When one looks at the sad state of the Republican Party in 2012, having lost the popular vote FIVE times in the past six elections, and when one analyzes the kinds of groups and viewpoints of their base—right wing social and religious extremists, neoconservatives, Grover Norquist inspired economic viewpoints, Wall Street elitists, and the Old Confederacy view on racial matters, the feeling that develops is that the Republican Party has lost its moorings, and will not reach national power in the Senate and the White House until they change radically, and back toward the moderate center.
But one has to wonder, would three of the icons of the Republican past even wish to be associated with the present mess that is the GOP?
Would Abraham Lincoln be a Republican today? Clearly, the answer is no, as his views would not conform with today’s GOP, including the racism, the movement toward secession by extremist elements, and the religious foothold in the party.
But neither would Teddy Roosevelt, with his belief in regulation of big business, trust in national government, promotion of the environment, and dislike of wealthy corporate leaders who exploited labor.
And neither would Dwight D. Eisenhower, affectionately known as “Ike”, who was basically nonpartisan, who could have just as easily become a Democrat in 1948, when offered a chance to run for President, but turned it down. With his ultimate election as a Republican, he ended the debate among conservatives in the party about attempting to repeal the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and announced acceptance of what it had done.
Imagine: the three most respected and honored leaders of the party, if alive today, would have broken with the Republicans, and would have found the Democratic Party much more to their liking, with its platform of change, reform, and progress!
And all three would have been proud of a nation that not only elected the first African American President, Barack Obama, but went ahead and reelected him as well!
Yeah it’s kind of sad and I cringe every time I hear a republican mention any of these three great Presidents. It’s rather pathetic that they still maintain this ridiculous notion that those men would support their party, when the party those men supported is what the Democratic party has basically become.
I am not so sure that Roosevelt would be so keen on an African American president though, from what I recall he didn’t seem to think too highly of them.
That could be true, what you say about TR, but remember he was VERY impressed with Booker T Washington, and invited him to the White House for dinner in 1902, and would certainly be impressed with Barack Obama. And remember also how he grew over time, including being supportive of women suffrage in 1912, when Woodrow Wilson still was against. TR grew over time to become more progressive!