Doug Chadwick:

The Democratic Party is I think the oldest continuously 'maintained' party in the United States. It was originally titled the "Democratic-Republican" party (not sure about the hyphen). In the early part of the 19th Century there were other strong parties, I believe there was a Whig Party and there several siginficant party developments that rose and faded. One of them was an anti-Immigrant party that was unoffically called The KNow Nothings, which has some resonance today in the TRMP folder.

The Republican party that we know today (sort of) was established in the latter half of the nineteenth century specifically to foster abolition and its first nominee for President was Abraham Lincoln. The Democratic Party split between Nor th and South during the Civil War. After the War it became a hodge podge which I cannot quantify, but in the mid 20th Century it underwent a large dos-i-do, by which I mean a circular dance, with the Republicans. It took a couple of generations because Democrats had a reliable vote for decades, called the 'Solid South'. If you follow American politics of this era, remember that Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt, was a liberal in many matters, and a Republican. His distant cousin Frankline Roosevelt, was a Democrat, and definitely a liberal of his era. He was considered a radical by many of the big bnusinessmen of his time. In racial matters, the WW2 era of Democrats were sort of split, with many in power gradually or in the case of FDR's wife Eleonor, less gradually, using their personal and politcal power to advance the causes of social agendas and racial progress. And after FDR's sudden death, his Vice President who became President, Harry Truman, de-segregating parts are all of the U.S. Military. Lydon Johnson made it a great part of his administration to advance the cause of multi-culturalism both in race issues and immigration issues. By the late 1960s, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party had done a major 'switcheroo'.

It is important to mention that a further change has occurred post Reagan where the Republicans have gone further to the right then ever. Prior to Reagan, you could get significant adherence to liberal ideas without embarassment from such well known Republican leaders as members of the Rockefeller family and New York Mayor Lindsay. President Richard Nixon was the originator of American's China policy and the Environmental Protection Agency was created under his administration.

There are still significant developments that occur as a result of cross party cooperation. When I was in the engineering business I learned of significant legislation that had been happening over the pat decades to result in major changes to diesel generator pollution improvements which were well thought out and are even now improving our atomosphere.

If you are not familiar with American Politics this might be unknown to you, and many Americans are that ignorant. Occasionally Republicans of this day refer to themselves as "The Party of Lincoln" but in my ears there is always a derisive laugh at that line. It doesn't happen that often now, becuase many of them, particularly the TRMP induced ignaramuses of this era, don't know their own proper history and would prefer to brag on Ronald Reagan anyway.

The reality is more interesting, hopeful, complicated, and yet extremely ridiculous. . .

Hope this clears things up a bit.