When Republicans dream of the "good ol' days" what time period are they thinking of, and

[Toots]

what were the tax rates in those days? If they are talking about the fifties, I believe the marginal rate was over ninety percent for the wealthy. What is their dream period?

[GodlessBiker]

1. 1211 - 1214. The good years for them.

[justabob]

12. then came the Magna Carta

sounds about right. :)

[Toucano]

13. LOL!

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[harun]

30. > 1215

Because the Magna Carta wasn't so the King's power was limited to facilitate the little people being protected, it was so the King's power was limited to protect the baron's and their privileges.

The United States then solidified the protection of baron's privileges when they broke off from England and our baron's have enjoyed the fruits of the new land ever since. Of course if you have contributed to the baron's prosperity you have enjoyed some of those fruits as well, or if not so lucky, you got to be a slave for them.

As far as the GOP's golden days, I would have to say 12:30 PM, Nov. 22nd, 1963 to present.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. They're thinking of a completely fictional era in which our military was huge and mighty

the government didn't collect taxes, we had the best roads in the world, the best businesses, and the best of everything, there was no poverty, every American was a conservative Christian, and everything was cheap and - more than anything else - the white man was in charge and darkies and women knew where they belonged.

The "good old days" they talk about never existed, but they refuse to acknowledge that fact.

[baldguy]

4. Ozzie & Harriet

The "Good Ol' Days" conservatives dream of is a fairy tale generated by Madison Ave & Hollywood.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. Yep. When the tmtr was 91%.

It's my "go to" argument.

[phasma ex machina]

32. +1 Nostalgia for a past that mostly exists in the imagination. nt

[FBaggins]

3. OZ, Neverland, etc

They're thinking of afantasy world that never really existed.

[treestar]

5. The late 19th century

I believe one of their idols, Ayn Rand, came out and said it.

No restrictions on them, so therefore, in their minds, they would be the John Galts who would have been able to become millionaires. The Horatio Alger myths of the time spurred the hope that anyone could become rich. Ragged Dick started out with nothing.

[Wapsie B]

6. The fifties were a time where we didn't have to worry about pesky things like racism or civil rights

Many people no matter their skills or education could go to most any factory in town and find a decent-paying job. A college degree of most any kind post-WWII was nearly a guarantee of an upwardly mobile job. So many things were out of sight out of mind at that time. People think there was no drug use/abuse, no premarital sex, all marriages were sound with everyone faithful. Everything was just like Mayberry. But that's only because things weren't talked about, just like the crazy Aunt in the basement. Things were just under the surface out of view.

[RDANGELO]

15. The main reason they were so good economically is that

Europe and Japan were still recovering from WWII. Once they became competitive again, it naturally had some effect on us, but people started looking for someone to blame.

[pampango]

24. Maybe including a few years before and after the fifties, but I agree.

Conservative white males (does that sound like the repub party?) never had it so good. During that time white males didn't need much in the way of skill or education to get a good job. Women and Blacks were mostly not allowed to compete for those jobs.

Plus the GI Bill allowed many white males a free college education which was indeed "nearly a guarantee of an upwardly mobile job" with no competition for professional jobs from women and minorities.

And it took 10-20 years for Europe and Japan (of course China was economically off-line) to rebuild after WWII so our economy ruled the world, so white males not only had no competition from women or minorities, there was no competition from overseas either. Not to hard to understand why conservative white males would, indeed, look at those as the "good ol' days".

[keith the dem]

25. That's all true....BUT

The tax rate was the most progressive,
Union membership was at it's peak
Leisure time was also at is peak(thanks to those pesky unions),
The middle class was at a peak where only one person per household was needed to earn a living wage
Health insurance was non-profit and affordable,

Things with civil and sexual rights were screwed up, but people had the time to begin the fight.

The 50's early 60's were as much the good old days for liberals as it is in the conservatives imagination, except we can point to the reasons why it was good: sound liberal policies brought on by FDR; and why it was bad: old conservative racial and sexual oppression. The conservatives can only pretend and tell fables.

[yellowcanine]

7. I believe that would be when Women, Negroes, Mexicans, and Puerto Ricans knew "their place"

and stayed there.

Women - in the kitchen, the laundry room and the bedroom
Negroes - in the back of the bus, the back door of the house, and the chain gang.
Mexicans - in the bean field during crop harvests - the rest of the year in Mexico.
Puerto Ricans - in the tomato field during crop harvests - the rest of the year in Puerto Rico.

[keith the dem]

26. I like to ask libertarians and conservatives

What country or period in history has a society adapted their dogma and would they want to live there.

The truth is there never was such a place where any rational person would want to live.

[yellowcanine]

34. Chile under Pinochet.. And a surprising number would likely say they would go for that.

After all, Milton Friedman ADVISED Pinochet.

[lpbk2713]

8. When RayGun fired the Air Traffic Controllers

It was always good times when RayGun was anti-labor.

[HughBeaumont]

10. 1984-1987.

The peak of Reaganomics and his re-election. Everything went to shit after that, only briefly saved by 1995-99 and the internet/housing bubbles.

