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Jewish Issues Absent From President’s Address

The Scroll smells something fishy

by
Dan Klein
January 26, 2011

The State of the Union occasionally resembles a service attended by two denominations who disagree which prayers they’re suppose to rise for. Aside from that, the Jewish media (which, as opposed to the Jewish controlled media, is run by Zoroastrians) sadly noted that the Jewish content was shockingly (shockingly I say!) absent. The president addressed neither Israel, the ordination of women as orthodox Rabbis, nor how the Katzes are getting a divorce.

He made a rather lackluster single sentence mention of Iran which could have gone at least one step further. Yes, diplomacy caused Iran sanctions. Yes, the sanctions are stronger then ever. But it would’ve been nice if he noted the effect on Iran’s actually nuclear program—and bonus points for throwing in a mention of “equipment difficulties” with a big wink.

He also noted the contributions of soldiers “Christian and Hindu, Jewish and Muslim.” But the day that Jewish soldiers are left out of a list like that is the day you might want to consider crossing the border.

Finally, however, the president came to a bipartisan issue that is sure to rally his Jewish base—and might even convince the other side to cross over.

We live and do business in the Information Age, but the last major reorganization of the government happened in the age of black-and-white TV. There are 12 different agencies that deal with exports. There are at least five different agencies that deal with housing policy. Then there’s my favorite example: The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they’re in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them when they’re in saltwater. (Laughter.) I hear it gets even more complicated once they’re smoked. (Laughter and applause.)

(Emphasis Mine)