[Clemenza]

The Democratic Party, which in the 19th century was the conservative party while the GOP was the left-wing party

With this one sentence, Basil proves himself to be a mo-ron.

[SittinYonder]

With this one sentence, Basil proves himself to be a mo-ron.

I don't endorse Basil, just posting for discussion, really. But I think he's got a stance that can be argued ... certainly doing away with slavery - the founding goal of the Republican Party - was a progressive effort and the Democrats - on that issue - held a more conservative position. Of course, overall, Jackson's Democrats were populists.

[billbears]

The Democratic Party, which in the 19th century was the conservative party while the GOP was the left-wing party

With this one sentence, Basil proves himself to be a mo-ron.

And the responder proves he knows nothing of history. Either that or a Claremont Institute follower. Pretty much the same thing.

The Democratic party of the mid 19th century, while not completely conservative, held closer to the ideals envisioned by the Framers. Meanwhile the Whig/Republicans were too busy pushing a national bank, internal improvements, and other nonsensical ventures put forward by ilk like Hamilton, that fool Clay, and his lackey Abe under the auspices of the 'American System'. As to the article

Bush's foreign policy is not conservative. It is Wilsonian nation building.

Can't be said loudly enough.

[Red Phillips]

“The Democratic Party, which in the 19th century was the conservative party while the GOP was the left-wing party

With this one sentence, Basil proves himself to be a mo-ron.”

Actually Clemenza, you are wrong. This is really a well know fact of history. The Democrats generally represented rural, agricultural and Southern interests in the 19th Century. They supported decentralization and generally smaller government. The Republicans were the party of nationalism and federalism (from the old Whig and Federalist line) and were generally the Yankee party. As the party of abolition they were the left wing of their day. They supported government subsidies of railroads and high tariffs.

Things become less clear around the turn of the century (1900)depending on how you define terms. The GOP was the Party of sound money (conservative) but the Dems were the party of immigration restriction (conservative) for example. The Dems did not start to fully morph into the liberal party until FDR and the Depression. Even then, Southern Democrats were more conservative on social issues until after the rise of Barry Goldwater and Civil Rights. Until the GOP became the Party of the South.

So Basil’s statement is not only correct, it is not even controversial. Try reading some history books.

[AlexW]

“The Democratic Party, which in the 19th century was the conservative party while the GOP was the left-wing party”

“With this one sentence, Basil proves himself to be a mo-ron.”

Uh, I don’t think so.
The south was fully Democrat at that time, but has shifted to Republican and still very conservative.
The sad thing is that carpetbaggers from northern states like New Jersey are flooding into the south and diluting our conservatism.