Theodore Roosevelt As A Republican

[erpowers]

Is there a reason that Theodore Roosevelt is regarded as a Republican. I know he started his career as a Republican, but it seems that many agree that he was a progressive Republican. In addition, he eventually left the Republican Party. In addition, author John Judis, in his book "The Paradox of American Democracy", wrote of Roosevelt, "What united the progressive economists, politicans like Roosevelt... was a belief in the power of government-whether as an expression of expert knowledge or popular will-to overcome the inequity and irrationality that was endemic to a pure market capitalism." (pg. 39)

I understand Roosevelt has some not so great ideas. However, it seems to me that he is more like the present day Liberals and Democrats. His ideas were more like the Democrats of his own time. It seems that many of his ideas mesh more with the Democratic Party. Should more be made of the idea that Roosevelt eventually left the Republican Party?

[Hugabear]

1. I wouldn't even bother with it

Even if he was a Republican back then, what does it matter? Repugs and Democrats were totally different animals back in the day. Abraham Lincoln was a Republican - does that mean that today's repuke party resembles anything close to Abe's party?

[izquierdista]

2. Teddy and FDR were quite similar

Not just in last name. They were wealthy and brought up to believe that it was their duty to engage in "public service", since they could afford to. They went to Harvard and afterwards, did indeed devote their careers (with some notable breaks) to serving the American public. What changed in the 30 years between their administrations were party labels. Their is really no commonality between Republicans of 100 years ago with Republicans of today.

[provis99]

3. the parties have changed since then

Look who was the next Democratic president after T. Roosevelt: Woodrow Wilson. Wilson, the most racist of the 43 presidents, a monumental egomaniac, who invaded countries throughout Latin America in wars of unprovoked aggression, who supported European colonialism, allowed rampant discrimination against German-Americans during World War I, instituted the American Protective League of goons who conducted warrantless searches (early shades of Bush) and various other failed policies and acts of grandiose stupidity. And the more I read of his homicidal buddy Colonel House, the more House reminds me of Bush's evil crony, Dick Cheney.

If a vote were held today between the Republican T. Roosevelt and the Democrat Woodrow Wilson, I would've voted Republican.