Dec 19th, 2008 at 11:58 am
No Jews
It seems Barack Obama is giving us a cabinet with no Jewish members. Plenty of Jews in non-cabinet top spots (Axelrod, Summers, Orszag) so I guess we’ll have to just run things from behind the scenes. I think that was also the case at the beginning of the Dubya administration, though now we have Chertoff. One related issue is whether the country will ever again see a non-Jewish Fed Chair.
UPDATE: And of course you can add Rahm to the list of influential, but not in the cabinet, Jews. Basically, it’s a chock full ‘o Jews White House staff and a non-Jewish cabinet.
120 Responses to “No Jews”
Register
RSSLogin
Advertisement
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Books By Matthew Yglesias
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Abortion
Afghanistan
Basketball
Blanche Lincoln
Budget
China
climate
Congress
Crime
DC
Demographics
Economics
Economy
Energy
Environment
EU
Finance
Football
Gender
Health Care
History
Inequality
International Law
International Relations
Iran
Israel
Media
Monetary Policy
National Security
NATO
NBA
Palestine
Political Reform
Public Health
Public Opinion
Race
Regulation
Russia
Sarah Palin
Sports
Stimulus
taxes
Technology
Trade
transportation
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Contact Matthew Yglesias
Use this form to contact blog author Matthew Yglesias.
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Matt YglesiasContact Me
Donate
December 19th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Rahm Emmanuel?
December 19th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Yep. The progeny (so to speak) of Neel Kashkari will run the Fed in the future. The new Jews are well on their way to usurping the position of the old Jews. And the Old Jews, see Bernie Madoff, are becoming the new, decadent, declining WASP elite.
What’s happened to the old WASPs?
December 19th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Keep your goyim close and your Jews closer.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Kitchen staff but not servers. Gotta keep the swarthy, ethnic staff behind the swing doors.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
“Is it good for the Jews?”
Dunno. My wife reports that someone calling in to “On Point” on NPR the other night ranted on about how the current financial situation was all the fault of the Jews. (Don’t they screen these people?). When there’s great economic stress, certain thing seem to happen …
December 19th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Kitchen staff but not servers. Gotta keep the swarthy, ethnic staff behind the swing doors.
Hogan, there’s something about the incoming President I think I should tell you.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Jews are only 1.4% of the US population as of the 2000 census– possibly less now (having decreased from 1.8% in 1990). I think it would be a stretch to see this as discrimination.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
This is excellent. Give the goyim the figurehead positions while we exercise the real power behind the scenes. Same old, same old.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Basically, it’s a chock full ‘o Jews White House staff and a non-Jewish cabinet.
Just like The West Wing!
December 19th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
All I ask is no neocons. Not even one token one.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Geithner is Jewish
December 19th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Where are the Americans of Norwegian descent? There are more Norwegian-Americans than ethnic Jews in the United States. God-damn what’s an Olav got to do to get a message through to the Red, White and Blue?
December 19th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Geithner is Jewish
Oh. I guess they had to give us the Treasury. I mean, we’ll be running the thing regardless.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
“What’s happened to the old WASPs?”
Most have had their conciousness downloaded into supercomputers. The parts of their mind that controlled bodily functions now run the internet.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Geithner is Jewish
Is he? Wikipedia says he was married by a United Church of Christ minister. Not conclusive, but it would at least be evidence that he’s not.
Meanwhile, I count at least six Catholics (Solis, Vilsack, Salazar, Richardson, Daschle, and LaHood (Maronite)) in the cabinet, plus the VP. We’re taking over!
December 19th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I don’t think Geithner is Jewish, but his wife might be, as her last name is “Sonnenberg”.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Geithner MIGHT be Jewish.
If you look at the discussion page of his wikipedia page, you’ll notice that there is a very lengthy debate over whether there is sufficient evidence to declare him a member of the tribe.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
“though now we have Chertoff”
who has made us all *so* proud.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
but it’s okay–in the new obama era, we’re all post-jewish anyhow.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Basically, it’s a chock full ‘o Jews White House staff
Well, at least the White House Bible study will take half the time.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Jewish people make up just 1.8% of the population, yet there are 13 Jews currently in the US Senate.
African Americans make up 12.8% of the population, yet there are NO African Americans currently in the US Senate.
