Thursday, February 08, 2007

Why Jews Don't Belong In Politics

For the first time on my blog, I am going to discuss politics. The only reason why I am going to talk about politics is because I feel this certain issue involves all Jews no matter what their affiliation and it also can relate to many of the discussions on my blog.
For those of you who live in New York, on the cover of today's New York Post as well as many of the other papers has Sheldon Silver on the cover. Why was Sheldon Silver on the cover? Because of a decision him and all the rest of the politicians in Albany made to defy the new Governor Elliot Spitzer. Sheldon Silver is an orthodox Jew who lives on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and is the Speaker of the State Assembly which is one of the most powerful positions any politician in New York can have. Elliot Spitzer is Jewish as well just not Orthodox. I am not familiar with what his affiliation is so I will not say anything I am not familiar with.
The first problem with what went on in Albany yesterday is that it puts in the public spotlight Jew versus Jew. It also puts in public view of a Jewish Governor who is trying to end corruption in Albany which is a positive thing and a Speaker who is trying to continue with the corrupt ways of the State Assembly. I am not trying to challenge Silver's Jewish beliefs and affiliation but isn't Judaism especially Orthodox Judaism supposed to set an example of good ethics and anti-corruption?
The whole controversy started when Alan Hevesi, another well known Jew was caught in a cab scandal which he was using state money to chauffeur his wife around which ended up forcing him to resign after he won the election. After his resignation, Elliot Spitzer thought it was in the best interest to set up an independent group of former Comptrollers to narrow down a list of candidates to fill the position. When this group presented the three people they thought would be best for the job, the people up in Albany under the leadership of Sliver did not vote in any of the three people chosen and picked a fellow assemblyman from Long Island with no experience to take the position of Comptroller. The law states that it is up to the assembly to choose the replacement so there is nothing Spitzer can do about this. Spitzer was voted in to the position of Governor to end corruption by a huge mandate by the people of New York to end corruption and Silver keeps it going. This is a very big deal in New York and Spitzer is not going to let this go.
Because Spitzer is not going to let this go, just like he attacked Wall Street he is going to go after the Assembly and try and nail them on their corruption. What I fear is that because of this, any corruption is likely to have involvement of Silver because of his title and power and might cause a bigger Chilul Hashem than already occurred. I hope for the sake of the Jewish people Spitzer does not do this but you never know what a person is going to do as revenge.
This is not the only thing that has happened in the Jewish political world recently. Dov Hikind was being investigated for an ad campaign he put in Newspapers using tax payer money to for these ads trying to remove Olmert as Prime Minister of Israel. As a frum person shouldn't Hikind know that tax payer money should go to the community not a political campaign about an International issue that does not involve a local community which does not live in Israel? Those are the questions the secular news was jumping all over when this story came out.
We all know what has been going on with Jack Abramoff and the scandals he was involved in. When he showed up in court with a nice Borsalino hat it showed the whole country that once again an Orthodox Jew was involved in corruption. The blogosphere was all over this issue because of a Jewish Press editorial stating that it was because he didn't grow up frum that he acted this way.
Mark Green (another Jew) when he ran for mayor got caught up saying a few stupid things that ended up costing him any hope in winning the democratic primary. Yesterday, Jewish Congressman Gary Ackerman was caught saying something about gays and lesbians to Condeliza Rice which was all over the news causing further embarrassment to the Jewish communities. We had orthomom talking about the local school board politics in the 5 towns area when the Orthodox families don't even send their children there.
There are a few good Jewish politicians who have not yet embarrassed themselves by saying anything stupid or by showing signs of corruption but everyday is a new day in politics and you never know what is going to come out in the news. I believe our Great Rabbis have taught us that a Jew should not become involved in politics. Look at the result of what happened in Germany when the Jews were involved in that Government. Look at some the results of what is going on in American politics both Domestic and local. The Jews need to stay out of politics. It is important that the Jewish communities be represented so the Government provide us with what we need, but it is more important that we do not cause all of this Chillul Hashem which is going on currently. Secular through Orthodox, it does not erase the fact that you are a Jew and everyone knows that. Orthodox are held to higher standards but the Jewish people as a whole should all stick to the ethics we are taught from the Torah. Democrat , Republican, Independent or whatever you are stay out of the public eye and stop causing all of this Chillul Hashem.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are a very ignorant and pathetic person. # 1 The NYS Constitution requires the assembly to choose a Comptroller for one simple reason so the Governor can't dhoose his buddies as the Comptroller whose job is to AUDIT THE GOVERNOR AND HIS AGENCIES. One of the 3 was Bill Mulrow who happens to be a great guy but also a close friend of Spitzer's and one of his biggest fundraisers - I guess he would be HONEST auditing the Governor. This Governor is arrogant and only thinks of himself...He needs the Assembly to get anything done and if this HONEST Governor will take revenge (if thats the honest thing to do) Silver's Assembly members are more powerful than the Governor they have enough of a majority to over ride any veto the governor does.
The issue with Hikind, you either are a moron and can't read or just plain a MOitzi Shem Ra he he was not investigated by anybody it was just a story by an anti-orthodox writer in an anti Orthodox newspaper that it "may" be illeagel to use charity money for the cause he was raising for. He was not paying with taxpayer money as you wrongfully report....I can go on with every issue that you brought up but it would be a total waste of my time.. Before you start bashing Jews at least try to get your facts right so you don't come out looking like the supid moron that you are. It makes me ashamed that you are actually Jewish....

