Comments on: Things to do in the New Year http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:10:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: shtove http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254387 shtove Sat, 04 Oct 2008 23:29:42 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-254387 Does it matter who the next president is? The White House is about to be levelled in the coming storm. Does it matter who the next president is?

The White House is about to be levelled in the coming storm.

]]> By: Matt http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254312 Matt Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:26:56 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-254312 I think you may be having difficulty understanding me, Bliox. I think you may be having difficulty understanding me, Bliox.

]]> By: Bloix http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254290 Bloix Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:21:42 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-254290 Matt, Sarah Silverman is not running a poll. No doubt you're right that elderly Jews are more likely to vote for Obama than other old white people are. That's not the point. The point is that old Jews are less likely to vote for Obama than young Jews are. Therefore, young Jews can make a difference by persuading old Jews to vote for Obama. Why is this so hard for you to understand? Matt, Sarah Silverman is not running a poll. No doubt you’re right that elderly Jews are more likely to vote for Obama than other old white people are. That’s not the point. The point is that old Jews are less likely to vote for Obama than young Jews are. Therefore, young Jews can make a difference by persuading old Jews to vote for Obama. Why is this so hard for you to understand?

]]> By: Matt http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254244 Matt Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:17:51 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-254244 "Silverman is a Jew talking to other Jews. " Yeah, I get that. And I get that a few votes, from wherever they come could make a difference. "There are a bunch of Jews who are afraid of the black guy with the Arab name." Are you sure? Because it seems to me there are a lot more non-Jews who feel that way, and that's why I wonder about the focus on Jews. Sure, there's a far higher percentage of elderly, Floridian Jews than liberal, white Manhattanites who think Obama has a scary, Arab name - but that's not really a fair comparison, is it? So I wonder if it isn't <i>partly</i> a response to antisemitism in the way the Jewish vote has been reported - a belief that Jews will be blamed for not voting for Obama - as much or more than that Jews feel elderly Jews will not uphold Jewish values in the election. The real sticker is that we might get blamed even if we do vote for him, if only 68% or so of us do. Take a look at that link in comment #21 and tell me that it makes any sense if it turns out, as I completely expect, that elderly Jews are actually more likely to vote for Obama than any non-black, <i>age-comparable</i> group. “Silverman is a Jew talking to other Jews. ” Yeah, I get that. And I get that a few votes, from wherever they come could make a difference. “There are a bunch of Jews who are afraid of the black guy with the Arab name.” Are you sure? Because it seems to me there are a lot more non-Jews who feel that way, and that’s why I wonder about the focus on Jews. Sure, there’s a far higher percentage of elderly, Floridian Jews than liberal, white Manhattanites who think Obama has a scary, Arab name – but that’s not really a fair comparison, is it?

So I wonder if it isn’t partly a response to antisemitism in the way the Jewish vote has been reported – a belief that Jews will be blamed for not voting for Obama – as much or more than that Jews feel elderly Jews will not uphold Jewish values in the election. The real sticker is that we might get blamed even if we do vote for him, if only 68% or so of us do. Take a look at that link in comment #21 and tell me that it makes any sense if it turns out, as I completely expect, that elderly Jews are actually more likely to vote for Obama than any non-black, age-comparable group.

]]> By: Bloix http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254162 Bloix Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:39:30 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-254162 Matt, assuming you're still around: Silverman is a Jew talking to other Jews. Here's what she's saying, to Jews of her own age: "We Jews are all going to vote for Obama, right? Wrong. There are a bunch of Jews who are afraid of the black guy with the Arab name. They're your grandparents! So, you guys, get down to Florida and change their minds!" Why you think this has something to do with non-Jewish white Floridians is beyond me. I've already worked pretty hard on my own mother (I'm a generation older than Silverman) and I've changed her mind. I don't see how I can have any effect on an elderly voter I'm not related to. Matt, assuming you’re still around:
Silverman is a Jew talking to other Jews. Here’s what she’s saying, to Jews of her own age:
“We Jews are all going to vote for Obama, right? Wrong. There are a bunch of Jews who are afraid of the black guy with the Arab name. They’re your grandparents! So, you guys, get down to Florida and change their minds!”

Why you think this has something to do with non-Jewish white Floridians is beyond me. I’ve already worked pretty hard on my own mother (I’m a generation older than Silverman) and I’ve changed her mind. I don’t see how I can have any effect on an elderly voter I’m not related to.

]]> By: J Thomas http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254152 J Thomas Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:10:21 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-254152 "where the importance of Jewish votes is regularly exaggerated" <em> The state-certified vote count, Florida 2000: George W. Bush (W) 2,912,790 Al Gore 2,912,253</em> Is there any particular reason to think that a few thousand more votes for Gore would have made any difference to the result? “where the importance of Jewish votes is regularly exaggerated”

The state-certified vote count, Florida 2000:
George W. Bush (W) 2,912,790
Al Gore 2,912,253

Is there any particular reason to think that a few thousand more votes for Gore would have made any difference to the result?

]]> By: millie wink http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254079 millie wink Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:23:32 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-254079 Reminds me a lot of this take on the topic, especially seth @ 3:51: "<a href="http://stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.com/2008/05/express-contempt-for-rural-white.html" rel="nofollow">express contempt for rural white ignorance, and give elderly jewish ignorance a pass</a>" Reminds me a lot of this take on the topic, especially seth @ 3:51:

“express contempt for rural white ignorance, and give elderly jewish ignorance a pass”

]]> By: CR http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254010 CR Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:10:18 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-254010 Matt, Exactly. Matt,

Exactly.

]]> By: Matt http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254003 Matt Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:25:08 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-254003 Huh? What is it I'm refusing to understand? Huh? What is it I’m refusing to understand?

]]> By: Seth Edenbaum http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-253980 Seth Edenbaum Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:47:01 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-253980 Matt, your refusal to understand is getting close to dishonesty. Matt, your refusal to understand is getting close to dishonesty.

]]> By: KCinDC http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-253975 KCinDC Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:17:56 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-253975 <blockquote><i>do you want Homer Simpson endorsing your candidate?</i></blockquote> Mark Warner doesn't seem to mind <a href="http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2008/09/warner-jason-alexander/" rel="nofollow">being endorsed by George Constanza</a>.
do you want Homer Simpson endorsing your candidate?

Mark Warner doesn’t seem to mind being endorsed by George Constanza.

]]> By: Matt http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-253972 Matt Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:59:21 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-253972 I certainly agree that there's a terrible (perhaps interesting) problem of reading Silverman in this case. I certainly agree that there’s a terrible (perhaps interesting) problem of reading Silverman in this case.

]]> By: seth edenbaum http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-253971 seth edenbaum Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:51:41 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-253971 Working class whites and old jews: two groups the dem. leadership has to worry about regarding Black Obama. Silverman: "Get down to Florida and tell your Bubbe to vote for the schwartze! She won't listen to anybody else!" Simple. Good call. Honest, and nicely done. Working class whites and old jews: two groups the dem. leadership has to worry about regarding Black Obama.
Silverman:
“Get down to Florida and tell your Bubbe to vote for the schwartze! She won’t listen to anybody else!”
Simple. Good call. Honest, and nicely done.

]]> By: Righteous Bubba http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-253968 Righteous Bubba Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:47:18 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-253968 <i>What about the rest of Florida, though?</i> I agree: if you can swing 500 votes those are important votes. I mainly agree with Matthew Kuzma that Sarah Silverman's concerned with Jews because they're her culture and her shtick. I don't think she's honestly taking an empirical position that the Jewish vote is the most important factor although she says she's blaming the Jews in the video: her bits largely involve her playing a delusional narcissist who is unaware of the terrible offence she causes via her ignorance. How to turn that into a political message is an interesting problem: do you want Homer Simpson endorsing your candidate? What about the rest of Florida, though?

I agree: if you can swing 500 votes those are important votes.

I mainly agree with Matthew Kuzma that Sarah Silverman’s concerned with Jews because they’re her culture and her shtick. I don’t think she’s honestly taking an empirical position that the Jewish vote is the most important factor although she says she’s blaming the Jews in the video: her bits largely involve her playing a delusional narcissist who is unaware of the terrible offence she causes via her ignorance. How to turn that into a political message is an interesting problem: do you want Homer Simpson endorsing your candidate?

]]> By: Matt http://crookedtimber.org/2008/09/29/things-to-do-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-253966 Matt Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:34:59 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=7945#comment-253966 Bubba, that was because of a lot of things. Jewish votes (notebaly, Jews who accidentally voted for Buchanan) were among them. What about the rest of Florida, though? What about Catholics in Ohio? There's a lot of other groups who were even more important in that outcome. Bubba, that was because of a lot of things. Jewish votes (notebaly, Jews who accidentally voted for Buchanan) were among them. What about the rest of Florida, though? What about Catholics in Ohio? There’s a lot of other groups who were even more important in that outcome.

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