Some selections from an old national party platform

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Saturday November 01, 2014 · 7:53 PM PDT

2014/11/01 · 19:53

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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Some selections from an old national party platform

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