Republican Jewish Coalition
Encyclopedia
The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) (formerly the National Jewish Coalition), founded in 1985, is a political lobbying group in the United States
that promotes Jewish Republicans. The RJC claims that it is the most important voice on conservative political issues for the Jewish-American
community. The RJC has 44 chapters throughout the United States.
of the RJC is to foster and enhance ties between the American Jewish community and Republican decision makers in the United States
. According to its website, the RJC "works to sensitize Republican leadership in government and the party to the concerns and issues of the Jewish community, while articulating and advocating Republican ideas and policies within the Jewish community."
The RJC is also striving to build a "strong, effective and respected" voice of Jewish Republicans that can influence activities, policies and ideas in Washington
and across the country. :
The group's policy platform objectives include terrorism
, national security
, United States-Israel relations, Mideast peace process
, The Palestinian Authority, Syria
, Iran
, immigration
, energy policy
, education
, school prayer
, affirmative action
, the Workplace Religious Freedom Act
, adoption
, crime
, taxes, welfare reform
, faith-based initiatives, health care
, Medicare
reform, Social Security reform, and government reform.
for Members of Congress, governors, and other political leaders, and creating a high-level presence at the Republican National Convention
. In 2005, President George W. Bush
attended the RJC's 20th anniversary celebration.
In certain state and local elections, Republicans have received support from the Jewish community:
, and Patrick Buchanan. Tikun Olam and Salon.com
also claimed the RJC was participating in polling phone calls ("push polls") made to potential voters in Pennsylvania and Florida that reportedly asked negative questions about Obama.
, Samantha Power
, and Chas Freeman, whom the RJC believe to "possess strong anti-Israel biases that are well documented." The RJC also attacks Hillary Clinton for having made remarks regarding the US putting more pressure on Israel. These arguments received a lot of attention and were significantly challenged by the National Jewish Democratic Council
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that promotes Jewish Republicans. The RJC claims that it is the most important voice on conservative political issues for the Jewish-American
American Jews
American Jews, also known as Jewish Americans, are American citizens of the Jewish faith or Jewish ethnicity. The Jewish community in the United States is composed predominantly of Ashkenazi Jews who emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and their U.S.-born descendants...
community. The RJC has 44 chapters throughout the United States.
Purpose
The official mission statementMission statement
A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...
of the RJC is to foster and enhance ties between the American Jewish community and Republican decision makers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. According to its website, the RJC "works to sensitize Republican leadership in government and the party to the concerns and issues of the Jewish community, while articulating and advocating Republican ideas and policies within the Jewish community."
The RJC is also striving to build a "strong, effective and respected" voice of Jewish Republicans that can influence activities, policies and ideas in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and across the country. :
The group's policy platform objectives include terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
, United States-Israel relations, Mideast peace process
Peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The peace process in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict has taken shape over the years, despite the ongoing violence in the Middle East and an "all or nothing" attitude about a lasting peace, "which prevailed for most of the twentieth century"...
, The Palestinian Authority, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
, energy policy
Energy policy
Energy policy is the manner in which a given entity has decided to address issues of energy development including energy production, distribution and consumption...
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, school prayer
School prayer
School prayer in its common usage refers to state-approved prayer by students in state schools. Depending on the country and the type of school, organized prayer may be required, permitted, or prohibited...
, affirmative action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
, the Workplace Religious Freedom Act
Workplace Religious Freedom Act
The bipartisan Workplace Religious Freedom Act was introduced in the United States Senate by Senator Rick Santorum and Senator John Kerry on March 17, 2005, and in the House of Representatives by Representatives Mark Souder , Carolyn McCarthy , Bobby Jindal , and Anthony Weiner...
, adoption
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
, crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, taxes, welfare reform
Welfare reform
Welfare reform refers to the process of reforming the framework of social security and welfare provisions, but what is considered reform is a matter of opinion. The term was used in the United States to support the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act...
, faith-based initiatives, health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, Medicare
Medicare (United States)
Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
reform, Social Security reform, and government reform.
Debate about the success of the RJC
The RJC has hosted successful activities and events such as the Presidential Candidates Forum, leadership trips to IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
for Members of Congress, governors, and other political leaders, and creating a high-level presence at the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
. In 2005, President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
attended the RJC's 20th anniversary celebration.
- In 1992, George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. BushGeorge Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
(R) won 11% of the Jewish vote. - In 1996, Senator Bob DoleBob DoleRobert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
(R) won 16% of the Jewish vote. - In 2000, George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
(R) won 19% of the Jewish vote (even though Senator Joe LiebermanJoe LiebermanJoseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
was selected as the Democrats' Vice-Presidential candidate) - In 2004, preliminary results indicate President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
(R) received likely support of 25%. - In 2008, exit polls showed that John McCainJohn McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
received 21% of the Jewish vote.
In certain state and local elections, Republicans have received support from the Jewish community:
- In the 2003 Recall election in CaliforniaCalifornia recall election, 2003The 2003 California gubernatorial recall election was a special election permitted under California state law. It resulted in voters replacing incumbent Democratic Governor Gray Davis with Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. The recall effort spanned the latter half of 2003...
, an estimated 31% of Jews voted for Republican Candidate Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
.
Political activities during the 2008 presidential election
During the 2008 election campaign, the RJC ran a series of advertisements in Jewish newspapers around the United States, mostly critical of Barack Obama and linking him to individuals such as Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Reverend Jeremiah WrightJeremiah Wright
Jeremiah Alvesta Wright, Jr. is Pastor Emeritus of Trinity United Church of Christ , a megachurch in Chicago exceeding 6,000 members...
, and Patrick Buchanan. Tikun Olam and Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
also claimed the RJC was participating in polling phone calls ("push polls") made to potential voters in Pennsylvania and Florida that reportedly asked negative questions about Obama.
Barack Obama Presidency
The RJC has been very critical of the Obama administration's policies, and have questioned Obama's relationship with Zbigniew BrzezinskiZbigniew Brzezinski
Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski is a Polish American political scientist, geostrategist, and statesman who served as United States National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981....
, Samantha Power
Samantha Power
Samantha Power is an Irish American academic, governmental official and writer. She is currently a Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and runs the Office of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights as Senior Director of Multilateral Affairs on the Staff of the National Security Council...
, and Chas Freeman, whom the RJC believe to "possess strong anti-Israel biases that are well documented." The RJC also attacks Hillary Clinton for having made remarks regarding the US putting more pressure on Israel. These arguments received a lot of attention and were significantly challenged by the National Jewish Democratic Council
National Jewish Democratic Council
The National Jewish Democratic Council works as lobbying organization for the country of Israel in the United States of America and the Democratic Party and its mission is to promote pro-Israeli policies within the Party, and to promote the Democratic Party within the jewish community.The NJDC is...
.