Is it Irony or Coincedence that the Democratic party is represented by a JACKA.S.S.?

Question

DEP - See you learn something everyday. I really did not know that, THNX!

Feelgood - your own thoughts please! I don't have time to link chase.

Kittie - grow up. Bush was elected twice. Either vote or don't BUT be assured I will!

JimW - Keep showing that liberal compassion! You need to deal with your NAPOLEAN complex little man! I took it as a compliment - we all see how the open mided tolerant liberal thinks.

Answer 1

When Andrew Jackson ran for president in 1828, his opponents tried to label him a "jackass" for his populist views and his slogan, "Let the people rule." Jackson, however, picked up on their name calling and turned it to his own advantage by using the donkey on his campaign posters. During his presidency, the donkey was used to represent Jackson's stubbornness when he vetoed re-chartering the National Bank.

The first time the donkey was used in a political cartoon to represent the Democratic party, it was again in conjunction with Jackson. Although in 1837 Jackson was retired, he still thought of himself as the Party's leader and was shown trying to get the donkey to go where he wanted it to go. The cartoon was titled "A Modern Baalim and his ***."

Interestingly enough, the person credited with getting the donkey widely accepted as the Democratic party's symbol probably had no knowledge of the prior associations. Thomas Nast, a famous political cartoonist, came to the United States with his parents in 1840 when he was six. He first used the donkey in an 1870 Harper's Weekly cartoon to represent the "Copperhead Press" kicking a dead lion, symbolizing Lincoln's Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, who had recently died. Nast intended the donkey to represent an anti-war faction with whom he disagreed, but the symbol caught the public's fancy and the cartoonist continued using it to indicate some Democratic editors and newspapers.

Later, Nast used the donkey to portray what he called "Caesarism" showing the alleged Democratic uneasiness over a possible third term for Ulysses S. Grant. In conjunction with this issue, Nast helped associate the elephant with the Republican party. Although the elephant had been connected with the Republican party in cartoons that appeared in 1860 and 1872, it was Nast's cartoon in 1874 published by Harper's Weekly that made the pachyderm stick as the Republican's symbol. A cartoon titled "The Third Term Panic," showed animals representing various issues running away from a donkey wearing a lion's skin tagged "Caesarism." The elephant labeled "The Republican Vote," was about to run into a pit containing inflation, chaos, repudiation, etc.

By 1880 the donkey was well established as a mascot for the Democratic party. A cartoon about the Garfield-Hancock campaign in the New York Daily Graphic showed the Democratic candidate mounted on a donkey, leading a procession of crusaders.

Over the years, the donkey and the elephant have become the accepted symbols of the Democratic and Republican parties. Although the Democrats have never officially adopted the donkey as a party symbol, we have used various donkey designs on publications over the years. The Republicans have actually adopted the elephant as their official symbol and use their design widely.

The Democrats think of the elephant as bungling, stupid, pompous and conservative -- but the Republicans think it is dignified, strong and intelligent. On the other hand, the Republicans regard the donkey as stubborn, silly and ridiculous -- but the Democrats claim it is humble, homely, smart, courageous and loveable.

Adlai Stevenson provided one of the most clever descriptions of the Republican's symbol when he said, "The elephant has a thick skin, a head full of ivory, and as everyone who has seen a circus parade knows, proceeds best by grasping the tail of its predecessor."

Answer 2

i imagine that not one of the 'stats' are appropriate. it truly is a undeniable actuality that the GOP, a minimum of because the 1920's, has continually been a pal of firms and the properly off. the style between the GOP 'then' and 'now' inspite of the undeniable fact that is incredible. The Republican get at the same time of Eisenhower, Nixon and Ford wasn't the enemy of unions, women human beings, and minorities. because the Reagan era, the GOP has been completely taken over by technique of trans-nationwide firms, the Oil Mafia in certain and the Christian proper. The Bush administration hasn't ever followed 'racism', inspite of the undeniable fact that it has makes use of the amenities of proper wing communicate radio to demonize the 'liberals' and gays....an invaluable subsitute. for his or her area, the democrats, because the 70's, were politically the position the Eisenhower Republicans grow to be....slightly more effective @ss kissing in course of the firms, slightly a lot less chummy with exertions. the present incarnation of the Democratic get at the same time, a minimum of as illustrated by technique of Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton, appears to be like shifting back to the era the position the get at the same time well-known the fortunes of the yank salary-earner. good wages and common artwork imbedded in a thriving economic gadget the position increasing ranges of nationwide production were shared with the 'operating type' grow to be continually the democratic treatment for poverty. beginning in the Sixties this theory of excellent wages and a sturdy social protection information superhighway grow to be met by technique of a 'bah-humbug' options-set by technique of the Goldwater republicans, ensuing in the Reagan era and now the Bush semi-fascisti style of a nationwide economic gadget. So there!

Answer 3

Both figures are servants of mankind in that they work hard for their dinner. The elephant is not indigenous to the American Continent. But the jackass's are all over America both liberal and conservative. Well more conservative than Liberal, but it is at times a close call.
Like on the gutless war on terrorism proposal voted on and passed that got us stuck in the Middle East and surrounded by idiots with power at home and idiots with guns and bombs in Iraq.
Great job GOP, The Grand Oil Party.l

Answer 4

I kind of knew that Heather would win since it was down to 12, just about how she moves. I was rooting for Virginia because she was the underdog (having been in her shoes!) I didn't get to see the last episode, I had to work! But I heard..Now, who is the jackass representing the dems?

Answer 5

Hey Rand!

Actually the artist responsible for the depiction of both parties when they took over was a devout republican and gave the donkey mascot to the democrats as an insult.

but the party kept it because it is a hard working animal that continues on, even though it is usually driven beyond limits.

Good question!

Answer 6

Well at people actually LIKE to look at ours!

What a sophisticated question.And you also brought a lot of crazies right out of the woodwork(Republicans often do,wink wink).

Speaking of irony,you were listed along with myself and a few others by DEP in a questionas people who enjoy an intelligent conversation

ha ha, I laugh last.

Answer 7

It may be that they are represented accurately as such, but beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing that is the elephant representing the Republicans, for this may be an accurate representation as well.

Answer 8

Wow. Mighty observant of you ain’t it. I don’t care what the symbol of the party I believe in, I still vote Democrat! It’s the agenda that matters and not the symbol, although I think that mule looks just fine.

Answer 9

It's neither. Personally I think the Republican Party is represented by an arrogant buffoon.

Answer 10

Is it any coincidence that the Republican party is represented by an Elephant, who is afraid of a mouse.