Just for fun, let's see how many US history nerds reside out there among the five or six readers of this little blog. Aussies are welcome to chime in.
We hear from both sides in the current electoral campaign that the election next week will prove the most important in US history. Do we all agree? Any dissidents out there who want to risk getting shut down by the media moguls?
Allow me to lay out some thoughts on the topic.
We do have a stark choice unlike any I have seen in my life (born in 1952). Yes, the elections of 1972 and 1980 also had some sharp distinctions between the two major candidates and between the party platforms, but nothing like what we see today. Agree or no?
I see, therefore, the 2020 election as the most important in my lifetime, barely ahead of the 2016 election when we managed to avoid electing one of the most corrupt politicians around. That Hillary corruption, however, pales next to what we see coming out about the Biden Crime family. We have a doddering only semi-lucid presidential candidate in the pocket of the Chinese Communist party, AND beholden to a number of other foreign corruptocrats, as well. Really quite extraordinary. The only thing one can say in his "favor" is that if he wins, he won't hold office long. Little time will pass before either nature or the radical leftists who surround him, and want to turn America into a giant version of Venezuela, force him out. So, therefore, this election is DEFINITELY an important one.
Looking back over US history one can find other elections which were major inflection points.
You might argue that the Andrew Jackson elections of 1828 and 1832 would qualify. If so, argue that!
Certainly the elections of 1940 and 1944 proved historically very important. How would WWII have turned out if FDR were ousted?
For my money, the two most important elections in our history, at least up to now, were those of 1860 and 1864--not sure which would be number one. The first, of course, saw the election of Lincoln to the White House and served to spark the Civil War. The second saw Lincoln re-elected in the midst of that war at a time when war fatigue was serious; the public had begun to doubt that the war was worth it or that the Union would prevail. His opponent, of course, wanted to reach a deal with the CSA, and end the war by splitting the USA into two countries. Arguably only word of major victories by Grant and Sherman in that year saved the Lincoln presidency by making victory look attainable, and saving the Union.
Let fly! Show no mercy!
I don't think this election really matters. Our Political Class has chosen (or has been paid by certain foreign interests which cannot be reported on NPR to chose) the wrong path -- the path of excessive regulation, de-industrialization, institutionalized stupidity. Even a tidal wave which eliminated the Democrat Mafia would not change that, since the Deep State bureaucracy would still be there. We will all have to pay the price.
ReplyDeleteThe elections of 1860 & 1864 were certainly important. The nation was faced with clear choices, clearly articulated -- as opposed to the obfuscation & lies today from the Democrat Mafia. But arguably the most important election was the 1912 election which put Wilson into office. Wilson finagled the US unnecessarily into the European war on the side of English & French Imperialists -- and it has been downhill ever since.
Very interesting. Good pointsI hadn't considered, especially on Wilson.
DeleteCivil Service designations have been changed. Keeping President Trump solidifies that change and will lead to a massive reduction in Deep State power. Thus making this election the most important after the Lincoln two.
DeleteWhat's the point in arguing about history when the progressives are busy erasing it?
ReplyDelete1844 and the now-progressively-unpopular expansion westward was a big choice. That election also fomented the civil war, though many factors played larger roles.
Trump has really picked up on a big item... might be that politics has 'renormalized' such that in the future, it'll be acceptable or even expected for politicians to want to advance American interests.
- reader #1482
I will argue that the election of 1912 was the most important election, that we lost, because of Teddy Roosevelt’s hubris. The election of Woodrow Wilson brought us the 16th, 17th and 18th amendments. The 16th income tax (sold as only temporary), the 17th gutting the Senate by turning it from the State’s representatives to a popularity contest, and the 18th, dreaded prohibition that brough us organized crime on a national scale. We live with the damage of letting “progressives” have the reins on power once before a hundred years ago and the damage they did has only grown over time.
ReplyDeleteYou picked the same ones I did, 1860, 2020, 2016, and then Jackson. Lincoln is a first cousin many times removed, and I grew up in the South. I think a break up may have been better- for esoteric conversations later. Wilson, how did I forget him, a true destroyer of limited government, as was Lincoln.
ReplyDeleteWashington to Adams proved we could transfer power peacefully, I missed that election by just a few years.
