By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 7– The Gallup polling organization has found that the percentage of Jews identifying as Democrats has dropped from 71 percent in 2008 to 61 percent in 2014. Over the same period, Republican registration among Jews climbed from 22 percent to 29 percent, according to the pollsters. About 10 percent of Jews are registered as independents or in third parties, up from 7 percent in 2008.
The findings were based on a telephonic poll of 4,116 American Jews. In cross tabulations, the Gallup organization found that Jewish men are more attracted than Jewish women to the Republican party, by a margin of 36 to 23 percent. Highly religious Jews likewise identify in greater numbers with the Republican party than do those who are “moderately religious” or secular, respectively 42 percent, 32 percent and 24 percent. Jews with degrees from institutions of higher learning are more likely than Jews with less education to register Democratic — those with postgraduate degrees 68 percent, bachelor’s degrees 62 percent, some college 55 percent, and high school or less 49 percent.
The Gallup organization noted that in the current Republican-led Congress there are 26 Democratic members of the U.S. Senate and the House, one independent (Senator Bernie Sanders) and one Republican, newly elected Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York. Approximately 5 percent of the membership of Congress is Jewish, compared to approximately 2 percent of the overall population of the United States.
In reaction, Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matt Brooks said: “This poll reinforces what we have seen at the voting booth, the GOP continues to make inroads with Jewish voters. Republicans have gained support in the Jewish community in 5 of the last 6 national elections. The RJC has worked over past election cycles to increase Jewish support for Republicans, helping Mitt Romney get 31% of the Jewish vote up from 22% in 2008. We are encouraged by the trend and the continued inroads the GOP is making with the Jewish community.
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Democrats in California’s 80 Assembly Districts will be selecting members of their State Central Committee this weekend. Numerous candidates are running, among whom are some who are members of the Jewish community. In San Diego County, we are told, they include: 77th District: Michael Gelfand, Carol Waldman; 78th District: Brian Polejas; 79th District: Elizabeth Leventhal, Miriam Plotkin, and 80th District: Michelle Krug. Seven men and seven women will be elected in each Assembly District.
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The Zionist Organization of America on Wedneday, Jan. 7, called upon President Obama to end aid to the Palestinian Authority, citing Public Law 113-235 prohibiting U.S. financial support for the P.A. if the “Palestinians initiate an International Criminal Court (ICC) judicially authorized investigation, or actively support such an investigation, that subjects Israeli nationals to an investigation for alleged crimes against Palestinians. In a news release, ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “It is truly remarkable that the clear objectives of dictator Abbas and his PA to promote terror, destroy Israel, and subvert peace can possibly be ignored, as it is by President Obama and virtually all other national governments. The time has come to tell the truth about this horrible gang of terrorists, and at last make them pay a price for working against peace and American interests in the region. US law requires that no aid be given to the PA from the moment they begin to pursue a case against Israel in the ICC. Why would the US want to subsidize actions by this hate-filled regime that works against the interests of US diplomacy?”
The U.S. Senate
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U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-Minnesota) on Wednesday, Jan. 7, helped reintroduce a landmark piece of legislation to protect net neutrality and help keep access to the Internet equal for consumers and small businesses in Minnesota and across the country. “Net neutrality is the principle that all Internet traffic must be treated equally,” he said. “And that’s the way it should be—the website of a Minnesota small business or nonprofit should load as quickly as the website of a large corporation. Since the FCC’s rules for net neutrality were struck down, I’ve been fighting hard to make sure that the Internet remains an open marketplace where everyone can participate on equal footing. Our bill would be a huge step towards preserving the Internet as we know it.
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U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) welcomed President Barack Obama’s announcement on Wednesday that the Federal Housing Administration will cut mortgage-insurance premiums as part of an effort to expand opportunities for first-time homebuyers.Annual fees the agency charges to guarantee mortgages will be cut by 0.5 percentage points from the current rate of 1.35 percent. “I am very pleased that President Obama announced this step, which will make homeownership more affordable at a time when traditional credit through the private market remains extremely tight and the housing market is still weak,” said Sanders.
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U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-New York) has called on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to immediately implement a national requirement that all airports physically screen airline and airport employees each day before they enter secured areas of airports. Currently, pilots and flight crew pass through metal detectors and other physical screening measures, but amazingly, most employees that repair and clean planes, load luggage, and work in the terminal post-security checkpoints are exempt from this physical screening. Schumer and New York City District Attorney Ken Thompson said “this gaping and dangerous loophole in airport security plans allowed an expansive gun running scheme to smuggle 153 firearms into New York, when a former Delta Airlines employee carried backpacks and carry-on baggage full of guns and ammunition on nearly 20 commercial flights in 2014 from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to New York. Four men have been charged by Thompson for allegedly conspiring to sell these firearms, destined for the streets of Brooklyn. After Thompson notified federal authorities, a fifth man was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia with a firearms trafficking offense and violating airport security requirements.” Schumer said that” like airplane passengers, flight crews and millions of private and government employees in courthouses and elsewhere, all commercial airport employees should be physically screened before entering secure areas, as a requirement of each airport’s unique Airport Security Plan (ASP).”
U.S. House of Representatives
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U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-Rhode Island), who introduced the bipartisan Ensuring Trust and Honorability In Congressional Standards (ETHICS) Act with Congressman Scott Rigell (R-VA) last Congress, released the following statement Jan. 6 after the House approved a provision to require new members of Congress to undergo mandatory ethics training. “While this is a step in the right direction, the new requirement only applies to the 58 new members of Congress who were sworn in to office today. Under the new rules, the vast majority of the House will still not be required to take ethics training. I will continue to fight to expand this requirement to make sure that every single member of the House is required to undergo annual ethics training.”
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Outvoting five Democrats including U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-California), the seven Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee have decided to extend the investigation into the attack by Islamists on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, which resulted in the death of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three men with San Diego connections: Sean Smith, a San Diego native who was a State Department information specialist; and Navy SEALS Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.
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California Legislature
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Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) joined Governor Jerry Brown and fellow legislators on Tuesday, Jan. 6, for the groundbreaking ceremony of the High Speed Rail project. The ceremony, held at the location of the future Fresno downtown station, marks the beginning of construction on the first 29-mile segment of the bullet train system, which will run from Madera to Fresno. California’s high-speed rail system will be the first of its kind in Northern America. “Today, we begin construction on a system that will dynamically change the way in which Californians travel across our state,” Bloom stated. “High speed rail won’t just benefit travelers. It has the potential to stimulate economic development across our state, especially in areas such as the Central Valley.”
Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) commended the California Coastal Commission for publishing its agenda for the first time in both English and Spanish. “Californians have a great interest in preserving our beautiful coastline. Publishing agendas in Spanish will assure that Spanish-speaking Californians are informed of issues affecting their communities as those issues are considered by the Commission,” said Levine. “I am proud to have authored AB 288 to require that the Coastal Commission publish bilingual agendas.”
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Items concerning Jewish women in the Congress are sponsored by Laura Galinson in memory of her father, Murray Galinson. …. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. This column, compiled from reporting and news releases, boldfaces the names of known members of the Jewish community. Your comment may be posted in the space below this article or sent directly to donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com