Why don't Democrats and liberals revere Dwight Eisenhower?

[Dr. Jack]

I've been learning a lot of about Dwight Eisenhower, particularly his presidency, and I don't understand why Democrats and liberals don't claim him as one of their own? Yes I know he was a Republican but that was in a different era and it's not unusual for parties to claim past figures as one of them. Lincoln is revered by Democrats and not really seen as a modern Republican. So why not Dwight? Republicans largely ignore him these days, so why don't we look to him as an inspiration? Sure he wasn't 100% aligned with every aspect of modern liberalism. He was president almost 70 years ago. But he did push for increased civil rights. He was a strong proponent of the UN. He warned against the dangers of the military industrial complex. He was a key figure in the defeat of fascism. He was tough as shit, which I think modern Democrats could use a bit more of. He is a giant in American history and his legacy is there for the taking. Why don't liberals seize the opportunity?

[Trueblue Texan]

1. 'd love an Ike...but no such Republican exists right now.

[Dr. Jack]

3. Fuck the Republicans. We need Democrats in the mold of Eisenhower

Claim his legacy and then build up Democrats as the modern party of Ike.

[rockfordfile]

2. He's a mixed bag

[LakeArenal]

4. Because he's even before my history.

I have many to revere in my own party.

My boss a Republican, never respected any employee, always refusing raises as “what have you done for me lately?”

So I say to Republicans, sure ancient history had some better republicans. But what have they done for me lately?

[Mister Ed]

5. Me, I like Ike. n/t

[marybourg]

6. Republicans don't ignore him. They just had a large monument

to him put up in D.C. as a counterpoint to Dems campaigning successfully for a FDR monument.

We have plenty of our own labor, civil rights and human rights heroes. We don’t need to adopt publican military figures because they were “tough”.

[RussellCattle]

10. I think the monument honors Eisenhower as a military leader and as...

...."the boy from Kansas", with less emphasis on the presidency. Certainly no mention of his warning about the "military-industrial complex" from our Republican friends.

[marybourg]

12. You think wrong.

[RussellCattle]

22. Google "Eisenhower Monument images" and see what comes up. There seems to be a decided....

....emphasis on the left side of the monument which illustrates the war time general.

[marybourg]

24. I've seen videos panning over the whole thing.

I don’t know what your point really is, or even what the point if the O P is.

[RussellCattle]

28. I see that I've made a mistake in responding to your comment. I should have recognized your...

....absolutist take on all "publicans" and left it alone. Your comment about videos makes me wonder if you did the google search I suggested.

[SlogginThroughIt]

31. I share that absolutist view

[RussellCattle]

36. I'd be interested in seeing how you respond to the comment made below by "brush".

[demosincebirth]

7. He appointed Earl Warren to the Supreme Court, but he turned out to be pretty liberal

As a Republican. He said that was the biggest mistake he made. Take this for what it’s worth.

[Arkansas Granny]

8. I don't know anyone, Democrats, Republicans or whatever who doesn't have respect for Eisenhower.

He was not like Republicans today.

[MiniMe]

9. He would nevber be a republican in today's republicanism

I don't think Nixon would be a republican in today's republican's either.

[roamer65]

23. Neither would Ronnie Raygun.

[brush]

11. He was also pro-labor. Republicans weren't so heinous back then.

The following are straight from the Repulican Party Platform of 1956:

Provide federal assistance to low-income communities
Protect Social Security
Provide asylum for refugees
Extend minimum wage
Improve unemployment benefit system so it covers more people
Strengthen labor laws so workers can more easily join a union
Assure equal pay for equal work regardless of sex

Ike would be a centrist Dem today, maybe even center left.

[RussellCattle]

13. I've often thought that our Democratic candidates could do well at the debates by....

....quoting from Eisenhower or the Republican platform back in the fifties. This to illustrate how far astray their opponent and his party has gone.

[crickets]

20. +1

[Zambero]

14. He also considered having Nixon dumped from the ticket in '52

Of course the "Checkers Speech" won the day for Tricky. Ike could smell a rat a mile away.

[Wellstone ruled]

16. Tricky Dick was

the scourge of Ike's Administration. Nixon created the Poison that continues in today's modern Politics. Joe McCarty and his Witch Hunt was not stamped out by Ike and that has left to this day,a sour spot with the Dem's.

[DavidDvorkin]

15. He twice defeated a far better man

That doesn't help his memory.

[Shrike47]

17. Revere? Why? I do respect him and his memory but I rarely revere anybody.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. He consolidated the gains of the New Deal and built the interstate highway system.

He consolidated the gains of the New Deal, sent federal troops to integrate Little Rock High School, and built the interstate highway system.

Top ten president.

[MineralMan]

19. He is, quite frankly, ancient history at this point.

I'm 75 years old. I remember Ike. In 1960, as a 15-year-old small town kid, I campaigned for JFK. That's ancient history now, too.

Ike was OK, in his own time. That time is not relevant to today, though. Nothing is anything like it was in the 1950s. We have work to do, and looking backward is not how we will do it, to be quite frank.

[crickets]

21. I don't revere Eisenhower, but I do respect him.

As with many presidents, and people in general, he made his fair share of mistakes. He is the only Republican president of recent memory for whom I have any real regard. For many of the reasons you and others cite, and especially for his farewell speech, I hold him in a place of genuine respect overall.

[Paladin]

25. Ike is a vastly underrated president.

I've felt that to be the case, for years.

[WhiteTara]

26. he loosed nuclear power

into the world, calling it nukes for peace. He's famous for saying we should watch out for the military-industrial complex. During his years, the famous 3 martini lunch was the norm and sloppy contractors built our facilities.

Also, he wasn't exciting.

[Sneederbunk]

27. Think Mossadegh, Guatemala, Vietnam, Dulles brothers.

The list goes on and on.

[jcboon]

30. Yeah

[BootinUp]

29. because he was a general? just a wild stab. nt

[Klaralven]

32. Eisenhower could have had either party's nomination in '52.

His coattails only brought in a Republican Congress for two years, and he worked with a Democratic House and Senate for six.

[grobertj]

33. I too am an admirer of Eisenhower....he is VERY underrated.

If he ran today, he'd be described as a liberal.

[Demsrule86]

35. You ever hear of operation 'Wetback'?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Wetback. He is not to be admired.

[Demsrule86]

34. Anyone who reveres this evil man should read up on Operation 'Wetback'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Wetback