Modern democrats are old-time republicans, and Lincoln was a liberal
Every so often you will hear a theory that makes you go: “Hhhmmm.”
It seems like a harmless theory, and when you first hear it; you wonder why anyone would take the time to ponder the details of this theory.
However, when you see the theory being used in principle (or as fact), you then realize that this is NO harmless theory. In fact, it is a blatant attempt to re-write history.
Here is the theory:
Republicans and Democrats have “switched” their ideologies. It happened around the beginning of the 20 century.
On the surface, this theory seems harmless and feels more a sophomoric exercise that would force young students to look at American history.
At face value, you might even buy into this theory because Republican President Theodore Roosevelt was “kind of” liberal. And JFK would be conservative, by today’s standards.
It is when you see liberal / progressives use this theory, that you realize the changing of history that this theory eludes to.
Why would liberals create this theory..??
What good does it serve..??
The answer is simple.
(Now folks, I am going to ask you to do something here that could appear on an episode of “Mike Rowe’s- Dirty Jobs.”)
Picture that you are a liberal democrat.
You belong to the “party of the people.”
You are a democrat.
How does it feel to know that YOUR party: The Democrats, fought in a war to keep Black people as slaves. (And that was only 150 years ago.)
How could the “party of the people” fight to keep Black people as slaves..??
Gee...
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was some kind of theory that claims that the two political parties “switched”, and it was actually those EVIL republicans who fought for slavery? THAT WOULD BE GREAT..!!
(Stay in character folks, we have got a couple more examples to do.)
You are a progressive democrat.
You are in a debate about American patriotism.
How does it feel to know that your party: The Democrats; is the only American political party to fight in a war to BREAK UP the United States..??
(Maybe my history is a little to “ancient” for you? Let’s move closer in time, shall we?)
You are a liberal / progressive. You detest war.
How does it feel to know that your party: The Democrats; are the only group of people on the face of the earth- to use nuclear weapons to kill people? The Russians and the Chinese have never killed people with nuclear weapons, but your democrat party did kill people with “the bomb.”
Wouldn’t it be GREAT if there was some kind of theory that stated that the two political parties “switched” their ideologies. That would mean that those EVIL republicans did all those “bad things” and President Lincoln was a liberal..!! That would make us liberals feel all warm and fuzzy..!!
As liberals often do...
If there isn’t a theory out there that serves their purpose. The liberals make one up.
(Which is what liberals did.)
Now, I’m not going to name- names here because the names are unimportant and I have heard this theory from several sources.
The reason that I am doing an editorial on this is because it is a blatant attempt to re-write history.
OK, let’s prove this theory wrong in three examples.
For this theory to be correct: both parties would have had to switched their “overall” political goals. In reality, in history, this never happened.
Let’s start at the most often sited case:
(Example one) JFK- Most people would agree that JFK was more conservative than the modern liberal. He was tough on defense, he took no crap from the communists, and JFK cut taxes.
You could point to this example and say: “Something must have switched here because JFK was more like a republican.”
However, for there to be a “true” switch of political ideologies, the republicans of that day would have had to become liberal. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.
The TOP republicans in 1960- 63 (JFK’s era) were Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon. (Goldwater ran for president in 1964. Nixon ran again in 1968.)
I will personally come to your house and smack you in the face if you tell me that Barry Goldwater was a liberal.
And I am VERY certain that most liberals do not want to claim that Nixon belongs in their democrat party.
So the historical facts do not prove this theory, (using JFK.) There was no party switch.
The only thing that happened was for that short time in history: Democrats moved to the center with JFK; and republicans moved further Right with Goldwater.
(Example TWO) President Teddy Roosevelt.
I have heard many people claim that Teddy Roosevelt was “more like” a democrat. Even Glenn Beck once stated that Teddy Roosevelt was a progressive. “Mr. Beck, with all due respect, you are VERY wrong about that.”
If you read Theodore Roosevelt’s biography, you will find that Theodore didn’t consider himself being a republican OR democrat.
In my opinion, Theodore Roosevelt was the last of the true “ GeorgeWashington type” presidents; (in that) once he became president, he no longer belonged to any political party.
Theodore was a true Independent. More democrat than republican: by today’s standards. Theodore went after BIG companies like JP Morgan, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Mellon, and the likes.
President Theodore Roosevelt did help to create the National Parks system in America. He also started a type of wildlife protection act.
On the surface, one could say that something MUST have changed here, because Theodore doesn’t sound like any republican that I know of.
However, for there to be a TRUE ideological switch in the political parties; the democrats of that day would have to be acting conservative.
The FACTS do not prove that.
The next democrat president after Theodore Roosevelt was: Woodrow Wilson.
If you try and claim that Woodrow Wilson was a “conservative / republican”; Wilson will crawl out of his grave, come to your house, and slap you in the face.
By most accounts, Woodrow Wilson is viewed as “the father of the progressive movement in America.” President Wilson created the “progressive income tax” and Wilson signed on with the “League of Nations”, which entered us into globalization.
The facts do not prove that America experienced a political- ideological “switch” during Theodore Roosevelt’s day.
What the facts show is that during that brief time in history: republicans moved to the center with Theodore Roosevelt; and democrats moved further LEFT with Woodrow Wilson.
There was no ideological switch.
(Example THREE) “The nail in the coffin of the ‘switched’ theory.”
For you to prove that American politics experienced an ideological switch; that old-time republicans are now modern democrats, and old-time democrats are now modern republicans...
You MUST prove that Abe Lincoln was a liberal democrat.
(Good luck with that..!!)
Irony has a way of being VERY ironic.
When this “switched” theory was last presented to me; I had just finished a biography of President Lincoln.
Sorry, but President Lincoln was VERY much conservative.
I’m going to be very brief here because you could write a book about Lincoln. (That’s a little joke, at liberal’s expense. People HAVE written books about Lincoln. You should read them.)
Lincoln was the poorest man to become president, at that time. Matter of fact, some people wondered if Lincoln was too “common” to be an American president.
Lincoln grew up with traditional conservative values. You worked hard for your money. There were no free rides. Lincoln worked as a “rail- splitter”, making fence posts; and Lincoln worked on steamboats- loading cargo. All the while, Lincoln taught himself law by reading legal reference.
What caused Lincoln to drop the legal profession and enter politics was that his adopted state on Illinois was contemplating allowing slaves to be used within the state. Even as a young man, Lincoln detested slavery. He truly believed that all men where created equal.
Democrats were pushing hard to allow slaves to be used in Illinois. Not that Illinois would become a “slave state”, but that slave owners from another state could bring their slaves into Illinois for loading wagons, gathering crops, etc.
Lincoln joined the Whig party because the Whig Party opposed the expansion of slavery into other states. The Whig Party is often referred to as the BIG money party because it was often backed by large northern companies. Lincoln bounced between politics and the legal profession, during those years. (1834-1854)
But a dramatic change happened...
The Whig Party; in an attempt to keep the United States together, made a deal with Democrats. “If southern democrats would vow to stay in the Union, the issue of ending slavery would be dropped from the national debate.
This sickened millions of Americans, including Abe Lincoln.
This one act; caused the downfall of the Whig Party, and expanded a new party, called: The Republican Party.
This is where we will leave the story of President Lincoln. (Because you should already know the rest of the story: Lincoln rises up in The republican party. We have the famous Lincoln- Douglas debates. Lincoln wins the presidency. The Civil War. And slavery is ended in America.)
Abe Lincoln was VERY much a conservative. That is how he was raised. As a lawyer, Lincoln represented BIG railroad companies and river boat lines. Lincoln never believed in welfare. Lincoln believed in protectionism which helped American companies grow. Lincoln never believed in personal income tax. Lincoln was a republican. The first republican president. Facts are facts.
I can understand why liberals would create a theory that the political parties “switched” during the 20 century, because it would be great to have Lincoln in your “win” column.
And, least we forget...
You could blame those EVIL republicans for trying to expand slavery.
This theory is nothing more than an attempt at re-writing history. Liberals are not happy with the historical facts about their “beloved” Democrat Party; so liberals create a NEW history.
I hate to see liberals so distraught that they must resort to fabricating history. So my good nature has caused me to make a deal with you liberals.
If you REALLY want to swap history with us republicans, here is what I offer.
First, you are NOT getting President Lincoln. Abe Lincoln is our guy and the FIRST republican. You can’t have him.
However, I am willing to give you Teddy Roosevelt, in exchange for JFK.
JFK was GOOD. But his face is not up on Mount Rushmore like Teddy Roosevelt’s is. So you must sweeten this deal a little.
We republicans get JFK. In return, we will give you Teddy Roosevelt, BUT: you must also take President Nixon off of our hands.
How is that for a political Ideological switch..??
Written by AR Babonie for The Angry Republic
