CNN: End of Jewish golden age on Capitol Hill?
I don't know what to say about the dumb blog item at CNN about how there aren't as many Jewish Congresspeople as there used to be. The post never seems to come together to make a point. The opening sentence warns that Jews may be losing influence in D.C, but of the two Jews who have recently left Congress, one is Anthony Weiner. So, does that count? He lost his seat due to an indiscretion, the sort of indiscretion that Republicans always forgive when Republicans commit them, not because voters are sick of Jews.
The article contradicts itself again when it tells us that Congress in the 60s was 1.7 percent Jewish. Now its more than 7 percent. That speaks to a waning influence? And did you see Netanyahu's reception earlier this year? His Jewish influence on Capital Hill didn't seem muted.
The post's central point - and I'm reaching at straws because the argument really was that bad - seems to be that Jews lose power when Republicans are ascendant. Republicans are on the rise (really?) ergo the Jews are on the way out. But that seems counter-intuitive. Any Agudah flack will be glad to tell you that Republicans are much more supportive of Israel and crucial Orthodox Jewish concerns such as the repression of gays, the elimination of molestation lawsuits, and the denial of halachically permitted abortions. Also, the new wave of Republican lunatics count plenty of confused Jews among their supporters.
So what is CNN even saying?
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