Social media is rampant with criticism of the so-called left, leftists, Democrats, even calling them communists.
Okay, criticism of both parties is justified. They both fail to address important issues in a timely manner. They both make promises they fail or never intended to keep.
But to criticize Democrats as leftists and socialists for what they have done in the past is absurd because with all their faults, the programs Democratic administrations have passed are relied on by all Americans and add to our civil society.
I have yet to hear suggestions for something better unless you to want to count “empower” Americans and get government out of social programs.
Democratic administrations have overseen the passage of significant legislation throughout U.S. history, often addressing major social and economic issues.
Here are some key examples:
Social Security Act (1935)
Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965:
Medicare and Medicaid (1965)
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (1993)
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (2009): The first bill signed into law by President Barack Obama, this act amended a previous law to make it easier for employees to challenge discriminatory pay practices.
Affordable Care Act (ACA) (2010): Often referred to as “Obamacare,” this comprehensive healthcare reform law aimed to expand health insurance coverage.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021): This law made a historic investment in the nation’s infrastructure, including roads, bridges, public transit, and high-speed internet.
CHIPS and Science Act (2022): This bipartisan legislation was designed to boost U.S. competitiveness with other countries by investing in domestic semiconductor manufacturing, research, and development.
Inflation Reduction Act (2022): This wide-ranging law addressed climate change, healthcare costs, and taxes. It included significant investments in clean energy and a provision allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices for the first time.
So, which of the above would you like to see disappear?
Nope, not Democrats
Republican administrations have also overseen the passage of significant legislation across various areas, including economic policy, and healthcare. Here are some notable examples:
Tax Cuts: The Reagan administration enacted a 25% tax cut spread over three years for individuals and supported the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
Social Security: The Reagan administration (1983) led the battle for a Social Security reform bill to address system’s long-term solvency.
Healthcare: The Reagan administration also oversaw the expansion of Medicare to protect the elderly and disabled against “catastrophic” health costs. (However, the MCCA was repealed just one year after its passage in1989. The repeal was a direct response to a massive backlash from a segment of the senior population.)
The VA MISSION Act of 2018, signed into law during a Republican administration, expanded veterans’ access to private healthcare.
Financial Regulation: Legislation was passed in 2018 to roll back some of the regulatory burdens on smaller financial institutions that were imposed by the Dodd-Frank Act.
Immigration: The Laken Riley Act, signed into law in early 2025, mandates the detention of undocumented immigrants who have been charged with certain crimes.
Trade: The Reagan administration was a primary proponent of the Free Trade Agreement with Canada, which later evolved into the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Tax cuts: The first major tax cuts under the Trump administration were enacted through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA). The legislation was signed into law on December 22, 2017.
TAX cuts: A major tax bill, often referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” was signed into law on July 4, 2025. The legislation is a significant and complex overhaul of the U.S. tax code, including extending the 2017 tax cuts.
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I used to attend a daily coffee klatch with a group of very conservative fellow America expats. I like discussing different points of view and to challenge my opinions, I appreciate when someone persuades me with objective logic, but I won’t tolerate being bullied- which was the groups leader’s favorite tactic. To be fair, folks on the left label me as a “MAGA” supporter; those on the right dismiss me as “That Commie” Actually, I’m a Centrist and lean slightly right on fiscal issues and slightly left on social ones. Yeah, I’m a real radical. Ha!
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That’s the way I’d describe myself or used to. Trump has distorted everything skews me ashamed to admit being even a tad to the right.
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Your joking when you include the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as some initiative of the Democratic party, right? Yes, initially proposed by President Kennedy, but in the Senate, the bill faced strong and organized opposition from Democratic senators Richard Russell, Strom Thurmond, Robert Byrd, William Fulbright and Sam Ervin who filibustered the legislation for almost 60 days. Russell, argued that the bill would result in the “amalgamation and mongrelization of our people.”
