Why I was raised a Republican

Originally Posted by Riot

You're a sad little hateful thing. Go away and play with your pictures.

Look in a mirror, troll. I have plenty of flaws and am aware of them. You, on the other hand, are a delusional monster with ZERO self-awareness.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Riot

Ah HA ! I knew I wasn't crazy

I talk to lots of friends who had always been Republican, too. There's been a definite shift in what the party stands for in the past 10 years. I wish they'd go back more towards what they used to be.

Now, the GOP has a "purity test" for candidates that not even Bush or Reagan could pass

I must admit, I shifted from Republican to Independent about the mid-60's, once I became involved in the Civil Right's movement I found my beliefs far to the left of both parties. I had little regard for "liberals" cause I saw them as two-faced and cowardly (especially in the south), at least when I came face to face with the Klan, I knew where I stood. Not much has changed for me over the past 40 years or so...

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Look in a mirror, troll. I have plenty of flaws and am aware of them. You, on the other hand, are a delusional monster with ZERO self-awareness.

Blah, blah, I hate you, blah, blah, profanity, blah, blah, I act like a 2-year-old throwing a screaming temper tantrum when I'm unhappy and the whole list has to come to a halt to bow to my fits - Pillow Pants

Snore.

deflect deflect deflect p.ussy fart eat a dorito deflect ask off-topic question deflect attack deflect troll p.ussy fart drink faygo

rinse repeat.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

I must admit, I shifted from Republican to Independent about the mid-60's, once I became involved in the Civil Right's movement I found my beliefs far to the left of both parties. I had little regard for "liberals" cause I saw them as two-faced and cowardly (especially in the south), at least when I came face to face with the Klan, I knew where I stood. Not much has changed for me over the past 40 years or so...

Good point. Both parties were cautious in action on civil rights, even the Kennedy Dems. I don't know if the country could have tolerated more change, more quickly. Yet we have many of the same problems now, still. Remnants from that cautiousness of that era? From not being surgical and severe enough at the time? Maybe.

I think that people haven't changed across the spectrum, as much as what the organized groups have chosen to stand for - "this season".

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by 3kings

Great thread!

Please tell us more about you. Why you are so over bearing. Why you think your opinion is always right. Why you think you are smarter than everyone else. Everyone on this site is surely interested.

5 pies

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

How old were you in 1956 Riot?

Exactly as old as you were.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Riot

Good point. Both parties were cautious in action on civil rights, even the Kennedy Dems. I don't know if the country could have tolerated more change, more quickly. Yet we have many of the same problems now, still. Remnants from that cautiousness of that era? From not being surgical and severe enough at the time? Maybe.

I think that people haven't changed across the spectrum, as much as what the organized groups have chosen to stand for - "this season".

Yes, many of the old problems remain, Dr King's murder slowed the train significantly but both parties, for all their bluster, accept that America has to be governed from the middle. Perhaps they are correct when many folks call the likes of Clinton and Obama radical liberals. I would give anything to see one real left wing President in my lifetime but I've long since accepted that will not happen.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Riot

Exactly as old as you were.

interesting. I always figured you were at least 60.

[Riot]

I can't imagine any true progressive being elected, any more than a Libertarian. But I sure do enjoy watching them in Congress!

This is from the 1964 GOP platform. You can see them change to respond to the politics of the day (Vietnam, civil rights)

And yes, I've only included some few parts that are completely different from today, not stuff that is essentially unchanged. These are often things that today, the party is trying to eliminate.

