THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Boris Smo/ar's `Between You . . . and Me' Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, JTA (Copyright 1981, JTA, Inc.) COMMUNITY CONCERNS: Leading Jewish organ- izations standing guard for Jewish civil rights are now watching with utmost attention the new developments in the American political process. Some of the current politi- cal trends raise serious problems for Jews. They are likely to have an impact on the status and security of American Jews in the 1980s. They include the diminution of party loyalties, the weakening of party machines, the proliferation of single- issue groups, the public financing of electoral campaigns and possible changes in the Electoral College. The American Jewish Committee has established a special task force to study all the issues involved as well as the attitude to be taken toward them by the American Jewish community. The task force has prepared a report, and recommendations were presented by its principal author, David Cohen, former president of Common Cause. The recommendations: • It is in the interests of the Jewish community to discuss ways to make political parties important again. The stronger the parties, the better protected Jewish group interests will be. Revitalizing the parties would strengthen competitive politics. • Repealing the Electoral College and moving into a direct election system, or other variation, would undermine a system that gives the Presidential candidates a powerful incentive to pay attention to Jewish and other minority interests. The Electoral College increases the influence of minority groups. It places value on coalition, and that serves Jewish community interests, whether Jews vote mainly for one candidate or divide their vote. • Jews vote in higher proportions to their number than do the rest of the population. It could therefore be argued — from a Jewish viewpoint — that since Jewish votes count for more when there is a low turnout, why increase the turnout? The answer is that the drive for full participation has always characterized Jewish experience in America and has led the Jewish community to do everything in its power to remove the barriers to voting for all citizens. Continuing this effort would be a useful way for the Jewish community to champion the value of full participation in American governance. • Because campaign financing is so central to the abil- ity to govern ourselves as a nation, it is incumbent on the Jewish community to be mindful of the complex problem it raises. There is no doubt that individual contributions ought to be increased because inflation has both reduced the worth of the dollar and swelled campaign costs. However, it does not follow that Jewish group interests would be protected or enhanced by a massive flow of indi- vidual Jews spreading their largesse over House and Se- nate campaigns, or providing money for a Presidential can- didate. Care should also be taken by Jewish bodies to avoid adopting positions that run counter to interests of staunch allies like organized labor — particularly the AFL-CIO which has proven itself the staunchest ally of the American Jewish community on the question of a secure Israel. Other recommendations stress the opportunities which the Jewish attitude could provide for building al- liances with other groups to defend American pluralism and resist efforts to undermine the Bill of Rights. They emphasize the importance of a Jewish stand when pluralism is threatened by increasing divisiveness and by growing public skepticism about the effectiveness of de- mocratic institutions. CHALLENGE AND RE-EVALUATION: Another AJCommittee task force is now engaged in considering key issues currently under discussion in the area of group status and identity in America. Group status and identity will play an increasingly important role in defining American society in the 1980s. On a personal level, large numbers of Americans are find- ing new meaning and support from their ethnic and reli- (lious ties. On the other hand, various communities have gun to demand that social services and opportunities for advancement be allocated according to group rather than according to individual merit or need. Both trends concern the Jewish community. Recent research indicates that ethnic identity is im- portant both for acceptance of self and for the ability to relate positively to others. On the other hand, the emphasis on ethnicity has been denounced as fostering chauvinism and weakening national unity. The challenge for the 1980s is to find ways of preserving a strong sense of ethnic iden- tity while, at the same time, building coalitions that unite the various ethnic groups for common national goals. WC Members Petition U.S. NEW YORK — The na- tional executive board of Workmen's Circle has adopted a resolution calling on the U.S. to support total nuclear disarmament by the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The board said unilateral disarmament "was an invi- tation to Soviet agression." Workmen's Circle President Dr. Israel Kugler also criticized the White House decision to allow striking U.S. air traffic con- trollers to apply for other government jobs, but not re- turn to their old jobs. GET cityPauu * ea& * MAGIC 424-8444 ALSO WHEN YOU RENT VIDEO GAMES • FROM • ROM 6 aft • • • • BIRTHDAY PARTIES PRIVATE PARTIES OFFICE PARTIES ETC. 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