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July 24, 2008

Rabbi Berel Wein: On the road again --- and again and again

Richard Z. Chesnoff: Mideast Refugees --- Failure vs. Success

JWisdom:: Word power is about more than vocabulary by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

July 23, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: The Mufti of Jerusalem's Nazi ideology lives on among contemporary Islamists

The Kosher Gourmet by Joe Gray: Smoked paprika turkey meatballs simmered in red wine and tomato sauce

JWisdom:: 'Routine' doesn't need to mean ‘rote’ By Rabbi David Aaron

July 22, 2008

Yossi Klein Halevi: Dear Barack Obama

Elliot B. Gertel: Eli Stone: Self-indulgent, arrogant corporate attorney as modern-day prophet

JWisdom:: Three Weeks - Nine Days - One Purpose by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

July 21, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Spending your kids' money

Mitch Albom: A grim exchange illustrates a key difference

JWisdom:: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: Hammered on the Anvil --- Severed by the Sickle by Rabbi Nosson Scherman

July 18, 2008

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: The Sanctification and Importance of Time

Caroline B. Glick: US wants it absolutely clear it has no intention of attacking Iran's nuclear installations

Mona Charen: What can you say about a people who welcome a child murderer as a hero?

JWisdom:: Living a dog's life, dawg? by Rabbi Dovid Gross

July 17, 2008

Steven Emerson: Deals with devils

Libby Lazewnik: One Step at a Time

JWisdom:: Leader the follower? by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

July 16, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Poaching humans

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Meaty pasta salad with summer berries perfect for warm evenings

JWisdom:: Keeping A Secret by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

July 15, 2008

Dennis Prager: False Equation: Opposing Same-Sex Marriage and Opposing Interracial Marriage

Joel Greenberg: Researchers look to Israeli circumcision program to help combat AIDS 'Alternatives' to Logic Won't Work

JWisdom:: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part V: Why Judaism ISN'T Spiritual by Rabbi David Aaron

July 14, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: A warning from Canada to those who value life

Jonathan Tobin: 'Alternatives' to Logic Won't Work

JWisdom:: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Poland's Unique Antisemitism, Part II

July 11, 2008

Rabbi Francis Nataf: It's hard to be humble when you're great

Caroline B. Glick: A tale of two hostages

JWisdom:: Profane for Prophet by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

July 8, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. Duty to save gullible from themselves?

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Islamists have the West just where they want us

JWisdom:: Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality, Part 3: The Fully Loaded Human Being by Rabbi Dovid Gross

July 3, 2008

Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski: A spiritual budget (TOUCHING!)

Jeff Jacoby: Israel still paying for its defeat

JWisdom:: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part IV by Rabbi David Aaron

JWisdom:: The Moses Method by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

July 2, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Appeasers Make Poor Patriots

The Kosher Gourmet By Kathleen Purvis: Slaw, y'all: For BBQs or Sabbath dinner, these southern recipes are something else!

JWisdom:: Rabbi Mordechai Becher: Jewish Rx for A Simpler Life

July 1, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. I think it's important to leave a legacy to my children. How much should I save towards this end?

Paul Greenberg:A President who is history deficient?

JWisdom:: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Poland's Unique Antisemitism

June 30, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Remembering the architect of Torah Judaism for the modern world

Abe Novick: Hulk: Still a Jew?

JWisdom: : Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality, Part 2: The Abandoned Child

June 26, 2008

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Quantum leap to evil

Caroline B. Glick: Victimized families must not be allowed to dictate policy

June 25, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Today in Biblical History: King Jeroboam of Israel prevents pilgrimage to Jerusalem

Jonathan Tobin: Real Friends and Real Enemies

JWisdom: Raping of reason By Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 25, 2008

Steven Emerson: Kristof: Never Mind the Terrorists

Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: Mediterranean Flyover: Telegraphing an Israeli Punch?

JWisdom: Rabbi David Aaron: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part III

June 24, 2008

Caroline B. Glick: What were they thinking!?