A break-up in the 1860s would have led to continual break-ups until there were only separate states. European powers would have exploited the weakness and made several states their vassals. I can't see that ending well.
DeleteThe election of Jefferson and the peaceful transfer of power from the Adams in administration was certainly an important election too.
ReplyDeleteI see 2020 as a watershed moment, similar to 2016, except that in the intervening time we have had 4 more years of the Democratic party moving further to the left. I certainly consider 2020 as the most important election of my lifetime (born 1962) and ranking up there with 1860/1864. The country is divided in a manner it hasn't been since the Civil War. I hope and pray that next week we will find out that there are more voters coming down on the side of Trump/ Republican Party/America than those who advocate for its destruction. I am very curious to see the final turnout as we had roughly 125 million or so vote in 2020 but on top of that was another perhaps 90-100 million who did not vote at all. Will Trump be able to galvanize those who haven't voted before or who haven't voted regularly to come out and defeat the threat from the left? I hope and pray that it wll be so.
ReplyDeleteWe are divided between normal people on one side and the far left on the other, with many in the middle who are actually liberal (not leftist) and refuse to see the danger the far left poses to them as well as us. They think the divisiveness is from Trump rather than predating him, and sing 'la la la' while you try to explain that the rioters are communists bent on a takeover. 'No enemies to the left', repeated from 1917. They believe the news and that Orange man Bad, and have no idea there's a civil war brewing right now.
DeleteI'd rate both 1980 and 2016 as more important. Also the 1994 mid-terms.
ReplyDelete1980 was the year the West started its revival...the election where Hope was reborn into the world. Reagan wasn't interested in "containing" the Soviets - AKA Losing Slowly. He intended to WIN.
2016? Trump has been the Great Flashlight, shining into the dark recesses of American politics. The Left has been revealed for what it is...and the Good Little Losers who were running the GOP will NEVER be forgiven for their treachery. Their power is broken, their day is done.
1994 was the election when Freedom was reborn. People forget that the Dems had controlled the House for 40 years. There were children whose grandparents had no memory of a Republican Speaker. And people forget that Clinton was governing from the far Left those first two years. 1994 stopped that.
This election is critical, though. Trump has a chance in his second term to make real headway in uprooting the Swamp. Cleaning the Augean Stables of American politics. And reforming the GOP into a middle-class & small business party that can dominate for decades to come.
The most troubling part of Biden is that he's kind of setup to die in office and leave a much more problematic Harris in charge. We've had senators survive into their 90's, but that 78 vs 74 is at least a 3x increase in annual chance of death.
ReplyDeleteBiden is a candidate that almost nobody actively wants to have become president (people voting for him are voting 'against Trump' not 'for Biden'). He's got fewer problems than Hillary and would've probably fared better than her in 2016, but times have changed.
538 is all but calling it for Biden at an "89% chance of Biden victory"
Of course, what they're actually saying is "89% chance of Biden winning the next media poll with our fudges.."
I understand that they're trying to transform polls into voter predictions.. but just because something can be conceivably attempted, doesn't mean it can actually be done.
- reader #1482
"The most troubling part of Biden is that he's kind of setup to die in office"...- reader #1482
DeleteAs I've been saying all along, dear reader, Biden's Dementia Act is his 'Get out of Jail Card" when the Boom finally gets lowered on the 'Rats Kill America schemes... I can feel Barr and Company with the precision of a time piece, readying the Administrations assets for deployment to snare the UnAmerican Basturds before they can cause the endgame damage to the POTUS, that they have planned. AND, if any of them, including BO and the 52 spook signees, think the Russian Card will get them past GO, they're NUTS! Expect the Balloon will go up, as soon as the enemy within tries again to destroy our constitutionally elected CinC. I am hoping for a TRUMP Landslide, and a quiet round-up of the playas! However, should the usefull idiots and ChiCom beasts decide to go up in flames, expect we have a large enough contingent of Nat Guard, Homeland Security, readied as well as ARMED forces standing by on Land Sea and Air including every State in the Union! Martial Law is a Powerful Force to pick a fight with! Tick Tick Tick~~~ Have a relaxing weekend, I'll be at my polling place, crack o'dawn Tuesday morning- God Bless America!
