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To the Journal editor:
The Democratic Party accommodates a few politicians with socialist views. Likewise, the Republican Party welcomes a few politicians who embrace fascist views.
However, progressive views do not produce a communist, nor do conservative views equate to being a fascist.
As we near the mid-term elections, the wails and cries of "Communists!" and "Socialists" have become mundanely repetitive and just another sign of a hollow Republican platform. They present nothing concrete or factual, projecting only fear and emotion. It's the same with immigration and crime - "Be afraid!" and "Run-for-your-Lives!" As usual, the data shows otherwise.
In recent history, there have been only three occasions in which a unified government was in place for at least one full presidential term; from 1933 - 1945 under Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat), from 1963 - 1969 under Lyndon B. Johnson (Democrat), and from 1977 - 1981 under Jimmy Carter (Democrat).
A unified government is when one party holds a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, while controlling the White House. As far as I could determine, from 1932 - present day, Republicans never held a unified government for the full four years of a presidential term (history.house.gov).
With the government under Democratic majority control, the Social Security Act was signed into law in 1935. The Civil Rights Act was signed in 1964. And the Social Security Amendments, Medicare and Medicaid, were signed into law in 1965.
Then too, alarmists decried the Acts and their authors to be "socialists" and "communists".
FDR and LBJ were progressives. What is progressive? It's Pro Justice, Pro Equality, Pro Education, Pro Environment, Pro Healthcare, Pro Science, Pro Democracy, and Non Regressive!
During his radio address to the New York Herald Tribune Forum in October of 1939, FDR said, "A Conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward".
The Republican Party has a self-enriching felon holding the Office of the President whom they enable and refuse to impeach. Consider the mishandling of confidential documents, the conspiracy to obstruct justice, the sacking of the Capital Building and efforts to overturn an election, targeting and undermining of American institutions and blatant profiteering and grifting. During any other time, Republican legislators never would have tolerated such an administration, and this president would have been behind bars.
Now, beholden to billionaires, super PACS and dark money, the Republican Party is hoping that you don't notice the steady increase in wealth of the ultra-rich, while the poor and working class stagnate and struggle.
This November, dump the regressive MAGA Republicans, unify the government and vote blue up and down the ballot. The country and world will be a better place when everyone learns to walk forward!