General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"Something terrible has happened to the soul of the Republican Party..."
PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)malaise
(269,278 posts)You stole my post
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)there has been many republicans in the past who had a soul.
today's republicans are a whole different story.
Look at Eisenhower, and his accomplishments, including sticking up for the seniors. Besides the national highway system, he was very big in the social aspect of this country..this best quote of his presidency (IMO) is...
"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes that you can do these things. Among them are a few Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or businessman from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."
President Dwight D. Eisenhower, l952-----
pocoloco
(3,180 posts)The splinter group is in control and they are not about to give it up.
Diclotican
(5,095 posts)rtracey
It was posible true - in the 1950s, that is was a few ones - who was negligible and stupid - today they are many - but still stupid...
Diclotican
maddiemom
(5,106 posts)We lived in an extremely Republican area and my dad, who voted for the Democrats, always kept quiet and registered Republican for employment reasons (I know, WTF?). If I remember correctly, and discussed when older, both the Democrats and Republicans were courting Ike. When he went Republican my mom automatically wrote him off as one of the "bad guys." At the time it was my first memory of political craziness. I was way more liberal than my parents in the late sixties/early seventies. Over the years I have voted for local and state level Repubs. These days? Not a chance. The national party has gotten so repulsive that only those who are dropping away deserve voter consideration.
PatrynXX
(5,668 posts)Republicans didn't used to attack each other either. They are so utterly right wing right now things could go hard left and I'm not hard left either. Hard Right and Hard Left both not good. Having a party with zero moderates ... well as Biden says there is no Republican Party anymore.
Plucketeer
(12,882 posts)All that's left is an elephant costume with a Tea-Partier in the front half and a Corker CONservative to fill out the ass end!
Loaded Liberal Dem
(230 posts)That's pretty much it.
100% right
caseymoz
(5,763 posts)The Gilded Age corrupted the Republican Party, and it has never been a party with principles since.
IthinkThereforeIAM
(3,078 posts)... I realized that over 10 years ago. Massive corruption under Grant and those that followed, sent all the, "decent", Republicans of that time towards the Democratic Party and other progressive groups.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)on the Republican side at the turn of the 20th century. There were strong industrialist cronies on both the Democratic and Republican side and there were progressives on both as well. But the progressive push that lead to the first real reigning in of the out of control industrialists and the first hint of social welfare came from the Republicans via Teddy Roosevelt. His "Square Deal" policy was meant to make sure workers were treated fairly and humanely by the corporatists (trusts). It was very much an idea that was reflected the "New Deal" of Franklin Roosevelt during the depression. There was not much to say about the Democrats of that period as they were divided between corrupt labor shills owned by the industrialists and a weak progressive flank that backed Roosevelt.
Of course a lot changed later but neither the Republican party nor the Democratic party resembled anything we know by those names now.
IthinkThereforeIAM
(3,078 posts)... I had forgotten to mention the populist parties, which I was intending to include.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)Read up on Theodore Roosevelt and William Taft... 1900 through 1912.
hedda_foil
(16,377 posts)They got top dollar for it, though. With residuals.
mgardener
(1,825 posts)Abraham Lincoln
Teddy Roosevelt
It was once a party of high ideals. No longer. It is rotten to the core.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)That's frightening, though.
They don't seem to think they HAVE to cover it up anymore.
tiny elvis
(979 posts)what need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?
12AngryBorneoWildmen
(536 posts)Plucketeer
(12,882 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)GoCubsGo
(32,100 posts)another_liberal
(8,821 posts)That was, of course, a century and a half in the past.
rwsanders
(2,614 posts)First, I saw a brilliant post somewhere that said "we never ended slavery, we just exported it", and today's republicans are quite OK with that. Or did I miss an uproar from the right over the deaths in the factory in Bangladesh?
