When did the Republicans become the party of far right and corporations?

Answer 1

It began when they rejected Teddy Roosevelt, who after all was the great Progressive a century ago, fighting the corruption of Big Business and taking up the cause of conservation, even creating it.

It began when they refused to listen to Dwight Eisenhower's parting advice, given in an address he made just three days before departing the White House:

"This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. . . . In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the diastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted."

The Bush family, for example, has always been affiliated with unprincipled business deals and unhealthy alliances with the dictators of the Middle East. (See Kevin Phillips, American Dynasty; and Craig Unger, House of Bush House of Saud.)

The real question is, When did the far right gain control of the Federal government. It's when they realized they didn't have enough voters on their economic issues ever to sustain a majority, so they looked elsewhere for another "right wing." They found it in two sectors of society, both of which should be adamantly opposed to their economic platform but are won over by what, in the long run, are peripheral issues to the "Big Money," corporate wing of the Republican Party.

First, with Reagan they capitalized subtly on racial discrimination (states rights, they called; opposition to Big Government, they called it; disdain for "welfare mothers,": they called it). After the Civil Rights Act was passed under the leadership of Lyndon Johnson, Republicans realized the opportunity to gather in the prejudiced South as well as their blood brothers in a racially divided, discriminatory country. The party of Lincoln, the party of Teddy Roosevelt, the party of Dwight Eishenhower disappeared. Theirs had been the party, in the old days, that supported civil rights, that opposed government support for discrimination against African Americans. That party simply no longer exists. It was at that point that moderate Republicans like me had to find another home, even if we didn't always like the lifestyles and liberalism of the Kennedys!

But this "emerging majority" [see Phillips, Emerging Republican Majority] wasn't enough to gain and maintain control. The Bushes had to look beyond this subtle, racial "right wing." Roe v. Wade gave them their calling card. They realized, under the influence of Lee Atwater and his successor Karl Rove, how to manipulate and maneuver the "right wing" of Christian fundamentalism. So the "welfare mothers" were joined on the pedestal of "most depised Americans" by abortionists, homosexuals, and more recently illegal immigrants from Mexico. George W. Bush, working on his father's campaigns for the presidency realized this opening. So he got himself converted. Suddenly the hard-drinking frat boy and failed oil man took walks on the beach with Billy Graham and began talking to (and for) God.

A second "right wing" had been annexed; now this bird could fly. Its heart and head and main body still consists of Big Money, corporate America, but what keeps it afloat are its two right wings: racism and fundamentalism.

That's how the party of the far right and the military/industrial/oil complex became the party that controlled the Presidency, Congress, the Federal courts, K Street, the Pentagon, and (they hope) eventually the globe, starting with the oil fields of Iraq.

Answer 2

What ever caused you to think the Republicans are 'far right'? I find them left of center most of the time.

Give them a close look. They are so infiltrated by leftist Democrats that soon there will be no difference between the two Parties. There will be the far left and the left.... do you really want communism or socialism....neither can exist without capitalism from which to steal.

Answer 3

Adams' presidency. That's when the Democratic/Republican party split up. Jackson (Who he was running against) stood for "the common man". And Adams was the Republican type person.. Rich guys. It's almost the same as corporations. The rich people can give funding, etc. That's what Republicanism is.. Property-owners get to vote.

Answer 4

authentic Time's New regulations from June 19, 2009. invoice gets an amen from me this week. Maher: Now people communicate lots a pair of one/3 political party in united statesa.. we don't decide for a third party. we decide for a familiar party. You flow to the polls and your options are the guy who voted for the 1st Wall highway bailout, or the guy who voted for the subsequent ten. This week we are listening to that a public option for wellness care is unlikely via fact it does not have the help of adequate Democrats. Even Ted Kennedy's plan, Ted Kennedy, yeah, leaves thirty seven million uninsured. it relatively is via fact we don't have a left and a top party in this u . s . from now on. we've a center top party, and a loopy party. And over the final thirty abnormal years, Democrats have moved to the main suitable, and the main suitable has moved right into a psychological scientific institution.

Answer 5

This happened about the same time that the left moved further out on the fringe.
They need to have someone to blame for all the problem that they created, so they make the R's out to be the bad guys.
Not having a plan of their own, all they can do is obstruct and critisize.

Answer 6

When the democrats began picking our pockets to pay for all their causes and giving credence to the ACLU and Liberal judges to the destruction of America. The silent majority just became too angered to stay silent any longer. The far left, woke up the far right.

Answer 7

The far right is good. They stand for less government and more freedom to individuals. You should value that. Democrats want big government and little freedom to individuals. Republicans are the lesser of two evils.

Answer 8

The republican party has allways been the business party. It is this administration however, that is totally made up of oil industry people. This, combined with an arrogant sense that they are the only people capable of making decisions, has ruined our country.

Answer 9

1964 with Barry Goldwater and the Conservative Coalition laid the seeds for a growing conservative movement in the Rupublican party. It took its big shift to the right in 1980 under Reagan.

Answer 10

About the time of Teddy Roosevelt.