General Discussion

redqueen

(115,103 posts) Sat Dec 7, 2019, 12:51 AM Dec 2019

Has the democratic party drifted to the right over the past 40 years? [View all]

Yes or no?

I'm curious what most DUers think. Though I knew but now wondering.

43 votes, 1 pass \| Time left: Unlimited
	Yes
	33 (77%)
	No
	10 (23%)
	Other (explain below pls)
	0 (0%)
	1 DU member did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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60 replies

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Highlight:

Has the democratic party drifted to the right over the past 40 years? [View all] redqueen Dec 2019 OP

Reagan and Eisenhower would be Dems today aeromanKC Dec 2019 #1

Eisenhower yes edhopper Dec 2019 #18

Reagan WAS a Democrat until 1962 and in fact he was a strong union advocate at one time: George II Dec 2019 #34

Yes, but edhopper Dec 2019 #36

Reagan turned R thanks to Nancy's father Freddie Jan 2020 #55

Nixon would definitely be a democrat! Greybnk48 Jan 2020 #54

Bull --- Check govtrack and see it is more liberal. LiberalFighter Dec 2019 #2

+1000 UniteFightBack Dec 2019 #3

Certainly it is more socially liberal but in its heyday the party was economically liberal. hedda_foil Dec 2019 #42

The decline of support for labor & workers rights has really appalachiablue Dec 2019 #45

Kick for visibility appalachiablue Dec 2019 #46

Preach! redqueen Dec 2019 #48

Well done synopsis n/t Bradshaw3 Jan 2020 #52

"How we got here" in a nutshell. Thanks. nt Atticus Jan 2020 #57

Any PoliSci 102 class will show that. TheBlackAdder Dec 2019 #4

Same with a US History 101 course (where I first learned it). redqueen Dec 2019 #7

After WWII there was a bonus. The Republican Party used Prosper Dec 2019 #5

Bernie is no FDR, and the country is a very different situation than it was during his ehrnst Jan 2020 #50

Yes, and we really need to track left. marble falls Dec 2019 #6

It's not a yes or no question Recursion Dec 2019 #8

Interestingly, support for legal abortion wasn't always a partisan issue. nt redqueen Dec 2019 #9

Yes, it was. Democrats weren't always solidly pro-choice. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #53

got there first stopdiggin Dec 2019 #39

I agree that it's mostly a mixed bag within 40 yrs. Overall... WePurrsevere Jan 2020 #59

No. For most of the last 40 years, it held fairly steady. Recently, it's shifted left a bit. Garrett78 Dec 2019 #10

Democrats moves significantly to the right economically Fiendish Thingy Dec 2019 #31

The Democratic Party, as a whole, has consistently... Garrett78 Dec 2019 #33

Some more fyi on the Overton window... SWBTATTReg Dec 2019 #38

Yes n/t leftstreet Dec 2019 #11

Results are p much what I expected. redqueen Dec 2019 #12

Absolutely yes in the wake of the Reagan era, but the pendulum has made a swing bullwinkle428 Dec 2019 #13

Thanks! redqueen Dec 2019 #15

Yes, we've been picking up moderate Repubs who have been forced out of their party... Wounded Bear Dec 2019 #14

No, I don't think so. MineralMan Dec 2019 #16

More like "dragged" to the right. moondust Dec 2019 #17

Bingo! nt redqueen Dec 2019 #21

And many years (decades) of 'going along to get along' Doremus Dec 2019 #24

Yes. moondust Dec 2019 #32

+1 honest.abe Dec 2019 #28

I think it depends on the issues. crickets Dec 2019 #19

IDK Recursion Dec 2019 #35

On social policy the Democratic Party has moved steadily left, economically it moved rightwards andym Dec 2019 #20

I'd say on environmental policy we have not, and that it was in fact that very thing redqueen Dec 2019 #22

Yes, indeed, we do have Ralph Nadar to "thank" for The Bush presidency, the Iraq War, lapucelle Jan 2020 #60

What Hubert Humphrey ran on in '68 looks like Bernie now DBoon Dec 2019 #23

GOP politicians spent decades Skidmore Dec 2019 #25

Democratic party did what it had to do to compete with filthy, disgusting cheaters Eliot Rosewater Dec 2019 #27

There is no KGB. Its been disbanded for decades now. Voltaire2 Dec 2019 #41

Post removed Post removed Dec 2019 #26

Campaign finance, including dark money has affected our whole political landscape. Dustlawyer Dec 2019 #29

Interesting question Dave in VA Dec 2019 #30

If one studies history, they would learn that all parties drift left or right, and back again and... SWBTATTReg Dec 2019 #37

Some ways yes, other ways no. Turin_C3PO Dec 2019 #40

Well, it's shifted to people who can get elected... brooklynite Dec 2019 #43

With a little (lot of) help from the M$M. redqueen Dec 2019 #49

Something to think over appalachiablue Dec 2019 #44

No, it has shifted to the left (and that's a good thing) Polybius Dec 2019 #47

ok just remember where the Dem party was in the 40s and 50s.. samnsara Jan 2020 #51

Is this a serious question? nt Atticus Jan 2020 #56

If there was a category "DOH!!" that would have been my vote. InAbLuEsTaTe Jan 2020 #58