They were not outliers. Yes, majorities in both parties finally voted in favor of the many times amended legislation, however, my recollection in studying the 1964 legislation is that a higher percentage of Republicans voted in favor of the civil rights bill than Democrats in both the House and the Senate.
In terms of disappearing:
Affordable Care Act (ACA) (2010): A wealth transfer from Americans who are too young to vote and generations yet unborn to buy votes today. Paraphrasing Wimpy: “I will gladly have SOMEONE ELSE pay Tuesday to get YOUR vote today. Your grandchildren, great grandchildren and their offspring will be shouldering the cost of this massive vote buying effort for the forseeable future, as the legislation contributed mightily to adding $26 Trillion in new federal debt over the last 15 years.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021): CHIPS and Science Act (2022): Picking winners and losers and bringing home the bacon. Intel is this legislation’s Solyndra. How many electric charging stations were built, anyway? How’s that high speed rail doing in California?
Inflation Reduction Act (2022): Misnamed piece of crap.
Where is the American Rescue Act (2021): Top success? It jumpstarted inflation!
Would you get rid of the Laken Riley Act – where 48 Democrats in the House and 12 Democrats in the Senate voted in favor of the legislation, ultimately signed into law by President Trump? Perhaps you are part of the group that couldn’t even pronounce her name correctly, like President Biden?!
Mistakes are not limited to legislation.
Another major difference is that Democrats greatly expanded the use of “pen” and “phone” initiatives, and legislating via litigation … so, no surprise the idiot ass Trump would follow suit.
Similarly, remember Harry Reid, and his stupid decision to remove the filibuster for non-SCOTUS judicial nominees, which then prompted the Republicans, once they had a 50+1 vote majority in the Senate to eliminate it for SCOTUS nominees.
Elections, for the White House and the Senate become a win or lose, zero sum games. The House gets emasculated, except the majority gets to investigage and impeach. This all triggers wild shifts in policy … just consider how immigration changed the first 100 days President Biden was in office in 2021 versus how immigration changed the first 100 days President Trump was again in office in 2025.
You can pick and choose legislation all you want – and if you do, you’ll find plenty of good stuff and clunkers from both major parties.
One difference, is that the Democrats have recently tended to favor candidates and legislation that restricts freedoms (speech, etc.) and that reallocates wealth and property. Most recent examples include AOC and the Squad, Bernie, Pocahontas and Mamdani.
You remain free to vote D if you want more of that.
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Oh you’re bringing up the Dixiecrats? You do get why the Civil Rights Act was a historical shift for the Democratic Party right? Also that handful of senators you listed do not represent the entire Democratic party (the Civil Rights Act passed if you recall, with majority of votes from Democrats and Republicans). Lastly, Strom Thurmond became a Republican on the very year this bill passed. Thoughts?
I will admit the Inflation Reduction Act was poorly named, but most bills have dishonest names to sell them to the public.
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Sure, Dixiecrats. But not a historic shift – despite the assasination of a president. Same with the Voting Rights Act, where a greater percentage of Republicans voted in favor than Democrate – in both the House and Senate. That is, the folks who voted no, didn’t change their minds, and, most of those who voted yes, would likely have voted yes even before all of the amendments.
Similarly, the Great Society stuff was simply the D’s pushing through based on their super majorities – stuff like Medicare, Medicaid, etc. That was a distant echo of FDR activity.
As I said R or D, if you look at enough legislatoin, you’ll find some good stuff and some clunkers. You will find crap where only D’s or only R’s signed on – Health Reform comes to mind.
And, of course, most of these folks would never pass up an opportunity to spend more as a means of vote buying.
But, clearly, neither party has done all that well in the 21st Century – jumping our National debt from about $6 Trillion to $37 Trillion today.
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Al Lindquist
per usual good factual material Jack–enjoyed reading your perspective as I always do–share your views on Trump but the opposition with their loony left wing–Hamas wing–anti Jewish wing –pro illegal immigrant cohorts helped elect Trump–they now have become the stupid party and there is no pill for stupid.
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