On Watch~~~
"Let's Roll"
I don't know about most important election - but the least important presidential election must be 1840. William Henry Harrison only lasted 32 days before dying of pneumonia or typhoid!
ReplyDeleteI'd call 1992 least-consequential... 'big taxes' candidate versus 'even bigger taxes' candidate..
DeleteBush Sr. was rightfully dropped for his taxbacktrack... unfortunate that bill was the benefactor.
- reader #1482
Well Sr. did fall asleep in his soup!
DeleteIt was all over after that performance imo,
consider US lucky he dropped out when he did.
OW~~~
"Read My Lips"
This is clearly the most important election of our time. It's clearly socialism vs capitalism.
ReplyDeleteIn 1860, the rascally Republicans ( Whigs) raised the tariffs 80% on imports, and 80% of the ports and trade were in the south. So 20% of the population (the South) got to bear the brunt of a huge tax increase. This is why they left, and this was also why Lincoln could not let them leave, the money! So, ultimately 8% the the population of the US died over tax increases, and the collusion between the government and corporations. Slavery did not matter one bit.
This may happen again.
If Harris opens the borders again, America as we know it will be kaputt. It will be California with wheat fields. I also wonder if there will be repercussions for Trump's actual opposition being not the doddering old fool but virtually the entire media and social network corporations.
ReplyDeleteI’m always astonished that nobody even mentions that Harris isn’t Constitutionally eligible. It’s Obama and McCain all over again. Native born citizen is NOT the same as natural born. It’s one of those label “makeovers” the left have employed... like illegal alien becomes undocumented immigrant or “person without papers” — a subterfuge to slip one past folks.
DeleteThe US Code distinguishes between native born, natural born, and naturalized. “Born in the US to two citizen parents” — Jus solis & Jus sanguine. No man-made law gives this citizenship— it is natural law. Same definition cited in all SCOTUS cases on this. Even countries like Egypt have required NBC status for their top spot.
Started with Chester Arthur, and then Obama was the camel’s nose under the tent, when the issue was made only into the birth certificate. And now we have Harris ... and nary a peep.
A prelude to this commentary: ie. "The Most important Election in US History" Here is a 'backgrounder' on the man who was politically instrumental in getting my choice for President who was empowered to WIN "The most Important Election in US History"
ReplyDelete-->>Written in the staccato 'Public Voice' of Walter Winchell:
"As a New York City prosecutor and District Attorney in the 1930s and early 1940s, he was relentless in his effort to curb the power of the American Mafia and of organized crime in general. Most famously, he successfully prosecuted Mafioso kingpin Charles "Lucky" Luciano on charges of forced prostitution in 1936. ... He also prosecuted and convicted Waxey Gordon, another prominent New York City gangster and bootlegger.... He almost succeeded in apprehending Jewish mobster Dutch Schultz as well, but Schultz was murdered in 1935 in a hit ordered by The Commission itself; he had disobeyed The Commission's order forbidding him from making an attempt on the Commissioner's life. He led the moderate faction of the Republican Party during the 1940s and 1950s... was an advocate for the professional and business community of the Northeastern United States, which would later be called the Eastern Establishment."
and A Tough Piece of Work he was, just the right kind of guy to CLEAN_UP New York prepratory to the JOB that would be required on the National and International levels by committed AMERICAN involvement!
GUESSES ANYONE! ~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHAT? ~~~~~~Only blank stares```0^0```
Okay, here's a hint, The Candidate had to be drafted out of the USA into the GOP, And if I remember correctly Truman tried to sign him up for the other Team... I Can feel yez getting warmer~~~~ So while all this was going on, Dip' was but a gleam in his Dad's eyes, or so I gather, based on his declaration of arrival in 1952... ME, I was the terror of the neighborhood, and down on the docks too! The neighbors loved me, the Longshoremen just stepped aside, until I started wearing My Political Badge of Courage...Guess Who again??? Right "I Like Ike", and so I began spreading the word...
To close with the wiki blurb below, offers a glimpse of the arguments that could be made for or against the Election of DDE, as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. Thus, the Election of 1952, was IMO the 'most important in American History', to date... What say you Kepha?
