Hey Right Wing, change my mind - and cite your sources. I'll bet you your corrupt leaders forged voting documents on it.

meanwhile aboard Air Force One

In today’s episode of “Whataboutism and What It Can Do For You”

Well you outperformed me with your time leap from Lincoln to the Southern Strategy by a mere 100 years so I'll step down in your favor.

If you’re stepping down, it’s because the premise of your rebuttal is intellectually dishonest.

d'uh I wasn't rebuting anything. Just yielding the badge.

I have a confession to make.

The question posed in this meme was slightly dishonest, intentionally. I just wanted to see how they justify it so I can counter it better than I have been in times past. Turns out, I'm doing just fine. We've reached critical mass for right-wing think tank.

Short answer: The Republicans and Democrats switched names around the 50s/60s

Besides FDR, he was definitely liberal

Around the 40s then

So the "Southern Strategy" was because Arlen Specter switched parties in 2009?

https://newrepublic.com/article/158320/western-origins-southern-strategy

Great citation, thanks!

So was Nixon pretty good on civil rights issues, or did his "law and order" War on Drugs directly contribute to racial disparities in mass incarceration and other racial issues of today?

I think the answer is YES, as it is to Was LBJ a racist, or did he help undo racist policies at the federal level? People are complicated.

So was Lyndon Johnson, who dropped n-bombs left and right.

I wouldn’t be breaking any news to state that the War on Drugs was an abject failure and it was doomed from the start. As for the rest of the question, it would be difficult to deny it contributed to it.

I don’t know what the answer is. All I know is that if heroin were legalized tomorrow, I’m not running out to try it.

The two-party system mostly encourages coalitions between groups with opposing interests, cemented with promises of change that largely never materialize. Once in power, keeping the status quo is the politician's incentive. Johnson kept civil rights legislation under wraps as long as he could, until it became a political advantage to put it through.

Johnson was a scumbag; no one can dispute that, but it has zero relevance to whether or not the Civil Rights Act was the right thing to do.

Regardless of motive, good is good.

“so here's to you so you didn't get your popcorn in vain:
Johnson was racist and his motivations were politically-motivated. Doesn't devaluate the Civil Rights Act though. Sometimes you do the right thing for the wrong reason.”

You seem to be developing a disturbing pattern, because yet again, this isn’t the own you seem to think it is.

Explain how what I said constitutes whataboutism.

LBJ was a racist dirtbag who also passed the most progressive civil rights legislation outside of the abolition of slavery this country has ever seen.

Are you intimating that the Civil Rights Act is bad because Johnson was racist and his motivations were politically-motivated.

Excuse me while I go get some popcorn. This should be good.

D'uh- I don't accuse you of whataboutism- you accuse me of whataboutism.
imgflip.com/i/6131vg?nerp=1642111665#com16686108

“Let me recap.
Bringing up Nixon or Reagan is "spot-on". Whereas mentioning Johnson is "whataboutism"!?”

As it relates to the Southern Strategy? Absolutely. You seem to be completely unaware of what the Southern Strategy is. Strom Thurmond was a POS racist as a Democrat and switched parties to Republican in ‘64 because the Democrats were pushing the Civil Rights Act. Coincidence? Sure, probably.

“Gee- I wonder why that is. Could it have to do with party affiliation?! Is that the pattern?
Give me a break! When it comes to racism there is no such thing as party affiliation.”

On this we agree.

Strom Thurmond was a POS racist as a Democrat and switched parties to Republican in ‘64 because the Democrats were pushing the Civil Rights Act. Coincidence? To an apologist? Sure, probably. But not to anyone with an ability to (DRUM ROLL PLEASE) think critically.

“(And spare it to me to dig into hopeful Hillary Rodham's "Blacks are super-predators" speech”

Since you brought it up, she never called black people super predators. Here’s the direct quote:

"We need to take these people on, they are often connected to big drug cartels, they are not just gangs of kids anymore. They are often the kinds of kids that are called super predators. No conscious, no empathy.” — This quote is according to a video recording provided by C-SPAN.

If you read that transcript and assume “black kids,” it says more about you than it does about Clinton. ‘Drug cartels’ are typically associated with Central and South American countries.

“or to conjure Joe Robinette's dirty "rape ape" trick from the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearing in order to substantiate.)”

Cite sources please. I’m sure they’ll be credible.

Bruh, told you I didn't want to dig it all up, but ok.

• as to the Southern Strategy: I'm aware.
The Southern Strategy was pandering race issues in order to canvass.
The Civil Rights Act, as noble it's intentions, in a way also was; the least as for Lyndon B Johnson. How else would one read his AF1-quote "I'll have those N__s vote Democrat for the next 100 yrs". You may glorify him as a pioneer of Social Justice. He was not. MLK was. LBJ, cold and calculating, figured that they no longer could buck the social awareness & the zeitgeist of the 60's and jumped the bandwaggon.

• as to Biden-Thomas
I was watching it years ago, it was gut-wrenching and it's been branded in my mind.
During the Senate Supreme Court confirmation hearings in 1991 there were sexual harrassment allegations brought up against Thomas. Biden presiding the senate was addressing those in a "not so nice way".

here is a brief summary of the case, so at least you'll get the context right.
Supreme Court Moments in History: Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill
https://youtu.be/1lEEDD2vxaE

There's supposed to be government transcripts; also there's tons of hours of cspan video.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22clarence+thomas%22+%22supreme+court%22+1991
Cueing through all of them will take days; can't do that work for you. Should be a worthwile dig for a polit junkie like you though.

Instead I’d like to leave you with Justice Thomas’s closing remarks to Chairman Joe Biden, who refused to make eye contact with Thomas during this emotional and heartfelt speech, and call it a day with that.

“Mr Chairman I am a victim of this process, my name has been harmed, my integrity has been harmed, my character has been harmed, my family has been harmed, my friends have been harmed.
There is nothing this committee, this body or this country can do to give me my good name back….nothing.
I will not provide the rope for my own lynching, or for more humiliation. No job is worth what I’ve been through, no job….I have dealt with segregation, bigotry and racism, but this is worse than any obstacle or anything else that I have ever faced.”

I make a meme about Ronald Reagan, racism, and the Southern Strategy and you counter with LBJ using the n-word.

That’s whataboutism.

I was wrong. Getting the popcorn was a waste of time. You’re objectively bad at this.

Let me recap.
Bringing up Nixon or Reagan is "spot-on". Whereas mentioning Johnson is "whataboutism"!?
Gee- I wonder why that is. Could it have to do with party affiliation?! Is that the pattern?
Give me a break! When it comes to racism there is no such thing as party affiliation.
(And spare it to me to dig into hopeful Hillary Rodham's "Blacks are super-predators" speech or to conjure Joe Robinette's dirty "rape ape" trick from the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearing in order to substantiate.)

so here's to you so you didn't get your popcorn in vain:
Johnson was racist and his motivations were politically-motivated. Doesn't devaluate the Civil Rights Act though. Sometimes you do the right thing for the wrong reason.