Just after the Civil War, alot seemed to change politically

What happened ?? The Republicans were against the south

And they loved their carpet baggers

The democrats were for the people

Something changed somewhere.

Both parties just followed what they thought would be the easiest path to power and control. It really is just that simple.

Popcorn.

The Great Depression and LBJ happened

Pass the salt

IMO, the southern democrats eventually figured out that they could stay in power by exploiting the African American population.

When Clinton signed NAFTA, done us in.

So basically both parties followed their natural trajectories.

R, extending constitutional protections to all and conserving the Constitution.

D, exploitation and power Constitution be dammed.

If you go back and look at how the 2 parties voted in the Senate and House
Nothing has changed except the words coming out of their mouths

That's exactly what happened. The worst part of it is that the democrats needed to keep the blacks from doing well, so they took steps to destroy their families and work ethic.

Keith

They are doing the same thing now.

As I understand it: Both party's political goals basically reversed and they switched sides!

I've heard that said, but I don't find it to be true.

I grew up in a family of hard core democrats of which I was myself. I never really looked at issues, just voted democrat. My reversal came when Reagan ran against Dukakis. I always felt the ACLU was a cancerous tumor on the country with their hateful activities against God. I was shocked when I learned that if you were a card carrying member of this hateful organization, the democratic party's fund raising dinner for Dukakis was half price. It was then that I started looking into what the democrats really were all about. I realized what a fool I had been. It was the first time I ever voted republican. Since then IMO, the democrats have gradually slipped into the abyss when it comes to immorality.

That's the way I have seen it myself

Did the parties change, or did the people that voted for the parties change?

Right after the civil war, most southern blacks supported the Republicans. Being that in a lot of areas the blacks far outnumbered the whites, Republicans should have been in power, except some angry folks down there made sure that those blacks folks wouldn't vote, so Democrats stayed in power.

Now most blacks vote Democrat.

… and we all know how great Africans are at nation building

Haha,yep

The effects of Johnson's Great Society.