1960 US Republican Party Platform

[Dinner]

It is interesting to look at the evolution (or devolution) of The Republican Party over the last half century.

Here is the party's 1960 platform. Note the stands on things such as labor, housing, health, civil rights, etc.

Republican Party Platforms: Republican Party Platform of 1960

Then look at the kind of people who bear the party's standards today. It's enough to make one long for the days of Eisenhower and Nixon--both of whom would undoubtedly be tagged as "socialists" by the dominant wing of the modern party.

[Dinner]

Labor

America's growth cannot be compartmentalized. Labor and management cannot prosper without each other. They cannot ignore their mutual public obligation.
Industrial harmony, expressing these mutual interests, can best be achieved in a climate of free collective bargaining, with minimal government intervention except by mediation and conciliation.

Now the Republican Party is absolutely anti-labor where as before they recognized the need for a balance between labor and management.

Housing

Despite noteworthy accomplishments, stubborn and deep-seated problems stand in the way of achieving the national objective of a decent home in a suitable environment for every American. Recognizing that the federal government must help provide the economic climate and incentives which make this objective obtainable, the Republican Party will vigorously support the following steps, all designed to supplement and not supplant private initiative.
Continued effort to clear slums, and promote rebuilding, rehabilitation, and conservation of our cities.
New programs to stimulate development of specialized types of housing, such as those for the elderly and for nursing homes.
A program of research and demonstration aimed at finding ways to reduce housing costs, including support of efforts to modernize and improve local building codes.
Adequate authority for the federal housing agencies to assist the flow of mortgage credit into private housing, with emphasis on homes for middle- and lower-income families and including assistance in urban residential areas.
A stepped-up program to assist in urban planning, designed to assure far-sighted and wise use of land and to coordinate mass transportation and other vital facilities in our metropolitan areas.

The current Republican Party is anti-building code, anti-urban planning, doesn't want the government enacting policies which make mortgages more affordable, and they certainly don't want HUD. Yet in 1960 Republicans wanted all of those things.

Health

There has been a five-fold increase in government-assisted medical research during the last six years, We pledge:
Continued federal support for a sound research program aimed at both the prevention and cure of diseases, and intensified efforts to secure prompt and effective application of the results of research. This will include emphasis on mental illness.
Support of international health research programs.
We face serious personnel shortages in the health and medical fields. We pledge:
Federal help in new programs to build schools of medicine, dentistry, and public health and nursing, and financial aid to students in those fields.
We are confronted with major problems in the field of environmental health. We pledge:
Strengthened federal enforcement powers in combatting water pollution and additional resources for research and demonstration projects. Federal grants for the construction of waste disposal plants should be made only when they make an identifiable contribution to clearing up polluted streams.
Federal authority to identify, after appropriate hearings, air pollution problems and to recommend proposed solutions.
Additional resources for research and training in the field of radiological medicine.

Where as the current party hates, hates, hates the environment and environmental regulations (they even want to eliminate the EPA); in 1960 the party declared their undying love and support for such things.

BTW the section on civil rights (which is to long to quote) is down right liberal in compared to the current party. Especially the section on voting rights which modern Republicans hate and are restricting every where they are in power.

[Zevico]

Isn't government policy designed to make mortgages affordable the cause of the housing crisis in some of the American states and, in part, the severity of the recession?

[dannubis]

No, it was the complete deregulation of the investment banking sector that made the huge excesses possible.

[Zevico]

No, it was the complete deregulation of the investment banking sector that made the huge excesses possible.

Huge excesses in what? This statement is unclear.

What is clear, however, is that American laws, supported on a bipartisan basis, and lobby groups, intimidated banks into lowering their lending standards in order to ensure that people who "deserved" a home could "afford" one. The end result was that many people unable to afford homes bought them and defaulted on them.

[Dinner]

Isn't government policy designed to make mortgages affordable the cause of the housing crisis in some of the American states and, in part, the severity of the recession?

No, absolutely not.

Even though the claim has been proven to be false it is still widely used as a scape goat on right wing blogs and radio programs though. They just like comforting lies which allow them to not examine the real reasons which might mean questioning some of their cherished beliefs.

No, it was the complete deregulation of the investment banking sector that made the huge excesses possible.

Exactly. But admitting this would mean right wingers would have to admit that sometimes regulations are both good and needed which is something many American right wingers can't bring themselves to do.

[Aeson]

I feel so badly for those poor intimidated bankers! :weep:

[Zevico]

Even though the claim has been proven to be false it is still widely used as a scape goat on right wing blogs and radio programs though. They just like comforting lies which allow them to not examine the real reasons which might mean questioning some of their cherished beliefs.

I'm curious. Which part of the following is untrue in your view:
(a) Lending standards were lowered owing to governmental pressure and regulations.
(b) Lending standards were lowered because mortgages could be on sold to governmental entitities.
(c) High default rates occurred on mortgages owing to reduced lending standards.
(d) High default rates lead to a housing crisis in some American states that rendered mortgage companies (or those who bought derivatives) insolvent.

[dannubis]

This is the most interesting root cause analysis of the financial crisis I have ever seen.

Congrats !

[Sava]

intimidated banks

What planet do you live on? idiot

[Sava]

and afterwards the big bad government intimidated the banks into taking billions in bail out money!

OH THE HUMANITYH

THOSE POOR BANKERS



Zevico, you need your head examined.

[MRT144]

Huge excesses in what? This statement is unclear.

What is clear, however, is that American laws, supported on a bipartisan basis, and lobby groups, intimidated banks into lowering their lending standards in order to ensure that people who "deserved" a home could "afford" one. The end result was that many people unable to afford homes bought them and defaulted on them.

Thats one interpretation but doesnt even account for the amount of derivatives created around housing. If you want to believe that it was all government go ahead, but you'd be a fool.

[giblets]

Isn't government policy designed to make mortgages affordable the cause of the housing crisis in some of the American states and, in part, the severity of the recession?

This requires the assumptions that:
1. The recession and housing crisis wasn't caused by tight monetary policy
2. Making mortgages more affordable somehow forced people to take mortgages they would be unable to pay when they wouldn't have otherwise
Both are pretty questionable IMHO.

[KrazyHorse]

Ah the 1960s, when people believed that unionization was good, racism and sexism were fine, 90% tax rates not counterproductive, regulation Q sensible, and homosexuality a disease. We've regressed so far since then.

[giblets]

Nice troll but I think Dinner is putting everything on a left-right spectrum and claiming the Republicans have moved further right and therefore are closer to Hitler than before.