Clinton helps define democrats and republicans

[wyldwolf]

Paraphrased:

1960s - if you thought there was more good in them than bad, you're probably a democrat.

If you thought there was more bad in them than good, you're probably a republican.

CSPAN 2 - Booknotes

[chaska]

1. Good? Bad? How about inevitable?

It was a natural reaction to the uptight, conformist 1950s.

[iamjoy]

2. How About This...

If you thought the 1950's were almost totally good, you're probably a Republican

If you thought the decade was mixed, you're a Democrat.

1950's Economy = Good
Largely due to government funded programs

1950's Social and Political Climate = Mostly Bad
Sure, the Supreme Court handed down Brown V. Board, but nothing was really done about desegregating schools for years after. Meanwhile, schools taught women how to be good little wives by catering to their husbands. Prayer in public school largely excluded anyone who wasn't Christian. And let's not forget about McCarthy.

[69KV]

5. Ironic, isn't it?

I would think the Repugs would hate at least half of the Fifties, the economic part. That was the decade, along with most of the 60s, with ever-rising minimum wages, the highest unionization rate in the workplaces, etc. FDR's New Deal and Truman's Fair Deal, and the CIO, are what created the middle class.

But no, they point to the 50s as some kind of mythical right-wing golden era.

The 50s weren't even the mythical Christian era they claim either. The evangelicalism that makes up most of the religious right, was considered fringe, wrong side of the tracks stuff in the 1950s. The most influential religious leaders weren't Pat Robertson and Ralph Reed, they were Fulton Sheen and Reinhold Neibuhr. As for the "traditional family" stuff there is a good book, I think called "The Way We Never Were" that debunks it.

Somebody should point out the obvious to them.

[Mikimouse]

3. Watching him speak right now...

and lowering my blood pressure for the first time in weeks.

[thebigmansentme]

4. clinton is cool