I surely hope you were sarcastic about Jews being underrepresented in the cabinet, because they probably are the demographic most favorably disproportionately represented in every branch of government and in the executive ranks of a lot of important financial and media businesses. That might be playing on a stereotype, and I am not saying that it is bad, just that it is a fact.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Well in wikipedia there was a reference to Geithner being Jewish
December 19th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
This is great material for the nutters on the Internets. They can use this as “proof” that Obama is anti-Semitic and ant-Israel. Anti-Christ rumors anyone?
December 19th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
African Americans make up 12.8% of the population, yet there are NO African Americans currently in the US Senate.
True, but there’s a reason for this, and on balance I’d say it’s a good thing. Not to detract from your larger point – just one black Senator is still underrepresentation – but your comment just seemed funny.
And yes, I’m pretty sure Yglesias was being sarcastic.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
BTW: For the facts of this story, in Dubya you have AG – Mukasey and Josh Bolton – Chief of Staff.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I think that was also the case at the beginning of the Dubya administration, though now we have Chertoff.
You mean Skeletor?
December 19th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
LaHood (Maronite)
Interesting, I hadn’t realized that LaHood was an Arab-American. (Jordanian-Lebanese according to his Wikipedia entry.) I had assumed his surname was an anglicized version of a French name. Does that make him the first Arab-American Secretary of Transportation?
December 19th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I hope and expect that the White House Jews are primarily real Jews i.e. not Germans, Sephardim, converts, Matthews or Yglesiases.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Jews make up a laughably small portion of the population, about between 1-2% of the population. How many staffers should really be jewish? How many are agnostic/athiest? They are about 10-15% of the population.
Any argument that cabinet picks should reflect the demographic makeup of the elite are essentially pro-aristocracy arguments. You can’t argue that this should reflect elite demographics without arguing that the so-called ‘elite’ are superior. I think the last 20 years utterly disproves that.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Geithner is indeed Jewish. There is a great stereotype joke here somewhere…
December 19th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
What does being Jewish have to do with running the Fed? Seems to me there are plenty of Jews neck deep in the financial mess, so why continue with the whole Jews are good with money line of stereotypical bullshit.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
For the record, I for one am definitely not good with money, unless you count being cheap as shit.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Because if we get rid of the money skillz, all we have left are the horns, tail, and an interesting choice of ingredients for our matzos. Didn’t Chris Rock have a bit on the various racial stereotypes?
December 19th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Interesting. So much for the anti Israel comments.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Where are the evangelicals? Who is going to protect us from Evolution theories – or the global warming ideas of Steven Chu? . . . And, by the way, what is Chu’s religion? . . . And, by the way again, exactly which preachers, rabbi’s and priests are all these appointees going to get their guidance from? . . . We need to know this stuff. . .
Personally, I think Rev. Wright should start every cabinet meeting with a kick ass introduction spurring everyone to get things done.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Ah, but he is giving us Rick Warren, who informs the faithless that Jews will not get into heaven and that Syria is a land of tolerance.
I am urging folks who attend the inauguration to quietly and respectfully sing “We Shall Overcome” throughout the course of the invocation (that came out “curse of the invocation” the first time I typed it — my fingers are smarter than my head). Surely tens of thousands of voices for hope, equality and peace can drown out one bigot, even one who has the bully pulpit & a lot of amp power.
The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com
December 19th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
The Papists also constitute a majority of the Supreme Court.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Glad someone keeps track, I suppose; how can you tell??
Any episcopalians? We’re old hat I guess.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Rahm Emmanuel is an Orthodox Jew.
But someone please check to see if there are any redheads in the cabinet. I insist on a redhead or else I’M OPPRESSED!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 19th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
The Papists also constitute a majority of the Supreme Court.
True! But considering who those five are, let’s not mention it.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Were I Catholic, I wouldn’t have.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Although Jews are only 2% of the population they comprise 90% of the 10% percent who are atheists -
December 19th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Cyrus copies this quote from Jimboslice:
“African Americans make up 12.8% of the population, yet there are NO African Americans currently in the US Senate.”
Cyrus notes:
“True, but there’s a reason for this, and on balance I’d say it’s a good thing. Not to detract from your larger point – just one black Senator is still underrepresentation – but your comment just seemed funny.”
What is the “good thing”? I can’t think of anything good about there being no African-American US Senators. Please enlighten?
