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The Federal minimum wage has been raised for more than 2 million workers. Social Security has been extended to an additional 10 million workers and the benefits raised for 6 1/2 million. The protection of unemployment insurance has been brought to 4 million additional workers. There have been increased workmen's compensation benefits for longshoremen and harbor workers, increased retirement benefits for railroad employees, and wage increases and improved welfare and pension plans for federal employees.
All workers have gained and unions have grown in strength and responsibility, and have increased their membership by 2 millions.

Furthermore, the process of free collective bargaining has been strengthened by the insistence of this Administration that labor and management settle their differences at the bargaining table without the intervention of the Government. This policy has brought to our country an unprecedented period of labor-management peace and understanding.

Continue and further perfect its programs of assistance to the millions of workers with special employment problems, such as older workers, handicapped workers, members of minority groups, and migratory workers;

Strengthen and improve the Federal-State Employment Service and improve the effectiveness of the unemployment insurance system;

Protect by law, the assets of employee welfare and benefit plans so that workers who are the beneficiaries can be assured of their rightful benefits;

Assure equal pay for equal work regardless of Sex;

Continue to fight for the elimination of discrimination in employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry or sex;
We have asked the largest increase in research funds ever sought in one year to intensify attacks on cancer, mental illness, heart disease and other dread diseases.
We shall continue to seek extension and perfection of a sound social security system.
We will vigorously promote, as we have in the past, a non-political career service under the merit system which will attract and retain able servants of the people. Many gains in this field, notably pay increases and a host of new benefits, have been achieved in their behalf in less than four years.
We favor self-government, national suffrage and representation in the Congress of the United States for residents of the District of Columbia.
We recommend to Congress the submission of a constitutional amendment providing equal rights for men and women.
...supports an immigration policy which is in keeping with the traditions of America in providing a haven for oppressed peoples, and which is based on equality of treatment, freedom from implications of discrimination between racial, nationality and religious groups, and flexible enough to conform to changing needs and conditions.
We shall continue vigorously to support the United Nations.
We favor a comprehensive study of the effect upon wildlife of the drainage of our wetlands.
... the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of the people is as important as their economic health. It will continue to support this conviction with vigorous action.
Oh, and there is lots more.  LOTS.

You want to know when and which party had these things in its platform?

Take a look here

Yep.

1956.

REPUBLICAN Platform.

Yeah, those guys.

For the reelection of Dwight David Eisenhower.

Wonder if they would read him out of the modern Republican party?

Hey, don't get me wrong.  There are still the mantras about low taxes and balanced budgets.

But there was a humanity to this platform, unlike those we have seen in some state Republican parties, and even in the national Republican platforms of recent years.

Thought it worth sharing this - once upon a time we had two political parties that in general believed in the American dream, in the notion expressed in the Preamble that one reason for the establishment of the Constitution was to promote the general welfare

Peace.

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Comment Preferences

  •  I used to be an independent who leaned Dem. (8+ / 0-)

    But I'd hear out the Republican side, and sometimes vote for them. I even voted in a Republican primary once.  Although I voted for Dukakis out of loyalty, I wondered if George H. W. back in 88 was the person I should have trusted. And if I had lived in a swing state, and the race had been close, maybe I would have voted for him.

    As recent as 10 years ago, I was at a Republican fundraiser for a colleague who was running for office, an individual with quite a progressive outlook.

    I haven't changed my views much over the year. But I used to be thought of as a moderate Democrat, or even conservative one, now I'm a near socialist in the eyes of the Republicans. I haven't changed, these guys have drifted out to the sea towards the right, and left me way to the left. Without my having to move at all.

    Just another underemployed IT professional computer geek.

    by RhodeIslandAspie on Sat Nov 01, 2014 at 08:00:37 PM PDT

    •  They Define Socialism as Any Imposition on Private (9+ / 0-)

      power. This is Koch family Bircher corporate libertarianism from 2/3 of a century ago, and not a little (AEI for example) from the early New Deal period when they set up a coup to overthrow FDR.

      We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for victims of our nation and for those it calls enemy.... --ML King "Beyond Vietnam"

      by Gooserock on Sat Nov 01, 2014 at 08:11:33 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  not really (5+ / 0-)

        not with unemployment insurance, support of unions, strengthening Social Security, supporting public education, opposing discrimination, supporting the UN.

        It definitely is NOT libertarianism of any sort.

        Equal rights for men and women?  When have the Koch Brothers ever said any such thing?

        DC having representation in Congress?

        Yes, there is a lot of Conservative language, especially on taxes.

        But it would be horrifying to the modern Republican party.

        Which is ironic.

