Difference between revisions of "Ralph Reed"
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| − | '''Ralph Eugene Reed, Jr.''', (born 24 June 1961) is a conservative US political activist, a former associate of disgraced lobbyist [[Jack Abramoff]] and the former executive director of | + | '''Ralph Eugene Reed, Jr.''', (born 24 June 1961) is a conservative US political activist, a former associate of disgraced lobbyist [[Jack Abramoff]] and the former executive director of [[Pat Robertson]]'s [[Christian Coalition]]. |
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| + | In June 2009 Reed started The [[Faith and Freedom Coalition]] as 'a 21st-century version of the Christian Coalition...married with the modern technology of the internet sprinkled with the NRA (National Rifle Association) and [[AIPAC]] (American-Israel Public Affairs Committee).' Reed told the ''Economist'' that FFC's base is '60% evangelicals, 25% Roman Catholics and 15% "other", such as conservative Jews.'<ref name="ec">[http://www.economist.com/node/17043312?story_id=17043312 Ralph's way: The Wunderkind returns], ''The Economist'', 16 September 2010</ref> The report adds: | ||
| + | :Mr Reed can cite some impressive numbers: an $8m budget; 1,000 members joining every day; 350,000 supporters, of which 150,000 are donors, and 350 local chapters. He is sending out 5m congressional scorecards and 21m voter guides.<ref name="ec"/> | ||
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| + | ==The Israel Lobby woos Reed== | ||
| + | Ralph Reed has served as the key liaison between the Israel lobby and the Christian Right. On 8 May 1995 he addressed [[AIPAC]]'s annual conference, followed by a panel discussion on relations between Jews and the Christian Right. According to J.J. Goldberg, Reed's co-panelist [[Elliot Abrams]] said: | ||
| + | :For any of us to allow our own political views to interfere with our cooperation with a group that is valiantly pro-Israel, it seems to me, is nuts. The American Jewish community was once under 4 percent of the population. It is now under 3 percent, and it is clearly heading for 2 percent. So the ability of the American Jewish community to protect Israel in the next generation is inevitably going to decline.<ref>Goldberg (1996): 109</ref> | ||
| + | To underscore his point, Abrams concluded: | ||
| + | :[We] may be in for an era when the influence of the American Jewish community is in decline. For that reason I say to you, I don't know whether Ralph Reed needs us, but we need Ralph Reed.<ref>Goldberg (1996): 109-110</ref> | ||
==Affiliations== | ==Affiliations== | ||
*[[Christian Coalition]] | *[[Christian Coalition]] | ||
*[[Faith and Freedom Coalition]] | *[[Faith and Freedom Coalition]] | ||
| + | *[[AIPAC]] - addressed the 1995 annual conference<ref>Goldberg (1996): 109</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
| + | [[Category:US|Reed, Ralph]][[Category:Christian Right|Reed, Ralph]] | ||
Latest revision as of 10:00, 20 April 2015
Ralph Eugene Reed, Jr., (born 24 June 1961) is a conservative US political activist, a former associate of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and the former executive director of Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition.
In June 2009 Reed started The Faith and Freedom Coalition as 'a 21st-century version of the Christian Coalition...married with the modern technology of the internet sprinkled with the NRA (National Rifle Association) and AIPAC (American-Israel Public Affairs Committee).' Reed told the Economist that FFC's base is '60% evangelicals, 25% Roman Catholics and 15% "other", such as conservative Jews.'[1] The report adds:
- Mr Reed can cite some impressive numbers: an $8m budget; 1,000 members joining every day; 350,000 supporters, of which 150,000 are donors, and 350 local chapters. He is sending out 5m congressional scorecards and 21m voter guides.[1]
The Israel Lobby woos Reed
Ralph Reed has served as the key liaison between the Israel lobby and the Christian Right. On 8 May 1995 he addressed AIPAC's annual conference, followed by a panel discussion on relations between Jews and the Christian Right. According to J.J. Goldberg, Reed's co-panelist Elliot Abrams said:
- For any of us to allow our own political views to interfere with our cooperation with a group that is valiantly pro-Israel, it seems to me, is nuts. The American Jewish community was once under 4 percent of the population. It is now under 3 percent, and it is clearly heading for 2 percent. So the ability of the American Jewish community to protect Israel in the next generation is inevitably going to decline.[2]
To underscore his point, Abrams concluded:
- [We] may be in for an era when the influence of the American Jewish community is in decline. For that reason I say to you, I don't know whether Ralph Reed needs us, but we need Ralph Reed.[3]
Affiliations
- Christian Coalition
- Faith and Freedom Coalition
- AIPAC - addressed the 1995 annual conference[4]
