Wall Street Journal thinks readers are too stupid to understand meaning of "GOP"

[tpfkaw]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/03/politics/main531460.shtml?tag=re1.channel

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[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Oh great, we have degenerative ignorance now. The GOP acronym is all the prevents the confusion of the modern day GOP with Jefferon's "Republicans". Since academia has abandoned use of the term "Democratic-Republican" for the more histortically accurate designation of "Republican", this couldn't be worse for ensuring accurate knowledge of US political history.

[I'm JewCon in name only.]

Not shocking, i was one of 5 kids in my AP Gov't class to know the term GOP. I purposely use the GOP to describe my party so the stupid can get used to it.

[Napoleon]

Oh great, we have degenerative ignorance now. The GOP acronym is all the prevents the confusion of the modern day GOP with Jefferon's "Republicans". Since academia has abandoned use of the term "Democratic-Republican" for the more histortically accurate designation of "Republican", this couldn't be worse for ensuring accurate knowledge of US political history.

Accurate knowledge of political history? Maybe but personally I find it inaccurate that we call these Republicans the Grand Old Party, instead of the grander and older Jeffersonians.

[tpfkaw]

Oh great, we have degenerative ignorance now. The GOP acronym is all the prevents the confusion of the modern day GOP with Jefferon's "Republicans". Since academia has abandoned use of the term "Democratic-Republican" for the more histortically accurate designation of "Republican", this couldn't be worse for ensuring accurate knowledge of US political history.

Accurate knowledge of political history? Maybe but personally I find it inaccurate that we call these Republicans the Grand Old Party, instead of the grander and older Jeffersonians.

The Jeffersonians are long gone...

(Also, it's being used in the same sense as "good ol' boy" or "a grand old time").

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Oh great, we have degenerative ignorance now. The GOP acronym is all the prevents the confusion of the modern day GOP with Jefferon's "Republicans". Since academia has abandoned use of the term "Democratic-Republican" for the more histortically accurate designation of "Republican", this couldn't be worse for ensuring accurate knowledge of US political history.

Accurate knowledge of political history? Maybe but personally I find it inaccurate that we call these Republicans the Grand Old Party, instead of the grander and older Jeffersonians.

The Federalists were even older (if by only a few years) and had a much "Grander" vision for the country then the Jeffersonians did. It should be remembered that most Republicans connected themselves with the Whigs and the Federalists when the term GOP was adopted. Hence President Hayes' submission, "I was the best President since John Quincy Adams with the exception of Abraham Lincoln". Perhaps it is fair to drop the term GOP, since the party has done so much to run away from it's Federalist past and connections in the post Reagan era. They still shill for monied interests though. The one connection that has lasted 223 years and shows no sign of ending any time soon.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

America becomes more ignorant by the year.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Not surprising.  A lot of people probably don't know what it means.  But I think it's actually making a comeback with social media becoming more popular... "GOP" is easier to fit into a Tweet than "Republicans" or "Republican Party"

[Hatman 🍁]

Am I the only one to read GOP like "GAWP"? I know people don't say it like that, but that's how I read it.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Am I the only one to read GOP like "GAWP"? I know people don't say it like that, but that's how I read it.

It just always reminds me of GOProud, but talking about those creepy folks would get me accused of being "bigoted toward gay conservatives."

[The Mikado]

Oh great, we have degenerative ignorance now. The GOP acronym is all the prevents the confusion of the modern day GOP with Jefferon's "Republicans". Since academia has abandoned use of the term "Democratic-Republican" for the more histortically accurate designation of "Republican", this couldn't be worse for ensuring accurate knowledge of US political history.

Accurate knowledge of political history? Maybe but personally I find it inaccurate that we call these Republicans the Grand Old Party, instead of the grander and older Jeffersonians.

How is it inaccurate?  Even if the Democratic Party is older (and 1826 vs. 1854 isn't really all that long a margin), the Republican Party is still definitely "old" by any stretch of the imagination at the ripe old age of 157.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Oh great, we have degenerative ignorance now. The GOP acronym is all the prevents the confusion of the modern day GOP with Jefferon's "Republicans". Since academia has abandoned use of the term "Democratic-Republican" for the more histortically accurate designation of "Republican", this couldn't be worse for ensuring accurate knowledge of US political history.

