How many of you remember when the Democrats WERE the Majority Party?

[Armstead]

With the possibility -- emphasize possibility -- that the democrats may soom become the majority party, how many of you remember when the US was basically a Democratic nation before?

I mean back in the days before Richard Nixon and the Right Wing Conspiracy started us on the long slide down the ditch of turning this into a GOP Country.

I do. When the average person on the street was likely to be Democrat. And the news media did not refer to the Democratic Party in dismissive tones. And liberal was considered the mainstream of opinion. The grey Republicans were a minority -- and evenb the Republicans back then were moderates, rather than right-wing extremists.

I also remember whe the Democratic Party got ripped apart by the Vietnam War. That wasn't so jolly. But even then, by comparison to the Democratic Party was still a much more diverse alternative.

How many remember those days?

[EFerrari]

1. This country was founded on the idea of equality -- it has a long

liberal tradition. Conservatism is no more than a reaction, like temporary case of hives, breaking out now and again. Don't let the noise machine rewrite history.

I remember.

:)

[GainesT1958]

2. I recall that it was considered almost unthinkable...

That Repubs could EVER gain back the majority in either house; that they were viewed more or less as the "permanent minority".

Well, we had the House for forty years straight, and the Senate for thirty-four of those same forty years. It took that long to drive us from power. And they've run this nation--and their reputation (not that it was good to begin with or anything!:eyes: )--into the ground in twelve. Hmm...and the last time they had both houses, in the first years of Ike's first term, they gave us...Joe McCarthy. Maybe THAT'S why they stayed out of power for most of the next four decades!:eyes:

Here's hoping this election is the beginning of another beautiful, loooong Dem relationship with the majority!:D

B-)

[Historic NY]

3. When being a Liberal was something special.....

in NY we used to have the "Liberal Party" as a political party.

[bigwillq]

4. I don't.

I know the DEMS had majority prior to 1994 but I was only 14 at the time and didn't pay attention to politics.

[Armstead]

20. It was often a matter of gridlock in the 80's and 90's

Even when Democrats had a majority in Congress -- or during Clinton's presidency -- the GOP Conservatives were already entrenched enough that nothing really got done. It was usually a case of gridlock, rather than much forward progress.

[madrchsod]

5. yes and we marched in marched in the streets

we were democrats and we did`t march lock step into tyranny.

[Radical Activist]

6. For two years of the Clinton presidency we were.

We held both houses of Congress and the White House. I remember how we squandered it. I remember how we didn't pass meaningful campaign finance reform, how we didn't pass universal health care. I remember how it wasn't enough to have a Democratic majority when some of your Democrats are moderate to conservative corporate sell outs. I hope fear doesn't cause us to squander it again.

[stevebreeze]

8. I hope you also remember how obstructionist the GOp was

I believe they held the record for filibusters.

[KharmaTrain]

7. You Mean In 1993?

Maybe there are some here who may not remember that year, but Bill Clinton was swept into power with control of both houses.

Now, I think you're more wondering about when the Democrats appeared in as strong a position before an election...and I'll throw a couple years out...1986 (Iran-Contra), 1974 & 76 (Watergate) and 1964 when Johnson all but wiped out the GOOP.

I really don't think the Democrats were ripped apart by Vietnam...we did maintain majorities in both houses during those years and helped get Carter elected in '76. The divisions of '68 and '72 were not major issues by '76 and forward.

In 1964, the Repugnicans were down to 160 house seats (we're bitching about being at 215), but the '66 mid-terms started a slow but gradual change in that party that would enable it to win the White House in '68 and then move on from there. I tend to view things as cyclical. I hope we've come out of one of these right wing swings of the political pendulum...just like what happened in the 20's and the 50's and the wind is now at our backs for the next 10 or 15 years....or at least the worst is behind, not ahead.

[Greyhound]

14. Good memory, thanks for posting it. n/t

:kick:

[Armstead]

19. Actually I was thinking further back to the 50's and 60's

Okay, we had a Republican Prez in the 50's, but he was more like today's moderate Democrats.

In general back then, Democrats were the party of working Americans, civil rights and the people with imagination. In other words, they were the clear party of majority values.

And the majority of Republicans at least shared more of those same values, so it was less a matter of living on different planets than it has become.