I would also like a little affirmative action on our ME negotating team. Putting a few Arab-American Muslims and Arab-American Christians on our team might show a little balance.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
What about Tim Geithner. Treasury Secretary is cabinet level. And I believe Geithner is Jewish.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
What is the “good thing”? I can’t think of anything good about there being no African-American US Senators. Please enlighten?
I don’t what he was thinking, but I’d say the fact that the one African-American senator we had is now the President-elect.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Geithner is Jewish, and this entire post would have been better left unwritten. Jews are massively overrepresented as it is in government, media, and finance particularly for the last three decades. I don’t think the principal problem with our superelite is the lack of Jews.
Also, I would like to speak up for the much derided WASP elite. America did pretty well under the two-hundred year dominance of the WASP elite, an elite that was much less profligate, decadent, elitist, and self-aggrandizing than our current elite. Moreover, I think a hereditary elite tends to be much less arrogant than an elite who believes it achieved its station through merit and virtue.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Representing good jewish liberals is wew head of White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I am OUTRAGED that Obama has completely ignored the Quakers. Not one Quaker to be seen in either the cabinet or the White House staff!! And what of Mormons and Episcopalians?! Where are they? This is outrageous.
This is not the change I voted for! I demand my money back!
More exclamation points just because!!!!!!!!
December 19th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Don’t worry, you’ve always got the media to remind us in case we forget how important the Jews are.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I’m not really sure that it matters who’s Jewish, black, hispanic or white. Honestly, do you look at your personal or porfessional lives and try to maintain a certain number of Jews or Black folks?
I am glad that there’s been civi tone in the responses. A few cynics…
December 19th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
What I want to know is where the hell the South Asians are? We make up about 45% of the smartest people in America (45% being East Asian, 10% the “rest”) yet all we get is the Kashkari guy who really needs to be clubbed.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I personally don’t think Obama is going to make inroads with the Appalachia electorate until he appoints a snake-handling Pentecostal.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_handling
Plus it would liven up the Cabinet meetings — challenging an opponent in a debate to pick up a 6 foot rattleneck to show the purity of his intentions is definitely one way to separate out the true believers from the mere timeservers.
I bet Rahm Emmanuel would love it.
The “casting out of devils” , on the other hand , is gonna take a while. THis IS Washington DC, after all.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Geithner is Jewish
Is he? Wikipedia says he was married by a United Church of Christ minister. Not conclusive, but it would at least be evidence that he’s not.
Actually, there is very little differece between the United Church of Christ and Reform Judiasm. Both are very light on dogma.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
mormons, a minority similar in number to jews, are not represented at all in the cabinet nor behind the scenes.
they are (numerically) over-represented in the congress however.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Does that make him the first Arab-American Secretary of Transportation?
Probably. There’ve been a fair number of Arab-American cabinet members, though – Donna Shalala and Spencer Abraham come to mind. Pretty much always Christians, though.
Also, could somebody provide any evidence for the contention that Geithnes is Jewish? The Wikipedia article talk page strongly suggests that the only basis for that claim was an anti-semitic article in a Pakistani newspaper. The talk page contends he was married in a UCC ceremony, was raised Episcopalian, and has German and English ancestry.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
I’d like to complain about the lack of good Whig men from the old country on the front bench. The house will be most displeased that her majesty’s new government is now fully packed with rebel colonists’.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Isn’t about time for Steve Sailer to stop by and light up a cross?
December 19th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Moreover, I think a hereditary elite tends to be much less arrogant than an elite who believes it achieved its station through merit and virtue.
Yes. The utterly non-meritorious and devoid of virtue Bush dynasty has been notably low in the arrogance quotient, and highly skilled at effective governance.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Can we keep the jews away from the money and the penagon for awhile?Please?
December 19th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Pentagon,sorry clicked too fast.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Matt, please!! Ugh!!
December 19th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Can someone explain why this important? Being from the midwest, I’ve met/known very few Jewish people and have never understood why it’s an issue if someone is Jewish or not.
December 19th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
It’s like the story of Joseph. He ran the kingdom from the background. The Pharaoh may have his throne, but who holds the power?
December 19th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Rosh said: Also, I would like to speak up for the much derided WASP elite. America did pretty well under the two-hundred year dominance of the WASP elite, an elite that was much less profligate, decadent, elitist, and self-aggrandizing than our current elite. Moreover, I think a hereditary elite tends to be much less arrogant than an elite who believes it achieved its station through merit and virtue.
uh… the current elite ARE WASPs. What do you think Bush and Cheney are? they are white anglo-saxon protestants. And they are both hereditary elites, and massively arrogant. Neither have admitted to a mistake yet.
