In theory, democracy is supposed to be almost Darwin-istic. An evolution of political ideology, if you will. You can see that progression during most election seasons, too. Candidate platforms can become more defined and rest on firmer foundations and, with strength of popularity, help those candidates move up into office. Only the strongest can survive.
In later decades, there’s been an apparent devolution, however, and it is found solely in the Republican Party. Instead of progressing into the 21st Century, the GOP and its candidates seem to push for the 18th. A plantation platform for business, a declaration of holy damnation on society.
And the easiest way to see this regressive devolution is to compare the Republicans in office today to their party’s platform of 1956. They’ve done a complete 180 since the Eisenhower days, and on six topics in particular.
1) Minimum Wage
Source: Bloomberg | Photo: Jamelle Bouie via Flickr
2) Immigration
Source: Official House page of Mike Coffman | Photo: House GOP via Flickr
Incidentally, the Dream Act that Coffman refers to pertains only to illegal immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. The Act will allow those of this class who have no criminal record to seek legal status without deportation. Today’s Republican Party is strongly against this program, however, and also objects to the practice of protectively detaining immigrant children who were brought to the U.S. from countries that have high rates of child abuse and sex trafficking of minors (and even though Republican president George W. Bush signed that bill into law in 2008).
3) Labor Unions
Source: USA Today | Photo: Official South Carolina Governor’s Office Photo by Sam Holland
Shoot, Ronald Reagan was a labor supporter, too, and even a union member (Screen Actors Guild). At a 1980 Labor Day event, he said, “Where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost.” The GOP completed its back-turn on labor shortly after Reagan was elected to the White House that same year, though.
4) Education
Source: Huffington Post | Photo: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia
5) Environment
Source: ABC News | Photo: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia
6) Conservation
Source: On The Issues | Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia
