Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"Democrat" as adjective started with Joe McCarthy
http://www.pensitoreview.com/2007/01/31/mccarthyism-useage-of-democrat-party-was-popularized-by-joe-mccarthy/Thank you, TonyPDX.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
9 replies, 2667 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (12)
ReplyReply to this post
9 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
"Democrat" as adjective started with Joe McCarthy (Original Post)
mothra1orbit
Oct 2016
OP
And those who argue it's "no big deal" also know exactly what they are doing. And...
NurseJackie
Oct 2016
#5
still_one
(92,061 posts)1. Anyone who utilizes that phraseology continuously in a dialog knows exactly
what they are doing, since it is readily pointed out to them that we are the DEMOCRATIC party, and if they refuse to accept that, then they are completely disingenuous
ananda
(28,836 posts)2. Well if they say Democrat for Democratic, then...
... by logic, they have to say "Republic" for Republican.
still_one
(92,061 posts)3. True, though I have a much better acronym for the republican party
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)5. And those who argue it's "no big deal" also know exactly what they are doing. And...
... it's not just being contrary for its own sake. There's something else going on. I'll just leave it at that.
still_one
(92,061 posts)7. As usual Jackie, you hit the nail on the head
3catwoman3
(23,950 posts)4. Reason enough...
...to eschew its use.
Cyrano
(15,027 posts)8. They've turned "liberal" into a dirty word. Now trying same with "Democrat"
Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)9. No, it started well before McCarthy
There are instances from the nineteenth century, according to the Wikipedia account of the history of the usage. At that time it seems to have been more of a casual mistake. It later became deliberate:
William Safire studied the partisan use of "Democrat Party" as epithet since the 1940 presidential campaign of Republican Wendell Willkie. Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen, Willkie's campaign manager, explained to Safire his motivation for using the term: Stassen said that because the Democratic Party was at that time partly controlled by undemocratic city bosses"by Hague in New Jersey, Pendergast in Missouri and Kelly-Nash in Chicago, [it] should not be called a 'Democratic Party.' It should be called the 'Democrat Party.'"[16]
. . . .
In 1996, the wording throughout the Republican party platform was changed from "Democratic Party" to "Democrat Party": Republican leaders "explained they wanted to make the subtle point that the Democratic Party had become elitist".[19]
. . . .
In 1996, the wording throughout the Republican party platform was changed from "Democratic Party" to "Democrat Party": Republican leaders "explained they wanted to make the subtle point that the Democratic Party had become elitist".[19]
To be fair to the Rethuglicans -- uh, pardon me, the Republicans -- it should be noted that some within their ranks have dissented. For example, in 1984 Jack Kemp said that using the phrase in the GOP platform would be "an insult to our Democratic friends" and the proposal was dropped.
There actually is a Democrat Party -- in Thailand. So when Republicans think they can't discuss issues without invoking some foreign country, you have to ask: Why do they hate America?