Earlier this month, Daily Journal readers were treated to a brief history of the Republican Party as related to the Peninsula. It was an interesting take, given it was authored by someone who, so far as I know, is not a Republican. There certainly was bias in some of the assertions. I will not contest those. Why bother?
If it is fair for someone who is not Republican to offer their views on the party based on its history as they see it, it must also be fair for someone who is not a Democrat to offer views on that party, likewise based on its history.
A plus owed the Democratic party is for its longevity. It’s the oldest political party in the United States. Some attribute Thomas Jefferson as its founder, organized to fight the policies of Alexander Hamilton. What is interesting is the two heads of the opposing factions, Jefferson and Hamilton, were both members of president Washington’s cabinet. Jefferson was secretary of state and Hamilton was secretary of the Treasury.
Originally the party was called the Republican Party. Hamilton and others derided it as “the Democratic Republican Party.” Democracy was a dirty word to the framers of the Constitution. It equated to mob rule and a sure way to undermine individual rights and liberty. There was no better way to denigrate your political opponent than to hang the term “democratic” around their neck.
When Andrew Jackson was rising as a political star, he ditched the R word. He preferred a simpler version: Democratic Party. Thus, in 1844, the party followed suit and officially adopted the name.
With the history of the party’s name established, let’s look at some of its past activities and policy positions.
One area the Democratic Party can be admired is for its proclivity for political organization, complete with fundraising, corruption and “boss” control. From the beginning, they easily outperformed their opponents. An example is Tammany Hall. Birthed in concert with the party to oppose Washington’s administration, it supported a few laudable principles. However, by 1840, it was infamously known as the symbol of corruption in American politics. It’s pinnacle achievement was to thieve New York City out of $200 million. Like the passing on of genes by one generation to another, Tammany Hall characteristics can still be seen in today’s Democratic Party.
Next are the issues of slavery and civil rights. The two are coupled together in U.S. history, one following the other like train cars, linked by the Civil War.
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Slavery was recognized as one of the evils brought to colonial America through British and European influence. As such, the framers put in place the 3/5ths rule as a way to ensure the institution’s eventual death. Death was imminent until the Democratic Party resuscitated it under the guise of states’ rights. Ultimately, their discord led to the Civil War and the deaths of an estimated 670,000 Americans.
Four years before the Civil War, the most egregious decision by the U.S. Supreme Court was arrived at by a 7-2 vote. Democrats were the majority versus two Republicans. The decision, in short, denied Dred Scott his freedom from slavery. His having resided in the free state of Illinois and the free territory of Wisconsin was deemed inconsequential.
After the Civil War, southern defiance carried on and was first displayed in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was the first Republican president and helped found the party. The man who shot Lincoln was a Democrat.
Before his death, Lincoln issued the “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction.” Briefly, it offered amnesty to the southern states and reentry to the union. Southern Democrats quickly dominated southern state politics and stood opposed. Aiding and abetting was the Ku Klux Klan. Positions in government and membership in the Klan were often synonymous. The late senator, Robert Byrd, (D-WV), serves as a prominent example.
Notably, Democrats were unified in opposition to the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments. Together, the amendments abolished slavery, guaranteed citizenship to former slaves and gave suffrage to the same. Only by universal Republican support did the amendments pass. Logically, the first former slaves to run for office and win were all Republicans. Not until 1935 did a Black man run for office as a Democrat.
Jumping ahead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it was overwhelmingly supported by Republicans in Congress. Opposition came from the Democrat side of the aisle. In the Senate, Democrats filibustered the bill for 75 days. Only the negotiation efforts of Republicans broke the filibuster and led to the bill passing.
Given their past history (and recent), I could never register as Democrat, especially not for political expediency. Neither party is led by angels but, needing to choose, I’ve only ever registered as a Republican or DTS.
A former member of the San Carlos City Council and mayor, Matt Grocott has been involved in political policy on the Peninsula for 17 years. He can be reached by email at mattgrocott@comcast.net.
Blah blah blah Mr. Grocott, here we go again... Democrats are bad. I thought you were moving to Kentucky or some other right wing haven to escape the dreaded "liberals" in California. Why haven't you gone already? And it's "its" pinnacle achievement, not "it's."
I'm curious - what did you plan to accomplish with this comment? From my experience with Mr. Grocott he is a very respectful individual. Why did you choose to be rude to him instead of debating the substance of his article. This behavior is shameful and discourages discourse between dissenting opinions. Please do better.