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Guilty knowledge

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Warping Innocence

June 23, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Diploma dilemma

Jeff Jacoby: A world without children

JWisdom: Rabbi Dovid Gross: Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality --- Introduction

June 20, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Man: The Crowning Glory of Creation

Caroline B. Glick: Israel's darkest week

JWisdom: We aren't worthy? by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 19, 2008

Rabbi Elazar Meisels: The saints who don't come marchin' in

Chris Christoff: Muslim woman demands an apology from Obama after camera snub

June 18, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Still Dancing Around Jerusalem

The Kosher Gourmet by Steve Petusevsky: Chilled fruit and vegetable soups

JWisdom: Souls Need A Check Up? by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 17, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: Baby Einstein

Caroline B. Glick: Bush's rhetoric, Bush's policies

JWisdom: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part II by Rabbi David Aaron

June 16, 2008

Varda Branfman: Bob Dylan, won't you please come home?

Diana West: Academic dares to question the 'religion of peace'

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Positive Backfire

March 22, 2007

J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !)

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review Nov. 29, 2007 / 19 Kislev 5768

Why Iowa?

By Lloyd Garver


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Iowa is a really nice place. I know people who live there and I know people who come from there. I'm sure that most Iowans are warm and friendly just like the Midwesterners that I grew up with were. Iowa leads the nation in corn for grain, soybeans, and hog production. Ann Landers, Herbert Hoover, and William Frawley — the actor who played Fred Mertz on "I Love Lucy" — were all born in Iowa. What could be more American than that? But are any of these things good enough reasons for Iowa to determine who the next president might be?


That's what's been in the news lately: "If he (or she) has a poor showing in Iowa, it's all over" or "If she (or he) does well in Iowa, it could wrap up the nomination." About three million people live in Iowa, which is about 1/100th of the population of the United States. It's ranked 30th in population among all the states. About 100,000 Iowans are expected to caucus. Obviously, Iowa should have a voice in determining who the next president will be. But should it be such a loud voice?


The caucusiowa.com Web site says that the results of the caucuses do not imply "... that every state should vote as we do — it's simply to say that we are representative of the country at large ..." But are they? Has anyone done research to prove this? Do the people in a typical neighborhood in Iowa have the same values and opinions as the people in your neighborhood? Maybe, maybe not. I mean, if you don't live in Iowa, can you imagine getting excited about high school wrestling?

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It would be considered unfair if some big states like California, New York, and Texas all had their caucuses or primaries before the rest of the country. Nobody would care what the people in Iowa and other states felt. People from smaller states would feel disenfranchised. But is it any fairer to have the voters of Iowa be so powerful that some candidates will probably drop out of the race before people in other states even have a chance to vote for them?


Maybe the fairest thing would be to have a national primary in which all the states have their primaries on the same day. Of course, this will never happen. Iowa and the traditionally early primary states would fight it. And so would the political parties and the candidates. If you think running for president is ridiculously expensive now, can you imagine how much it would cost if every candidate had to campaign in every single state just to get the nomination? And what about the toll on the candidates? Their heads would be spinning so fast they wouldn't even be able to remember what state they were in while eating their nightly rubber chicken. They'd get confused and wouldn't know which regional accent to fake. And candidates like Chris Dodd would have to keep moving their families and renting houses in all 50 states.


Forgetting the fairness issue, why do people care so much about how the people in Iowa vote? If a candidate does poorly in Iowa, he or she can't just say, "OK, I didn't do well in that one state. There are plenty of other states I might do better in." They can't say that because Iowa has become something special. Candidates want to have a good start. And if you win something somewhere — whether that place is big or small — it's a good thing. Others will join your cause and donate money to you because everyone likes to be associated with a winner. And if you don't do well, people will desert you and your cause faster than you can say, "The Hawkeye State." Iowa has come to have a mystique. When it comes to politics, Iowa rules. It "rocks." And there is an acceptance of this one state having more power than mere logic and statistics dictate. This has taken on a life of its own, and perpetuates itself every four years. So candidates would be foolish to stop spending so much time and money on an Iowa campaign just because it doesn't make sense. Even if it's not necessarily logical, they have to recognize that it's a reality.


It's quite possible that the people of Iowa have this mystique and power in other areas. Let's put it this way: if Iowans ever stop reading my column, I'm certainly going to start getting nervous about the rest of the country. And please don't start me worrying about how they feel about me in New Hampshire.

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

JWR contributor Lloyd Garver has written for many television shows, ranging from "Sesame Street" to "Family Ties" to "Frasier." He has also read many books, some of them in hardcover. Comment by clicking here. Visit his website by clicking here.

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© 2007, Lloyd Garver

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