Thread by @jessphoenix2018

THREAD: I went & read the actual 1956 Republican platform thanks to this tweet. Holy crap. Pro-unions, pro-equal pay, pro-"progressive programs," pro-expanding Federal minimum wage & Social Security, free vaccines, more facilities to train scientists, pro-affordable housing, 1/

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& then this gem really stood out: "We promise unwavering vigilance against corruption and waste, and shall continue so to manage the public business as to warrant our people's full confidence in the integrity of their Government." Wow. 2/

And here's some about the #ERA, which has been trending as #ratifyERA today. "We recommend to Congress the submission of a constitutional amendment providing equal rights for men and women." 3/

This part is salient: "The Republican Party 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..." 4/

...nationality and religious groups, and flexible enough to conform to changing needs and conditions." It gets better. 5/

We will overlook no opportunity that, with prudence, can be taken to bring about a progressive elimination of the barriers that interfere with the free flow of news, information and ideas, and the exchange of persons between the free peoples & the captive peoples of the world. 6/

That was a direct quote, but I didn't have room for quotation marks. My favorite may be this: "We fully appreciate the importance of scientific knowledge and its application particularly in the military field." Would be nice if the current admin listened to DOD re: climate. 7/

The last bit I'll quote is this: "We recognize the need for maintaining isolated wilderness areas to provide opportunity for future generations to experience some of the wilderness living through which the traditional American spirit of hardihood was developed." 8/

Now, why does this matter? Yes, times change. Yes, positions shift. Yes, the GOP platform from 1956 got in numerous digs at the Democratic Party. Yes, there are tons of things I disagree with in it. Now that I have that out of the way...9/

I'm posting this because I want us all to see how far we've shifted. Instead of political colleagues with different perspectives on how to approach commonly-acknowledged problems, we now see violent polarization. What happened? 10/

I see a pretty clear chip in the foundation with the revocation of the Fairness Doctrine in the late 1980s. That required that controversial issues be presented, and in ways that were honest, equitable, & balanced. With that gone, the floodgates of polarization opened. 11/

There were many other causes, & I don't pretend to have the answers. What I do see is people who actually direct others to attach those who speak their minds. I see families torn apart by partisanship. I see hate for sale, because hate sells. Conflict is lucrative. 12/

Whether it's a war of words or an actual war, people have always figured out how to profit from it. The problem is that war profits are inherently bloody. All boats don't rise together, & it's usually the most vulnerable people who end up hurt. We're seeing it now. 13/

Not everything has an agenda, or a deep partisan motive. Sometimes, people just want to do right by other people. Altruism isn't dead. I refuse to believe that. I say this after attending a rally yesterday where white supremacists screamed in my face. 14/

I still believe that there is more good in people than there is bad. I believe that this turbulent time in our history will be overcome. America is resilient. The toll this will exact from the most vulnerable is what frightens me. 15/

People with disabilities & health concerns will suffer without access to healthcare. Our entire country will suffer without a firm federal commitment to our public schools. Our natural world will die slowly, in pieces, if we strip our environmental protections. 16/

We need to define our shared ideals again, & then we must lift them up as high as we can. There are no perfect candidates, because we're all human. Our job as voters is to find candidates with whom we agree on our ideals. It doesn't have to be 100% agreement, either. 17/

Like I said, I don't agree with a good amount of the 1956 Republican Party platform, but if you offered it to me in contrast with our current GOP, I know which I'd vote for. Our ideals are the shining beacons that will guide us home safely. It's up to us to set the lights. 18/

If you want to read the platform for yourself, here's a link. It's definitely worth a look. Remember, we create the system. That means we can change it. That much, I believe. #/

presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?p…