Today's republican party is far removed from the good ol' days of Teddy Roosevelt in the 1900s Eisenhower and the 1950s. They have been taken over by corporatists and self serving billionaires. If you listen to today's GOP, you never hear about trying to increase wages for working families, expanding the social safety net to more people or the benefits of organized labor.
You hear lower taxation for multi-national corporations, reduced capital gains and lower regulations. Unfortunately the democratic party has moved to the "right" with them. The Democratic Party of today is where the Republican Party was in 1956.
Let's start with President Theodore Roosevelt's words
ADDRESS BY THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Before the Convention of the National Progressive Party
in Chicago, August, 1912
We stand for a living wage. Wages are subnormal if they fail to provide a living for those who devote their time and energy to industrial occupations. The monetary equivalent of a living wage varies according to local conditions, but must include enough to secure the elements of a normal standard of living--a standard high enough to make morality possible, to provide for education and recreation, to care for immature members of the family, to maintain the family during periods of sickness, and to permit of reasonable saving for old age.
It's no wonder the GOP kicked President Roosevelt out of their party. Roosevelt was a progressive and during his time, the GOP was being run by robber barons and corporatists. He stood with those who worked in factories and laboured hard for a living.
President Roosevelt defined a living wage in this speech. Today, the GOP says you're an employee at will and if you don't like your pay, find another job. They say this instead of, standing for a living wage like Roosevelt did.
A living wage according to Teddy was;
Enough to make morality possible. ( Meaning you don't have to sell drugs or steal to live).
Provide for education and recreation. ( This meant you were able to pay for schools and GO ON VACATION)
Care for immature member of the family( raise your children without government help)
Maintain family during periods of sickness( meaning, you will not go bankrupt if you get sick)
Permit a reasonable saving for old age ( save for retirement)
The American family today doesn't have that living wage anymore. We used to, especially under the next Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Under Eisenhower and the GOP the American working family had a champion.
Here are some of the statements within the GOP platform of 1956.
"Further reductions in taxes with particular consideration for low and middle income families."
Today, Rep. Paul Ryan(R-WI) in his plan the bottom 80% of Americans would see a tax increase. The bottom 20% would see an increase in taxes of over 12%. http://raymedeiros2010.blogspot.com/...
"Workers have benefited by the progress which has been made in carrying out the programs and principles set forth in the 1952 Republican platform. All workers have gained and unions have grown in strength and responsibility, and have increased their membership by 2 millions"
Back in 1956 the GOP respected organized labor. Today the GOP is working to dismantle the remaining 8% of America's labor movement.
"Revise and improve the Taft-Hartley Act so as to protect more effectively the rights of labor unions, management, the individual worker, and the public. The protection of the right of workers to organize into unions and to bargain collectively is the firm and permanent policy of the Eisenhower Administration."
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"We shall continue to seek extension and perfection of a sound social security system"
Eisenhower said:
"Labor is the United States. The men and women, who with their minds, their hearts and hands, create the wealth that is shared in this country—they are America."
Working class Americans were held in much higher regard in your grandfather's GOP than it is today.
Today, tax breaks are given to companies who destroy communities in search for higher profit, by outsourcing our jobs. These tax breaks are defended by today's GOP.
Your grandfather's GOP wanted strong unions, because they understood higher wages meant people could buy more stuff and strengthen our economy.
Today's GOP is not what Eisenhower's GOP. This GOP is controlled by a few multi-billionaires who only seek profits over people.
The Neo- Cons that surfaced around 1968 and came to full blown power in the 80s have taken Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower's party and handed it over to the corporate elite.