The Republican party has changed

How times have changed. From 1960 until 1980 I voted for several Republicans, including Richard Nixon against Jack Kennedy in my first presidential vote, and Washington Gov. Dan Evans three times. On some issues, such as the corrupting influence of big money, the Republican Party then was left of the Democratic Party now; e.g., President Eisenhower warned about the military-industrial complex and maintained the 90 percent income tax rate on the richest. Today’s Republicans seem intent on turning government into an oligarchy run by the rich, if they haven’t already.

The Reagan administration initiated rampant deregulation, starting both parties’ moves to the right — Republicans extremely so, Democrats less so. Now I have difficulty voting for any Republican.

But President Clinton also promoted deregulation by signing the Republican-introduced repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act. That Act had served the country well since 1933 by separating investment banks from commercial banks. Its repeal was a key to almost 30 years of Republican-led deregulation responsible for the 2008 economic collapse. Only under President Obama and the Democrats have needed regulations been partially restored.

Quoting a friend who voted for Barry Goldwater in 1964, “I never left the Republican Party; the Republican Party left me.”

Norm Luther

Spokane