"I AM A DEMOCRAT BY INHERITANCE & CONVICTIONS"

SENATOR KENNEDY EXPLAINS WHY HE IS A DEMOCRAT

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) On January 10, 1954, The Boston Post* published an exclusive article by Senator John F. Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) titled "I Am A Democrat."

The Senator wrote...

"I am a Democrat--both by inheritance and convictions.  The Democratic Party is not the party of any one group, but of all groups."

Senator Kennedy continues...

"In our party may be found members of all races--all religions--all walks of life--all income groups in all parts of the country."**

According to Larry Elder of Prager University, JFK would not necessarily embrace the agenda of the Democratic Party of today.  The 35th POTUS believed in a strong military, tax cuts for all and opposed racial quotas and unrestricted abortion. 

JFK+50 NOTE

In our opinion, it is not easy to compare a political party's agenda of 60 years ago to its agenda today.  Is a Republican of 2023 the same as a Republican in 1963?  60 years ago the Democrats claimed the "Solid South" as their territory.  All that changed with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when many Southern Democrats changed parties.  

Certainly JFK was more conservative on economic issues than his Democratic counterparts of today, and his views on the military, racial quotas and abortion are accurate, but I would be more than hesitant to say he would be a Republican today.  

*The Boston Post, founded in 1831 by Charles G. Greene & William Beals, was the most popular newspaper in New England for a century.  At its peak in the 1930s, the paper had a circulation of more than a million.  The BP ceased publication in 1956.

**According to the Pew Research Center, the Democratic Party of today is radically more diverse than the Republican Party.  White adults make up a majority in all 4 Republican-oriented groups,  but they make up a majority in only 1 of the 4 Democratic-oriented groups.   

SOURCES

"Demographics and lifestyle differences among typology groups," Drew Research Center, www.pewresearch.org/

"John F. Kennedy:  Democrat or Republican?," by Larry Elder, www.ctfassets.net/ 

   

 

Democratic Party Symbol

DuPont Area

Washington, D.C.

Sept 24 2011

Photo by John White

I AM A DEMOCRAT

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 1824

JFK:  A DEMOCRAT BY INHERITANCE & CONVICTIONS

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) Sixty-two years ago today, January 10, 1954, an exclusive article by Senator John F. Kennedy was published in The Boston Post.*

Senator Kennedy wrote...

"I am a Democrat--both by inheritance and convictions.  The Democratic Party** is not the party of any one group, but of all groups.

In our party may be found members of all races--all religions--all walks of life--all income groups in all parts of the country."

*The Boston Post was founded by Charles Greene and William Beals in November 1831.  The BP was purchased by Edwin Grozier in 1891.  He made it the largest newspaper in New England within 20 years.  

Headquarters were located at 42 Congress Street in Boston.  By the 1930s, the Post boasted a circulation of 1 million readers.  Competition from Hearst newspapers led to a decline & subsequent end of the BP in 1956.

**The Democratic Party traces its origins to the Democratic-Republican Party or Anti-Federalists of the late 1700s founded by Thomas Jefferson & James Madison.  

By 1828, it became the Democratic Party under Andrew Jackson who was elected POTUS in that year.  The DP has had 14 other Presidents including Van Buren, Polk, Pierce, Buchanan, A. Johnson, Cleveland, Wilson, FDR, Truman, JFK, LBJ, Carter, Clinton and Obama.

In January 2016, the Democrats are the minority party in Congress holding 44 of 100 Senate seats and 188 of 435 House seats.  Nationwide the party claims only 18 of 50 state governorships.

"I am a Democrat"

"I AM A DEMOCRAT" SAYS JFK

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) An exclusive article by Senator John F. Kennedy was published 60 years ago today, January 10, 1954, in the The Boston Post." 

Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts wrote...

"I am a Democrat--both by inheritance and convictions.  The Democratic Party is not the party of any one group, but of all groups.

In our party may be found members of all races--all religions--all walks of life--all income groups in all parts of the country."

*The Boston Post was the most popular newspaper in New England over a century.  It fell into decline and stopped publication in 1956.

COMMUNIST NATIONS SIGN TRADE AGREEMENT

Moscow, USSR (JFK+50) The Soviet government announced 52 years ago today, January 10, 1962, that the USSR and Cuba had signed a trade agreement.

The pact was signed in Havana by representatives of the two communist nations the previous day, January 9th.

The monetary amount of the pact was reported to be equivalent to 700 million U.S. dollars.

By the agreement, the USSR would provide oil, metals, chemicals, fertilizers, wheat and machinery to Cuba.

In turn, Cuba would export sugar, alcohol, tobacco and fruit to the Soviet Union.

            Fidel Castro in Berlin
                    June 14, 1972
           Photo by Peter Koard
             Bundesarchiv, Bild
      183-20614-040/CC-BY-SA


JFK STUDIES REARMAMENT 

London, England (JFK+50) Massachusetts congressman John F. Kennedy began a three day study here in London 63 years ago today, January 10, 1951, of England's rearmament program.

The young congressman was assisted in the study by his father, the former US ambassador to Great Britain, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.

Congressman Kennedy, first elected in 1946, was serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

     Congressman John F. Kennedy
US Jr. Chamber of Commerce Photo


JOE JR. JOINS AIR SQUADRON 

San Juan, Puerto Rico (JFK+50) 71 years ago today, January 10, 1943, Navy Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. joined Patrol Squadron 203 as an aviator at the United States Naval Air Station here in San Juan, Puerto Rico today.

Joe Junior, as he was known by family and friends, was the eldest son of the former US Ambassador to Great Britain (1938-1940), of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. 

Lt. Kennedy earned his wings in May 1942 and was sent to Britain in September 1943.

                 Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.
                        U.S. Navy Aviation
                         JFK Library Photo