The Republican Party has not changed. The current Party Platform is similar to the platform Reagan had. It’s not the Republicans who have changed over time– it’s the Democrats who have changed.

MYTH: The Republican Party is the party that changed, not the Democratic Party. The Republican Party has moved further to the right, while the Democrat Party has remained static on the political spectrum. Donald Trump’s platform is significantly different from Ronald Reagan or George Bush Sr.

REALITY: This is false. Both Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump had similar views on abortion, guns, military, foreign competition, government regulations, government size, civil liberties, taxes, crime, welfare fraud, capitalism, health care costs, and wage control.

In addition, when you compare the 1980-1984 Republican platform to Trump’s 2020 platform, they are very similar. (Check below)

This is in sharp contrast to current Democrats. When you compare Joe Biden of the past, with the current Joe Biden, he is vastly different. Joe Biden, throughout his career, has flipped his position on filibustering, welfare fraud, abortion, marijuana, same-sex marriage, and crime.

In addition, according to various surveys, Democrats are more opposed to capitalism, freedom of speech, the 2nd amendment, the Constitution, the police, and the electoral college now more than ever before. Also, various controversial positions Democrats have recently adopted have only been strengthened; like abortion, gender politics, universal health care, and censorship.

Also, when you take a look at the platform of John F. Kennedy (JFK), it’s nothing like the current Democrat platform. JFK would be considered a Republican today.

It’s the Democrats who have shifted, not the Republicans.

DEMOCRATS NOW OPPOSE CAPITALISM MORE THAN EVER

According to a 2018 Gallup poll, despite capitalism being viewed favorably by a majority of the nation (60%), a majority of Democrats view capitalism unfavorably. Democrats approve of socialism more than capitalism.

The poll shows that only 47% of Democrats approve of capitalism, while 57% approve of socialism.

According to another Gallup poll, 76% of Democrats say they’d vote for a Socialist for President.

According to Gallup, “A majority of Democrats have viewed socialism positively each time Gallup has measured the concept since 2010, and — despite the increased visibility given to the concept this year — those views have not changed substantively. But the drop in Democrats’ positive views of capitalism this year has for the first time left Democrats more positive about socialism as a concept than about capitalism.”

DEMOCRATS NOW OPPOSE GUNS MORE THAN EVER

According to an Economist/YouGov Poll from 2018, “73% of Democrats strongly support banning semi-automatic guns. These are most handguns and rifles. In addition, 58% of Democrats want stricter firearm regulations, compared to 14% of Republicans; and 24% of Democrats strongly support the removal of the 2nd Amendment, compared to 4% of Republicans.

DEMOCRATS NOW OPPOSE FREEDOM OF SPEECH MORE THAN EVER

According to a 2021 Pew Research survey, Democrats overwhelmingly support government censorship. “Today, 70% of Republicans say those freedoms should be protected, even it if means some false information is published. Nearly as many Democrats (65%) instead say the government should take steps to restrict false information, even if it means limiting freedom of information.”

DEMOCRATS NOW OPPOSE THE CONSTITUTION MORE THAN EVER

According to a Heartland and Rasmussen Reports survey, 49% of Democrats think the Constitution should be mostly or completely rewritten, compared to 17% of Republicans and 28% of Independents who felt the same way. Republicans had a 93 percent favorable view of the Constitution, compared to 74% of Democrats.

DEMOCRATS NOW OPPOSE THE POLICE MORE THAN EVER

According to a 2021 Pew Research study, “A majority of Republicans and independents who lean to the Republican Party (61%) say spending on police should be increased, with 29% saying it should be increased a lot; 5% of Republicans say spending should be decreased, and 33% say it should stay about the same. By contrast, 34% of Democrats and Democratic leaners say police funding should be increased, 25% say it should be decreased and 40% would like to see it stay about the same.”

DEMOCRATS NOW OPPOSE THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE MORE THAN EVER

According to a Hill-HarrisX poll, 60% of Democrats supported removing the Electoral College, while only 20% wanted to keep it, and the rest were unsure. In the same survey, 64% of Republicans supported keeping the Electoral College, while 25% supported removing it.

