My Conservative friends like to post this image to ‘prove’ the Democrats are Teh Evil.
For those who don’t want to click:
[ul][li]13th Amendment Abolished Slavery. 100% Republican support, 23% Democrat [sic] support [/li][li]14th Amendment Gave Citizenship to Freed Slaves. 94% Republican support, 0% Democrat [sic] support[/li][li]15th Amendment, Right to Vote for All Men. 100% Republican support, 0% Democrat [sic] support[/li][li]Obamacare. 0% Republican support, 86% Democrat [sic] support[/ul][/li]I’ve tried to explain that the Democratic and Republican parties are not the same as they were 100 or 150 years ago, but it’s not sinking in. I’ve explained how Teddy Roosevelt broke up corporations, I’ve explained how the Democrats shifted toward The Common Man under FDR, I’ve explained the Dixiecrats… Nothing seems to work.
Sometimes ignorance can’t be fought (successfully), it simply has to be endured. Your explanation seems reasonable to me…the parties aren’t the same as they were 150+ years ago. For that matter, they aren’t the same as they were 50 years ago…nor are the voters or populace at large. Today it does seem to be the Republicans who are the reactionaries and who oppose most of the sweeping social change happening today. Just as the Democrats were once painted with that same brush (or the Dixiecrats painted with the reactionary brush during the civil rights clashes in the 50’s and 60’s), it’s the Republicans who will be looked on with disfavor by history over such things as gay marriage and probably health care reform as well…and, irony of ironies, over that stupid Confederate battle flag. Good grief, it’s surreal…
They don’t want to be educated. You could try “Southern Strategy” or a map of what states were Democratic/Republican in presidential elections in 1860 and 1960 and then v. in 2008. Though I notice they aren’t mentioning the 1960s and civil rights at all.
As far as the numbers go, it’s factually true. It’s trivially easy to prove that in the 1860s, the Republicans were more hostile to slavery and friendly to civil rights for blacks than the Democrats were. So, I think my first step is finding out what conclusions they draw from it.
That being said, I’m sure they know about FDR, Dixiecrats, etc. My guess is that they’re doing it to annoy you, and keep doing it because it’s working.
If they wanted to, the numbers there is that 61% of House Democrats voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 93% of House Republicans, so that probably wouldn’t help his argument much.
I think if someone is claiming credit for the actions of a group of people that acted 150 years ago, they should also take the blame. Tell them you’ll listen more after they pay reparations, inflation adjusted.
I’m aware of that. I’m also aware of the Southern/Northern breakdown and how it clarifies things, and the shift it precipitated. But my point was that only very old history was being looked at, and not the more recent things that some of the voters alive now actually supported/did not support.
You tell them that from 1870 to 1929 the first 21 black congressman were Republicans. And they were in states like Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. Real swinging states back then for black people.
Then you tell them the first black Senator was in 1870 (Republican) who was quickly followed 97 years later by the first black Democrat Senator in 1967.
And? Have you looked around today? Or in the last 40 or 50 years? Why do all the Democrats-are-the-real-racists people want to stop history at 1960-something? I wonder…what could it be…
As a marginalized but classically liberal Republican I have to ask, why respond on their level for political points about who’s more/less evil?
Possibly they are just spouting partisan silliness and don’t care as long as their team scores points. Possibly they genuinely support those accomplishments. If they truly are supporting the provisions of the 13-15th Amendments they share a lot of common ground with current Democrats. They share less common ground with former Democratic Party demographics that have become so influential on our side of the aisle. You likely won’t get them to agree with you on specifics but there’s still some common ground to explore.
Worst case you can really annoy them by agreeing with them on 3 of their points and challenging them to live those values.
Agree and encourage. “You’re absolutely right, and in those days the Republican party stood for a strong middle class, separation of church and state, and sound intelligent decision making. How can we get it back to that? Because if you are voting for the current GOP candidates, that’s not what you’re getting, and it’s leaving a rotten hole in our public discourse.”
Then show them this Goldwater quote:
"Mark my words, if and when these preachers get control of the
[Republican] party, and they’re sure trying to do so, it’s going to be a
terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and
governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting
in the name of God, so they can’t and won’t compromise. I know, I’ve tried
to deal with them. ~ Barry Goldwater
Tell them you’d be happy to vote for one of those representatives, but that they are all dead and have been replaced by idiots. Then walk away. Figuratively.
