The Big Tent

“Moshe, I got two questions for you. How are they hanging?

And did you read the Times of Israel article saying that 50 Democratic members of the House of Representatives voted to oppose foreign aid for Israel?”

“Yup, I read it,” Mordechai replied. “I was disgusted. It made me feel sick. Have the Dems lost their marbles? And that number just keeps growing. It’s a remarkable reversal from the days of the Democrats’ ‘big tent,’ when the party prided itself on being inclusive. They welcomed gays, lesbians, transgender people, Blacks, and Jews. Back then, the Democrats were considered the cool party. By contrast, Republicans were often viewed as the party of exclusivity, with a leadership that was overwhelmingly WASP. President Eisenhower, for example, didn’t have a single Jew in his Cabinet.”

“The Democrats even supported providing gender-affirming medical care for incarcerated transgender people, with debates over whether taxpayers should bear the cost.”

“Now that’s one enormous tent. You could say the Dems have gone nuts.” Mordechai chuckled and shook his head.

“But when it comes to Jews who strongly support Israel, who want to help defend it, or who believe the United States should provide Israel with a security safety net, we’re treated like a pair of gonads. We’re no longer  welcome.”

Mordechai sighed. “They have big balls to call themselves Progressives. And if that’s the direction the party continues to take, I think it’s a strategy that will cost them dearly. Time will tell.”