The right rose again, first in the South as Reconstruction waned and later nationwide following the First World War. That resurrection of the right manifested itself with a strong support of Adolph Hitler and his shepardship of fascist government.
It came back in the late 1960s as we grappled with the Vietnam War few Americans understood but most had endorsed for the majority of the conflict.
The benefit from each failed attempt by the right to undo our democratic republic has been followed with progressive measures that made the nation better.
The first improvement was independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights
The second was the end of slavery and beginning of equal rights, although major improvements in this area have taken years and been slow developing.
The third was FDR's New Deal that prevented revolution, and saved capitalism and democracy.
What the fourth shall be is as now unseen but hopefully it will not be merely tinkering with the same old same old but a revolutionary Honest Deal. We need to hope it includes reduction of corporate control of government and society; government that represents all, not just the privileged; repudiation of war mongering; enhanced rights and freedoms for individuals; universal healthcare for all Americans, a system of fair and equal taxation, and recapturing America's reputation and prestige in the world.
It is commonly stated in public discourse that the political right lost its way and abandoned its core principles of fiscal responsibility and "small government" ~ government that serves only the aristocracy ~ after taking control of the nation with the Reagan Revolution.
That is nonsense; the true conservative core principles have always been self-enrichment and to end our experiment with a democratic-based republican form of government and return to the aristocratic dictatorship of protecting privilege and oppressing deprivation the right has used for government ever since Adam left Eden.