December 19th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
also, you guys seriously need a sense of humor! Yglesias was kidding. No one’s complaining about a lack of Jewish representation.
December 19th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Humph, no Transhumanists that I know of in the Cabinet OR the White House! Not that any of us would accept such a position, you understand…except to infiltrate and destroy you all.
We’re going to waste your asses like the microbots in “The Day The Earth Stood Still”!
Have a nice day!
Seriously, there are enough neocon Jews – and people under the control of AIPAC, such as Hillary Clinton – around Obama that it’s hardly a problem that there are no Jews in the mostly symbolic Cabinet. Obama’s foreign policy vis-a-vis Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Palestine is already set, you can be sure of that. He will not deviate one iota from the Bush line.
December 19th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
JustDroppingBy #28:
The president of Lebanon from 1998-2007 was named Lahoud.
Of course you can transliterate a name from a non-roman alphabet any way you want, but I guess Ray the new Transportation secretary spells his name “LaHood” to make it sound French-ish or just generally to distract from his arab-ness? Reminds me of “LaMarcus Aldridge” or “LeBron James”.
Interestingly, each of the last three presidents had at least one Arab in their administration: Bush Jr. had Spence Abraham and Mitch Daniels, Clinton had Shalaha, and Bush Sr. had Sununu Sr.
December 19th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Hmmm, John #56 beat me to part of my point. Nice work, John.
December 19th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
@ godoggo: Sephardim are real Jews.
@ Rosh: While some great Presidents (both Roosevelts for example) may have been products of the WASP hereditary elite that you champion, the most recent one, W, has been an unmitigated and undisputed disaster, brimming with arrogance and incompetence. I’ll take an elite that believes its station is a product of merit and virtue over one that is born into its station any day.
December 19th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Plus it would liven up the Cabinet meetings — challenging an opponent in a debate to pick up a 6 foot rattleneck to show the purity of his intentions is definitely one way to separate out the true believers from the mere timeservers.
I bet Rahm Emmanuel would love it.
Rahm wouldn’t just pick the snake up, he’d let it bite him and the rattlesnake would die. That would resolve the challenge nicely and Rahm would get a new belt out of the deal.
December 19th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
oy vey. But seriously folks isn’t Krusty the Clown Jewish also?
December 19th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
I think this is all a big misunderstanding. It’s not that there are no Jews in the cabinet. It’s that we have to keep two other cabinets: the milchig cabinet, and the fleischig cabinet.
You’re talking about the display cabinet. That’s just for China.
OR:
Ever since the whole Anne Frank thing, Jews try to stay out of cabinets.
OR:
Q: Why aren’t there Jews in the cabinet?
A: [Something funny about a Jewish carpenter]
OR:
Q: Why aren’t there Jews in the cabinet?
A: [Something funny about Reconstructionists]
I got a million of these.
December 19th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Anyone have a count on gentile white males on Obama’s team? I don’t see too many. I think they got agriculture. Oh … and Rick Warren.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
no jews…and no muslims.
oh wait. just one.
http://www.jewcy.com/post/let_global_islamic_conspiracy_begin
December 19th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Holy Canoli, Batman!!! Like Chief of Staff is a piddling little nada of a job?????
i LOVE it that Rahm got that position and think he’ll be AWESOME doing it, if he doesn’t go down before he gets the chance.
Jews may not be in the cabinet, but my take is cause they are CLOSER to Obi than the cabinet and that’s just HUGE.
sheeeeeesh
be happy with what is?????
and i say these things respectfully and in kindness.
siri
December 19th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Biden, Gates, Salazar, Richardson the Boston Brahmin, Vilsack, Daschle, LaHood, Sean Donovan, Arne Duncan, Pete Rouse, Greg Craig, Patrick Gaspard, General James Jones, Robert Gibbs, Phil Schirilo, Dennis Blair, Tony Lake, whew, I am running out of space.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:12 am
some great Presidents (both Roosevelts for example) may have been products of the WASP hereditary elite
Roosevelt is not an Anglo-Saxon name, rather obviously. The W and the P fit, but not the A and the S.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:31 am
Bah!
Obviously Dutchmen like the Roosevelts, and Presidents of similar Northern and Western European heritages (e.g. Eisenhower) were treated as honorary WASPS, after the horde of Eastern European slavs and swarthy Southern Europeans washed ashore circa 1880-1920.
