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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat was the last "Republican" Policy or Idea that was enacted and was actually a good idea?
I was trying to think about this question. There are things in the far past that were "Republican" ideas and were good. For example, freedom of the slaves and trying to grant freed slaves rights (Though the later was a defacto failure until the 1960s). I was trying to put some thought into this. I have some thoughts, but wanted to ask the board.
And let me qualify that. The idea has to be purely or mostly "Republican". For example, NAFTA was a policy supported by both parties (President Clinton and President Bush), so that wouldn't count. (Not that NAFTA is something that people here are crazy about)
unapatriciated
(5,390 posts)http://www.historynet.com/president-dwight-eisenhower-and-americas-interstate-highway-system.htm
He was the last decent republican.
http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/transportation/a_highway.html
When President Dwight D. Eisenhower took office in January 1953, the States had completed 10,327 km of system improvements at a cost of $955 million - half of which came from the Federal government. According to BPR, as it was again called, only 24 percent of interstate roadway was adequate for present traffic; that is, very little of the distance had been reconstructed to meet traffic expected 20 years hence
Long before taking office, Eisenhower recognized the importance of highways. His first realization of the value of good highways occurred in 1919, when he participated in the U.S. Army's first transcontinental motor convoy from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco.
On the way west, the convoy experienced all the woes known to motorists and then some - an endless series of mechanical difficulties; vehicles stuck in mud or sand; trucks and other equipment crashing through wooden bridges; roads as slippery as ice or dusty or the consistency of "gumbo"; [and] extremes of weather from desert heat to Rocky Mountain freezing.
During World War II, Gen. Eisenhower saw the advantages Germany enjoyed because of the autobahn network. He also noted the enhanced mobility of the Allies when they fought their way into Germany.
BrentWil
(2,384 posts)Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)That idea had a major, MAJOR negative tradeoff:
In exchange for the funding of the highway system, the railroad system was basically left to rot. We're STILL paying the price for that, with people who might have traveled inexpensively across the country by train being forced to spend massive amounts of money on gas, with our dependence on oil both foreign and domestic being massively increased, with a commensurate increase in the political power of the petrochemical industry(reaching its ultimate expression with the election of two Big Oil ceo's as heads of our government for eight years), and with the economic destruction of small towns all across the country that happened to be unfortunate enough not to exist on the Interstate routes.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)The idea actually came from Hitler's Germany, and even though there was considerable debate on the subject before it was implemented, I believe most of that surrounded funding issues and which parts of the nation would be served first.
unapatriciated
(5,390 posts)but saw the need in 1919.
edited to add: FDR did get the ball rolling in regards to the highway system. Eisenhower made it a reality.
RKP5637
(67,107 posts)pushing for efficient passenger railroads and rebuilding the infrastructural as a huge potential for jobs, etc. Yep, he was the last decent republican.
Today, the republican party would kick him out as some kind of far left wing kook and also not religious enough. Hell, today, the republican party would throw Jesus in jail as some far out hippie terrorist high on drugs.
ThomThom
(1,486 posts)It just happened on Eisenhower's watch
unapatriciated
(5,390 posts)ThomThom
(1,486 posts)unapatriciated
(5,390 posts)aaaaaa5a
(4,667 posts)would that be supported by today's Republican Party?
unapatriciated
(5,390 posts)No. It would not have been supported thirty years ago. They would have privatized it and tolled us to death.
BrentWil
(2,384 posts)How about that one?
Or another domestic policy from his administration.
RKP5637
(67,107 posts)unapatriciated
(5,390 posts)Some think he cared about healthcare, I'm not one of them. He cared about making a profit on it and that is where we went in the wrong direction. He gave us for profit HMO's that were not interested in providing health care.
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)That was when a republican did what he could and realized the value of leadership...
He might have been a psycho, but he wanted to at least do stuff that was good for the country...
BrentWil
(2,384 posts)The Nixon Administration were the guys behind it, but he did win Democratic Support.
ThomThom
(1,486 posts)I think
FarLeftFist
(6,161 posts)Brother Buzz
(36,423 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)Hmmm....
They....
One time...
Okay, back in the 19th century...
I think Nixon...no...
dam...
Reagan...
well...
SHIT...
Lemme get back with ya on that question!
Lydia Leftcoast
(48,217 posts)and land use policies were both instituted by old-style Republicans.