On Watch~~~
The Blurb:
ReplyDelete"In July 1953, an armistice took effect with Korea divided along approximately the same boundary as in 1950. The armistice and boundary remain in effect today. The armistice, concluded despite opposition from Secretary Dulles, South Korean President Syngman Rhee, and also within Eisenhower's party, has been described by biographer Ambrose as the greatest achievement of the administration. Eisenhower had the insight to realize that unlimited war in the nuclear age was unthinkable, and limited war unwinnable.[179]
A point of emphasis in Eisenhower's campaign had been his endorsement of a policy of liberation from communism as opposed to a policy of containment. This remained his preference despite the armistice with Korea.[180] Throughout his terms Eisenhower took a hard-line attitude toward Red China, as demanded by conservative Republicans, with the goal of driving a wedge between Red China and the Soviet Union.[181]
Eisenhower continued Truman's policy of recognizing the Republic of China (Taiwan) as the legitimate government of China, not the Peking (Beijing) regime. There were localized flare-ups when the People's Liberation Army began shelling the islands of Quemoy and Matsu in September 1954. Eisenhower received recommendations embracing every variation of response to the aggression of the Chinese communists... .[182]...The Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty with the Republic of China was signed in December 1954. He requested and secured from Congress their "Free China Resolution" in January 1955, which gave Eisenhower unprecedented power in advance to use military force at any level of his choosing in defense of Free China and the Pescadores. The Resolution bolstered the morale of the Chinese nationalists, and signaled to Beijing that the U.S. was committed to holding the line.[182] Eisenhower openly threatened the Chinese communists with use of nuclear weapons, authorizing a series of bomb tests labeled Operation Teapot. Nevertheless, he left the Chinese communists guessing as to the exact nature of his nuclear response. This allowed Eisenhower to accomplish all of his objectives—the end of this communist encroachment, the retention of the Islands by the Chinese nationalists and continued peace.[183] Defense of the Republic of China from an invasion remains a core American policy.<<<---[184]By the end of 1954 Eisenhower's military and foreign policy experts—the NSC, JCS and State Dept.—had unanimously urged him, on no less than five occasions, to launch an atomic attack against Red China;...
Whaaaaa? Putting the interests of America ahead of the interest of the CCP!?!?! Who would have thunk!
Delete(apparently not democrats, or an unfortunately large chunk of the GOP)
- reader #1482
..."Putting the interests of America ahead of the interest of the CCP!?!?! Who would have thunk!"
DeleteFreakin Crazy ain't it numero bro!
Then comes the Donald, restocks the Arms locker,
kicks a Persian puppy in the a$$, an starts actin all America 1st n stuff! No wonder the poor wee ChiCom pissants poisoned the world, and then got their already paid for D'Rats, trying to finish their dirtywork, making the USA lay back down, and go to sleep! Up Yours, BitMe! 'Remember the Bundy Ranch', Saddle up Boys we may be needed on the Trail~~~
On Watch~~~
And The Wind Blew Cold:
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/books/448/
Trump has the circumstances aligned to go down as one of the greats of History. I don't he he has the strength of will or intellect to pull it off. I'm southern so I hate Lincoln but it's hard to argue that he was not great man. Maybe Trump will surprise me. SidVic
ReplyDelete"Maybe Trump will surprise me. SidVic"
DeleteWell if he ever does, Sid, welcome to the club!
Of course it's a harder row to hoe, if one was not
blessed or gifted to be raised in NYC,
'get outta here ya Bum!'
On Watch~~~
Takin a ride on the D Train
So.. let's say Biden wins the anti-Trump vote... Trump 2024?
ReplyDeleteIt would be a first...
- reader #1482
Nope - Grover Cleveland, our 22nd and 24th President.
Deleteboy, what were those history classes for?
Deletetoo much snoozing.. thanks
- reader #1482
I put it as the crossroad to Socialism/Marxism or the road we were on 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThe thought is your events are more important in your perspective than past events you didn't live through.
Good point
DeleteI would add the election of 1932. Imagine the US economy today without all the economic damage and policies instilled by FDR.
ReplyDeleteAn old Texas rancher here and we were military. I read your column often and find your insights beneficial and match our experiences quite similarly.