[Tesha]

22. Civil Rights ripped the Democrats apart.

Civil Rights ripped the Democrats apart; (generally) the
northern Democrats were for it and the Southern Democrats
were against it. In 1964 it got pushed through anyway and
many Southern Democrats (both voters and elected officials)
eventually became Republicans over it.

And yet we're *STILL* trying to pander to assholes who
think people should be denied equal rights (on any number
of bases including race, creed, gender, and sexual orientation).
Instead, we should simply stand up and proclaim civil rights
for all with *NO RESERVATIONS*.

Tesha

[Old and In the Way]

9. Even during the Viet Nam war, the political discourse was never

this bad. The Republican Syndicate made a conscious decision to capitalize by dividing the nation. They managed to get the Fairness Doctrine torpedoed and their corporate Republican media and Religious arms did the rest.

One thing to note, Democrats have never been more energized or connected. Remember, the internet as a communicating/organizing medium has only recently become a critical part of our ability to get our message out. We've never had this tool when we were in power. That alone could and should change the future dynamics of how we exploit our natural majority advantage.

[No Exit]

10. I remember it.

And, of all people, P.J. O'Rourke once wrote something that keeps running through my head now--to paraphrase, he said something like,

"The republicans are usually the party out of power... every now and then, they get to be the party in power, at which time everyone is reminded of WHY they are usually the party out of power."

I complained about the democrats (when they were in power) because I was TOLD that they were "ruining America". I now complain about the repukes, while they are in power, not because I am TOLD they are ruining America (quite the opposite--the media praises them ad nauseam), but b/c I can see it with my own eyes.

[upi402]

11. THAT is how I think of America

unmolested

[Armstead]

23. Yes the last 30 years of tnhe GOP have been....

a long period of nation abuse.

[flaminbats]

12. even conservatives used to listen..

:wow: my Congressman used to be a Democrat. Before he switched parties, my Congressman was a top target of the RNC. I liked him, despite his votes against Clinton's budget and opposition to Roe v Wade decision. When he was a Democrat, he never committed to Clinton's healthcare reform bill but held numerous public forums on the subject. Many people came to these forums, the uninsured, those with devastating medical bills, and screaming fanatics who hated Bill Clinton.

It amazed me how well that guy could control his temper, even when a neocon only got up to call him a "Clinton clone". He didn't embrace Clinton's approach on healthcare, but supported a plan that allowed those with preexisting conditions to buy health insurance while paying the same premium as an employer or healthy person would. He called himself conservative, but always listened to progressives and all of us on the left. He voted against Clinton's budget, but recognized that cuts in military spending would be necessary to balance the budget. He always answered his phone, and always talked to voters directly.

Everything changed when Republicans took over and he switched parties. The forums suddenly ended, he embraced the Newt's agenda without asking any questions, calls were taken by staffers..never by him, deficit spending went from being a problem he was willing to face to just another subject he worked hard to avoid, now he regularly attacks liberalism and Clinton as "causes of 9/11."

I believe people have generally become more liberal since my Congressman switched parties, but I also know that incumbents have grown more arrogant and isolated from the voters than when Democrats held power. This year I believe he will win the fewest votes of any election held since he switched parties.

[Armstead]

24. Interesting how one Congressman can illustrate the change

Maybe he'll be retired this year.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. I remember when all but a few sourpusses thought that

ending poverty was a good idea.

I remember when white Americans (at least in Minnesota and Wisconsin) were rooting for the African-Americans as they struggled for civil rights.

I remember when a pair of jeans cost 4 times the minimum wage, a year at a state university cost 300 times the minimum wage (now 2300 times the minimum wage for perspective), a 1-bedroom apartment cost 50 times the minimum wage, and a new car cost 1000 times the minimum wage.

I remember hearing of Peace Corps workers who had completed their assignments traveling overland from Bangkok to Amsterdam and never encountering any anti-Americanism.

[Armstead]

21. Yep -- Now the sourpusses are in charge

[TahitiNut]

15. I was born when FDR was President.

Of course I remember. :shrug:

(Kids! Wet behind the ears.)

:evilgrin:

[Armstead]

18. Ike was elected the year I was born

So compared to you I'm just damp behind the ears.

Nyah, Nyah.

[omega minimo]

16. .

[LSK]

17. i was born in 1972, however, i got a taste of it when Clinton was elected

I was so thrilled that night when he gave his victory speech on the steps of the Ark State Capital and "Dont stop believing in tomorrow" was playing.