To combat the seeming hysteria from some of the comments on this thread:
I am a New York jewish lifelong Democrat who HAS seen the light and am now going to enthusiastically vote for George W Bush. I embrace his strength in this time of war and I respect his domestic vision.
I am sickened and disgusted by what the Democratic party has morphed into - the party of FDR and Truman in foreign affairs has become the party of Michael Moore, Howard Dean and Hollyweird.
Moreover, I have managed to convince a number of my "liberal" Jewish friends to make the switch too. True, it is not a tidal wave just yet... old liberal Democratic habits die hard. Especially in New York.
But the tide IS turning in favor of Republicans among Jewish voters. And even a small 5% shift in states like Florida or Pennsylvania could make a HUGE electoral difference.
So dont go saying how the Jewish vote will never change and crapola like that. We are much more like Zell Miller... our former party has left us, and we are POd and we have found a new party to embrace. And you will see that trend do nothing but grow in the months and years ahead.
Well good for you personally and the few like minded who think that way too, but the majority just go "baaa" and vote democrat like they always have. Schumer and Clinton won by an overwhelming majority in NYC and environs as I remember.
This topic frequently brings hysteria to the forefront. The idea of new Republican votes is disturbing to some folk, many of whom prefer the views of the National Jewish Democratic Council, linked above and discussed on several threads.
As a New Yorker, it would have been fair of you to point out that while Gore got 80% of the Jewish vote in your state, Hillary got only 53%-55%, actually below here statewide totals. There's room there for 30%.
As I noted in a previous response on this thread, I want you to be right. Yet, if the party "left" you, it did so around thirty years ago. So I will wait until Exodus II before marveling at the beauty of the train.
I work along side two Jewish liberals. They are every bit as literate as they are deluded. After discussing issues with them for the last couple of months, I will welcome a few percent but don't expect much of a ground swell.
Anyway, welcome to the Enlightenment.
"We are much more like Zell Miller... our former party has left us, and we are POd and we have found a new party to embrace. And you will see that trend do nothing but grow in the months and years ahead."
I hope you're right.
Please keep up the good work. It isn't easy, but can make a difference. I think you have an uphill battle, but I know about those. I am an NRA member living behind enemy lines in the People's Republik of Kalifornia. Republican governor or not, our state legislature is a wholely owned subsidiary of the DNC.