Posted on 06/28/2002 7:35:16 PM PDT by LarryLied
National Jewish Democratic Council press release:
Washington, DC: According to the Associated Press and CNN.com’s Internet site, Representative Benjamin Gilman – a former chairman of the House International Relations Committee, and one of only two Jewish Republicans in the House of Representatives – is considering a switch to the Democratic Party.USA Today, 5625/02:Under the leading New York redistricting plan currently under consideration by the GOP leadership in Albany, Rep. Gilman may be thrown into the same congressional district as Republican Rep. Sue Kelly. To pass, such a plan would ultimately require the support of the Republican State Senate and Republican Governor George Pataki.
And according to the New York Times Internet site, “Republican lawmakers have long made clear that their first choice for departure is Mr. Gilman, because of his age and his relatively liberal politics.”
In a swipe at President Bush, CNN.com reports that Rep. Gilman noted, “Hopefully the White House will take some interest in our problem.”
“While of course we would very happily welcome Representative Gilman into the Democratic family with open arms, it is simply a shanda – a disgrace – that Republican leaders in New York and Washington would not be more supportive of one of only two Jewish House Republicans,” said Ira N. Forman, Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council.
“Where are the supportive voices of President Bush, RNC Chairman Racicot, and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Davis? For that matter, where are the supportive voices of New York’s Governor Pataki and New York Republican Senate President Bruno?
“Rep. Gilman is one of the all-too-few Republican moderates, being pro-choice and supportive of the separation of church and state.
But aside from that, he is a vaunted leader, having served in the House for 30 years and having chaired the House International Relations Committee – where he worked in a bipartisan spirit on behalf of Israel. And then, to add insult to injury, he is one of only two Jewish House Republicans.
Is it that the Republicans do not value the diversity of having two Jews among their ranks of 222 Republicans in the House?
Or is it that they do not need his political moderation, or his decades of experience?
Why is it that out of only a handful of incumbent House Republicans across the country who have been abandoned in the redistricting process by the Republican leadership, it appears that one is the pro-Israel former Chairman of the House International Relations Committee and the senior Jewish Republican in Congress?”
New York redistricting plan gets tentative OK
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has tentatively cleared the New York legislature's redistricting plan, which would eliminate two of the state's 31 seats and could throw several longtime House members into election fights with each other .
The plan threatens the career of veteran GOP Rep. Benjamin Gilman, the 79-year-old former chairman of the House International Relations Committee. . .(snip)
Gilman has said he might switch parties so that he would have a better chance in the upcoming election.
Most Republican insiders do not think he will actually jump ship. State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, a Republican, has said Gilman chuckled about such a move with him.
FULL USA TODAY ARTICLE
One I might mention is ONLY going to be found on the endlessly-refighting-the-civil-war threads; another is ONLY concerned with tax issues in his/her state.
So I guess that's not so unusual.
Really, though, the Jews influence outweighs their numbers (ask Larry Lied for more info on that) on both the conservative and liberal side of the street (although Larry discounts the latter, of course)
And they are skillful practitioners of the ways of politics, which is one of the major reasons there are so many obsessed with what they think. I just think it important for some to remember that they don't all think alike, by any measure, or are inure to changes in the world that may lead them to change their opinions, either.
Retire gracefully, Mr. Gillman. Go rock on the front porch and enjoy your grandchildren.
Thanks a bunch. For an encore, how about a thread on how most African Americans don't really support Democrats or how the Christian Coalition supported Bill Clinton in 1996?
Also know you know I know of more which could be listed if I wasn't tired of playing the "prove the membership" ring-around-the-rosey.
The usual suspects won't believe me but, once again, Ihope you are right and I'm wrong. The more conservatives the better. 80% agreement would be terrific. 60% is OK.
The are quite a number of nationalist ones relating to Israel
Domestically there are party orgs like the Republican Jewish Coalition, and the National Jewish Coalition.
There are also policy orgs like
Jews for Morality http://www.jewsformorality.org/
Jews for the Preservation of Firearm Ownership http://www.jpfo.org
Jews for Life http://www.jewsforlife.org/
TOWARD TRADITION http://www.towardtradition.org/
The Jewish Democratic Congressman will never support Bush, but might vote with his agenda on some issues.
Of course we could get some Jews elected to both houses.
Dick Zimmer from NJ in the house or Norm Coleman in Minnisota.
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