Reflect Beauty 6' Dimension with Decorative Glass Products TARGET page 49 From Our Glass Design and Installation Specialist... Table Tops, Glass Furniture, Etched Glass, Custom Pieces More lieve, represents the legitimiza- tion of a divisive mode of politics that pits an angry middle-class public against the poor and the foreign. It's relatively simple to make the case that those who sneak across the border should not re- ceive government largess. Legal immigrants, on the other hand, pay taxes; by following the rules, they are part of a tradition that gave substance to the American dream. It would be fair, Jewish ac- tivists contend, to make these immigrants absorb their share of reasonable cuts; it makes sense to examine all social ser- vice programs with an eye to improving efficiency and cutting waste. But what Congress and the administration are doing is us- ing immigrants as a lightning rod to attract and absorb public anger over a host of unrelated is- sues. That elevates blatant scapegoating to the level of pub- lic policy. And that could be the worst news of all for a Jewish commu- nity that still depends on this na- tion's ambivalent pluralism for its security and prosperity. "Immigrants have always been a favorite scapegoat of the disaffected," a worried Jewish ac- tivist here said this week. 'What Congress and the administration have done with this welfare bill, and with a number of other ini- tiatives singling out immigrants, is give the government's impri- matur to that offensive and dan- gerous process. Ultimately, other minorities will be targeted, as well." Mr. Clinton has hinted that he might revisit the sweeping cuts to immigrants early in a second term. Jewish groups will support that effort, but they also will be careful to avoid making that their only response to a "re- form" measure that has a vari- ety of victims, many who will be affected far more directly and severely than Jewish immi- grants. ❑ ,—/ COME SEE OUR NEW LINE OF BEAUTIFUL VENETIAN MIRRORS REI'D Visit Our Southfield Showroom at: 22223 Telegraph Road Southfield (South of 9 Mile Road) Or Call: (810 353-5770 For A Free Estimate or Consultation GLASS A Clear Reflection of Quality Since 1964 Dole And Republicans Get Jewish Gifts NEAL SHER SPECIAL TO THEJEWISH NEWS THE DETROIT JEWIS H NEWS L 50 • Sidelights • Furniture • Fireplace Screens • Custom Mirrors • Doom Dividers • Room Screens et's face facts. The Buchanan faithful, repre- sented by the hard-core re- ligious right, is a far more important voting constituency to Dole than are the Jews. It is not at all surprising that the Family Channel, which is owned by Christian Coalition President Pat Robertson, will produce and broadcast from the Republican Convention. By all accounts — even those coming from staunch Republi- cans — the Dole campaign is floundering. Although one can expect the current huge gap to close somewhat after the Con- vention, Dole needs all the sup- port he can muster and he can ill afford to alienate the Buchanan supporters. By the same token, Dole cer- tainly realizes that the Jewish vote will go overwhelmingly to President Clinton (I believe he might gamer 85 percent, or even more). Nevertheless, Dole and Neal Sher formerly headed the U.S. Office of Special Investigations and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. the RNC have been courting our community, as reflected in his sponsoring in 1995 legislation to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (something which he had previously op- posed). Although realistic and well aware that they cannot make sig- nificant inroads in Jewish voting patterns, Republicans also know that Jews make political contri- butions far out of proportion to our population. So Dole has gone after big bucks from Jewish Re- publicans. I am told that he has been quite successful. Make no mistake, it is very much in our interest to have in- fluence on both sides of the po- litical aisle. We must never be in the untenable position of being taken for granted by one party and ignored by the other. There are some very committed Jews who are supporting and raising considerable sums for Dole and the Republican Party; presum- ably they are in a position to ex- ercise influence on our issues. The question is, will they? It is not at all unfair or unreason- able for our community to expect them to assume a special re- c=\'