1094 Groupthink

1094 Groupthink

Shlomo Tzedaka, the last Bronx Jew, is sitting in his kitchen with the usual sugar cube in his cheek and the glass of tea on the table before him.  This is a new dinette set and Shlomo bought it only reluctantly when his previous furniture became too battered, scarred and rusted even for his fading eyesight.  (Wessay™ #607 10/5/09.)  Across the table is Hermy from Upstairs, the next to last Bronx Jew.

Shlomo is listening and nodding his head and trying to be a good neighbor.  Again.  Hermy has been here a few times in recent days, urging a vote for Mitt Romney.

“Voting for Obama is like pulling the trigger on Israel,” says Hermy.  Shlomo nods.  “Voting for Romney, that’ll mean finally peace among nations,” Hermy says.

“Hermy, who pays your medical bills?”  

“I do.”

“No you don’t.  You pay mine.  I pay yours.”

“C’mon Shlo, this isn’t 1932, it’s 2012.  This socialism has gone too far.”

“Hermy, you channeling the late Donald Trump?”

“Trump is dead?”

“Just because he’s still walking around doesn’t mean he’s alive.  You sound like the worst of Donald with a little bit of Leona Helmsley thrown in for good measure.”

“Maybe you want to give up your Social Security and your Medicare and your Medicaid --and mine-- because you think this plastic yokel from Michigan and Massachusetts is going to Nuke Iran?  Let me tell you something.   He wouldn’t nuke Iran.  Or if he did, the commies would nuke us back.  For this you give up everything America means?”

Hermy looks thoughtful and takes a sip of his own tea.

So went the discussion.  A third visitor left before fists began to fly.   But the truth of the matter is while young people and women and African Americans and Latinos and transgender Albanian new citizens and other picked-on groups are keeping their heads on straight, Jews seem not to be.

Seventy or so percent for Obama.  Maybe 68, maybe 75.  But in any case, less than in ‘08.

The Republicans for Mitt failed after spending pushcart-loads of money on the campaign.  Good.  Serves them right.  Just like Rove and his team who couldn’t get to first base at any time in any of the nine innings.

But Jews for Romney made some inroads.  The rightward push has been on for several decades now.  What, you all want to be Michael Savage?  Or Shelly “Addled” Adelson?

What happened to tradition, folks?

Well, there is the tradition of contrarianism.  But this is extreme.  You think you vote for Romney and you get a dog carrier for your car roof?  Or a right to change your mind about every issue every day?  Let’s hope at least you learned how effective flip-flopping is and you’ll flip back to your sanity before the whole country flops.

The Associated Press reported that anti-Obama groups spent $380 million to defeat him.  Think of what good could have been done with that kind of money used constructively.

And this money is from “business people” who claim to know how to invest wisely.

Maybe it’s time to consider a complete ban on political advertising.  At least the money won’t be flushed away, clogging septic tanks and sewer systems when it could build a hospital or rehabilitate storm damaged houses.


I’m Wes Richards.  My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®
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