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These Aren't the Democrats of Old
Townhall.com ^ | July 22, 2021 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 07/22/2021 3:59:28 AM PDT by Kaslin

In the old days, Democrats had predictable agendas, supposedly focused on individual rights, the "little guy" and distrust of the military-industrial complex.

The left, often on spec, blasted the wealthy, whether the "lucre" was self-made or inherited. The old-money rich were lampooned as idle drones. If the rich were self-made, they were deemed sellouts. A good example was '70s pop icon Jackson Brown's "The Pretender," with lyrics that railed about a "happy idiot" and his "struggle for the legal tender."

Democrats talked nonstop about the "working man." They damned high gas and electricity prices that hurt consumers.

Almost every liberal cause was couched in terms of the First Amendment, whether it was the right to shout obscenities, view pornography or bring controversial speakers to campus.

The Supreme Court was sacred. With a liberal-packed court led by Chief Justice Earl Warren, progressive justices restrained the supposedly harebrained initiatives of hick right-wing populists.

Once upon a time, Democratic congressmen investigated the CIA and FBI seemingly nonstop. Progressive political cartoonists caricatured the Pentagon's top brass as obese, buffoonish-looking clerks with monstrous jowls. The "revolving door" was a particular leftist obsession. Democrats blasted generals who retired from the military, then went straight to defense contractor boards and got rich.

(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: demonrats; progressives; radicalleft; radicalright
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1 posted on 07/22/2021 3:59:28 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

“In the old days, Democrats had predictable agendas”

same agenda - just now people see it was disguised as being for the little guy etc but really same agenda all along - telling people what to do, control, so that thety always have the upper hand/power over others.


2 posted on 07/22/2021 4:06:26 AM PDT by b4me (Repeated lies does Not equal TRUTH. )
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To: b4me

The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the revolution.


3 posted on 07/22/2021 4:09:50 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy
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To: Kaslin

My take is the average Democrat does not want to acknowledge just how radical and unamerican their party has become. They focus only on certain aspects.

More likely, they remain loyal out of habit and because everybody else in their family or peer group is also Democrat. They accept all the negative stereotypes about “Countryclub Republicans”.


4 posted on 07/22/2021 4:11:57 AM PDT by lee martell
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To: Kaslin

These are not dems anymore. It’s gone way far left. Used to be some common ground could be found. I think a long time ago both wanted the betterment of the people, they just had different ways to get there. Now they want to take everything.


5 posted on 07/22/2021 4:13:09 AM PDT by glimmerman70
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To: b4me
I will be 68 this fall and VDH is right. I remember the Democrats of my youth. . . Humphrey, McGovern and such. I did not agree with all their positions but I considered them honorable men capable of civil discourse and compromise.

Since Clinton and the introduction of “smash mouth” politics things have just gone downhill. The ‘party of the little man’ of my youth (Dems) is now the party of privilege and a grab bag of special interests (racial bias choir; homosexuals and all their brethren and so on). Meanwhile, especially through the outreach of President Trump, it appears that the Pubs are now the party of the downtrodden and those left out.

Sadly both parties have lose sense of fiscal reality but that is another story.

6 posted on 07/22/2021 4:15:21 AM PDT by lowbuck (The Blue Card (US Passport) Don't leave home without it.)
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To: b4me

Democrats have always been punks.

It took me years to admit that, because Dad was a Dim.

He was foreign and did not realize what the Dims/Left/Communists stood for.


7 posted on 07/22/2021 4:16:11 AM PDT by Maris Crane
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To: glimmerman70

I remember some union hard hat workers giving me a good-natured ribbing on my George Bush bumper sticker back in the day.

I laughed, but explained to them about Gore’s anti-gun stance. They actually listened and seemed concerned. I’m not sure it they looked into it or if it changed their mind. But yeah - it isn’t their grandfather’s party anymore.


8 posted on 07/22/2021 4:17:42 AM PDT by 21twelve (Ever Vigilant. Never Fearful!)
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To: Kaslin

Yeah the old days: chasing strippers into the Tidal Basin, running off bridges and drowning staffers, needing to have body removed from their basement (in NJ), taking bribes from the FBI (ABSCAM), being in the KK etc.


9 posted on 07/22/2021 4:19:41 AM PDT by Mouton (The enemy of the people is the media.)
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To: Mouton
Yeah the old days: chasing strippers into the Tidal Basin, running off bridges and drowning staffers, needing to have body removed from their basement (in NJ), taking bribes from the FBI (ABSCAM), being in the KK etc.

Yeah, those were the good Dems. LOL.

10 posted on 07/22/2021 4:22:53 AM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.d)
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To: Mouton

Ted Kennedy the lion of The Senate and Klansman Bob Byrd as Senate leader......


11 posted on 07/22/2021 4:23:32 AM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.d)
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To: lowbuck

I think you misspelled “Reagan,” though Trump is a very good man for a politician.


12 posted on 07/22/2021 4:25:13 AM PDT by Hieronymus
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To: Kaslin

Nancy Pelosi has been the single greatest threat to this Republic.


13 posted on 07/22/2021 4:25:46 AM PDT by Toespi
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To: Kaslin

Spot on.


14 posted on 07/22/2021 4:27:21 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: Kaslin
While I somewhat agree with Mr Hansen, from my view the Republican party is now the party of Roosevelt & Truman. The Vichy Republicans are the party of Kennedy & Johnson, with a little Carter thrown in. The Democrats are now the party of Lenin, Mao & Stalin with more than a little Hitler & Mussolini thrown in.
15 posted on 07/22/2021 4:29:06 AM PDT by Tupelo (Old, Tired, Cranky and Disgusted)
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To: lee martell

the other side of that coin: The average Republican doesn’t want to admit how anti working class globalist cheap labor uber alles the the party has become.


16 posted on 07/22/2021 4:29:09 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: Toespi

Or is she also a mouthpiece for others she is evil


17 posted on 07/22/2021 4:29:45 AM PDT by mel (There are only 2 races decent and undecent people )
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To: Tupelo

Kennedy would be to the right of about 3/4 of today’s Senate Republicans...


18 posted on 07/22/2021 4:31:22 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: Kaslin

Zell Miller -2004

https://youtu.be/N2v0UjcOjUU


19 posted on 07/22/2021 4:33:23 AM PDT by LeoWindhorse
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To: Tupelo
Kennedy would be to the right of about 3/4 of today’s Senate Republicans..

I was referring to JFK and not the "Swimmer".

20 posted on 07/22/2021 4:34:06 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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