XKCD: It's more than a comic

It should probably be noted, for those who didn't know, that the Democrats and Republicans switched ideologies at some point in the last century. IIRC, the most likely turning point is around about Nixon and the Southern Strategy. Before the turning point, whenever it was, the Democrats were the more-right-wing of the two and the Republicans were the more-left-wing - or something like that.

Carson isn't running anymore. The Republican side is down to just Trump, Cruz and Kasich.

Okay, their why-is-he-still-talking.

Carson is shilling for Trump nowadays, on the grounds that he's the least unelectable candidate.

The Democratic party was founded as the party of the working class white male, in opposition to the wealthy/industrialist class represented by the Republicans. Its constituents were less educated, more racist, and more prone to populist hysteria. The educated class tended to oppose slavery on various principles: both economic and moral, and thus Republicans generally sided with the industrialized North against the Democrats, in the agrarian South.

In the early 20th century, the wealthy class had gotten so out of touch with the common man that the Democrats began to rise again. This time, their opposition to the stark wealth inequality of the era and the intensely harsh labor conditions imposed by Big Business found fertile ground. They still had no interest in helping blacks, but the common cause of tearing down the Gilded Age made for strange bedfellows. Republicans grudgingly gave in lest they be torn out of their comfortable offices and mansions and lynched, but the compromises involved in the New Deal meant that universal healthcare and universal suffrage were taken off the table. The risk of alienating the white working class was too great.

Come the 1960s, when civil rights finally took off. The same working class whites who had allied with the Democrats on economic issues violently opposed both suffrage and desegregation, and their hatred of blacks created too much of a rift. They broke off and joined the Republicans, who were happy to encourage their opposition to social programs and taxation lest any of it benefit their hated race enemies. In this, they benefited from decades of religious propaganda painting wealth as good and poverty as symptomatic of moral decay. "You too can have a chance at being rich and powerful if you ostentatiously worship God, shun welfare and other Big Government handouts, and turn your nose up at those commie liberals trying to tell you blacks need to be equal to whites." Of course, this was a lie, and their votes were cheerfully ignored as Republican elites chased after ever lower taxes on the wealthy and deregulation on the financial industry.

Now, those old Southern Democrats — working class whites who, deep down, don't give a damn about taxes as much as they care about keeping their social privilege over women, minorities, and foreigners — have gotten tired of being played for fools and have taken over the Republican party.

"The Democratic party was founded as the party of the working class white male, in opposition to the wealthy/industrialist class represented by the Republicans"

Actually the Democratic Party predates the current Republicans by a few decades, so the beginning is more complicated than that. The old Republican Party (now mostly called the Democratic-Republicans to avoid confusion) was the party of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe. They were first formed in opposition to the polities of the George Washington administration that were being promoted by Hamilton. Hamilton in turn led what became the Federalists. The Republicans were the more liberal of the two, back when liberal meant limited government and free trade (ie Classical Liberalism). Hamilton's party actually had more support among the burgeoning industrialist and capitalists of the United States because they saw the the protectionism and public works platforms of the Federalists as being necessary to grow American industry. While the Hamiltonians supported a strong federal government, it was government in support of rather than in restrain of capital. The Federalists faded when their opposition to the War of 1812 made them unpopular. The Republicans dominated things until they split over the election of 1824. Jackson's supporters became the Democrats. His opponents became the Whig Party. The Whigs then split in the 1850's over how to deal with slavery, with the free-soil Whigs becoming the new Republicans. The Republicans were the party not only of industrialist, but also the strongly religious anti-slavery movement. Many of female abolitionists also became major players in the suffragist movement. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who is going to be put on the $10 bill with other women, is one such example. Ironically, Stanton opposed the 14th and 15th Amendments advancing African-American rights, but only because they failed to include women. Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones in the Spielberg movie) is a male example of a Republican who was both abolitionist and suffragist. The religiously motivated desire to use government to shape society in ways conforming to idealistic principles subsequently fractured in all sorts of directions during the the 20th century, manifesting itself in ways ranging from the progressives of the early 20th century who could be found in both parties, to the Religious Right and Religious Left of today. And yes, there is a Religious Left, as anyone looking at mainline protestants can see.

edited 26th Apr '16 6:06:52 AM by Catbert

TL;DR The Donkey and the Elephant wore many hats.

Timeline of Bicycle Design. I like this one. XD

Fun fact: The bicycle design most common nowdays has been around since almost the beginning.

How about that weird one with the big and small wheel and the really high seat, almost like a tricycle? Wasn't that one of the first original bicycle designs?

What is even with the 1950s bicycle designers? I know that it's always good to experiment, but that's just giving up far too much user friendliness.

edited 27th Apr '16 4:24:22 AM by cake1

I want to say that the 1840 one was the first one, "The Boneshaker". No steering, no pedals, just two wheels and a bench.

Would you be propelling it with your feet or something?

Yup. It was basically a scooter. You can see some images at the Wikipedia article. Although I see now that I erred. The Boneshaker was one of the earliest pedal-driven bicycles.

I think I'm giving myself an aneurysm trying to figure out how some of these designs work or even came to be.

Don't even try to figure out the 1880 one.

I occasionally wonder what it's like to ride a penny-farthing.

Is the penny-farthing the only design on there that actually existed?

You get to kick the faces of people who make you mad. ;)

In case anyone didn't know, the "huge wheel and high seat" design was intentionally dangerous and hard to control. The point was to show off just by being able to ride it. Possibly some other designs were the same way.

I find it difficult to believe that most of the designs on this page were in any way real though.

I can believe that the one with three wheels chasing the guy downhill is a real one, if unintentionally.

Adult.

Yes, we're all just sort of pretending to be grown up, like everyone else around us. It's a collective scam. And that Alt Text is hilarious.

edited 29th Apr '16 7:36:09 AM by Fighteer

I may or may not have just gotten home from grocery shopping and may or may not have spent $70 on nothing but goldfish, chocolate milk, and cat litter.

edited 29th Apr '16 7:38:13 AM by LeGarcon

If I weren't pretending to be a responsible adult, I'd bring home nothing but soy ice cream (because I'm intolerant to milk protein), soda, and store-made banana bread.

Goldfish? A fish made of gold?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. ^_^;;

Pretty similar to this older one.

I just came back from the grocery store and all I bought was... pretty ordinary groceries actually. Now I feel old.