THE 1980-1984 REPUBLICAN PLATFORM

The government should be limited

Lower government spending

Opposition to wage and price controls

Increase economic freedom

Lower tax rates

Combat welfare fraud

Increase the law enforcement budget

Lower drug and health care costs

Gun rights

Pro-life

Strengthen military

Against same-sex marriage

(This information is based on the 1980 and 1984 Preamble expressed by the Republican National Convention: Read the 1980 and 1984 Preamble here and here)

DONALD TRUMPS PLATFORM

The government should be limited

Lower government spending

Opposition to wage and price controls

Increase economic freedom

Lower tax rates

Combat welfare fraud

Increase the law enforcement budget

Lower drug and health care costs

Gun rights

Pro-life

Strengthen military

Combat illegal immigration

Supports same-sex marriage

(This information is based on Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign: Read here)

JOHN F. KENNEDY WOULD BE A REPUBLICAN TODAY

JFK was a Catholic

JFK supported a strong military

JFK was against Marxist ideologies

JFK was a 2nd amendment supporter and an NRA member

JFK was against racial quotas and didn’t support policies like affirmative action

JFK supported tax cuts, even lowering taxes on the top income bracket

JFK was against abortion. He condemned Japan’s post-WWII use of abortion as a way to control its population size.

JFK supported free trade.

(Check out my article “JFK Would Still Be A Democrat Today Myth” for more information)

SOURCES

Republican Party Platforms, Republican Party Platform of 1984 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/273427

Republican Party Platforms, Republican Party Platform of 1980 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/273420

Republican Party Platforms, 2016 Republican Party Platform Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/318311

Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2020. Ballotpedia. (n.d.). Retrieved August 16, 2022, from https://ballotpedia.org/Donald_Trump_presidential_campaign,_2020#Policy_positions

Belton, K. B., & Graham , J. D. (2020). Deregulation Under Trump . The Cato Institute . Retrieved August 16, 2022, from https://www.cato.org/regulation/summer-2020/deregulation-under-trump#recommendations

Cohn, S. (2019, August 30). Trump proposal to crack down on food stamp fraud reignites a heated debate. CNBC . Retrieved August 16, 2022, from https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/08/30/trump-plan-to-crack-down-on-food-stamp-fraud-reignites-heated-debate.html

Elder , L. (n.d.). If John F. Kennedy was alive today, he would be a Republican. PragerU. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from https://www.prageru.com/if-john-f-kennedy-was-alive-today-he-would-be-a-republican

Redd, I. (2022, July 12). Where would JFK align politically today? YIP Institute. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from https://www.yipinstitute.com/article/where-would-jfk-align-politically-today

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum . John F. Kennedy on the Economy and Taxes | JFK Library. (n.d.). Retrieved August 17, 2022, from https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/john-f-kennedy-on-the-economy-and-taxes

Furchtgott-Roth, D. (2013, November 22). 6 lessons from JFK on tax policy. MarketWatch. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from https://www.marketwatch.com/story/6-lessons-from-jfk-on-tax-policy-2013-11-22

Smith , K. (2013, November 8). Modern Democrats would view John F. Kennedy as a reaganite extremist. Forbes. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/kylesmith/2013/11/08/modern-democrats-would-view-john-f-kennedy-as-a-reaganite-extremist/amp/

Haskins, J., Talgo, C., Kendal, D., McPherrin, J., & Lakely, J. (2022, July 13). Heartland/Rasmussen Poll: Majority of Democrats believe Constitution is ‘rooted in racism’ and ‘sexist’. The Heartland Institute. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.heartland.org/news-opinion/news/heartlandrasmussen-poll-majority-of-democrats-believe-constitution-is-rooted-in-racism-and-sexist

Publisher. (2019, March 26). Poll: Democrats want to Abolish Electoral College, Republicans want to keep it. The Hill. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://thehill.com/hilltv/what-americas-thinking/435816-poll-republicans-support-electoral-college-while-democrats-want/