Second, I think if they try to claim that legacy, they should have to explain why they refuse to acknowledge some of their leaders between now and then. What I mean is, how many of them go around quoting Eisenhower? Remember the last republican presidential primary debate? Then looked like a bunch of morons when they were asked about their favorite past president and like a bunch of parrots (sorry for the insult parrot lovers), they all squawked "Ronald Reagan". So Reagan was better than Eisenhower? An actor better than the man who helped win WW2? What a bunch of losers.
I'm tired of them trying to claim the legacy of Lincoln on one hand and promoting death, destruction for the 99% and extreme wealth for the 1%.
We need more like Grayson and Sanders who will pin them down and show them for what they are.
another_liberal
(8,821 posts)No claim, none whatsoever.
maddiemom
(5,106 posts)better for the country than St. Ronnie. Making Reagan their saint over the last couple decades says it all for the Republican party: so pathetic that it seems they may finally be backing off a bit with the Reagan worship.
Bluegene
(35 posts)Yes please send a few dollars Graysons way. The 1% realizes how smart he is and is really giving him a run. So even if it is $5 or $10 every little bit helps.
BlueinOhio
(238 posts)Schadenfreude
sadoldgirl
(3,431 posts)on the contrary they are proud of ruining the country. I hope, that they will not win in 14 or 16; however, if they should do do, I bet that they will start spending again as under Reagan or W.
calimary
(81,594 posts)Seems to me this is evidence enough that some of these people have no soul at all. Certainly no heart!
fleabiscuit
(4,542 posts)Considering how the party has slid to the right too I would suggest:
VOTE DEMOCRAT > We're just like the Republicans you used to vote for without the crazies.
To long?
eridani
(51,907 posts)Maybe there's just not a good way to spin it.
The Wizard
(12,556 posts)mountain grammy
(26,666 posts)Oilwellian
(12,647 posts)the bottom of my shoe.
mountain grammy
(26,666 posts)alfredo
(60,082 posts)Their honesty is refreshing
Ned Fenwick
(25 posts)Yes, they look foolish and childish, and at times embarrass themselves by being self-contradictory, but I think these guys are doing this mystifying, destructive, self-destructive stuff because they have this sword hanging over their heads - that is, the tons of money of the traitorous, amoral super-rich who hate and have contempt for everybody else. You know who they are. These republican politicians have no choice. They have to do what they're told. It's no secret. They're what E. Warren calls captured.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Their patron saint.
VA_Jill
(10,045 posts)Well, maybe it did once. It sold it long ago in exchange for power. Maybe sometime around 1972.
Response to kentuck (Original post)
SolutionisSolidarity This message was self-deleted by its author.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Politicub
(12,165 posts)So they constantly try to destroy it and create as much suffering as possible.
And the poor in the red states that cast their lot with the GOP cry out for more boots to the face.
Kingofalldems
(38,508 posts)Pakid
(478 posts)If you can hold your nose and vote for a Republican then you no longer have a soul.
chknltl
(10,558 posts)russspeakeasy
(6,539 posts)liberalmuse
(18,672 posts)Eisenhower took it to the grave with him.
3catwoman3
(24,109 posts)...party all right - people vote for their candidates.
bkanderson76
(266 posts)BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)Paul Krugman. You are the best.
ismnotwasm
(42,023 posts)You mean that fecalith they use?
defacto7
(13,485 posts)If "they" is the "they" of the last couple of decades... understood. But capping either party with the same hat historically is absurd. What we have now is what we have now. What was before on either side is comparing apples and asparagus. There's no congruency.
ananda
(28,895 posts)..
mwb970
(11,374 posts)liberal N proud
(60,352 posts)They are heartless bastards.
ck4829
(35,096 posts)"More skin in the game" is just one codeword for this sadism they now preach.
K&R.
My Good Babushka
(2,710 posts)"It is said that he had arrived at the last stage of human depravity, when cruelty becomes pleasing for it's own sake, when the sight of pain, as pain, where no advantage is to be gained, no offense punished, no danger averted, is an agreeable excitement." -Thomas Babington Macaulay
niyad
(113,860 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)Big ones. They crush people every day.