Their idea of "good ol' days" was when they had Whitey running everything into the ground and telling them everything was just hunky-dory.

[sufrommich]

11. 1955. nt

[LeftinOH]

14. Their dream era: Tuesday, Sep 11th 2001; approx 8:00am-1030:am (Eastern)

-the days to follow were pretty good for them, too.

[Uben]

16. Ahhh yes, the good ole days!

That would be election night in November of 2000 and the day after. Since then, all they have is shame because of the guy they actually elected, Doofus Dubya Bush.

So , I guess the good ole days consist of those two days.

[StarfarerBill]

17. I'm thinking the 1850s.

Slavery was still legal, women had no rights to speak of, proles knew their place for the most part, still plenty of American Indians to murder...yes, all in all, happy days.

[OHdem10]

18. Late 40s through early 60s.--More about culture of the times.

Country was building a strong middle class. People were
concerned with "appearances". Father head of household\\
Mom stayed home and reared the children. Most conformist
time in history. "What will the neighbors think?" Do
not bring shame on the family. In other words do not
get caught breaking the code. Class strata most pronounced.
Sweep things under the rug. Do not embarrass the family.

On the surface "The Cleavers" resided throughout America.
Were there pockets of poverty and all that comes with it
through out the country? Yes, but it could be ignored.
After all it was their slothfulness and indolence that
lay at the roots of the povery. Poor Whites as well as
Blacks. Do not forget--Blacks were segregated. Overt
racism was tolerated. The upper classes probably never saw
the poor whites and blacks.

White Men ruled easily because of an authoritarian mindset.
The Majority did not question--assumed the Leaders knew
what was best. Law enforcement had their ways of making
this mindset work.

The irony in all of this: they still claim to be the party
that is best for families. Yet, starting with Reagan they
have put policies in place and supported policies which
destroyed Families. Free Market and Free Trade Policies
have brought us to this meltdown. It was Reagan who
made the family in which both parents work to make ends
meet.

They have their nostalagic dreams of Cleaver Time while
doing everything in their power to destroy it. They and
some in our party ignore the fact that this wistful period
would never have existed without FDR.

[Javaman]

19. serfdom. nt

[fascisthunter]

20. none.... their period is a fantasy motivated by mental illness

an illness that keeps them in a fantasy World, and makes them very angry and scared towards reality.

[Echo In Light]

21. Nostalgia for a time that never existed

[Kansas Wyatt]

22. And what made the "good ol' days" in the 90% rate range?

Was it because wealthy people actually did pay 90% of everything they earned?

Or was it because, instead of paying 90% of what they earned and have the government decide where it went, the kept control and/or ownership of their earnings by reinvesting in their businesses, starting a business, or their community, which created a lot of jobs and growth in the economy?

The point that is never talked about is that it forces the wealthy to actually reinvest back into this country and their communities, rather than throwing it into the bank or destructive mechanisms to rake in even more off their money, which also damages the classes below them.

[Soylent Brice]

23. most republicans don't know what the fuck they're talking about.

every decade they say they need to get back to that magical time. some say the 50's, but even in the 50's they were freaking out. think Elvis and his gyratin' hips, and go from there.

the 20's were roarin', etc etc etc

they're just idiots parroting talking head nonsense. it's the same bullshit over and over again. family values, a return to simple times, or whatever.

just brain dead idiots.

[Wounded Bear]

27. I'm pretty sure it was 1950's television...

Ozzie and Harriet didn't have to pay those high taxes, you know. ;)

Other than that, I'd have to go with pre-1600's Europe, back when you could burn witches and put scientists in jail with impunity. In fact, I don't think they ever got over the whole "churches can't imprison and torture" thing. They seem to think that life would be more fun if churches have more power than governments.

[LeftHander]

28. ding ding ding...50's Sitcom mentality....nt

[pipi_k]

29. About 250,000 BC...Still dreaming of those happy Neanderthal years...n/t

[FarLeftFist]

31. During slavery.

[DU GrovelBot]

33. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

This week is our fourth quarter 2009 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
a completely independent website. We depend on donations from our members
to cover our costs. Please take a moment to donate! Thank you!

[branders seine]

35. it's either:

the early 13th Century

or that one time they almost achieved an erection back in junior high

[Hepburn]

36. The age when Noah was putting the dinosaurs on the Ark.

:hi:

[Puzzler]

37. The "duck & cover" '50s?

... ah yes, the good ol' days of the Cold War.

[tjwash]

38. 140000 BC...when urg from cave 9 held the whole tribe at bay with a pointy stick...

...as he consumed an entire woolly mammoth by himself.

Oh...the whole tribe did bring down the mammoth, but urg was the one who held the claim to the trees and boulders that they used to fell the mighty beast, so everything belonged to him. Thus the first "rugged individualist" and republican hero was born. Sadly...as much as they try, they just can't seem to return us to that glorious hey-day they so long for.

[Caliman73]

39. Not so much a time period, but a state of mind.

A false state of mind based on faulty nostalgia as posted above about 50's television. They look to a time when women and minorities "knew their place" and did not question patriarchal, White, Protestant dominance. If you are a woman or a minority in the US, there has never been a "good ole days"