The Importance of Voting
As Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel put it in an email:
The simple reality is that government officials look at which groups vote, and take their positions on the major issues of the day accordingly. Communities that vote are communities that are listened to and heard. Securing political support with regard to the issues that affect us deeply — increased government aid to our educational institutions, the moral climate of society, improving the amount and quality of government services available in our neighborhoods — depends on each and every registered voter taking the time to go to the polls on Election Day.
He did seem to overlook foreign policy in that email, but although the House of Representatives has already worked against the least Israel-friendly administration in at least 18 years, it is important, as Aryeh Rubin said, that we consider our interests in that critical area as well.
Interesting list – and they say the unofficial motto of NY is “Where’s mine”
KT
I hope that, in all future elections Jews will strongly consider the general welfare when voting. There has been far too much emphasis by certain Jews in politics, both candidates and their backers, on using our votes solely to benefit ourselves.
And Bob that’s why in Israel no one outside a particular religious party trusts that religious party to govern the country, city or whatever.
A question to ponder: Do Orthodox (or whatever we call ourselves this week) Jews vote as a block?
One of the political analyzers commented, that Chasidim and Sephardim vote as a block yet Agudah, OU, YI, Yeshivos are not guaranteed to field and elect a particular candidate. Our American voting system is secretive and who/what we vote for is a personal decision known to the individual only. When voting in Israel, you take a ticket (Gimel, Mem, Lamed,etc.)that represents a party and you put that ticket in a ballot box, for all to see. Always wondered if the voting was secretive (behind a curtain, etc.)would the same percentages occur for each party?