        I spend a lot of time on the Hill.  I am a member of the National Democratic Club.  A few blocks away is the headquarters of the RNC - in a building named for a man who would not be acceptable to the base and much of the leadership of the current Republican party -  Dwight David Eisenhower.  Yep, the same guy for whose reelection this platform was drafted.

        "My religion is kindness." - His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

        by teacherken on Sat Nov 01, 2014 at 08:22:33 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      •  I know the incident you are talking about. (1+ / 0-)
        Recommended by:
        Mostel26

        It's been debate by historians whether or not it was a true plot, or a few millionaires just talking over their beers vintage wines, or a real plan. But just that fact that they might have even been talking in this direction, even if it was in jest, tells us much about that certain class of billionaire of the Koch subset.

        Just another underemployed IT professional computer geek.

        by RhodeIslandAspie on Sat Nov 01, 2014 at 08:23:57 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    •  the message (3+ / 1-)
      Recommended by:
      teacherken, Mostel26, RhodeIslandAspie
      Hidden by:
      benamery21

      I think there were a lot LESS (or much smaller percentage of) people on 'da cheese back then so it was easier for conservatives to say and possibly even mean all that stuff when they knew a bit of pandering wouldn't bankrupt the country and earn some votes.  The dems did a better job of adapting the message to the masses.  We just avoid dealing with the fiscal trajectory but at least don't shut the government down trying to make a point.

  •  Because Their Funders' Assets Would Melt Just as (5+ / 0-)

    fast as yours and mine during a nuclear attack.

    They couldn't risk divisiveness at home and giving our workers too bad a deal for fear of exposing us to foreign enemy advances or domestic socialism advances.

    Communism and the USSR are gone, the Enlightenment and We the People are ownership's last enemies left standing.

    We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for victims of our nation and for those it calls enemy.... --ML King "Beyond Vietnam"

    by Gooserock on Sat Nov 01, 2014 at 08:08:59 PM PDT

  •  And let's not forget that the EPA was established (2+ / 0-)
    Recommended by:
    Mostel26, Mayfly

    one Richard Milhouse Nixon.

    The same EPA that the current crop of Rs would so much like to eliminate!

    I know you believe you understood what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. -- S.I. Hayakawa.

    by tapu dali on Sat Nov 01, 2014 at 08:21:39 PM PDT

  •  "Two political parties ... general welfare". (3+ / 0-)

    Now you have, what, 0.5?

    I know you believe you understood what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. -- S.I. Hayakawa.

    by tapu dali on Sat Nov 01, 2014 at 08:26:10 PM PDT

  •  The Republicans of the 1950-1975 era (3+ / 0-)
    Recommended by:
    teacherken, bananapouch1, Mayfly

    would not be allowed in the same room with the nut jobs who make up todays Republican party. Sure would be nice if the grown ups if there are any left would take back the GOP from the nuts!

    Dogs and Philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards (Diogenes)

    by Out There on Sun Nov 02, 2014 at 05:17:41 AM PST

  •  A lot has changed in 60 years (1+ / 0-)
    Recommended by:
    Mayfly

    A lot has changed in 60 years.

    Keep in mind that in the 1950s wealthy individuals and big businesses had not yet figured out that they could buy politicians to make exactly the laws favored by those wealthy few.  There were laws back then about who could donate how much to a politician.

    If one owes their job to a large donation from a petroleum or coal company, then of course one is going to suggest that mountain-top removal and fracking are wonderful ideas that should be allowed/enforced everywhere.

    It almost seems quaint doesn't it, seeing the bygone words from those earnest and chaste, actually thinking about what would be beneficial for their country (instead of themselves and their wealthy patrons).

    If we cast our eye back even further to 1860, we see the republican party was against slavery and for saving the union.  Contrast that with the racism that is rampant in the GOP today and how frequently we hear from the GOP about nullification and states' rights

    "The fool doth think he is wise: the wise man knows himself to be a fool" - W. Shakespeare

    by Hugh Jim Bissell on Sun Nov 02, 2014 at 05:42:50 AM PST

    •  Sadly, the minimum wage is not one of those things (0+ / 0-)

      That has changed over 60 years.

      Today the minimum wage is less in inflation adjusted terms than in 1950.  The country is 3.5X richer per person, in GDP per capita, but the minimum wage is less.  Eisenhower would be left of the center of the Democratic party today.

      Do you live in SoCal? Connect! Unite! Act! Join Los Angeles Kossacks. I'm in CA-35. What's your district?

      by benamery21 on Sun Nov 02, 2014 at 12:50:15 PM PST

      [ Parent ]

  •  I recognized it. (1+ / 0-)
    Recommended by:
    Mayfly

    The GOP took a turn to the right starting at Reagan and never returned.

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