I thought Mark Simon's article was about the history of local politics, but again this turns into misinformation, disinformation, and grudge matches in the comments. One thing only that will destroy the Republican party for good, locally and nationally, is its robbing more than half of the people of the United States of their right to reproductive freedom.
HFAB, it’s nice to see you have no issues with joining in the misinformation, disinformation, and grudge matches in the comments. Kudos to Mr. Grocott for again exposing folks who listen to and disseminate misinformation and disinformation while ignoring the current America Last policies of Biden and complicit Dems (except for Rel, but he’s repeating easily debunked “accomplishments” he’s assigning to modern day Dems).
Matt, I find this “history” to be profoundly selective as if the Democrats are all bad and to be avoided at all costs, a perverse attitude which just adds to greater divisiveness to the body politic today. Modern day Democrats are responsible for vigorously applying the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Also responsible for passing reduction of prescription drug prices; Obamacare; the Clean Air Act; the Clean Water Act; providing student debt relief; and infrastructure funding. All of the aforementioned have been opposed by the modern Republican Party. Not to mention, the old values of the Republicans of patriotism; strong military; deficit reduction; family values; and belief in institutional strengths are no longer held. In fact, one could be are hard put to know what values the modern Republicans hold. “Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it.” This old bromide has found the Democratic party attentive but the Republican party wanting.
Rel - I notice that you are a big fan of tax and spend Democrats. Perhaps you have forgotten that someone needs to pay for all of this. The main reason that Republicans were against some of these measures is that they also included major pork barrel expenditures. But, if you don't mind seeing our economy going in the tank and mortgaging our future to the CCP, then you are correct, that is the Party one would vote for.
Dirk: And you say that after the last totally incompetent Republican WH occupant increased the debt by 25%! In a single term! Thank goodness, he was rejected after the first term, although many of his blind supporters still believe his blatant lie about an election rigged against him! My goodness, how easily fooled can you be? Thank goodness, we have someone like President Biden trying to get the economy back on track again, like President Obama had to do after his totally incompetent Republican predecessor! And to add to the Republican created problems, now they resist raising the debt ceiling, so we can’t pay bills already accumulated! That ceiling had to be raised 4 times under Trump, with no resistance from the Democrats! Yeah! That's Republican logic, I assume!
Yes, Dirk, I would prefer the Democrats vote into law that the top 1% have a huge tax break without any resultant revenues to pay for the shortfall. Yes, I would prefer the Democrats in four years to increase the debt by nearly 8 TRILLION dollars, or a 25% increase over the previous deficits. Oh, wait, that was done by Republicans. How utterly blind of me!
Oh, I would also prefer the peaceful transference of power after a fair election and avoid attacks on our Capitol thus supporting our Constitution unlike the Republicans in Congress.
Well Rel - you and Jorg don't seem to be bothered at all with the skyrocketing inflation, energy prices, crime and an open border that has allowed for millions of illegal migrants who demand food, housing and education. All of the largesse that the Democrats have enacted is paid for by you and me and is a gradual taxation on all of us. But the last two years have significantly deteriorated our quality of life, unless you and Jorg prefer to remain living under a rock of course while watching the pinnacle of righteousness Al Sharpton on MSNBC.
The Clean Air Act was passed in 1963. The Clean Water Act was passed by overwhelming majorities of both parties in 1972. *Both parties* joined together and overrode a Nixon veto. Nixon, despite his darker side, was surprisingly liberal compared to current day Republicans. He formed the EPA by executive order in 1970.
I'm not sure he is commenting on Hogan's column or one by Mark Simon or both, but I think it is fair to suggest that Democrats and Republicans have sold their souls for votes. The dems look like the reps of old - rich, educated, firm believes in individual choice and media power. The Republicans, in contrast, resemble the blue collar Democrats of old, working class and family first. How did the flip happen? Just my opinion, but I think abortion had a lot to do with this. the GOP should, under the old rules, be for it because the party was for individual freedom. Then Jimmy Carter came out for '"choice," leading to the exist by "Reagan Democrats." There's also the Vietnam War, which saw those wealthy enough to go to college end up dodging, just like the rich who bought their way out of the Civil War.
No matter what we call the two political parties, there should be no argument about what seems obvious, namely that the Democratic party has grown and expanded to a clear majority, while the Republican party has stagnated and keeps shrinking. Republican presidents have not enjoyed a majority backing for decades and have only been selected by a minority thanks to the Electoral College, which has no other mission anymore, if any ever. Today, the Republican party has no platform, no program, and no new ideas, and have resorted to working against everything the Democrats try to do for the good of the country, in line with what they were elected
by the majority to do. Instead of having something positive to offer, Republicans today stoop so low that they blame today’s Democrats for past sins, which sounds like the religious nonsense about inherited sins.
