Seeing Through the Fog
It’s not always clear what the Democratic and Republican parties truly stand for. Commercials blur the difference, and the media tend to focus on matters that aren’t of core significance.
Even an administration’s record isn’t always a reliable indicator, given the need for compromise, especially when the President or Governor is of one party and the other party has a majority in Congress.
One good way to learn what parties work for is to consider the achievements –rather than rhetoric – when the President (or Governor) and Congress are of the same party.
Currently Republicans control the Presidency, Senate, House, and a majority of governorships (including Massachusetts). It’s a good time to look at the Republican record and contrast it with Democratic accomplishments.
Here’s a quiz about politics of the past 75 years (for space reasons I’m keeping it brief).
Which party held the Presidency and had the majority in Congress when the following occurred? Circle D or R (answers below).
D R (1) Cut taxes for multi-millionaires while waging an expensive war.
D R (2) Protected millions of Americans from poverty in their old age.
D R (3) Won the greatest foreign war in US history.
D R (4) Gave Americans the right to access government records.
D R (5) Regulated air emissions in order to reduce illnesses caused by smog.
D R (6) Prohibited discrimination in voting, education, and employment.
D R (7) Helped millions of retirees get medical care.
D R (8) Created opportunities for millions of veterans to go to college.
D R (9) Banned child labor.
D R (10) Prohibited paying women less than men for the same job.
D R (11) Helped unemployed workers survive while looking for a job.
D R (12) Shrank the middle class and increased poverty.
What do the answers say about the core values of the parties? Democratic achievements demonstrate a push for a fairer and more tolerant society and a better future for all –working for the common good. What does the Republican record say about its values?
My previous column discussed how 15 years of Republican governors have hurt our Commonwealth. In future columns I’ll provide more reasons to be a Democrat and vote Democrat.
Answers:
1. R. Tax cuts during the current Republican administration have given the biggest breaks to multi-millionaires. We’ve gone from a budget surplus under Democrat Clinton to the largest deficit in history. Today’s babies are inheriting this debt, which will reduce their future standard of living.
2. D. Social Security was enacted by Democratic President Roosevelt and a Democratic Congress. Most Republicans voted against it then, and now Republicans are attempting to weaken it. Without Social Security, huge numbers of older Americans would be living in poverty, and most workers would be struggling to help support our retired parents as well as our children.
3. D. It was under the leadership of Democratic President Roosevelt that the US planned and won the most difficult – and most morally justified – foreign war (WW2), and then advanced international security by leading the world into the UN.
4. D. The Freedom of Information Act was passed by Democratic President Johnson and a Democratic majority in Congress.
5. R/D. Occasionally some progress has been made when government was divided. The Clean Air Act became law under Republican President Nixon, but Democrats then outnumbered Republicans in the Senate. The Republicans now are weakening air quality rules, despite global warming.
6. D. Democratic President Johnson and a Democratic Congress passed the Civil Rights Act.
7. D. Under Democratic President Johnson and a Democratic Congress, Medicare was enacted. Because of compromises, some Republicans supported the final legislation, but a majority of Republican senators still noted Nay.
8. D. The GI Bill was passed under Democratic President Roosevelt and a Democratic Congress. Many of our families climbed into the middle class as a result of the opportunities it gave to our parents or grandparents.
9. D. Under Democratic President Roosevelt and a Democratic Congress, the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed. Until then, many children worked in manufacturing and mining!
10. D. Under Democratic President Kennedy and a Democratic Congress, the Equal Pay Act was signed.
11. D. The unemployment insurance program was enacted by Democratic President Roosevelt and a Democratic Congress.
12. R. Since Republican President Bush took office, many Americans have seen a decline in income, and there are millions more in poverty. The economy can worsen under either party’s administration, but how they handle the challenge is very different!