December 20th, 2008 at 2:12 am
As a goyim (who has been given an honoray Irish Bar Mitzvah in graduate school… while drunk off our asses), I find this thread hilarious. Thanks my Gen X Jewish brothers for giving me hope. The “Bush” Jews (id est, Neocons)need to take a vacation. For awhile.
December 20th, 2008 at 3:40 am
Goyim is plural. What you are is a goy, specifically a shaygetz.
December 20th, 2008 at 3:44 am
Oh, and one more stupid quip. Here goes: Next thing you know there’ll be no Hakkas in the Chinese government. Badump bump.
December 20th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Thanks, everyone! The original post plus comments were the best entertainment i have had in ages! (except for the comments by those with no humor/irony genes…)
Also: for real, mormons are way OVER-represented in the fbi;
no accident, no doubt!
December 20th, 2008 at 10:45 am
The only thing that makes a Jew a Jew is the Jewish bloodline of the mother. If Timothy’s (??!!) mother was a Jew he is a Jew no matter how many shiksahs he marries, little blond girls he fathers or where or if he goes to church. Googling “geithner jewish” turns up lots of differing opinions, none supported by stating the “Jewishness” of the mother.
His wiki says his mother was born Deborah Moore and her father worked for Ford Motor in the 40s and 50s. If Mr. Moore was Jewish he wouldn’t be working for Ford in those years. And if had a Jewish wife it would be rare for a Ford executive, and it certainly wouldn’t have helped his career. My big Jewish nose smells another standard-issue gentile in Obama’s cabinet.
December 20th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Jew are a small percentage of the population, but we are concentrated in large numbers in the most important places=New York, Los Angeles, Boston (well, Brookline), etc. If you grew up in one of those places, Jews seem like a large percentage of the population. The town I grew up in NJ was all Jews and Italians.
Now that I live out in rural Maine, I’m the only Jew for about 100 miles…and I’m starting to understand why Jews seem so funny and strange to the flyover folks.
December 20th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Also, God help me if I want a pastrami sandwich and a pickle.
and forget about bagels unless I want to drive to Portland.
December 20th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Harry, if it makes you feel any better..
A few weeks ago, the bakery around the corner made fresh onion bagels. So I asked if they had “real cream cheese” – i.e. not Philadelphia. Not only didn’t they have it: They didn’t know what I meant. I tried to explain for a few minutes, but they’d never seen cream cheese that didn’t come in a tinfoil-topped cup.
Fine. I went over to the Star Market and asked a few people behind the deli/bakery/cheese counter. They didn’t know what I meant either!
And this is in cutting-edge Cambridge. I may have to drive to Portland too.
December 20th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
http://liginmaclari.blogcu.com/galatasaray-besiktas-canli-izle-galatasaray-besiktas-macini-canli-izle-galatasaray-besiktas-lig-tv-izle-galatasaray-besiktas-macini-canli-seyret-galatasaray-besiktas-maci-galatasaray-besiktas-macini-izle-galatasaray-besiktas-macini-seyret_31670811.html
December 20th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Obviously Dutchmen like the Roosevelts, and Presidents of similar Northern and Western European heritages (e.g. Eisenhower) were treated as honorary WASPS…
The fact that FDR had a distant ancestor who came from the Netherlands hardly made him a “Dutchman.” I’m pretty confident if you study his family tree, you’ll find beaucoup Anglo-Saxon surnames, too: FDR’s waspness wasn’t merely “honorary.” Among other of his more illustrious ancestors was a certain Stoughton (coming from the Aspinwall line of his paternal grandmother) who presided over the Salem Witch trials. He was also descended from Richard Warren, Isaac Allerton, Degory Priest, and Francis Cooke — all passengers on the Mayflower. FDR also, of course, had French Huguenot blood.
December 20th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
It seems Barack Obama is giving us a cabinet with no Jewish members.
Any temporary slippage in government is more than made up by the fact that y’all are still kicking tuches in Hollywood:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-oe-stein19-2008dec19,0,7941489.column
December 20th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Who cares? This is the biggest non-issue identity politics crap I’ve heard in a while.
December 21st, 2008 at 9:18 pm
>__<
December 21st, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Oh, nice. Long post, and all that actually makes it is “>_<”? Are you ****ing serious?
Anyhow, I agree with clipmonkey. This whole cabinet nonsense is such a load of non-issue identity politics bull****. So what if there are no Jews (or LGBTs) in the cabinet? And?
At least the Jews (~1.5% of the populace) and the LGBTs (approximately 10% of the populace) have representation in the administration, and in politics as a whole. What about non-believers, who make up approximately 13% of the populace (about 10% of people in this country identify themselves as being both completely non-religious, and non-spiritual, another 3% identify explicitly as atheist and/or agnostic)? They have one member in the House, and that…is…it. No representation in the Obama administration at all, at any level, from cabinet on down. At least none that (dare?) admit it publicly.
However, I’m not going to get up in arms about it. Or that Rick Warren (who, incidentally, has explicitly bashed non-believers, specifically atheists, in the same manner he has bashed LGBTs and Jews) is giving a PRAYER INVOCATION for the inauguration of the highest office within a SECULAR government. I’m going to wait to see how he actually performs in office. His appointments, thus far, have been largely both competent and experts within their respective fields. Scientists leading scientific organizations, and the like? Compare that to BushCo, or McSame and the sycophantic buffoons he would have appointed.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:39 am
Get a hold of yourself, moderation. People are just having a little fun here.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:08 pm
And your point is … ?
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:39 pm
What about SEC chair Mary Schapiro?
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Here’s the data you need on religious/gender/ethnic over/under- representation:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/marklevin/gG5CCz
Excerpt:
Demographic affiliations in Congress with a focus on the Senate (since it has more concentrated power than the House and is, conveniently, 100 senators!)
1. Gender
1. Women: 51% of the pop, 17% of the House, 16% of the Senate (about 70% underrepresentation in the Senate; should have 35 more senators)
2. Men: 49% of the pop, 83% of the House, 84% of the Senate (~70% overrepresentation in the Senate; should have 35 fewer senators)
2. Racial
1. Whites: 74% of the pop, 84% of the House, 94% of the Senate (30% overrepresentation; should have 20 fewer senators; most overrepresented racial group)
2. Blacks: 12% of the pop, 9% of the House, 1% of the Senate (92% under; should have 11 more senators)
3. Hispanics: 15% of the pop, 5% of the House, 3% of the Senate (80% under; should have 12 more senators) (there is white-hispanic overlap)
4. Asians: 14% of the pop, 1% of the House, 2% of the Senate (86% under; should have 12 more senators)
3. Religious
1. All Christians: 80% of the pop, 91% of the House (396 reps), 87% of the Senate (9% over; should have 7 fewer senators)
1. Catholics: 26% of the pop, 30% of the House (130 reps), 25% of the Senate (4% under, should have 1 more senator; most balanced group)
2. Mormons: 1.4% of the pop, 2.3% of the House (10 reps), 5% of the Senate (260% over; should have 3-4 fewer senators)
2. Jews: 1.4% of the pop, 7% of the House (30 reps), 13% of the Senate (830% over; should have 11-12 fewer senators; most overrepresented religious affiliation)
3. Muslims: 0.6% of the pop, 0.2% of the House (1 rep), 0 in Senate (should have 0-1 senators)
4. Buddhists: 0.5% of the pop, 0.5% of the House (2 reps), 0 in Senate (should have 0-1 senators) v. Hindus: 0.4% of the pop, 0 in House, 0 in Senate (should have 0-1 senators)
5. Unaffiliated/atheists/agnostics: 15% of the pop, 1.4% in House (6 reps), 0 in Senate (should have 15 more senators; most underrepresented religious affiliation)
December 30th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
An Afro-American elitist controlled by Israel and Jewish Wall-Streeters might still be superior to a white Texan controlled by defense contractors who make substandard equipment for our own soldier-citizens.
December 30th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
An Afro-American elitist controlled by Israel and Jewish Wall-Streeters might still be superior to a white Texan controlled by defense contractors who make substandard equipment for our own soldier-citizens.
December 30th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Don’t worry about the Cabinet, our free press will surely continue to report the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth: there is one people, chosen by God himself to lead the world, despite what Jesus says.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Are you kidding me? Obama’s cabinet is either jewish zionist or other zionists with the same agenda of letting jews/israel to think it is ok to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians in the land that jews stole from them through the british. Also continuing to brainwash America with the jewish media so that Americans will be stupid enough to let you use them in a war of the mid east! White blood spilled for jews because they are too much cowards to fight their own wars they create!!! I am a white American who knows the truth and there are many more than me who know what is going on “behind the scenes.” Give us a break, you people are not the chosen ones! The chosen ones would not have to leech off of other countries and people’s than their own. You are thieves and I assure you that more and more Americans are on to you and you and the other Zionists you sit with will fall too. I can see in the Zionist eye as they recognize who I am shake in desperation that they have been found out.
