tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321349.post5994334644424471351..comments2024-03-18T22:21:33.261-07:00Comments on The Debate Link: Why Does Jennifer Rubin Hate American Jews?David Schraubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946653376744012423noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321349.post-79416568716481229312010-07-17T10:44:45.919-07:002010-07-17T10:44:45.919-07:00I just stumbled on this post, but think that you a...I just stumbled on this post, but think that you are totally wrong. Jennifer Rubin's initial article was not dripping with contempt for American Jews. She was trying to explain why the animosity felt towards Sarah Palin among the Jewish community as a whole is so extreme. Rubin identifies a number of ways in which Palin is so culturally at odds with most American Jews. Now, Rubin may be wrong. Maybe any politician with conservative views would face the same contempt that Palin receives, but personally I doubt it. My impression is that Palin receives an extra helping of contempt. I think Rubin is right on when she explains that American Jews are especially contemptuous of Palin because she is so culturally different, with Jews viewing her as intellectually unfit, and as emphasizing rural and athletic themes and values that are unfamiliar and strange to urban, conventionally educated Jews. I also agree with Rubin that Palin's decision not to have an abortion is a factor as well. Now, Rubin (and I) might be wrong. Maybe there is no extra contempt towards Palin, and that (most) Jews feel the same way towards all conservatives. It is obviously also difficult and dangerous to generalize about why "the Jews" feel a certain way about something. So, while Rubin may be wrong, she is not dripping with contempt.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321349.post-26075031273027240822010-01-07T13:39:58.184-08:002010-01-07T13:39:58.184-08:00Having just read Rubin's piece, I can say it&#...Having just read Rubin's piece, I can say it's certifiably ridiculous. First, Rubin doesn't even empirically back her premise. All she cites, besides anecdotes, is a disapproval rating that tells us nothing on its own. in fact, just by the numbers provided, if 34% of American Jews approved of McCain's selection of Palin she may even be quite popular for a Republican seeing as McCain only got about 1-in-5 Jewish voters. Of course,that's a lot of conjecture. If Rubin really wanted to show that Palin is somehow uniquely hated by Jews she'd compare that approval/disapproval rating with other Republicans, particularly VP nominees. The absence of such a comparison suggests an author is probably not too bright or hiding the ball, or at best very lazy.<br /><br />Or has about the same respect for the intellectual faculties of her rightist readership as she attributes to her targets.<br /><br />Then there's her claim that stuff like hockey mom-ishness and "sexy librarian" were something cooked up by Democrats to scare Jews. Funny, I remember those being the big selling points that were hyped to the conservative "base." Not to mention the barf-inducing bullshit "Sarah Barracuda" trivia Karl Rove and his ilk kept bringing up time and time again.<br /><br />I can't understand how anyone would want to blog about politics. Read that crap all day long? No thanks.joenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321349.post-65427725179469306722010-01-07T12:06:19.374-08:002010-01-07T12:06:19.374-08:00it's not really in the self-interest of the to...<i>it's not really in the self-interest of the top income brackets to tax be taxed more.<br /></i><br /><br />Yeah, during the last election I wanted to write a response to Frank titled, "What's the Matter with Goldman?"PGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09381347581328622706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321349.post-27254986852517879112010-01-07T11:43:10.134-08:002010-01-07T11:43:10.134-08:00It's an article of faith on the right that con...It's an article of faith on the right that conservative government/values make everyone better off (through trickle-down economics, morality, etc.). So they'll say the same thing about college students, minorities (except when railing against "welfare queens"), union members, really anyone except those terrible biased college professors that don't teach Intelligent Design. And if you buy into that strongly enough basically anyone who doesn't agree with Sarah Palin must be either malicious or some kind of dupe.<br /><br />Now that's certainly not an unusual tendency for anyone subscribing to an ideology. Liberals have "What's the Matter with Kansas," for example, but at least seem to concede (though not broadcast) that it's not really in the self-interest of the top income brackets to tax be taxed more.joenoreply@blogger.com