welcome, but necessary.
The R party is now where the D party was in the 70′s–the extreme wing disproportionately driving the agenda and the dialogue. I predict the same result. People at both the right and left extreme never seem to realize that in the end they need to play to the middle. We’ll see.
honora on October 7, 2006 at 12:54 PM
One thing to look at that says something about where the country is going: Dems now have 22 governorships; interestingly these include states like Montana, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma. Polls predict the Dems will pick up at least 3 this election–possibles are states in the no surprise category–Mass, NY, Maryland; what’s interesting is that Dems are leading in Ohio and Colorado as well.
If I were the RNC I would be concerned about this. There is a school of thought that the Dems will never regain power without breaking the hold the Rs have on the South. Emerging school of thought is forget the South, consolidate the NE and Midwest and make inroads in the West.
Sounds like a plan.
honora on October 7, 2006 at 1:14 PM
The Democrats intend to raise taxes beyond rolling back the Bush tax cuts, INCLUDING Social Security tax increases.
They intend to let Al Qaeda win in Iraq.
They intend to abandon (cut and run) Afghanistan as well as Iraq.
They intend to cut the military.
They will forever stop the NSA from tracking terrorists down as they plan their attacks against us.
They will forever end the program to track down Al Qaeda terrorists by following the money.
They will prevent interrogation of any terrorists we capture.
They will paralyze prosecution of Al Qaeda by giving them “miranda rights” and ACLU lawyers as if they are simple convenience store robbers NOT vicious murderers who have declared unrestricted war on all Americans.
They will open the borders to illegal aliens and give them the right to vote in our elections. GEORGE J
Amen George, Amen. This is a worthy list that must be kept in the forefront of everyones mind as we hold our noses and vote Republican. However, we must kick the homos and RINO’s out once and for all. Not really conservative? Then GET THE HELL OUT.
Soothsayer on October 7, 2006 at 3:13 PM
I’d rather have freedom-loving libertarians on our side than puritan evangelicals. Going for the libertarians would bring a lot more independents into our cap. The Christian Right has been an albatross around the Republican Party’s neck ever since the late 80′s.
Mark V. on October 7, 2006 at 5:15 PM
Honora wrote:
“It’s interesting that so many people on this thread seem to believe that the best case scenario if to have power entirely concentrated in the hands of one party, indeed one portion of that party.”
Actually, you don’t “get it,” not at all.
YOUR party has been taken over by people whose ideology has been proven wrong time after time. From gun control (what the 2nd Amendment means) to abortion, from Adam Smith to confiscatory taxation (“redistribution of wealth”), and many others issue, what YOUR party stands for and believes has been proven wrong time, repeatedly.
I could write a book about the historical issues where the left has been not only wrong, but dangerously wrong.
But on the one that is most important to most Americans today, the security of the United States, the leftwing of your party since 1972, has consistently worked to undermine the nation. Actually “undermine” isn’t the right word. “Sabotage” is. And Jay Rockerfeller’s memo that was leaked to the press in October 2003 is proof of such deliberate sabotage.
The problem with your party is that it has been completely taken over by the angry left, driving out any moderation — not only with respect to ideology, but in terms of behavior.
It is the left that riots and resorts to violence when conservatives or Republicans *dare* to speak on college campuses, not the right. In fact, I cannot remember any “rightwing” led storming of the podium at a college or university, or “pieing” of a liberal speaker, ever.
It is the left that calls the terrorists, who murder the innocent in the name of Allah in Iraq and Afghanistan “freedom fighters,” not the Republicans or the right. Michael Moore, who openly admires the terrorist, whom your party gave a place of honor at your last national convention, is YOUR creature, not mine.
Further, I will remind you that NO REPUBLICAN has ever spit on the flag at one of its state party conventions and called the color guard “nazis” — unlike the 2000 NY State Democratic Party convention in Albany, NY.
NO REPUBLICAN has ever booed the Eagle Scout color guard at their national convention — unlike your 2000 national convention in Los Angeles.
And I can uncover NO instances of REPUBLICANS firing guns at local Democratic Party headquarters, or taking over and trashing them — which happened repeatedly to the Republicans in 2004.
Come to think of it, I can’t ever remember a conspiracy of Republicans to slash the tires of Democratic Party vehicles in Milwaukee — unlike what your party did to the Republicans.
And it is NOT Republicans that mob-protest YOUR national conventions, it is the DEMOCRATS that do it to the Republicans. So much for polity, eh?
When Clinton was president there were NOT repeated open “wishes” for his assassination; there were NO postage-stamp artwork showing a gun to Clinton’s head as there is today. There were no movies or plays openly advocating the assassinaton of Clinton. Unlike today. “Assination chic” is what DEMOCRATS do, not Republicans.
If FDR, Truman, or JFK were alive today they would NOT recognize the Democratic Party as the one they once led.
Your party has become a party of Brownshirts. And while I don’t claim to speak for others, it is why the idea of your party getting control of the government frightens me; frightens me to the point of wishing to see that your party is kept from power, under all circumstances and at all levels.
Until the Democrat Party turns its back upon the left, and tells George Soros (and his moveon.org and CREW), and Kos’s “nutroots,” and your “Gumbahs” Rahm Emanuel, Paul Begala, and John Podesta, to go to hell, this former Democrat intends support the other party, exclusively.
In fact, let me state my feelings about the Democratic Party in real, blunt terms: Potestas Democraticorum delenda est!
georgej on October 7, 2006 at 5:45 PM
I usually like to name those I agree with but I lost track of who and how many I wanted to say ‘right on brutha’ to so let me just say that it’s bad enough to vote for Ross Perot in PEACE TIME to ‘send a message to the Pubbies’ and give us a Bill Klinton, but during WAR TIME the only ‘message’ we as a nation will be sending will be to the terrorists and it’ll be (in a French accent) “We surrender” because the terrorists don’t care if the Dems won only because of a split in the Pubbie party, all they care about is the fact that the cut and run party is in power so now it’s open season on America. A vote for anyone other than the Pubs (as bad as they’ve been on some issues) is a vote for Dhimmitude.
