The Republicans that fought against the right to own slaves in the Civil War were the progressives of their day. The conservatives were in the Democratic party back then. It wasn't until the 1960s-1970s that conservatives really started leaving the Democratic party for the Republican party.
My father was also a Republican, and one of the best people I've ever known. He owned a business that employed mostly Mexican-Americans. All the higher level jobs were held by Anglos; it never occurred to him to promote the Chicanos. He was a racist. He was a kind, fun, curious person, one who might be, if he was alive today, able to discover his own racism, and change it. I like to think so.
It's just something people haven't thought about before because we're taught Democrats = Liberal and Republicans = Conservative with no acknowledgment that the parties basically swapped places about 60 years ago.
Me for one. In the 70s, I voted for both Rs and Ds, depending on the individual. Most of the Rs from the 50s, 60s, 70s wouldn't be welcome in the R party today. Hell, Donnie wouldn't be either, until he figured out he could grift Rs on a massive scale!
The Republicans that fought against the right to own slaves in the Civil War were the progressives of their day. The conservatives were in the Democratic party back then. It wasn't until the 1960s-1970s that conservatives really started leaving the Democratic party for the Republican party.
My father was also a Republican, and one of the best people I've ever known. He owned a business that employed mostly Mexican-Americans. All the higher level jobs were held by Anglos; it never occurred to him to promote the Chicanos. He was a racist. He was a kind, fun, curious person, one who might be, if he was alive today, able to discover his own racism, and change it. I like to think so.
I can't believe people still don't get that Nixon saw Wallace's vote totals and targeted those ex Dems in the South
It's just something people haven't thought about before because we're taught Democrats = Liberal and Republicans = Conservative with no acknowledgment that the parties basically swapped places about 60 years ago.
I've taught it every year in US History for 23 years and I suspect some posters here were alive when it happened :)
Me for one. In the 70s, I voted for both Rs and Ds, depending on the individual. Most of the Rs from the 50s, 60s, 70s wouldn't be welcome in the R party today. Hell, Donnie wouldn't be either, until he figured out he could grift Rs on a massive scale!
Ditto