During, and a little after the Civil War, the conflict looked like—from where we stood—the South versus the Yankees.
Then it began to look like Slave-Owners, vs. the Anti-Slavery North.
Then it looked like the Agricultural South, vs. the Industrial North.
Then the US got pulled into the European wars, and after that, there seemed to be a lot of us who saw everything in terms of Communism vs. The Free World.
But pretty soon it was clear that Communism wasn't as big a problem as the Civil Rights of Black People. That was such a big problem that many people were assassinated over that issue: President Kennedy; Martin Luther King; Robert Kennedy; Malcolm X.
Then, Women's Rights was raised as an issue. The National Organization of Women was created around passing an amendment to the constitution—the Equal Rights Amendment—which had to be approved ('ratified') by a large number of state legislatures. To date, it has not been passed, to my knowledge. All the guys point ther fingers at other guys who're supposedly dragging their feet. It's my belief that without a woman president, it will never be passed.
Soon, though, it was getting to be clear that many of these conflicts were really about Rich versus Poor. Since colonial times, every conflict could be viewed in this 'frame': the rich industrialists of the Northeast vs. the poor farmers of the South, who would be faltering without slave labor. All the way, up to the rich white business owners, and the poor black families that lived in bad conditions.
In more recent times, other problems have come into the public attention: foreign wars; immigration; abortion; gun control; drugs; underachievement in education, and so on. The Democrats have always allied themselves with who they perceive as the underdogs, namely the Have-Nots.
But David Brooks writes an article in the New York Times, that the body of the MAGA movement now views the Democrats as the Haves. They're college-educated (check), well-employed (check, I suppose), in positions of power, in control of schools, colleges and universities. Each of you should read this for yourself. Search for 'The Democrats'problems are bigger than you think.'
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