60 years ago (in 1948) Ronald Reagan was a member of the Democratic Party and was recorded campaigning for Democrats. You can listen to the speech on YouTube.
Reagan Campaigns For Democrats
When you hear it, you'd think Reagan was speaking at the 2008 Democratic Convention and was campaigning for Barack Obama!
Here's a recap of what he said:
- Company profits were soaring, while wages were only slightly increasing, and the little increase in wages was being eaten up by the rising costs of products and services.
- Oil companies were enjoying record profits (they had doubled) while wages had only risen 1/4th.
- The Republican-sponsored Gerhardt Bill had led to Social Security benefits being snatched away from almost a million workers.
- Republican control of Congress was responsible for record inflation, and inflation was making it hard for elderly retired people to get by.
- The work of labor unions had been handcuffed by the Republican-sponsored Taft-Hartley Bill
- Fair employment practices had been abandoned
- Republican tax reduction bills had been passed to benefit the higher income bracket alone, while the average worker was hardly even able to save
and....
- Veterans pleas for low-cost homes were being ignored, and many were living in deplorable conditions ("made-over chicken coops and garages")
What happened to Ronald Reagan? Well, maybe it was the early effects of Alzheimer's effecting his good judgment. Whatever the case, it's too bad, for he had it right the first time!
OBAMA/BIDEN '08!