Jeff Zeleny previews the coming push by the Republican Coalition to make headway for Mitt Romney among Jewish voters:
The group, the Republican Jewish Coalition, plans to begin a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign in the coming weeks called “My Buyer’s Remorse,” targeting voters in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, aides said. The campaign uses testimonials from people who say they regret supporting Mr. Obama because of his economic policies and his posture toward Israel, in hopes of cutting into the wide advantage Democrats have held over Republicans among Jewish voters.
It is the latest foray into the election by [casino billionaire Sheldon] Adelson, a staunch supporter of Israel who has vowed to spend as much as $100 million to defeat Mr. Obama. It marks an escalation of the partisan politics over Middle East policy and represents an emerging Republican strategy of highlighting voters who supported Mr. Obama four years ago but are now expressing disappointment, while signaling to others that they are not alone in shifting their allegiances.
Mr. Adelson and other members of the group’s board have pledged at least $6.5 million to build a comprehensive list of Jewish voters and to wage a word-of-mouth campaign, amplified through social media and television advertising.
Republicans make a push every four years to chip away at the Democratic-leaning Jewish vote, and the hope this time is that Obama’s vulnerabilities on Israel will create a more legitimate opportunity than the GOP’s had in the past.
(Source: Politico)
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3 Responses
Their problem, which they may not realize, is that there are two distinct Jewish communities they need to approach.
The first is “us” – the frum community. Die-hard social conservatives, but most of us are fairly liberal when it comes to economics, especially in “big government” programs that we derive great benefit from (food stamps, WIC, aid to our schools, etc.), but tax-cuts aren’t so important since with our lower incomes (remember how many of our families are one-income or include “kollel” level salaries, compounded with lots of highly deductible kinderloch).
The second, and larger group at this time, are the frei Jews many of whom are increasingly becoming economic conservatives (low tax rates do appeal to the rich, especially), but who tend to be social liberals.
If they have a single “Jewish vote” program, they will fail miserably.
There are basically two questions a voter needs to ask themselves:
1. do you feel better off now than you did four years ago;
2. do you think Israel feels better off now than it did four years ago.
If the answer to both questions is yes, then switch presidents. If the answer to both questions is no, then keep the same president. If the answers split, then decide which is more important to you.
#2 , you got your “yes & no campaign” on backwards,
US needs a better president ,a
president who wasnt bought with “oil” money, and forged birth certificate!