The Republicans

The Republican National Convention is being held right here in our own backyard and so many people are not happy about it. I really don't understand their upset, it's not like the Republicans are bad people or something they're just politicians. This is a fantastic opportunity for people to get involved. If you have issues with the Republican party take your ass downtown and do some protesting. Personally I would love to have gotten a group of us gay homosexuals together and volunteer to work the convention then on the first day we would unveil our fancy gay pride paraphernalia and see how quickly we're shown the door.  But for all the bitching my peeps did I could not get any takers.

Myself not being a card carrying member of any political party has an open mind about most politicians. I'm on the bandwagon with the "I can't stand George W" people, but I don't blame him as much as I do the American people who voted to put him into office, not once but twice! They're the real dummies. And he was just daddies little whipping boy anyway. 

But back to the subject, the republican party; my favorite president, number 3, Thomas Jefferson was from the Democratic-Republican party which eventually became the Republican party. Thomas Jefferson was an amazing individual without him there would be no Declaration of Independence. When it came to giving speeches and having debates he was no Abraham Lincoln but the man could write. Speaking of Abraham Lincoln he was a Republican too and he signed the Emancipation Proclamation thereby freeing the slaves. 

Now, I'm no brainiac, I'm just a pasty white girl from the eastside of St. Paul, I went to public schools and I don't have a fancy college education, no PHD, BA or any such thing. I grew in a middle class neighborhood and got my values from working class people but I can read and I love the Internet.  To me it's like one big Encyclopedia Britannica, remember those? The guys traveling around selling encyclopedias? As a kid we had an entire bookcase dedicated to encyclopedia books and I would read and read and read.  I know we did not have the money for those books but it was something my dad made sure we had, I really think he wanted them for himself as I don't remember anyone else reading them but him and I. Anyway this is my two cents on the Republican party.

Starting with Abraham Lincoln and ending with George W there have been 18 Republican presidents and I think things really started to go to hell around the Nixon/Ford eras. Back in the 1850's the parties were divided by the North and South, the northerners made up the Republican party and the Southerners made up Democratic party. Not that you would believe it today, but I think the lines were mostly divided because of the slavery issues, the South wanted slaves and the North did not.  I'm not entirely convinced that the position of the North was based solely on moral ideas, I think there was more to it than that, like money* which is a great motivator of people. 

Some highlights of the Republican party. 

The Transcontinental Railroad connecting the East with the West (built upon the backs of the Irish and Chinese)

Homestead Act - allowed anyone to file for a quarter-section of free land (160 acres)

Immigration Act of 1924 - to preserve the ideal of American Homogeneity.

Protective Tariffs - American laborers shall be protected against the pauper labor of Europe, taxes on imported materials. 

13th Amendment - outlawing slavery

14th Amendment - equal protection under the law, citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States" which included former slaves who had just been freed after the Civil War.

15th Amendment- prohibits discrimination against voters on the basis of race or previous condition of servitude.

19th Amendment- WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE!!!! The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. 

* Protective Tariffs taxed imported materials. The majority of American Industries were based in the North, the Republicans, and they exported materials. The majority of Agriculture was based in the South, the Democrats, and they imported manufactured goods. The tax money received from said imports went predominately to the North, they did not pay the taxes but reaped the benefits of them.

I could continue all day about politics but most people are not interested so I will leave you with my tidbits for the day and only add that I for one am happy the RNC is here in St. Paul.  It's great for the Twin Cities, we're in the spotlight so put on your fancy party dresses.