Democracy Matters
Donald J. Trump’s actions have an intentionally chilling effect on our institutions and democracy. Trump’s disdain for democracy extends to the upcoming election. He will use and abuse his power to undermine the election in an effort to maintain power. If he succeeds, the pillars of our democracy will crumble.
Jewish history shows that when countries change from liberal democratic pluralistic societies to authoritarian rule, Jews and Judaism are at grave risk. The United States of America has been the perfect environment for the Jewish community to thrive. This could only happen in a democratic, pluralistic society where the rule of law prevails. This protects minority groups like the Jewish community from majority oppression. If the United States abandons these principles, it will not bode well for the Jewish community or any other group that may oppose the authoritarian government. Read more on our Issues page.
Our team has put together a Jewish perspective on how Donald Trump, rather than being a president of “law and order”, actually represents an assault on the Constitution and the Rule of Law:
[Donald Trump] described torch-wielding Nazis and white supremacists shouting “Jews shall not replace us” as “very fine people.” His “Spiritual Advisory Counsel,” which conducts daily prayer meetings in the White House, does not include a single Jew. His divisive rhetoric and actions have made it dangerous for “others” to live peacefully in America.
Additional Resources
FactCheck.org
For democracy to matter, truth must also matter. FactCheck.org, a project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center (the University of Pennsylvania) is a website that provides non-partisan “fact checks” to better equip American voters in the midst of political disinformation. Browse some of the articles on their website and then add FactCheck.org to your favorites bar or social media feed!
Additional Readings
Authoritarianism
A new book by a psychology professor and a former lawyer in the Nixon White House argues that Trump has tapped into a current of authoritarianism in the American electorate, one that’s bubbled just below the surface for years. In “Authoritarian Nightmare,” Bob Altemeyer and John W. Dean marshal data from a previously unpublished nationwide survey showing a striking desire for strong authoritarian leadership among Republican voters.
They also find shockingly high levels of anti-democratic beliefs and prejudicial attitudes among Trump backers, especially those who support the president strongly. And regardless of what happens in 2020, the authors say, Trump supporters will be a potent pro-authoritarian voting bloc in the years to come.
Read more at “New research explores authoritarian mind-set of Trump’s core supporters” from the Washington Post
Civility & Leadership
Vice President Biden and I both know that supporting his candidacy now certainly won’t dissuade me from speaking out later when I disagree with him. But we surely will do so with civility and respect, not with childish name-calling and Twitter tirades. Joe Biden has the experience and empathy necessary to help us navigate not only the pandemic but also other issues that have fractured our nation, including social injustice, income inequality, and immigration reform.
Read more by Tom Ridge at “I was a Republican governor of Pa. I’m voting for Joe Biden.” from the Philadelphia Inquirer
Backing Trump is a morally disastrous decision for Orthodox Jews, and for Orthodox rabbis in particular. He stands against everything we believe in
Read more by Daniel Landes at “Donald Trump and Orthodox Jews Share No Values at All” from Haaretz
Separation of Church & State
[Trump-appointed] Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair James E. "Trey" Trainor III insisted that the separation of church and state is a "fallacy" while describing November's election as a "spiritual war" in multiple recent interviews.
Read more at “FEC Chair Says There's No Separation of Church and State, Calls 2020 Election a 'Spiritual War'" from Newsweek
Dark money donors invest in a Supreme Court nominee in order to reduce the regulatory power of the state by placing limits on what Congress and judges can do, which comes right out of the Republican playbook. But what is less known about Leo is how his religious views have had an impact on the courts.
Read more at “What Drives Leonard Leo’s Campaign to Remake the Courts?” from Washington Monthly
What the First Amendment does depends on who’s on the Supreme Court. In terms of prayer in school, with the new Supreme Court, I can pretty much assure you, it won’t be the Aleinu that they’re reciting. Jews forget that the separation of church and state is really designed to protect minority religions. We are a small minority religion… The separation of church and state will be nearly obliterated by who’s likely to take Ginsburg’s place, and the least of our problems will be the 10 Commandments appearing everywhere you go.
Read more from Prof. Laurie Levenson at “What a post-Ruth Bader Ginsburg court will mean for issues Jews care about” from Forward
Peaceful Transition of Power
If the government is run by lawbreakers, though, the state faces a dilemma: Either the principle of equal treatment under the law or the tradition of a peaceful transition of power will be sacrificed. It’s hard to imagine any outcome under which the rule of law survives Trump unscathed.
Read more at “The Case for Consequences: It's a Moral Imperative to Prosecute Trump” by Jonathan Chait in New York Magazine