1. We Republicans shall first rely on the individual's right and capacity to advance his own economic well-being, to control the fruits of his efforts and to plan his own and his family's future; and, where government is rightly involved, we shall assist the individual in surmounting urgent problems beyond his own power and responsibility to control. For instance, we pledge:

—enlargement of employment opportunities for urban and rural citizens, with emphasis on training programs to equip them with needed skills; improved job information and placement services; and research and extension services channeled toward helping rural people improve their opportunities;

—a strong, sound system of Social Security, with improved benefits to our people;

—continued Federal support for a sound research program aimed at both the prevention and cure of diseases, and intensified efforts to secure prompt and effective application of the results of research. This will include emphasis on mental illness, drug addiction, alcoholism, cancer, heart disease and other diseases of increasing incidence;

—revision of the Social Security laws to allow higher earnings, without loss of benefits, by our elderly people;

—full coverage of all medical and hospital costs for the needy elderly people, financed by general revenues through broader implementation of Federal-State plans, rather than the compulsory Democratic scheme covering only a small percentage of such costs, for everyone regardless of need;

Those Democrats! Only offering to pay a small percentage, rather than all, the medical costs for our needy elderly!

—adoption and implementation of a fair and adequate program for providing necessary supplemental farm labor for producing and harvesting agricultural commodities;

—tax credits for those burdened by the expenses of college education;

—vocational rehabilitation, through cooperation between government—Federal and State—and industry, for the mentally and physically handicapped, the chronically unemployed and the poverty-stricken;

—revision of present non-service-connected pension programs to provide increased benefits for low income pensioners, with emphasis on rehabilitation, nursing homes and World War I veterans;

—support of a Constitutional amendment permitting those individuals and groups who choose to do so to exercise their religion freely in public places, provided religious exercises are not prepared or prescribed by the state or political subdivision thereof and no person's participation therein is coerced, thus preserving the traditional separation of church and state;

—full implementation and faithful execution of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and all other civil rights statutes, to assure equal rights and opportunities guaranteed by the Constitution to every citizen;

—improvements of civil rights statutes adequate to changing needs of our times;

—such additional administrative or legislative actions as may be required to end the denial, for whatever unlawful reason, of the right to vote;

—immigration legislation seeking to re-unite families and continuation of the "Fair Share" Refugee Program;

—continued opposition to discrimination based on race, creed, national origin or sex. We recognize that the elimination of any such discrimination is a matter of heart, conscience, and education, as well as of equal rights under law.

In all such programs, where Federal initiative is properly involved to relieve or prevent misfortune or meet overpowering need, it will be the Republican way to move promptly and energetically, and wherever possible to provide assistance of a kind enabling the individual to gain or regain the capability to make his own way and to have a fair chance to achieve his own goals.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Riot

I can't imagine any true progressive being elected, any more than a Libertarian. But I sure do enjoy watching them in Congress!

This is from the 1964 GOP platform. You can see them change to respond to the politics of the day (Vietnam, civil rights)

And yes, I've only included some few parts that are completely different from today, not stuff that is essentially unchanged. These are often things that today, the party is trying to eliminate.



Those Democrats! Only offering to pay a small percentage, rather than all, the medical costs for our needy elderly!

Many Republican politicians of today would characterize this a a "socialist agenda"

[Riot]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

Many Republican politicians of today would characterize this a a "socialist agenda"

Speaking of progressives, Congressman Weiner had a hilarious visual presentation on the defunding of "Car Talk" today in Congress.

Thank goodness the GOP held an emergency session on this!

[AeWingnut]

there are plenty of bad republicans but there are no good democrats

shall we look and see how the dem party has changed

is there nothing of the commie rat manifesto they won't embrace

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by AeWingnut

there are plenty of bad republicans but there are no good democrats

shall we look and see how the dem party has changed

is there nothing of the commie rat manifesto they won't embrace

Riot, an excellent example of what I was saying....middle of the road Democrats are characterized as "commies". The conservatives come in all shapes and sizes, many are thoughtful and some...not so much!

