actually alpha, i willingly concede the fact that the ideologies of the two major political parties have not remained constant over the years. I willingly concede that, prior to the mid-twentieth century - about the time that I was born - had I been born a generation earlier, I would have probably been a republican for not other reason than the democratic party's position on race. But what you fail to concede is that, in the last half of the last century, and the first decade of THIS century, the parties have slowly shifted their ideological focus. You are more than willing to stand up and scream about the faults of the democrats of the past, but, concurrently, you are perfectly willing to let the balls of the republicans of the present rest gently on your chin while you smile and nod your head.
The last half of the last century and the first decade of this includes....
The Democrats opposition to civil rights...
The Democrats adoration of the their admitted Grand Cyclops of the KKK, who as late of 2001 was still using the term '******' with impunity.....
The atomic bomb on a beaten population and concentration camps in American
The Vietnam war...forgotten...the only war we lost because of draft dodgers and stoned liberals...including a certain Pres. Bill Clinton and Sen. Kerry
and I was a Democrat in the era of JFK and Johnson, until I looked at things from a different perspective....the perspective that still frowns upon Socialism and Communism....but not against charity and helping the helpless....individual responsibility instead of "it takes a village" attitude....
So while your politics might have changed, mine actually did....my values may be set in stone but never my politics....hardly a partisans mindset....