Recently it was asked in a letter to the editor where the old Democratic Party has gone. Instead of throwing around unsubstantiated pie-in-the sky allegations, let’s look at it from the perspective that the proof is in the pudding.

Arguably from the Civil War up through 1929 capitalism-run-wild, the majority of Americans were at the mercy of industrial barons. Concerns for the working class were non-existent, and it was certainly capitalism’s heyday with very little government oversight. Yet one might reflect on how that time period ended up.

But a new attitude emerged championed by a Republican, take note, that dared to challenge capitalism’s strangle hold on the market place. Monopolies were broken up, workers for the first time began to have some rights and unions were on the rise as were workers pay along with better and safer working conditions. This different approach produced what most consider was our country’s heyday, financially speaking. Businesses thrived, workers thrived and we enjoyed a standard of living envied the world over.

Then rearing up again in the 1980s was this notion that government is the problem. With the renewed disparity we’ve experienced since then, it begs the old axiom; why try to fix what wasn’t broken? As with any pudding, isn’t it the blending of many different ingredients that makes it tasty? I would suggest it’s not about any one system, but rather how do we mix them to create the desired result. Guessing most would say right now the pudding is pretty sour.

Dennis Doolittle

Arlington