Jorg - do you really expect to be informed about the Republican agenda if your news sources are restricted to MSNBC and CNN? You have got to be kidding. Oblivion is no excuse.
Oh, Dirk, I watch Fox regularly, - if nothing else to be reminded of how dishonest and fake they are, especially Tucker and Hannity! But do you watch MSNBC? Doesn't sound like it, considering how mal-informed you seem to be.
Amen Jorg. The tragedy is the Republican party has become the party of "alternative facts" with no allegiance to the truth and instead transferred this allegiance to the absolute drive for power no matter the cost to the country.
Indeed, Rel! Just look at the chaos in the House, where the Republicans are like misbehaving kids. They have no idea what to do, just scrambling for power and positions they are completely unqualified for, making a mockery of it all, trying to outdo each other in stupidity! And trust me, they’ll be elected again, by an electorate that is equally clueless, as well as FOX'd up!
Matt Grocott references above a previous column by John Horgan, but Mr. Grocott seems to have misread Mr. Horgan’s intent while also accusing him of bias. Mr. Horgan appears to me to be simply saying that past changes in the CA election rules have made it difficult for Republicans to influence policy on the Peninsula because the top two primary candidates are usually Democrats. Mr. Horgan laments that this outcome cuts off debate on controversial issues. That is what I believe he meant by saying that the Republican Party has become a “depressing afterthought.”
As far as Mr. Grocott’s litany of the sins of the Democratic Party above, he makes many valid points up through the passage of civil rights legislation in the Johnson administration. While it is correct that some southerners such as Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia stayed with the Democratic Party after that time, Mr. Grocott fails to mention that the undesirable segregationist elements left the Democratic Party and found a new home in the ***Republican Party*** while the former more liberal wing of the Republican Party represented by people such as Nelson Rockefeller dwindled away. In fact, President Johnson himself stated that by passing the Civil Rights Act he had lost the South for the Democratic Party! Johnson started his career as a teacher in a poor school serving Hispanic students in southern Texas. He campaigned for civil rights not because it was politically expedient, but because he knew from first hand experience that it was the right thing to do.
I think that both political parties would serve our country **much better** if they stopped selectively writing about past sins in a feeble attempt to make their side look better than the other and started working together to fix the extremely serious problems facing our nation.
Unfortunately, I see the 2024 election campaign as being a continuation of this sad trend (as are the nonstop monotonously repetitious comments in the online version of the SMDJ opinion section by the small cabal of Trump supporters who try to monopolize this forum), so I end with the classic comment “a pox on both your houses.”
For those looking for a way out of this morass, I strongly recommend reading Thomas Friedman’s last book “Thank You for Being Late.” I have written a review of it at https://eduissues.com/2022/12/31/thank-you-for-being-late/ .
The link in your article above points to Horgan’s column. You should ask the editor to fix this or else explicitly reference Simon’s column in your writing.
Thank you, David, for the reference to Thomas Friedman's book. I have purchased the hardcover edition based on your thoughts. I have observed Thomas on a number of stations and my thoughts have favorably aligned with him.
James Madison hated political parties. He said the only purpose of a political party is to destroy the other political party. The Democratic Party understands this, the Republican Party does not. Both parties need good people to inspire good governance. Unfortunately, common day to day good people do not have the patience to be involved. The parties are controlled by gamers seeking unabashed control, both financially and ideologically. (When was the last time a politician died poor?) We need more good people to be involved. Light overtakes darkness.
To be fair, while left leaning DJ readers may have inherited the Democratic Party's history, it is not who they are now. We could see some comments today along the lines of suggesting that the two major party's have switched platforms and philosophies over the years. That's largely wishful thinking on the part of some on the left.
But Ray - this has not changed since 1840: "One area the Democratic Party can be admired is for its proclivity for political organization, complete with fundraising, corruption and “boss” control". The Daylies and the Pelosis are shinning examples.
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(29) comments
Blah blah blah Mr. Grocott, here we go again... Democrats are bad. I thought you were moving to Kentucky or some other right wing haven to escape the dreaded "liberals" in California. Why haven't you gone already? And it's "its" pinnacle achievement, not "it's."
SMpool, it’s nice to see you have no counterpoints to Mr. Grocott… And while we’re at it, it’s “right-wing” haven, not “right wing.”
I'm curious - what did you plan to accomplish with this comment? From my experience with Mr. Grocott he is a very respectful individual. Why did you choose to be rude to him instead of debating the substance of his article. This behavior is shameful and discourages discourse between dissenting opinions. Please do better.