Unknown said...

to the commenter above, no offence but you are a jerk. Here you are writing a nasty comment and you don't even put your name on it. I seriously doubt that the post made you ashamed that you were Jewish, because based on the post you have no idea of what being Jewish is.

Frummy, just FYI I don't think that the Gov is very observant, during the campaign it was mention that he was never even Bar Mitzvahed.

I heard Ackerman's questions on fox last night and I wanted to croak. But not because he was Jewish but because he was an embarrisment to all Americans.

What you have going on Between Silver and Spitzer has been going on in NY politics forever. New governor, old legislator, each one wanting to put the other in his place.

I disagree with you about orthomom though. In this blog world we all get to comment on what we feel passionate about..she has the right and if we don't like it we can read a different blog

FrumWithQuestions said...

Anonymous- I am not accusing anyone of any wrongdoing in my post. I am saying because of their public figure as being Jewish, stories are always going to be coming out about them and causing a Chilul Hashem. Sandy Berger a nice Jewish boy steals papers from the national archives. Another Chilul Hashem. Regarding Hikind, what was being investigated was the charity or organization that was supplying the money for this ad and how this charity was misrepresented on what it actually was. Regardless, it is not the job of a local politian to draw attention and waste money with those types of ads. I am not an ignorant or pathetic, I am just stating that Jews should not be part of politics and gave examples as reasons why. I don't see now that is being ignorant. And just for your information, Spitzer did not pick anyone, he made an independent committee choose people and he was only reccommending to the assembly that they should choose from the people most qualified not the highest seniority. Read the editorial in the New York Post today and educate yourself to what really went on.

YWL- I can see where you disagree with me on orthomom, but the Jewish politics in the 5 towns of what orthomom was talking about made it to Newsday and the NYT causing a chilul Hashem.

Anonymous said...

to frum...i guess the new york post is your bible...how sad..

FrumWithQuestions said...

Anonymous- Why are you saying that the Post is my Bible? They happened to have a very good editorial this morning on the issue. Look at all the internet news and blogs as well. They are all saying the same thing. It seems that you are in denial and for all the corruption that goes on in Albany.

Anonymous said...

I think you mean well, but I disagree with you here. The legislature needs to be a counterweight to the governor at times. Not to be just a rubber stamp.

Re Hikind - the story didn't charge that he used taxpayer funds for that. It was rather focused on a foundation run by a crook named Gershon Tannenbaum, who writes for the Jewish Press, through which the funds were channeled.

http://thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=13530

Anonymous said...

Jews in the public eye have also done lots of good.
Is it better that we shy away from action to maybe avoid scandal, or try to be better people, privately and publically, while continuing to serve the country?

Independent Frum Thinker said...

A Jewish, especially Frum, politician shoulders tremendous responsibility. Personally, I prefer the old-fashioned Shtadlanus system over what we have today.

Anonymous said...

As a former employee of the New York State Legislature I just have to say that the doors to get out of the building that say "please stand on the gray square until both doors are closed" are really annoying and see why all the Jews are turning on each other. What no mention of the Karben scandal- jeez what kind of muckraker are you?

FrumWithQuestions said...

FrumSatire- The reason why I did not mention the Karben scandal is because apparntly there is nothing there. It was a very unfortunate situation in which the media jumped all over to make a story out of nothing. There were no charges filed that went through and it was a conspiracy to bring him down because he was a rising star in the political world. He is a great example of what can happen to a good person who is involved in politics. I am close with people of his family and they have supported him throught because they know there was no wrongdoing. The facts have proven that.

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