Why do Jewish Americans tend heavily democratic, specifically hollywood and wealthier types?

Question

This is a real question, my wife is Jewish and tends conservative but every other member of her family leans heavily democratic and quite liberal, and proud to tell me. Recently, I asked why they thought the democrats had been so silent on what is going on with hzbollah and why (it appears this way) that they are leaving Bush out on a limb to support Israel and have quite literally gone into a shell. I am not interested in holy mantra's or political sidelights I am really very interested in hearing from serious observers and if they happen to be Jewish so much the better.

This is not a question on whether all Jews are democrats, the fact is they are heavily democratic. For the person who claimed I am misinformed please visit the following site which is published by the Jewish Center for Public Affairs I would say 73% is a telling stat.
http://www.jcpa.org/jl/vp509.htm
I am not judging, I am trying to understand without all the rheotric why this is the case. No name calling, no arguing, nothing about Lebanon, or Iran etc... Just a question that peaks my interest. If you have a real answer and the above is important to my understanding then that is great. My guess is that I really don't or perhaps can never understand the rationale.

Answer 1

Without getting into too many details, Jews have historically been an "outsider" group, even within this country. The Democrats, as the "Big Tent" party, would naturally attract people who felt out of place in society.

Answer 2

couple of reason/trends

1) Jews are generally wealthier than most other ethnic groups

2) jews are generally more educated as well
the more educated tend to be more liberal

3) just tend to be in the Northeast which is liberal

4) jews reject christianity and are usually not extremely religious. they just uphold their tradition. They aren't brainwashed to beleive and follow "holy books" word for word

I wouldn't call democrats liberals, i'd call them centrist or status quo'ers. That's why they remain silent on the issue. They just want the mid east situation to calm down so the whole thing will be out of sight out of mind

True liberal/progressives would not support israel in any way nor would they support Hellzballz.

Answer 3

It's a collection of related concepts...

Jews tend to being more tolerant of other religions and beliefs, because they have been persecuted for their beliefs fairly often. So, as a result, many Jews also lean toward the liberal end of the spectrum.

Most liberals end up voting Democratic, because in a two-party system, that's the only viable option. So, it's not a matter of all Jews being liberal and/or Democrats. It's just that all three groups share many common ideas about tolerance.

Answer 4

Most Jewish are Conservative, your mis-informed. Check your facts. I am not Jewish but I still do not agree with sending Lebanon $400 million to fix what Israel tore up. That is in addition to the $2 billion a month working class tax payers already send Israel. Did you know we collect a tax for Israel in the USA?
Why is it that working class tax payers always pay for the Republicans mistakes? The Iraq war will cost working class tax payers $2 trillion over ten years, Iraq is in Civil war, that will last ten years, no matter what we do in Iraq in the end Iran will control Iraq.

Answer 5

It is a very sad thing that most, but fortunately not all American Jewish people have become infected with liberalism, the national plague that afflicts others, as well.

As the above poster stated, they some how associate liberalism with tolerance, and conservatism with persectution, but this is a complete, 100 per cent lie of liberalism, itself.

There are conservative, sensible Jews, but you won't hear about them much in the media.

Answer 6

Oh please .low morals? He said wealthy types too,if wealth is immoral what about Bush and Cheney? Get real for once ,I think its because people that are talented are more likely to be more open,and to see more than a small narrow view of the world.The only reason that Bush is supporting Israel is because it would be political suicide not to .he doesn't care about Jews and they know that but will take his support because it helps their cause.
I am liberal and not Jewish and I am totally behind Israel in its fight to survive and I am not alone .

Answer 7

I agree with you that is why Joe Lieberman, got ousted. Not seen as liberal enough in Connecticut.
It really is an anomaly, that Republicans tend to over support Israel while the Jews here and THERE tend to be so liberal.
If you profile the typical liberal, the last person you would think to be liberal is a Jew. But....who knows.

To Coragryph or whatever---you think Jews are more tolerant of other religions. I suggest you read the Talmud. Find out what Talmudic Jews believe in. The Orthodox ones who run Israel.

Answer 8

a number of my mom's Asian friends and family members immigrated to the U. S. and that all of them vote for the Republicans. certainly one of my aunts even grew to alter right into a member of the Republican occasion and became a delegate for Hawaii. And the strangest and least sensible reason i've got heard from an Asian for balloting the Republicans became: "The Democrats are for the lazy and the undesirable." Huh??? Lol. And from what i'm getting out of the information, maximum Asians look on the Republicans section.

Answer 9

Wealthy Hollywood Jews control our media I dont believe they are really democrat or republican. Jews are for Jews and use those who support them to their own ends and means they couldn't care less about poitics as long as they have a say in calling the shots, and it doesn't conflict with their agenda. Most call themselves democrats because a lot of dem. follow blindly anyone who claims to be for the people whether they are or not. They feed off of the ignorant.

Answer 10

I don't get it myself, especially after so many of them have condemned Israel and accused it of all kinds of horrific things while supporting Hezbollah.I haven't seen one liberal or one democrat support Israel's right to defend itself on here. Only conservative Republicans have done that. So, I can't understand how Jewish Americans can continue to support anti-Semitics.