COMMUNITY V16WS

The Election Fallout
Affects The Democrats

Democrats tasted the most delicious
merica is changing. The
of victories.
last election dramatized
What does this reality mean for
that. The voters of Ameri-
us as Americans and as Jews?
ca are very different from
It means that sexual morality in
what they were 30 years ago. The
America has changed. Thirty years
Republican Party suffered the conse-
ago, the Clinton scandal would have
quences of the masses' understand-
forced the resignation of the presi-
ing the reality of America today.
dent. John F. Kennedy only survived
The "scandal" did not punish the
disgrace because the media were less
Democrats. The Democrats
intrusive then. But, after the femi-
increased their numbers
nist and youth rebellions
in the House of Repre-
of the last three decade,
sentatives. They won
adultery and sexual
major senatorial victories
promiscuity are ho-hum
in New York and Califon-
for a large part of the
Ma. They defeated two
American electorate. When
Republican governors in
behavior is no longer con-
Alabama and South Car-
troversial, it is called "pri-
olina.
vate."
Voters slapped in the
In a dynamic consumer
face the Religious Right,
culture, where individual-
which helped orchestrate
ism is triumphant and tra-
the Republican strategy.
RABBI
ditional families are
Two state referendums to
SHERWIN WINE shrinking, there is no will
restrict abortion freedom
Special to
to punish presidents for
failed to win majorities.
The Jewish News
behavior that is "ordinary"
Two lottery proposals to
in the middle and upper
finance public education
classes. The message for
succeeded.
the political future is that
The message to Republicans was
sexual accusations are losing their
clear. Assaulting Bill Clinton was a
intimidation power. The election
political disaster. Following the
revealed that the public, on sexual
agenda of the Religious Right was
issues, is far more tolerant than Ken-
the path to all self-destruction. The
neth Starr ever imagined.
managers of this strategy were guilty
The election means that the Reli-
of incompetence. They had to go.
gious Right has power, but not
Newt resigned in a huff. The
enough .poWer, to do what it wants
to do. American culture is essentially
Sherwin Wine is rabbi of the Birming-
a
secular culture that resists religious
ham Temple.

A

fanaticism.
The election means that the Reli-
gious Right is a liability to the
Republican Party. There are two
conservative agendas in America.
One is economic and resists govern-
ment intrusion into the work and
money life of American citizens. The
other is social and seeks to use the
government to police the sexual and
reproductive behavior of the Ameri-
can public. Voters on the right
believe in both agendas. Voters in
the center only believe in the first
one. They are afraid of the second.
Since most Americans are in the
center, parties can only win elections
if they appeal to the center. Ever
since Richard Nixon, the Republi-
cans have taken the center and have
gladly given the left to the Democ-
rats.
In some ironic way, the Religious
Right is the best thing that has hap-
pened to the Democrats in a long
time. The people who fear and hate
them have now forged a new alliance
of the center and the left. The
Democrats need a powerful enemy
to mobilize their troops. And the
Religious Right obliges by playing
the role.
The election means that the racial
composition of active voters is
changing. More and more blacks
and Hispanics are voting. The blacks
helped to defeat the Republican gov-
ernors in Alabama and South Caroli-
na. The Hispanics gave Barbara
Boxer her senatorial victory in Cali-

fornia. The hidden Republican strat-
egy to be seen as the party of white
America only works if whites remain
the overwhelming majority of the
American people. The Republican
program that won political control
of both the South and the West over
the past 30 years no longer works.
The election means that the
impeachment "push" is now a
retreat. The new Congress will nei-
ther impeach nor convict Clinton.
Voter "backlash" has already pun-
ished the Republicans. The issue
now is how to abandon the cam-
paign and save face. The determina-
tion of the Religious Right to
impeach Clinton is now a political
liability.
The election means that the Jews
have returned to the Democratic
Parry. The abandonment by Jewish
voters of Alfonse D'Amato in New
York, despite his years of support for
Jewish causes, is a clear indication
that Israel and reparations are not
the only issues that concern Jews.
Most Jewish voters, even if they are
economically conservative, are in the
center. They fear the Religious
Right, and they fear a Republican
Party that is allied to them. As both
Jews and Americans, voters do not
wish to endanger a free and multi-
cultural society that promotes afflu-
ence and opportunity. We do not
need the native Anglo-Saxon hared-
im running our lives.

❑

LETTERS

ments among Jews."
The first among the Jews who
declared their new variations of belief
were those who were followers of
Korach and also those who wanted the
children of Israel to accept and wor-
ship the golden calf as a deity.
They were with all of the children
of Israel and saw and witnessed the
wonders and miracles of God, and still
they challenged and wanted to change
and reform the Jewish faith. Jews have
always had those among them who
would worship Greek, Roman and
pagan deities. There is nothing new
under the sun.
Now, those who believe that the
Jewish people and religion should not
be "one" but should be "pluralistic"
want equal recognition. They want
their diverse views and beliefs to be
accepted as being perfectly within the

12/4
1998

26 Detroit Jewish News

bounds of the Jewish faith and religion.
It has always been stated that the
Sabbath is an everlasting foundation
that has supported the existence of the
Jewish people and their religion. Now,
are we to denigrate the Sabbath by
allowing any and all to change and
modify the Sabbath?
Was it that difficult, Mr. Egren, to
light the Sabbath candles at the proper
time, and in the same manner, that your
ancestors and mine always have done, so
as not to desecrate the Sabbath?
Wilbert Simkovitz

Oak Park

Praise Due
For Jewisli- Unity

In 1997, The Jewish News reported on
the teen mission to Poland and Israel,
which was sponsored by the Jewish

Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
This pioneering trip was an interna-
tional trendsetter consisting of Detroit
area youth and rabbis from the Ortho-
dox, Conservative and Reform. move-
ments. Not only did partic-
ipants learn about our Jew-
ish heritage, historical
aspects of Poland and the
miracle of a Jewish home-
land, but they also had an
opportunity to unite and
respect each other as one
people.
Recently, Rabbi Steven Weil
(Orthodox), Rabbi Stephen Weiss
(Conservative) and Rabbi Paul Yedwab
(Reform) led a mission to Prague,
Poland and Israel. The mission partici-
pants consisted of 10 couples from
each movement. All were invited as
future leaders of our community. They

were required to prepare at length
prior to the mission, and they contin-
ue to learn together since their return.
This trip, as well as the teen trip to
Poland and Israel, resulted in beautiful
sets of friendships.
I believe that the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit deserves hearty
congratulations for its sup-
port and participation in
setting a global example.
Groups from around
North America are now
very interested in doing similar projects
and programs that combine all move-
ments of Judaism.
We must, and in fact, can work as
one.
Harvey Bronstein

Southfield

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