The right wing seems to have a great deal of power on this forum.
Just a few thoughts on Conservatives and the Republican party.
The Republican party since the time of Howard Taft- and not the progressive republican Teddy Roosevelt has stood for.
1. Against reforms in food processing and protection of the public.
2.Opposed social security and unemployment insurance at a time during the great depression- when the problems of that economic decline where caused by the extreme laissez faire economics of the republican party of that era.
3. Opposed civil rights legislation in the 1950's and 60's (although to be fair both parties where negligent here) But the GOP was mostly against the civil rights bill of 1964.
4. Opposed en masse Medicare in 1966.
5. With southern Democrats and the Health care lobby opposed Harry S. Truman's plan to nationalize health care in the late 1940s.
6. Has mostly sided with oil companies and the utilities in opposing stricter clean air standards; and has mostly pooh poohed global warming (Although McCain has had the courage along with the 'Guvernator' in California to stand above garbage like James Imhoff in OK.
What exactly has the republican party stood for since Teddy Roosevelt? Well besides the liberal contingent of Nelson Rockefeller, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ike and Gerald Ford (And even Nixon) not much.
They seem to hold the truths of the original property owners of pre revolution America- they do not want taxes, still have a certain plantation like racism (now along with homophobia) anti reform, anti anything unless it benefits the corporations, the rich, straight white males-
In the last 100 years the Democratic party has been the party of reform- the republican party has been the party of the wealthy, the shareholders, anti reformists, militarists, and those trying to preserve their own wealth.
Trouble is now the average American is tired of socialism for the rich- and is beginning to realize their blind support for the GOP's 'ownership society' is a sham. And suddenly they realize the disintegration of the 'safety nets' the progressives built- are no longer there- well I guess its back to 1929 again.
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