Steve Sheffey: Why We are Democrats

Let us not forget in the wake of Martha Coakley's defeat that there is a reason why we are, or should be, Democrats. Not "independents." Democrats. I write from the perspective of an American Jew, but many Americans of all ethnicities and religions share the values that make them Democrats and that make this country great.

I am pro-Israel. I am a Zionist. I've been a member of AIPAC virtually my entire adult life. I'm a liberal. I'm a Democrat. And I'm in good company. Of the 32 Jews in the House of Representatives, only one is a Republican, and of the 13 Jews in the Senate, none are Republicans. According to CNN exit polling, the percentage of Jews voting for Barack Obama in November 2008 was higher than any other ethnic, racial, or religious group except African-Americans. Obama won about 78% of the Jewish vote, more than John Kerry, yet some would still have us believe that this is not our father's Democratic party, that the Democratic party includes anti-Semitic elements, and that the Democratic party is weak on Israel. Let's set the record straight.

I know people who are knowledgeable about Judaism, concerned about Israel, and exemplars in their personal lives of the principles of tzedakah and tikkun olam who are staunch Republicans. In fact, some of my best friends... My purpose in writing this is not to question or disparage anyone, but to explain to those who don't know, or may have forgotten, why the Democratic party has been and remains the natural home for American Jewry.

Party Affiliation Matters. Calling oneself "independent" is a nice feel-good affirmation, but ours is a two-party system. There is no "independent" party. You either vote for Democrats or Republicans. Many of us have an aversion to thinking of ourselves as Democrats or Republicans. We like to think that we coolly and rationally evaluate the candidates on their positions. We like to think that we are above "partisanship," which has become a dirty word among the elites. But whether we like it or not, whether we care to admit it or not, the issue that matters most is party affiliation.



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