Who Will be in a Kerry Cabinet?

[nucutiepie]

Originally posted by Rudey
The Republican party was founded as a party that melded issues together. It enveloped the anti-slavery issues from its start. Of course the Republican party of old is not the Republican party of new but certain things remain very intact. As for the Christian right, well those are actually Democratic voters historically and even now Bush is trying to court them because he's worried they will vote Democrat over Republican in this election.

And I would love to see why Democrats love McCain who is very Republican just like Lieberman is very Democratic.

-Rudey

Perhaps I should have phrased it, I think there should possibly be a split between moderate Republicans and conservative Republicans. I think on a lot of issues moderate Republicans and moderate Democrats are far closer than moderate Republicans and conservative Republicans. (For example, many moderate Republicans are financially conservative and socially liberal, as are many moderate Democrats. Perhaps they should all vote for the same candidate who is financially conservative and socially liberal. I know thats who I would vote for).

As for why THIS Democrat loves McCain - I think he is a man of honor based on his conduct in Vietnam. (I believe he was offered early release from captivity because his father was secretary of the navy and he refused unless all the other Americans were released as well). I strongly agree with his positions on campaign finance and the environment. I admire him for having the courage to call George Bush out when he (McCain) disagrees with him, since some Republicans like to smear those who criticize the administration.

And in terms of the origins of the republican party, it was originally Abraham Lincoln's Party - aka the party that abolished slavery, and for years was the more "liberal" party. However FDR liberalized the Democratic party, although there was a huge divide between Northern Democrats and Southern Democrats. (Southern Democrats were often segregationalists). Richard Nixon and other Republicans engineered a "Southern Strategy" in the late 60s/early 70s to attract Southern Democrats into the Republican Party.

Now, here I'm just guessing, but I think that the Christian Right was, up until the 70s, historically democratic. In the early 1970s abortion became legalized. Many Republicans took a pro-life stance, many Democrats took a pro-choice stance. It wouldn't surprise me if during the 70s many people on the Christian right who had voted democratic went over to the Republican fold based on the abortion issue. It would, however, surprise me if members of the Christian right went en masse over to the pro-choice Democratic party.

Before you criticize me please note my use of modifiers such as "many", "some", and "often", which were employed in order to avoid making blanket generalizations.