Don’t be a Dhimmi!
Mrs737 has a BabyGirl737 in her cargo bay and I don’t want either of them to be forced at gunpoint by some savage jihadi to wear a freakin’ burqa and howl at the moon five times a day. My family and I believe in Jesus Christ the Savior and will NOT bow to a satanic death cult. But we’re also not soldiers. America depends on it’s professional military to defend us and our way of life so that we may live in peace without having to fight this war in the streets of our own cities and towns. When the forces of the false prophet come to YOUR town you’ll be saying “Damn, why did I waste my vote on a guy who only registered .01 percent on the name recognition scale?” But hey, at least you voted your conscience, and that’s the important thing.
By the way, I’ve never seen or read Dune, but has anyone ever noticed the simularities between muslims and the Sand People of the Star Wars movies?
Tony737 on October 8, 2006 at 9:17 AM
And these are the people who are poised to knock your side back in a couple weeks. Gosh, that must be discouraging. Saw Senator Danforth on TV last night. He is very worried about people like you, the ones who have driven comity from politics, the ones who are so sure they are right that they have lost control of their judgement and their humanity.
By the by, look for Dubya to begin the withdrawal from Iraq after the election. He, with the help of sycophants like you, took this nation into a foolish and needless war that will leave us and mideast worse off than before.
I don’t for a minute think this will change your mind. And I know you are sadly proud of your inflexibility. You know the problem with being inflexible don’t you? Ever been in a hurricane?
honora on October 8, 2006 at 12:13 PM
“Gumbahs?” You mean goombah perhaps?
honora on October 8, 2006 at 12:14 PM
AP,
You misunderstood Netanyahu’s remarks and then shot from the hip. He did not say that U.S. Jews should move to Israel because the U.S. is intolerant. He said (essentially) that U.S. Jews should move to Israel because they cannot live a fully Jewish life in the U.S. and will ultimately dissolve into the melting pot. Netanyahu specifically cited the dangers to a U.S. Jewish future from “assimilation and intermarriage”.
Netanyahu’s fear for the continuity of the Jews of the U.S. is understandable. The current U.S. Jewish birthrate is below replacement level, 1.86. This rate is probably pulled upwards by the 10% of US Jews who are Orthodox and have birthrates of between 3.3 and 6. The overall rate for Jews in Israel is about 2.25 to 2.5 (from memory) and rising about 4.8% per year. U.S. Jewish population is also eroded by intermarriage and a big drop in observance amoung many Jews (although there is a also a rise in observance amoung a minority of U.S. Jews due to outreach by Orthodox groups such as Chabad and Aish Ha Torah).
The bottom-line is that in 20 years the U.S. Jewish population will probably fall from the current figure of about 5 million to 2.5 million (although the remainder will probably be more religiously observant).
One of the best recent popular articles on U.S. Jewish population is by Jack Wertheimer in Commentary.
A fuller account of Netanyahu’s remarks was given in the Jerusalem Post.
It is not accurate to paint Netanyahu (a man who grew up in the Philadelphia area and graduated from MIT) as anything but an admirer of the U.S.
MarcH on October 8, 2006 at 8:37 PM
Georgej,
Very well-stated and well-itemized list of reasons to keep voting the Republican party line. I don’t think that I saw anything I disagreed with on the face. Yes, the lberals would try to do all those things to our country. And yes, all those terrible things that Democrat operatives do but Republicans don’t do during election seasons was true.
And yet, President Bush failed to do his job on literally hundreds of occasions, by not vetoing ridiculously bad legislation. And why were such terrible bills brought to his desk? Because a Republican-controlled House and Senate didn’t stop them.
I carry water for no political entity, only the truth. President Bush has an agenda that doesn’t get into print, to unite the U.S. with Canada and Mexico, the only plausible explanation for not acting more strongly to secure the borders. Why bother if there will be no need for borders in the not-to-distant future?
You said, rightly so, that Kennedy and FDR would not recognize their party today. I submit that at least Kennedy wouldn’t even align himself with today’s Republican party, because it is TOO LIBERAL. Who among the top Republicans nowadays makes one think of Kennedy’s famous line, “Ask not what your country can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country?” Oh, they’re out there, but it’s a mighty short list.
Ahh, there is one thing about which I categorically disagree with georgej. “A vote for anybody but a Republican is a vote for the Democrats”. That is hogwash. I’m not talking about the 2008 presidential election, just the upcoming congressional ballots.
I’m not the least bit interested in changing anyone’s mind here, simply ranting for catharsis’ sake.
Now to flame the other side. Honora, what we are doing in Iraq is anything but needless. In at least half a dozen asian or middle-eastern ports of call during my military career, I encountered ex-patriat Iraqis who would all have loved to return to their home country. And EVERY ONE of them expressed the wish that the American military would get rid of Saddam so that they could.
Understand that througout Saddam’s nearly four decades in power, an average month saw in excess of 5,000 Iraqi citizens killed by the government for reasons unconnected with crime. Since we have been there, fewer non-combatant civilians have died than in slightly more than a single year of Saddam’s regime. The vast majority of deaths in the last year have been non-Iraqi insurgents, and the vast majority of Iraqi deaths have been at the hands of those same insurgents, or pro-jihad Iraqis.
I’m not going to spend any more effort on that, anyone who wants to know what has been accomplished there can find out for themselves, as long as your sources don’t include the NYTimes or ABC news and their ilk.
Freelancer on October 9, 2006 at 7:49 AM