January 6th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
fuck jews… and the Zionist region so called Israel… you jews are the most selfish individuals… when was the last time you saw a jew donate to an actual charity benefiting humanity… god bless Adolf Hitler… should have finnished the job… but don’t worry the way you are acting and showing the world… the end for you is inevitable
January 15th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Wow.
Jews are about 2% of the population and you demand cabinet membership… ignoring of course that there is a Jew who, when this country went to war in 1991, volunteered for the military *of a foreign country not involved {directly} in the conflict}.
Wow – isn’t it enough you guys have like 11 senators with 2% of the population, and blacks and Latinos combined, at 25-28% don’t have even one?
The disproportionate Jewish power is beginning to wane despite the institutions that prop it up. Various reasons for this – simple demographics, competition from newer immigrant groups that have similar scholastic and hyperethnocentric ethos, etc.
However, Jewish intellectual life is really in decline. A culture so self-absorbed and dishonest in the face of criticism eventually begins missing the point. Analysis degenerates into the sort of shallow, shrieking criticism that yields you a Dershowitz.
Well it was a great ride, lads, and in most ways an admirable one given the atrocities committed against you as a people. My hat’s off… but really, the religious myths are silly, the self-absorption has no place in the modern world, and of course – the Bush administration was the most Jew-heavy and ideologically Jewish in our history.
Look where that got us.
January 18th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Despite being less than 2% of the U.S. population, Jews are vastly disproportionately represented in law, accounting, finance, media, fashion/textile.
That’s fine. It’s the continuous bitching and victim complex [as well continuous tearing down and undermining U.S authority and Christians - while ironically, Christians and conservatives feel a great deal of loyalty to Israel].
America has been very good to Jews. Maybe Jews ought to try acting a little grateful and being consistent [where's all the Jewish peace activist bitching about citizens being killed in Gaza like they bitched about citizens being killed by the U.S. in Iraq; or where was the huge outrage of Jews at Rwandans or Sudanese being ACTUALLY massacred ... but verbally criticized Jews and oooh, cry victim, even though it does not stop Jews from constantly defaming and stereotyping all kinds of other groups].
What. Jewish stink and hypocrisy smells like roses.
January 21st, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Regarding “maybe it is the Jews” on January 18:
1) Maybe more Jews would protest about Gaza citizens if Gaza’s government didn’t start it by launching rockets on innocent Israelis. And if you Google around, even in Israel itself there are “peace groups” that protest the IDF’s level of retaliation. Also, Hamas positions their military targets near civilians in manners that violate the Geneva accords, giving Israel no choice but to accidentally kill civilians or do nothing while her own populace is killed.
2) You’re actually wrong about Rwanda and Sudan; many synagogues and Jewish orgs have been very active in protests, fundraising, etc. for Darfur efforts, seeing in (in ways that much of the rest of white America doesn’t) as the modern-day Holocaust.
Regarding the various posts on Tim Geithner, I’m not sure about him either. He grew up in Larchmont (and still lives there), which is a very highly Jewish NYC suburb, but his name sounds more Irish in my view (and not too many Jews I’ve heard of named Tim, though I don’t think there’s a religious reason like the obvious reason that few if any Jews are named Christopher/Christine). Most official news reports I read say that he is Jewish, but my gut is that he just has some partial ancestry somewhere. Quite a few people you wouldn’t expect have say a Jewish grandparent or great-grandparent (for example, Colin Powell’s one white grandparent (which explains his relatively light skin tone for an African-American…..look it up!). But no one would call them “Jewish” in the sense it’s being used here.
March 11th, 2009 at 6:02 am
It is the coolest site,keep so!
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:56 am
buy viagra online
It is the coolest site,keep so!
April 3rd, 2009 at 4:53 am
If you have to do it, you might as well do it right
cheap brand pfizer viagra
April 9th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
If you have to do it, you might as well do it right viagra
April 11th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
jrtqn adzsmrxt psgqdx bdaxsmvp tgha aodqxc ihobukt