Originally posted by Apeboy
MrLars,
Was that the same Civil Rights Bill that Al Gore's father and several other Democrats voted against, only to be pushed through by the party of Lincoln?
This is a brief on Trumans action that lead to the Dixicrats creation and subsequent move to the Republican party....
Truman, however, was no quitter. He had broached the idea that General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the victorious supreme commander of Allied forces in World War II and the most popular man in America, should take the presidential nomination. When Eisenhower turned it down, there was no stopping Truman, who relished the idea of taking on the Republicans. The fight for the nomination and the election began with his inaugural speech on January 7, 1948. On that occasion, Truman presented his agenda for the next four years: (1) a national health insurance program, (2) a massive housing program; (3) increased support for farmers; (4) conservation; (5) a raise in the minimum wage from 40 to 75 cents an hour; and (6) a "poor man's" tax cut whereby each taxpayer would deduct $40 for himself and each dependent from his tax bill. One critic sarcastically remarked that old Boss Pendergast had paid $2 per vote, and now Truman had hiked the bribe to $40.
Then Truman dropped a bombshell by announcing that he would be sending Congress a special message on civil rights. When the civil rights message came three weeks later—the first ever delivered to Congress—it called for a tough federal law against lynching, strong protection of voter rights for African Americans, and legislation that would strike down poll taxes (used in southern states to keep blacks from registering to vote). Truman also advocated the creation of a Fair Employment Practices Commission to halt discrimination by employers and unions, a halt to discrimination in the armed services, and recognition of the claims made by Japanese Americans who had been confined in concentration camps during World War II. Enraged at the president's proposals, southern senators and representatives nearly walked out on the speech.
As far as how Gore Sr. voted, I realy don't GAS, he's not currently in the game and Bird, well, it isn't too danged amazing that he's still in office considering the amount of pork he brings to his state.
Now, IF he were the House Majority Leader then he would be taken to task just as Lott has been IF his brain/mouth interface had BSOD'ed like Lotts did.