[johnny pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Riot

Ah, yes: the essential difference between what type of person makes up the current political parties. How the political GOP has changed. How it used to be a party with greatly different values than the corporate apologists they are today. How it used to be a political party one could be proud of belonging to.

its a good point but what you leave out is the democrats are the same way.....there are no values in either party. sure they run their mouths but look at the results. the reason we are in big trouble is BOTH parties. if you were raised republican or democrat and you still believe in either....you are sort of a moron.......just take a look around and watch how both operate.! there are a few good ones in each party that tell the truth....but they are mouthpieces and the party elite will never let them win........watch how far ron paul and denis kucinich go in their respective parties....one is a die hard conservative the other a liberal.....but they pretty much tell the same story....gee, i wonder why? because its the truth and the corporations(plus the FED) and either party would never have it.............its called CORPORATE RULE. the most obvious was the bailout fiasco.....NO ONE WAS CHARGED WITH A THING???? they got bonuses for wrecking the economy. gee, i wonder why? which party did a thing about it? now they can contribute unlimited amounts of money to campaigns....yeah, things are going to be peachy for years to come......lol..lol. you are talking about a time (1956)when at least both parties thought about the PEOPLE........thats long gone folks, unless people wake up and force the issue...but they are dumb(don't know they're being separated by two corrupt parties) and lazy as we fall like Greece or Rome....read a history book.......this is how every empire fell.....hopefully i'll be gone before it happens but i have kids and a grand kid.
i left out the guy in vermont....sanders??? independant, that guy they paint as a commie or socialist because he says the people are getting screwed....keep believing the media and his opponents.....hes a commie the "people" are getting great deal......yeah ok....i'm buying that crap.....

[Danzig]

great news!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...iNb_story.html

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by johnny pinwheel

its a good point but what you leave out is the democrats are the same way.....there are no values in either party. sure they run their mouths but look at the results. the reason we are in big trouble is BOTH parties. if you were raised republican or democrat and you still believe in either....you are sort of a moron.......just take a look around and watch how both operate.! there are a few good ones in each party that tell the truth....but they are mouthpieces and the party elite will never let them win........watch how far ron paul and denis kucinich go in their respective parties....one is a die hard conservative the other a liberal.....but they pretty much tell the same story....gee, i wonder why? because its the truth and the corporations(plus the FED) and either party would never have it.............its called CORPORATE RULE. the most obvious was the bailout fiasco.....NO ONE WAS CHARGED WITH A THING???? they got bonuses for wrecking the economy. gee, i wonder why? which party did a thing about it? now they can contribute unlimited amounts of money to campaigns....yeah, things are going to be peachy for years to come......lol..lol. you are talking about a time (1956)when at least both parties thought about the PEOPLE........thats long gone folks, unless people wake up and force the issue...but they are dumb(don't know they're being separated by two corrupt parties) and lazy as we fall like Greece or Rome....read a history book.......this is how every empire fell.....hopefully i'll be gone before it happens but i have kids and a grand kid.
i left out the guy in vermont....sanders??? independant, that guy they paint as a commie or socialist because he says the people are getting screwed....keep believing the media and his opponents.....hes a commie the "people" are getting great deal......yeah ok....i'm buying that crap.....

I have to agree...I usually support the Democrat because I believe that generally speaking, they are the lesser of two evils but both parties are married to the status quo....feed the rich and let the poor starve. Slowly the middle class is disappearing and becoming the working poor and yet folks believe that balancing the budget on the backs of those who can least afford it while letting the rich get richer is the way to go.

[Danzig]

the lesser of two evils is still evil. the two party system is broken, it's been broken. this country goes back and forth between the two, looking for someone to fix our problems. yeah, that's working well.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Danzig

the lesser of two evils is still evil. the two party system is broken, it's been broken. this country goes back and forth between the two, looking for someone to fix our problems. yeah, that's working well.

No argument from me!

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

No argument from me!

Prior to Obama, the last candidate that excited me was George McGovern, I enthusiastically supported him. Bobby Kennedy showed promise as he was apparently willing to go left of his brother. I felt that Obama was important as his election would prove to us that indeed the "American dream" was more than words. I knew from the beginning that his middle of the road politics would disappoint me but I felt the symbolism was extremely important. I was originally a supporter of Hillary for much the same reason, and I still feel she would have made a better President...unfortunately it appears that she is resigned to never attaining the position. So, our next President will be either a conservative Republican or a middle of the road Democrat...and the status quo will continue. This is the will of the American people...we get what we deserve.