Posted on 02/16/2017 8:04:13 AM PST by Kaslin
President Ronald Reagan said: "I didn't leave the Democratic Party. The party left me." Actor and former president of the National Rifle Association Charlton Heston, who called himself a "Kennedy Democrat," switched to the Republican Party after the 1960s.
On racial preferences, JFK, in 1963, said he opposed them: "I don't think that is the generally held view, at least as I understand it, of the Negro community, that there is some compensation due for the lost years, particularly in the field of education. What I think they would like is to see their children well-educated so that they could hold jobs and have their children accepted and have themselves accepted as equal members of the community. So I don't think we can undo the past. In fact, the past is going to be with us for a good many years in uneducated men and women who lost their chance for a decent education. We have to do the best we can now. That is what we are trying to do. I don't think quotas are a good idea. I think it is a mistake to begin to assign quotas on the basis of religion or race or color, or nationality.
"I think we get into a good deal of trouble. Our whole view of ourselves is a sort of one society. That has not been true. At least that is where we are trying to go. I think that we ought not to begin the quota system. On the other hand, I do think that we ought to make an effort to give a fair chance to everyone who is qualified, not through a quota, but just look over our employment rolls, look over our areas where we are hiring people, and at least make sure we are giving everyone a fair chance, but not hard-and-fast quotas. We are too mixed, this society of ours, to begin to divide ourselves on the basis of race or color."
On tax cuts, in a 1962 speech Kennedy said: "It is a paradoxical truth that tax rates are too high today and tax revenues are too low, and the soundest way to raise the revenues in the long run is to cut the rates now. ... The purpose of cutting taxes now is not to incur a budget deficit but to achieve the more prosperous, expanding economy, which can bring a budget surplus."
On dealing with foreign enemies, JFK believed, as Reagan did, in peace through strength, not strength through peace. In his inaugural address, Kennedy said, "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
On the Second Amendment, this lifetime member of the NRA believed it conferred an individual right to keep and bear arms. In 1961, Kennedy said: "Today we need a nation of minutemen: citizens who are not only prepared to take up arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as a basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom. The cause of liberty, the cause of America, cannot succeed with any lesser effort."
Abortion was not an issue during the 1960 presidential campaign. Nor was it an issue during his presidency. Kennedy did say this: "Now, on the question of limiting population: As you know, the Japanese have been doing it very vigorously, through abortion, which I think would be repugnant to all Americans."
In 1971, in a letter to a constituent, John Kennedy's brother, Sen. Ted Kennedy, wrote: "It is my personal feeling that the legalization of abortion on demand is not in accordance with the value which our civilization places on human life. Wanted or unwanted, I believe that human life, even at its earliest stages, has certain rights which must be recognized -- the right to be born, the right to love, the right to grow old. ... Once life has begun, no matter at what stage of growth, it is my belief that termination should not be decided merely by desire."
On guns, taxes, racial preferences, foreign policy and abortion, John F. Kennedy would not be comfortable in today's Democratic Party. He was, after all, a Kennedy Democrat.
I’m five years younger. I don’t remember being infatuated with him. At 11 I was a tomboy and could outrace any boy my age along with creaming them at tetherball. I even missed the Beatles infatuation stage. I also excelled academically. All my early years I competed with the boys and men and it took a special, very secure guy to win my heart. I lived in a culture where we didn’t even begin dating until age sixteen so checking out boys and men was just not part of my reality until Kennedy’s mystique was somewhat tarnished.
did you have a catholic influence?
How did you escape Beetlemania or the Stones
Saint Johnny was a lib like the rest of his disgusting family. He’d probably be helping his POS nephew try to win/steal the Illinois Governorship.
JFK was (d)evolving from the time he won elective office as a “Conservative” Democrat, especially his victory over left-wing Establishment RINO Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. There are few examples where high Dem party officials over time failed to support the ever-increasing left-wing agenda (except perhaps for the flaky Henry Wallace, who went all over the map from TR Prog Republican to liberal Democrat to Communist Soviet stooge and back to centrist Republican. Al Smith was another, but that might’ve been due to the fact that FDR stole his thunder).