ReplyDeleteI have said this is the most important election in my lifetime for the last five or six elections and find this one is even more so---to the Max as my old rancher Dad used to say. I was born in 1950, the beginning of the famous or infamous Texas drought that lasted ten years.
As I saw we are military. Son serving now after his Dad served 22 years. He went to USAFA and AF while my husband was ROTC in the 60's and flew choppers in Nam for the Army. Little son as we call him found out the higher you fly the more girls you have....he has four....
I have seen Texas Democrats cheat my entire life and heard from my Mama about the famous ballot box that burned in 1948 that gave LBJ his Senate Seat. Mama was scared until her 80's since she witnessed the event and had to keep quiet all those years. I do not doubt the Dems could cheat and win this but I pray....and I went last weekend to the mountains to pray.....I pray that God has this column firmly fixed for DJ TRUMP.
In last election my husband vote for Trump because he said he was a fighter and our last hope for America. I voted for Trump to Vote AGAINST Hillary....period. I voted the first week of early election FOR TRUMP because I now believe what my husband said. He is our last hope...he and Pence.
That said we need PRAYER more than anything. Dems can cheat ten different ways to Christmas and because of last upset they are determined to win this one and if they do it will be our last election.
That sad....thank you Dip for your thoughts. I cannot remember how I found your site one night many years ago but I was up and found it refreshing thought.
East Texas Rancher
B Gunn
Thank you very much.
DeleteYou mention FDR for continuing the War, and that is true, but one could argue that the 1932 election started the ball rolling for all the government programs which continue to plague us, was heavily invested in crony capitalism and got us into the Great Depression. Think 1936, "The Grapes of Wrath", and not the '29 crash. FDR refused to cooperate with Hoover to take measures to prevent an economic collapse during the campaign for political reasons, used some of those measures belatedly when his own measures weren't working, and even maintained cosy relationships with his crony capitalists when they were supplying war materials to the enemy throughout the War. As for the War itself we did nothing to prevent it during the 30's and nothing to prepare ourselves to fight it, let England propose strategy which prolonged it, and I will not even go into his total disregard for the humanitarian issues contributing to the death of millions.
ReplyDeleteBringing us to the present, there is no doubt that President Trump is saving us from Orwellian globalism, and this in the face of an opposition who actually want this to occur, and if it were only for his accomplishments in spite of unprecedented attempts to take him down he deserves to be considered among the greatest of the greats. Without him we would have "The Road to Serfdom" and "1984." This election is important.
All good points.
DeleteJust voted--sraight GOP, even though it was probably p--sing into the wind in this deep indigo state.
ReplyDeleteThis is, in my opinion and, without doubt, the most important election in & of our History.
ReplyDeleteGo with our President and there's a chance we've a future.
Go with Biden and we are toast.
***
I've long (and likely will for some time) borne ill will toward Snowden - However, given what I've seen happen to Trump at the hands of, to a very significant degree, "our" IC I'm beginning to attenuate my antipathy.
I'd suggest forwarding up to about the 20:00 mark and proceed from there:
http://podcasts.joerogan.net/podcasts/glenn-greenwald
God I never figured on my putting on Diplomad's site, especially in a single comment, both the names Snowden and Greenwald.
But it's that important.
JK
"..."our" IC I'm beginning to attenuate my antipathy...."
ReplyDeleteAttenuate~~Modulate~~Regulate, who???? orders, collects, adjusts the dials, uses, shares, or consumes the product/s are the devil's handywork in the details! G-D help US!
With Reference to Rogan & Greenwald confab (plus Snowden affair set dressing) must confess after 2 hours I fell asleep, and woke-up with a headache, and a wry grin remembering Joe Rogan's expressed personal horror to Greenwalds misinterpretation of his remark, that he, Joe, would vote for TRUMP., funny stuff ;)
'Antipathies', 'I've had a few, but then again too few to mention'... "The Game" has come a long long way through HELL and HIGH WATER, since Wild Bill & The Pope shared a cuppa tea & antipithy... I suspect, it might even become worse before it gets better ~~~ considering the unGodly friendships and Godless opposition nowadays! Meanwhile I pray for Devon Nunez, Naval Intelligence, and the Ship of State!
On Watch~~~
"Hail to the Chief"
and with respect to the opposition:-|
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShADx4MNSp4