Would You Trust a Democrat Who Voted Republican During the Civil Rights and Nixon Era?

[markpkessinger]

68. Absolutely correct . . .

. . . and even throughout the '60s and '70s, BOTH parties had conservative, moderate and liberal factions. And there were some very good, progressive politicians in those days who were liberal Republicans. The most progressive mayor in New York's history, John V. Lindsay, was a Republican until 1971, when he switched to Democrat to run for President. There was New York Senator Jacob Javits, another liberal Republican and a strong supporter of many of Johnson's legislative initiatives, including civil rights legislation. There was also Bill Scranton (senior, not Bill Scranton III), who, as a PA Congressman, was a strong supporter of Kennedy's legislative programs and civil rights legislation. There were others as well, some of whom one might not agree with politically on everything, but who were nevertheless decent human beings who tried to serve their country in a manner they believed was right.

The point is, neither party, and most especially the Republican Party, was nearly as monolithic 30 or 40 years ago as both are today. And rarely did either party, back then, vote as a solid block. Alliances formed more around specifoc pieces of legislation, and shifted from one issue to the next. And remember, many who later became prominent conservative Republicans -- people like Jesse Helms, Strom Thurmond, Trent Lott, among dozens of others, who had been staunch southern Democrats.

Judging the politics of 30, 40 or 50 years ago through today's lens is an inherently dicey business. It is, at best, anachronistic to do so. And as for Elizabeth Warren, there is a track record of her views going back over 10 years that should leave little doubt as to the authenticity of the views she today articulates. And unlike a certain "Goldwater Girl," she hasn't been playing both sides of the corporatist fence since she got to Washington.