Surely if you transported the JFK of 1960 to 2017 America, he might be horrified at the state of the Dems (or maybe not), but it’s difficult to see how he would not have moved with the party after 1963 (although had he lived, it would’ve altered the course of events. He would not have been canonized and would’ve gradually become more and more unpopular once the sex escapades and Vietnam policy and any other expansive domestic policies came to light).
All true. Had he lived, he never would have had same rep.
That's true. If he were still alive, he likely would have made the rounds pimping Obamacare a few years ago, too. (Obama would have used a 90-something ex-President Kennedy as the most credible figure to "sell" Obamacare like he did with Andy Griffith, given that LBJ is dead, Carter is a joke, and Clinton is best remembered for Monicagate) And he wouldn't even have to "evolve" on that one, he was leftist on government health care in the 60s and gave speeches back then about how the mean heartless Republicans oppose government takeover of health care.
Kennedy openly opposed the Catholic church's beliefs on birth control and divorce, its not hard to see him joining the rest of his family in becoming pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage once it was "safe" to do so.
I do have a hard time picturing Kennedy's overall career from 1964-present though. If he was alive today, he'd turn 100 this year, the same age the still-living Kirk Douglas is now. It's likely true that had he NOT been assassinated in 1963, America would be a very different place today and Kennedy would not remembered as the all-American golden boy that he's seen as now.
Interesting. Where do you get your quote? JFK went on record in 1960 to happily accept the Liberal Party of New York's nomination and gave a speech to them saying he was "proud" to be a liberal and believed in "progressive" big-government policies on education, health care, and welfare.
Either your quote from 1953 is inaccurate, JFK had "evolved" in seven years, or JFK was simply two faced and told different audiences what they wanted to hear.
If both quotes are true, JFK would be up there with Willard for being audaciously two-faced.
Check this out
I saw reference to a first marriage in an anti-Kennedy poster from the 60’s and thought WTF. I believe it.
That headline made it sound like he had wife #1 whacked. Maybe he did it on a lark, as they said. It clearly wasn’t serious, because it wasn’t a church wedding. The parents would’ve objected to a 30-year old (same age as JFK in ‘47) divorcee, and he couldn’t have gone through with it legitimately without it damaging his fledgling career as a freshman Congressman.
The lady herself didn’t seem to take it seriously, either. If she had, she’d have made a stink later on about losing out on becoming First Lady.
From the standpoint of the Catholic church, they’d only recognize the marriage to Jackie.
It said she wouldn’t put out till he married her.
Her remark about Joe Kennedy was telling, she was mad at him for erasing the marriage.
I heard he was secretly married to German spy.
Given the old man’s admiration for Hitler, I wasn’t surprised.
I wonder how much of this is true:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/44412132@N08/6327601707
If JFK banged half of all the women listed here, he was probably having a quickie in the White House every hour or so.
I’d believe most, if not all, of that post.
I remember some guy, perhaps in the media, remarking after seeing some of JFK’s numerous “conquests”, he couldn’t believe how unattractive they were. It would be one thing to use your Presidency to get the most attractive women available, but he would just do total dogs, and he couldn’t understand risking it all over them. Clearly he was a sex addict.
“...couldn’t believe how unattractive they were...”
Billy Jeff’s role model...
“Clearly he was a sex addict.”
“Tiger Woods! Paging Tiger Woods!”
I watched “Jackie” BTW, I found it to be without substance.
Just Natalie Portman crying, smoking, drinking, smoking, crying, acting weird, acting haughty, and engaging in faux profound conversations.
Nice scene were JBJ and co saw Oswald get shot and Bobby K told him him to sit down and pretend nothing happened so as not to upset Jackie. JBJ was like “EXCUSE ME” LOL.
Best acting was from the guy playing the reporter interviewing her, he alternated looking like he wanted to bang her and looking like he wanted to run away.
I agree. I think he supported the platform of the Democrat Party of that time and he would have changed his views as the Party changed. It was all about being elected.
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