Proles
(466 posts)that people have pointed out here, even if it were mostly due to a Democratic congress and a sweeping progressive mindset during that time period (IE: EPA, a better health care proposal, support of Keynesian economics, etc).
Though Nixon did seem to support a surprising number of progressive legislation, despite his self-professed hatred of liberals, I would say Eisenhower was the last truly respectable Republican President.
Otherwise, I cannot think of much good (if anything), that a Republican has supported in recent history. I must admit George Bush's immigration reform seemed rather promising (at least in my opinion). No matter what his motivation for it might have been, it could have been the one good thing he'd ever done during his administration. Yet, even he lacked the conviction to truly push for it.
BrentWil
(2,384 posts)CatholicEdHead
(9,740 posts)He had this quote:
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final
sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone.
It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.
The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities.
It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population.
It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some 50 miles of concrete highway.
We pay for a single fighter plane with a half million bushels of wheat.
We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.
This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road. the world has been taking.
This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron."
lpbk2713
(42,757 posts)Keeping track of what those idiots do makes my head hurt.
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)It's an other Nixon one ... an other Democratic congress ... but, Nixon did not derail this
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)for targeted jobs tax credits. They actually gave money to people who put people to work, rather than just sprinkling holy water over the 1% and letting it trickle down to the poor. Of course, the rest of Reagonmics was exactly that sort of thing, so I guess you could say it was put in there to get Democratic support.
ThomThom
(1,486 posts)as a whole. Completely worthless legislators. Just my opinion.
BrentWil
(2,384 posts)Just saying. You can't really say that the Republican Party has NEVER done anything good. Slavery was the issue it was founded on.
ThomThom
(1,486 posts)so it doesn't really count
jwirr
(39,215 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)Sherman Anti Trust Act... back in the dark ages
The Interstate Highway under Ike.
The EPA, under Nixon.
Here is the rub... none of this would happen today... because they are actually, policy wise, to the left of the DEMOCRATIC party, let alone the Republican party.
Which brings me to the next thing... parties change.
NashvilleLefty
(811 posts)I'll admit, i thought it was a "dumb idea" at the time. But it actually worked to reduce acid rain. Now, of course, Republiacns hate the idea.
BrentWil
(2,384 posts)People forget that is a GOP idea. Create a world market for carbon and allowing trading. Bring down the total amount allowed to trade each year.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)That's my favorite thing that Bush did.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"What was the last "Republican" Policy or Idea that was enacted and was actually a good idea? "
...the Emancipation Proclamation.
Over the last 30 years, not a damn thing.
Over the last 20 years, they've become dead weight.
Over the last 10 years, they've turned into lunatics, morons and/or obstructionists, and these are characterizations of members of Congress.
Zorra
(27,670 posts)Sgent
(5,857 posts)both of the above were championed by George H.W. Bush.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)Last edited Sun Jan 29, 2012, 04:18 AM - Edit history (1)
(the guy we SHOULD have nominated in '92).
#41 wouldn't even let Harkin attend the signing ceremony.
And I hate to think what Dubya would've done to the A.D.A. with one of his "signing statements".
(on edit...the fact that, in some eyes, Bush The First gets the most credit for A.D.A. instead of Harkin is comparable to JFK getting the credit for the Peace Corps, an idea that Hubert Humphrey actually came up with and pushed for harder than anybody else).
Sgent
(5,857 posts)I wasn't really of age at that time -- I knew he signed them.
He also signed a major revision of the clean water act, and the family medical leave act.
I disagreed with him on a lot of issues, but I would much rather have him than anyone since him who's won the republican nomination.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)n/t.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)(Not sure any of the current GOP candidates would back ol' Abe on that one, though).
Zorra
(27,670 posts)grantcart
(53,061 posts)This fratricide could go on and on and on and on.
I am hoping that they will allow for full contact demonstrations at the convention.
Let the strong rise to the top.
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)A quintessentially Republican idea and plenty of Democrats are telling me how great it is.
Morning Dew
(6,539 posts)L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)mmonk
(52,589 posts)Iggo
(47,552 posts)edhopper
(33,575 posts)between Progressive ideas that Republicans like Nixon supported. And ideas that originated with the Republicans. The last one i can think of is anti-Trust under Teddy Roosevelt.