I thought Mark Simon's article was about the history of local politics, but again this turns into misinformation, disinformation, and grudge matches in the comments. One thing only that will destroy the Republican party for good, locally and nationally, is its robbing more than half of the people of the United States of their right to reproductive freedom.
HFAB, it’s nice to see you have no issues with joining in the misinformation, disinformation, and grudge matches in the comments. Kudos to Mr. Grocott for again exposing folks who listen to and disseminate misinformation and disinformation while ignoring the current America Last policies of Biden and complicit Dems (except for Rel, but he’s repeating easily debunked “accomplishments” he’s assigning to modern day Dems).
Matt, I find this “history” to be profoundly selective as if the Democrats are all bad and to be avoided at all costs, a perverse attitude which just adds to greater divisiveness to the body politic today. Modern day Democrats are responsible for vigorously applying the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Also responsible for passing reduction of prescription drug prices; Obamacare; the Clean Air Act; the Clean Water Act; providing student debt relief; and infrastructure funding. All of the aforementioned have been opposed by the modern Republican Party. Not to mention, the old values of the Republicans of patriotism; strong military; deficit reduction; family values; and belief in institutional strengths are no longer held. In fact, one could be are hard put to know what values the modern Republicans hold. “Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it.” This old bromide has found the Democratic party attentive but the Republican party wanting.
Rel - I notice that you are a big fan of tax and spend Democrats. Perhaps you have forgotten that someone needs to pay for all of this. The main reason that Republicans were against some of these measures is that they also included major pork barrel expenditures. But, if you don't mind seeing our economy going in the tank and mortgaging our future to the CCP, then you are correct, that is the Party one would vote for.
Dirk: And you say that after the last totally incompetent Republican WH occupant increased the debt by 25%! In a single term! Thank goodness, he was rejected after the first term, although many of his blind supporters still believe his blatant lie about an election rigged against him! My goodness, how easily fooled can you be? Thank goodness, we have someone like President Biden trying to get the economy back on track again, like President Obama had to do after his totally incompetent Republican predecessor! And to add to the Republican created problems, now they resist raising the debt ceiling, so we can’t pay bills already accumulated! That ceiling had to be raised 4 times under Trump, with no resistance from the Democrats! Yeah! That's Republican logic, I assume!
Yes, Dirk, I would prefer the Democrats vote into law that the top 1% have a huge tax break without any resultant revenues to pay for the shortfall. Yes, I would prefer the Democrats in four years to increase the debt by nearly 8 TRILLION dollars, or a 25% increase over the previous deficits. Oh, wait, that was done by Republicans. How utterly blind of me!
Oh, I would also prefer the peaceful transference of power after a fair election and avoid attacks on our Capitol thus supporting our Constitution unlike the Republicans in Congress.
Well Rel - you and Jorg don't seem to be bothered at all with the skyrocketing inflation, energy prices, crime and an open border that has allowed for millions of illegal migrants who demand food, housing and education. All of the largesse that the Democrats have enacted is paid for by you and me and is a gradual taxation on all of us. But the last two years have significantly deteriorated our quality of life, unless you and Jorg prefer to remain living under a rock of course while watching the pinnacle of righteousness Al Sharpton on MSNBC.
The Clean Air Act was passed in 1963. The Clean Water Act was passed by overwhelming majorities of both parties in 1972. *Both parties* joined together and overrode a Nixon veto. Nixon, despite his darker side, was surprisingly liberal compared to current day Republicans. He formed the EPA by executive order in 1970.
I'm not sure he is commenting on Hogan's column or one by Mark Simon or both, but I think it is fair to suggest that Democrats and Republicans have sold their souls for votes. The dems look like the reps of old - rich, educated, firm believes in individual choice and media power. The Republicans, in contrast, resemble the blue collar Democrats of old, working class and family first. How did the flip happen? Just my opinion, but I think abortion had a lot to do with this. the GOP should, under the old rules, be for it because the party was for individual freedom. Then Jimmy Carter came out for '"choice," leading to the exist by "Reagan Democrats." There's also the Vietnam War, which saw those wealthy enough to go to college end up dodging, just like the rich who bought their way out of the Civil War.
Will, the link in Grocott’s column above is to Horgan’s earlier column.
It looks like they fixed the link and pointed it to Simon’s article.
