Do today's conservative Republicans take credit for the actions of liberal Republicans from the past?

Question

they talk about the party of Lincoln... freed the slaves...

the party that gave African Americans the right to vote...

which are both correct...

these were not "conservative" actions... they were at the time... borderline radically liberal... non-traditional... some thought it would destroy the economy, which current conservatives wouldn't stand for...

and at the time... the South was dominated by clearly conservative Democrats that wanted to keep the traditions of the south, no matter how horrible they were?

in fact, the few who were frustrated with WWII were Republicans and some didn't want to be in the war... quite liberal again...

and they were the party of MLK Jr.... who was quite liberal, to the point where the CIA investigated him...

but then... Strom Thurmond switched parties and the conservative south shifted... and NIxon came around (who did stop Vietnam, by the way)... but ushered in a different kind of Repbulcian.

are Republicans proud of liberal heritage?

I don't know which is better... the first response or the fact that so many agree with him?

liberal and conservatives are ideologies... maybe you should look them up sometime...

Answer 1

There used to be a lot of evil in both parties till the Dems threw theirs out and it concentrated in Republicans.

When I was a kid the party of power was very regional. Republicans held it in the North, and so the Democrats became the party of the dispossessed opposition. The Democrats were the party of power in the South and it was the Republicans who were the opposition.

Except in the South where racism ruled the ballot, one's right left leanings were not very predictable by party, Everything was done by bipartisan coalitions.

First it was Republicans who lost much of their left wing in the fight between Teddy Roosevelt and Howard Taft, eventually providing a coalition for FDR as formerly Republican liberals swelled Democratic ranks, but it was in 1968 when the Democrats warred on Chicago streets over the VietNam war and in back rooms over the legacy of Racism, that Theofascism and Bigotry was driven from the Democratic party.

As a result in the next few years every prominent Southern Democratic Politician became a Republican, and with them went their organizations, funding, and techniques for one party fascist rule.

So now for the first time since Andrew Jackson, the Democrats were the real party of freedom, and the other party was the party of coalition of Theocracy, Corporatism, and Bigotry. Unfortunately that coalition is the key ingredients of Fascism.

As a result what either party represented in the past has but slight reference to the present. The evil that Southern, bigotry driven Dixiecrats, represented is now solidly Republican, as both Bigots and what was once a solidly Republican Black vote, have switched parties completely, even as neither has changed inwardly.

Only a few mostly Jewish leaders like Ed Koch and Joe Lieberman have chosen to oppose the Bigotry, even as they support all the other Republican positions.

So once again a Classic battle of good and evil is lining up, the Gang Of Pirates have the powerful tools of disinformation, cheating, intimidation, and bigotry that the other side cannot effectively use, but have only facts, and empathy that the GOP has abandoned. Unless they can add bravery and honor to that list, we are all lost.

Answer 2

The term liberal has changed definitions since that time. The modern term libertarian is used to describe the classic liberal ideology. The modern word liberal describes a mindset that is better described as democratic socialism - also progressiveism. In other words old fashioned liberals are closer to modern conservatives, but really modern libertarians than they are modern liberals. The south is not necessarily known as conservative, there's a lot of piecemeal voting in the south. Much of the south is known as mainstream conservative on religious and social issues, however, the predominance of blue collar workers, especially of the union types drives a lot of people to the Democrat party, that for all intents and purposes are conservatives with the socialist work tendencies the unions desire in mind. That is a large part of why President Obama campaigned to unions so heavily and the biggest reason he brought GM and Chrysler under the federal umbrella. To this day the Democrat party is incredibly racist. In an effort to secure votes the party actively backs campaigns and organizations that give out entitlements. In the same areas where these entitlements are most heavily distributed extra campaigns are carried out encouraging people to vote along with promises and reminders of where the entitlements come from. The net result of this is a couple of generations of urban minorities who don't have a concept of working for a living, an incredible epidemic of single mothers, and even more children growing up without fathers. What they are doing is creating vote farms with entitlements and public relations - treating minorities, union workers, and Mtv watching couch droolers as cattle with voters cards. I am not a Republican, but the National Black Republican Association is one of the best places to read about this. BTW the South was not Liberal during the war, not by the old definition - they were acting then with an attitude that is closer to what modern Democrats want today. Slavery was "forced charity of labor" - which is analogous to the current socialism. Under slavery person A wants capital without working - or in excess of their work and makes person B do labor to provide capital. Under modern socialistic "liberalism" person A wants capital without working or in excess of their work so they tax person B who is already working to provide entitlements to person A. I don't see a huge difference in philosophy. Both stifle freedom. Meanwhile people with modern libertarian concepts are seen as selfish and damaging since they only believe in voluntary charity and not at all in stifling freedom. Back for your voting pleasure - appealed and won. I'm a liberal, under the classic definition of the word, which means I believe in freedom of speech. I agree - Abraham Lincoln was indeed a liberal, under the classical definition of the word. Not the modern socialist one.

Answer 3

You missed Teddy Roosevelt, who was outraged by the abuses of unregulated capitalism and was more or less booted out of the party because he was "too liberal." So it's not as if the conservative pigs are just a recent phenomenon.

What Republicans excel at is rewriting history, transforming their one-time enemies after their deaths into great symbols to warm the cockles of what passes for conservative "hearts." Like Reagan claiming to think FDR was the best president of the 20th century at the same time he was destroying everything Roosevelt stood for.

Rocman (_*_)

* remove your head

Answer 4

What else have they got..the list of failed policies is so long they have to spin twist and shout to find a success in there some where. Lincoln was great, watch Bush dance like Abe. Next week is stove pipe hat week at the white house. Done any good lately........Uhhhh never mind

Answer 5

nice try g

The term conservative may mean looking to the past, but in the context of American politics, means conserving the values of the American revolution. It merely reflects an understanding that freedom is essential in all of our lives. We conservatives still react to information in a way that makes us forward-thinking. We just do it in a way that is consistent with our nation's proven recipe for success.

Answer 6

Republicans were actually quite isolationists and the Democrats were the ones that wanted to change the world, by force (war) if necessary!

...I remember the Democrats calling for the toppling of governments all over the world due to the injustices those governments were doing to their people..and the Republicans saying it was none of our business and to keep our troops away from those problems...

well..how things change!

today the ones wanting to engage and change the world are the Republicans and the ones wanting to "bring troops home" and mind our own business are the Democrats...!

go figure!

Answer 7

The conservatism you speak to comes not from a political party but from the knowledge that our founders meant to interpret the constitution in the strictest sense hence conservative.
The constitution is not the living document that liberals wish to impose on us if it needs to be change then there is an amendment process not judicial diktat.

Answer 8

I only take responsibility for my own actions. Besides, today's liberals are not the same as the original ones. Same with conservatives.

Answer 9

I don't think anybody is retarded enough to believe that, except maybe you!
Why do liberals try to take credit for all the cons accomplishment? 30 years from now liberals will try to take credit for the successful Iraqi war! I'm beginning to get it now, you want to cry and whine about the war now hoping we lose so you can say I told you so, but when we succeed you then want to take the credit too. Nice try but only a liberal is dumb enough to think that trick will work!

Answer 10

Not out loud- they don't! The word "Liberal" is ONLY spoken as an "epithet" -to be aimed at their Democrat of "choice"... It must NEVER be used to describe a God Fearing Republican- so "help them", Ronald Reagan. :)