ClaysAmerica.com

America was based on the idea that the legitimate self-interests of the individual are most important, more than are the interests of the community. Jefferson and his followers were on the side of the individual. All others, in one way or another, claimed the interests of the community reflecting the interests motivating them. That is why we have problems today. Since 1620, Americans became accustomed to individual freedom and the unrestricted ability to pursue their own interests, talents, skills and aspirations, without some elite looking over their shoulders. They did it so well, using their inequalities, they all prospered on the service each provided the other, what became known as a free market of products, services and transactions. America prospered more than any nation in the world had done before or since. Today, politicians from the once great Democratic Party are telling us that the interests of the community are more important than are the interests of the individual, a theme represented in the Old World politics of monarchy, dictatorship, communism, socialism and fascism. In the 2008 campaigns of Governor Vilsak, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, they often stood before crowds, gaining their roaring approval, saying that the community is more important. They claimed a time for change, where the importance of the individual would be set aside. This book shows only one defined political group in America remained true to the spirit of the American founding during the 19th century. That defined group of great Americans were 19th century Democrats. Other parties rose to represent special interests, each demanding privileges for groups of the few at the expense of the many, a truly un-American idea.

Table of Contents
Chapter
1 What Happened to Democrats?
2 Getting America Organized
3 Bourbon Democrat Beliefs
4 Suing For Divorce
5 The Second Bourbon Democrat
6 Jefferson on Political Parties
7 Many Parties
8 John Randolph
9 James Monroe
10 Jackson Democracy
11 Martin Van Buren
12 John C Calhoun
13 James K. Polk
14 Grover Cleveland
15 Bryan Boots Bourbons
16 A Bourbon Governor
17 James J. Hill
18 John M. Palmer
19 Samuel J. Tilden
20 William C Whitney
21 Lucius Q C Lamar
22 Civil War and Reconstruction
23 Democrats Change
24 Controlling the Money
25 The Libertarians
26 Making Sense of it All

Look at American politics simply, easily and clearly. Build a launch pad first. Politics rises out of a view we each have of other people. Do we see the interest of the community superior to the interests of the individual? The Transactional Psychologists say there are four ways each of us can view other people. The healthy view is “I’m OK, you’re OK.”

The world, however, grew on a tradition of an elite few ruling the many. Chiefs, Kings, Sultans, Mullahs and Priests and their families were the rulers. The interests of the community, as defined by them elite, were more important than are the interests of the individual. They are OK and the rest of us are not OK. The many non-elite believed they were not OK. The fourth TA position, I’m not OK, you’re not OK, are criminals justifying laws, police, courts and jails.

There was no elite governing body Pilgrims in 1620 could look to. People had to stand on their own two feet. They had to be I’m OK; you’re OK people to survive. It started the free market and individual freedom. It started a unique New World tradition. The Old World tradition held to the elite few ruling the many, never adjusting to what began in America.

The battle in America between the Old and New World traditions are seen in our two main political parties. The Republican Party is the older of the two if we take it back to Alexander Hamilton, Henry Clay, to Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Nelson Rockefeller and John McCain. Republicans are elite meddlers believing the national government should manage the industry and affairs of the American People. They stumbled in the 1960’s with Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. They left the party with people who do not accept original GOP policies.

The Democrat Party was the libertarian, state’s rights, individual freedom and local government party, following Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe to Jackson and Cleveland. They made the biggest swing from their policies at the turn of the century, adopting the Old World policies of Rousseau and Marx. The GOP, except for the Goldwater-Reagan moments, held fast to their better-than-thou beliefs from its origin. In the life of our Republic, the only political party that held fast to the ideals of America, which made her free and prosperous, was the 19th century Democrat Party.

Here’s how we get back to what we once had. The Democrat Party is so steeped in Marxism and socialism that it cannot turn back. The Republican Party offers a chance with those from the stumbling sixties who supported Goldwater and Reagan. There are enough of them in the GOP now to cause it to become closer to the 19th century Democrats who followed Jefferson and Madison. From them, I see it as the only way to get back to the promise of America.