No matter what we call the two political parties, there should be no argument about what seems obvious, namely that the Democratic party has grown and expanded to a clear majority, while the Republican party has stagnated and keeps shrinking. Republican presidents have not enjoyed a majority backing for decades and have only been selected by a minority thanks to the Electoral College, which has no other mission anymore, if any ever. Today, the Republican party has no platform, no program, and no new ideas, and have resorted to working against everything the Democrats try to do for the good of the country, in line with what they were elected
by the majority to do. Instead of having something positive to offer, Republicans today stoop so low that they blame today’s Democrats for past sins, which sounds like the religious nonsense about inherited sins.
Jorg - do you really expect to be informed about the Republican agenda if your news sources are restricted to MSNBC and CNN? You have got to be kidding. Oblivion is no excuse.
Oh, Dirk, I watch Fox regularly, - if nothing else to be reminded of how dishonest and fake they are, especially Tucker and Hannity! But do you watch MSNBC? Doesn't sound like it, considering how mal-informed you seem to be.
Amen Jorg. The tragedy is the Republican party has become the party of "alternative facts" with no allegiance to the truth and instead transferred this allegiance to the absolute drive for power no matter the cost to the country.
Indeed, Rel! Just look at the chaos in the House, where the Republicans are like misbehaving kids. They have no idea what to do, just scrambling for power and positions they are completely unqualified for, making a mockery of it all, trying to outdo each other in stupidity! And trust me, they’ll be elected again, by an electorate that is equally clueless, as well as FOX'd up!
Matt Grocott references above a previous column by John Horgan, but Mr. Grocott seems to have misread Mr. Horgan’s intent while also accusing him of bias. Mr. Horgan appears to me to be simply saying that past changes in the CA election rules have made it difficult for Republicans to influence policy on the Peninsula because the top two primary candidates are usually Democrats. Mr. Horgan laments that this outcome cuts off debate on controversial issues. That is what I believe he meant by saying that the Republican Party has become a “depressing afterthought.”
As far as Mr. Grocott’s litany of the sins of the Democratic Party above, he makes many valid points up through the passage of civil rights legislation in the Johnson administration. While it is correct that some southerners such as Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia stayed with the Democratic Party after that time, Mr. Grocott fails to mention that the undesirable segregationist elements left the Democratic Party and found a new home in the ***Republican Party*** while the former more liberal wing of the Republican Party represented by people such as Nelson Rockefeller dwindled away. In fact, President Johnson himself stated that by passing the Civil Rights Act he had lost the South for the Democratic Party! Johnson started his career as a teacher in a poor school serving Hispanic students in southern Texas. He campaigned for civil rights not because it was politically expedient, but because he knew from first hand experience that it was the right thing to do.
I think that both political parties would serve our country **much better** if they stopped selectively writing about past sins in a feeble attempt to make their side look better than the other and started working together to fix the extremely serious problems facing our nation.
Unfortunately, I see the 2024 election campaign as being a continuation of this sad trend (as are the nonstop monotonously repetitious comments in the online version of the SMDJ opinion section by the small cabal of Trump supporters who try to monopolize this forum), so I end with the classic comment “a pox on both your houses.”
For those looking for a way out of this morass, I strongly recommend reading Thomas Friedman’s last book “Thank You for Being Late.” I have written a review of it at https://eduissues.com/2022/12/31/thank-you-for-being-late/ .
David, to clarify, I was not referring to John Horgan's column but to Mr. Simon's.
The link in your article above points to Horgan’s column. You should ask the editor to fix this or else explicitly reference Simon’s column in your writing.
I fixed it. Apologies for the errant link. Thank you.
Jon
Thank you, David, for the reference to Thomas Friedman's book. I have purchased the hardcover edition based on your thoughts. I have observed Thomas on a number of stations and my thoughts have favorably aligned with him.
James Madison hated political parties. He said the only purpose of a political party is to destroy the other political party. The Democratic Party understands this, the Republican Party does not. Both parties need good people to inspire good governance. Unfortunately, common day to day good people do not have the patience to be involved. The parties are controlled by gamers seeking unabashed control, both financially and ideologically. (When was the last time a politician died poor?) We need more good people to be involved. Light overtakes darkness.
Hello, Matt
To be fair, while left leaning DJ readers may have inherited the Democratic Party's history, it is not who they are now. We could see some comments today along the lines of suggesting that the two major party's have switched platforms and philosophies over the years. That's largely wishful thinking on the part of some on the left.
But Ray - this has not changed since 1840: "One area the Democratic Party can be admired is for its proclivity for political organization, complete with fundraising, corruption and “boss” control". The Daylies and the Pelosis are shinning examples.
"Shinning" [tongue_smile]
Just Mike - thanks for pointing out a spelling error but you at least admit reading some of the comments. It is shining.
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