The more things change

One will find widespread agreement to the assertion that the Republican Party of today is a very different beast than the one of 100 years ago during Teddy Roosevelt's era. The same could be said of the Democrat Party.

And yet, here's a snippet from the beginning of the Democratic Party Platform in 1908:

We rejoice at the increasing signs of an awakening throughout the country. The various investigations have traced graft and political corruption to the representatives of the predatory wealth, and laid bare the unscrupulous methods by which they have debauched elections and preyed upon a defenseless public through the subservient officials whom they have raised to place and power.

The conscience of the nation is now aroused to free the Government from the grip of those who have made it a business asset of the favor-seeking corporations. It must become again a people's government, and be administered in all its departments according to the Jeffersonian maxim, "equal rights to all; special privileges to none."

"Shall the people rule?" is the overshadowing issue which manifests itself in all the questions now under discussion.

Thank goodness we no longer have to worry about politicians making government "a business asset of the favor-seeking corporations" and we can have faith that we are free of "debauched elections."

Oh wait a minute.

The platform goes on to address:

• the Republican mismanagement of the economy
• the abuse of power of the Republican Speaker of the House
• the federal budget deficit under Republican rule
  
• Republican misuse of patronage
• campaign finance reform
• the rights of states
• tariff reform
• trusts reform (a call to break corporate monopolies)
• railroad and banking regulation
• calling for the federal income tax
• labor and legal injunctions reform (including "We favor the eight hour day on all Government work")
• the merchant marine
• the Navy
• the right of U.S. citizens abroad
• civil service
• pensions
• the establishment of a federal health bureau
• the establishment of agricultural and mechanical colleges
• the popular election of Senators
• Oklahoma is welcomed as a state
• support for the ongoing Panama Canal
• regulations of federal grazing lands
• federal management of navigable waterways
• federal aid for maintenance of post roads
• regulation of the telegraph and telephone industries
• conservation of natural resources ("the enforcement of which Mr. Roosevelt has vainly sought from a reluctant party")
• the Philippines ("We condemn the experiment in imperialism as an inexcusable blunder which has involved us in enormous expense, brought us weakness instead of strength, and laid our nation open to the charge of abandoning a fundamental doctrine of self-government.")
• "Alaska and Porto Rico"
  
• Pan-American Relations
• Asiatic Immigration ("we are opposed to the admission of Asiatic immigrants who can not be amalgamated with our population")
• Foreign Patents

Hey, with just a couple minor changes, the Democrats can reuse this 100 year-old platform for 2008!