The Democrats: Democrats fought to expand slavery while Republicans fought to end it. Democrats passed those discriminatory Black Codes and Jim Crow laws. Democrats supported and passed the Missouri Compromise to protect slavery. Democrats supported and passed the Kansas Nebraska Act to expand slavery. Democrats supported and backed the Dred Scott Decision. Democrats opposed educating blacks and murdered our teachers. Democrats fought against anti-lynching laws. Democrat Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, is well known for having been a Kleagle in the Ku Klux Klan. Democrat Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, personally filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for 14 straight hours to keep it from passage. Democrats passed the Repeal Act of 1894 that overturned civil right laws enacted by Republicans. Democrats declared that they would rather vote for a yellow dog than vote for a Republican, because the Republican Party was known as the party for blacks. Democrat President Woodrow Wilson, reintroduced segregation throughout the federal government immediately upon taking office in 1913. Democrat President Franklin D. Roosevelts first appointment to the Supreme Court was a life member of the Ku Klux Klan, Sen. Hugo Black, Democrat of Alabama. Democrat President Franklin D. Roosevelts choice for vice president in 1944 was Harry Truman, who had joined the Ku Klux Klan in Kansas City in 1922. Democrat President Franklin D. Roosevelt resisted Republican efforts to pass a federal law against lynching. Democrat President Franklin D. Roosevelt opposed integration of the armed forces. Democrat Senators Sam Ervin, Albert Gore, Sr. and Robert Byrd were the chief opponents of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Democrats supported and backed Judge John Ferguson in the case of Plessy v Ferguson. Democrats supported the School Board of Topeka Kansas in the case of Brown v The Board of Education of Topeka Kansas. Democrat public safety commissioner Eugene Bull Connor, in Birmingham, Ala., unleashed vicious dogs and turned fire hoses on black civil rights demonstrators. Democrats were who Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the other protesters were fighting. Democrat Georgia Governor Lester Maddox brandished an ax hammer to prevent blacks from patronizing his restaurant. Democrat Governor George Wallace stood in front of the Alabama schoolhouse in 1963, declaring there would be segregation forever. Democrat Arkansas Governor Faubus tried to prevent desegregation of Little Rock public schools. Democrat Senator John F. Kennedy voted against the 1957 Civil rights Act. Democrat President John F. Kennedy opposed the 1963 March on Washington by Dr. King. Democrat President John F. Kennedy, had Dr. King wiretapped and investigated by the FBI. Democrat President Bill Clintons mentor was U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, an Arkansas Democrat and a supporter of racial segregation. Democrat President Bill Clinton interned for J. William Fulbright in 1966-67. Democrat Senator J. William Fulbright signed the Southern Manifesto opposing the Supreme Courts 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision. Democrat Senator J. William Fulbright joined with the Dixiecrats in filibustering the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1964. Democrat Senator J. William Fulbright voted against the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Southern Democrats opposed desegregation and integration. http://realdemocrathistory.wordpress.com/category/kkk/ Gotta be proud of your parties history!
Missed one. President Johnson while in the Senate never found an anti-lynching bill he could vote for.
And for most of its history, Democrats were social conservatives. The progressive wing of the party didn't significantly manifest until about the 1920s, and social liberalism didn't really become dominant in the party until about the 70s. Back when the Civil Rights Act passed, the Southern half of the party was socially conservative. In many ways, it still is. The Act only passed with the support of mostly Northern Democrats and Republicans. On the flipside, Republicans were socially liberal about most things until around the 70s. Lincoln was very much a social liberal, as was Theodore Roosevelt. Republicans started becoming more socially conservative in the 70s in order to break into the Democrats' hold on the "Solid South." By the 80s, the parties had mostly reversed from their former selves. Democratic leadership was mostly socially liberal, while Republican leadership was mostly socially conservative. Most Democrats that have held onto the South today are social moderates or social conservatives. Republicans have a growing presence in the South specifically because of social conservatism.
Along with the movement of manufacturing and business to the south. Not a bad post really. The racist element in the south is still in both the Republican and Democrat party but racism has pretty much run it's course and now the race baiters want to bring it back.
That has more to do with differences in economic policy, not differences in social policy. Economic conservatism attracts business. Social conservatism is unrelated to business.
I would argue most of society's prejudice today isn't based on race but more on homosexuality and somewhat on Muslims. So yeah, there are definitely opportunists out there trying to open old wounds. The prejudices toward Islam are a little more understandable, but the ones toward homosexuality are a bit embarrassing when comparing our social evolution to our peers.
Give me a break. How many things could be listed from the Republicans, for practically anything offensive to either side. I would not even attempt to make a list. If I did I'm sure I could be more current than 1965. Good grief.
And Republicans were once the party of fiscal responsibility and an isolationist military policy. So what's your point?
Right all of that would be relevant if the 1960s had never happened. It basically began after FDR when 12 years of democratic dominance of all branches of government had left the Democratic party in the North as strong as it was in the south. When they came back after FDR to elect a nominee after FDR they discovered they had lost control of their own party who nominated the civil rights favoring Harry Truman. They broke off from the Democratic party, and nominated Strom Thurmond who one the solid south states. It was the first time Democrats lost in the south since 1872. They never got it back.
Much like the progressives taking over the rhetoric for the Democrat party, the Neo-conservatives have taken over the rhetoric of the Republican party. Thus the current stalemate.
Short run: A Democratic majority in both houses, and a Democratic president. Long run: A third party that represents the interests of the people who actually make the US run.
On a scale of 1-10 for cleverness, wittiness and/or originality, I give that a potato. Seriously, I was almost embarrassed for you when I read that. Is elementary school out already in some areas of the country?
