# If the GOP could roll back the New Deal or Great Society **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 8, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358 "2011-07-08T22:42:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/1 "2011-07-08T22:42:17Z")
And they can pick 1 OR the other, which would they pick? IMO, their aminity is more directed toward FDR than LBJ. ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/2 "2011-07-08T23:25:17Z")
I think this actually belongs in “Great Debates” more than here. But I’d vote to get rid of the “Great Society”. It created the welfare mentality that the world owes you a living. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/3 "2011-07-09T17:40:32Z")
Can we define terms? The Great Society included the Civil Rights Act, Medicaid & Medicare. The New Deal included Social Security & various public works. I invite conservatives to denounce any or all of those as full-throatedly as I did when I was a young anarcho-capitalist. And you’ll be disregarded as fully. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/4 "2011-07-09T21:01:46Z")
I’m refering to the social safety net apparatusses constructed. In this case: New Deal=Social Security/Medicare Great Society=Medicaid/AFDC (“welfare”) ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/5 "2011-07-09T21:10:23Z")
Medicare was part of The Great Society programs. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/6 "2011-07-09T21:13:46Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > I’m refering to the social safety net apparatusses constructed. In this case: New Deal=Social Security/Medicare Great Society=Medicaid/AFDC (“welfare”) Just remember that the party that wants to remove the safety net is also the one that throws people over the cliff. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/7 "2011-07-09T21:16:37Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Medicare was part of The Great Society programs. :smack: You’re right about Medicare **Simplicio**! ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/8 "2011-07-10T01:17:11Z")
AFDC has been gone for over a decade. ---
**Author:** ![JimH52](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@JimH52](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimH52)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/9 "2011-07-10T01:29:41Z")
Damn those poor people! They sure mess it up for all the rich Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/10 "2011-07-10T01:43:42Z")
They would go after either one. Then the other. They are relentless about eliminating programs that don’t make the rich richer. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/11 "2011-07-10T02:08:06Z")
There is also a lot of welfare that’s useless and going to people who basically leech off it for an example. Republicans can’t (even if they wanted to) completely get rid of the New Deal or Great Society but we can cut the fat from it. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/12 "2011-07-10T02:22:19Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > There is also a lot of welfare that’s useless and going to people who basically leech off it for an example. Republicans can’t (even if they wanted to) completely get rid of the New Deal or Great Society but we can cut the fat from it. I think it’s safe to assume that you can delete one for the purposes of this question. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/13 "2011-07-10T03:16:16Z")
Republicans would reverse the outcome of the Civil War if they could. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/14 "2011-07-10T03:31:54Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > There is also a lot of welfare that’s useless and going to people who basically leech off it for an example. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/15 "2011-07-10T03:32:57Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Republicans would reverse the outcome of the Civil War if they could. Indeed. Did Nixon know what his “Southern Strategy” would start? The Party of Abraham Lincoln is now the Party of Jefferson Davis. ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/16 "2011-07-10T12:04:30Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Indeed. Did Nixon know what his “Southern Strategy” would start? The Party of Abraham Lincoln is now the Party of Jefferson Davis. The Southern Strategy is largely a myth. In 1968 Nixon lost much of the South to Humphrey (Texas) and Wallace (GA, AL,MI,LA,AR). In 1972, he took the entire south, but he took the entire Midwest, West, and all of the Northeast except the People’s Republic of Massachusetts. Now, on to the original point. Obviously the problem with the crowning acheivements of these programs- Social Security and Medicare- is that they are unsustainable. They are going broke, and we can’t maintain them without massive tax increases, or without cutting them back. More pointedly, the real problem with these programs is that they are “entitlements”. The very notion is the problem. You are “entitled” to these things. You don’t necessarily have to work for them, we are just giving them to you because you are ‘entitled’ to them. Now back in the oldy days, when you gave someone unfortunate a hand up (which you should do), it was clearly understood and they had a word for it. It was called “Charity”. We help you out this time, but it’s incumbant on you to try to better your lot in life. Today. Nope. It’s an entitlement. The world owes you. Especially if you belong to a group where they did something nasty to your ancestors and we can play on liberal white guilt. What we should do is replace “welfare” with “workfare”. If the private sector can’t find a useful function for you, the government will, even it it’s picking up trash in the street or cleaning graffitti off walls. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/17 "2011-07-10T12:27:52Z")
> [@Recovering\_Republican](#): > > The Southern Strategy is largely a myth. It’s such an enduring myth that even the people who you say didn’t do it think they did! Funny that. GOP operatives have admitted to the strategy several times (and more recently tried to apologize for it). Trying reading something other Free Republic and Stormfront. ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/18 "2011-07-10T12:40:20Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > It’s such an enduring myth that even the people who you say didn’t do it think they did! Funny that. GOP operatives have admitted to the strategy several times (and more recently tried to apologize for it). Trying reading something other Free Republic and Stormfront. So a few republican operatives got guilted into buying into a meme. I don’t read anything like you said, and frankly, I even found Town Hall too right wing for me. (Of course, you people are reminding me why I’m a Republican to start with, so I guess I am grateful for that.) Fact is it was southern Democrats who fought desegregation tooth and nail all the way up until it finally happened, and you jokers keep trying to leave that ugly baby on our doorstep. ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/19 "2011-07-10T12:41:39Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Cite? Any grocery store where a Jerry Springer fan is living large on a LINC card. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358/20 "2011-07-10T13:14:32Z")
> [@Recovering\_Republican](#): > > So a few republican operatives got guilted into buying into a meme. You mean guilted into it in 1970? > [@Kevin Phillips](#): > > From now on, the Republicans are never going to get more than 10 to 20 percent of the Negro vote and they don’t need any more than that… but Republicans would be shortsighted if they weakened enforcement of the Voting Rights Act. The more Negroes who register as Democrats in the South, the sooner the Negrophobe whites will quit the Democrats and become Republicans. That’s where the votes are. Without that prodding from the blacks, the whites will backslide into their old comfortable arrangement with the local Democrats Kevin Phillips was a strategist for Nixon. The quote is from the New York Times. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-gop-could-roll-back-the-new-deal-or-great-society/588358.md?page=2)