Kevin/ Democratic Party

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Originally Posted by The_Rorschach

My question is simply this: If one man could do so much to improve the lives and conditions of so many in such a short amount of time with limited influence, why had the Democratic Party failed for so long to work similar feats?

Well, as you said, I'm not a Democrat. Nor have I ever been one. I have too much libertarian running through my blood. I'm not sure that I can answer this question, since I tend to look at politics in a "Liberal vs. Conservative" context, as opposed to a Party identified context.

I think every Party in the U.S., particularly the Democratic one, has/have gone through so many structural adaptions, that it is hard to say what they stand for. According to some Greens I know, this isn't just a recent phenomenon. While the theorists who tended to support the Democratic Party advocate and champion various causes, it seems that they are often ideals the Party has never met. Democrats opposed ending slavery, just as they often opposed the advancement of racial equality.

Perhaps this stems from the claim that they really ARE the "party of the people," or whatever. I think the Party of Jackson stemmed from a kind of agrarian, conservative populism that might not fall in line with that of FDR (whom I tend to respect, just like my Granny ). "The people" are complex and diverse, they have opinions that vary and conflict. I think the international Liberalism, combined with the personal racism of Woodrow Wilson, is a fine example of this.

I don't feel qualified to answer the question, I guess. Every Party in American history has come about from the leftovers of other parties, the disgruntled members of another body. The Green Party is a product of the 1980s anti-nuke movement, as well as the remnants of the Citizens Party. I think it's hard to create an institution with a platform devised by people who are ultimately maliable.

Look even at the Republican Party. Would you say the current administration stands for the ideals of the party of Lincoln, T. Roosevelt, and Eisenhower?

In sum: Ask Max.