Accurate knowledge of political history? Maybe but personally I find it inaccurate that we call these Republicans the Grand Old Party, instead of the grander and older Jeffersonians.

The name is allusion to the Grand Army of the Republic, the major veteran's organization of the Union Army of the Civil War.  That allusion is not something that is particularly relevant to today's politics and  certainly not appropriate for Southern Republicans.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

How about  CHOP for the Democrats?

Cat Herding Older Party

[J. J.]

To paraphrase Voltaire, the GOP is neither grand, nor old, nor a party. 

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Oh great, we have degenerative ignorance now. The GOP acronym is all the prevents the confusion of the modern day GOP with Jefferon's "Republicans". Since academia has abandoned use of the term "Democratic-Republican" for the more histortically accurate designation of "Republican", this couldn't be worse for ensuring accurate knowledge of US political history.

Accurate knowledge of political history? Maybe but personally I find it inaccurate that we call these Republicans the Grand Old Party, instead of the grander and older Jeffersonians.

How is it inaccurate?  Even if the Democratic Party is older (and 1826 vs. 1854 isn't really all that long a margin), the Republican Party is still definitely "old" by any stretch of the imagination at the ripe old age of 157.

There aren't many political parties older than 157, true.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Oh great, we have degenerative ignorance now. The GOP acronym is all the prevents the confusion of the modern day GOP with Jefferon's "Republicans". Since academia has abandoned use of the term "Democratic-Republican" for the more histortically accurate designation of "Republican", this couldn't be worse for ensuring accurate knowledge of US political history.

Accurate knowledge of political history? Maybe but personally I find it inaccurate that we call these Republicans the Grand Old Party, instead of the grander and older Jeffersonians.

How is it inaccurate?  Even if the Democratic Party is older (and 1826 vs. 1854 isn't really all that long a margin), the Republican Party is still definitely "old" by any stretch of the imagination at the ripe old age of 157.

There aren't many political parties older than 157, true.

I think the Democrats and the British Tories are the only parties in the world right now that are older; they're definitely the only major ones that come to mind.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I think the Democrats and the British Tories are the only parties in the world right now that are older; they're definitely the only major ones that come to mind.

Strictly speaking even the Tories aren't as old.

[Frodo]

I think the Democrats and the British Tories are the only parties in the world right now that are older; they're definitely the only major ones that come to mind.

Strictly speaking even the Tories aren't as old.

You sure?  Didn't they get their start in the late 17th century as the party most sympathetic to the monarchy, with roots in the Cavalier faction? 

[tpfkaw]

I think the Democrats and the British Tories are the only parties in the world right now that are older; they're definitely the only major ones that come to mind.

Strictly speaking even the Tories aren't as old.

You sure?  Didn't they get their start in the late 17th century as the party most sympathetic to the monarchy, with roots in the Cavalier faction? 

The Conservative Party proper was not founded until 1834.  If we go the "earliest predecessor" route, the Democrats and Republicans are equally old, and the oldest political party in the world is actually the Liberal Democrats...

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I think the Colorado Party in Paraguay's up there too. It's definitely the oldest in Latin America, unless I'm forgetting something.

[tpfkaw]

I think the Colorado Party in Paraguay's up there too. It's definitely the oldest in Latin America, unless I'm forgetting something.

You've got the wrong 'guay.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I think the Colorado Party in Paraguay's up there too. It's definitely the oldest in Latin America, unless I'm forgetting something.

You've got the wrong 'guay.

Both have Colorado Parties which are very old, but you're right, the Uruguyan one is older. It's actually only very slightly younger than the Democrats or Tories, and older than the Republicans.

[nclib]

When I first saw this (forum) headline, I first thought it was referring to the goals of the GOP--which actually makes sense since conservatives do try to manipulate issues to their advantage.

Oh great, we have degenerative ignorance now. The GOP acronym is all the prevents the confusion of the modern day GOP with Jefferon's "Republicans". Since academia has abandoned use of the term "Democratic-Republican" for the more histortically accurate designation of "Republican", this couldn't be worse for ensuring accurate knowledge of US political history.

Accurate knowledge of political history? Maybe but personally I find it inaccurate that we call these Republicans the Grand Old Party, instead of the grander and older Jeffersonians.

The name is allusion to the Grand Army of the Republic, the major veteran's organization of the Union Army of the Civil War.  That allusion is not something that is particularly relevant to today's politics and  certainly not appropriate for Southern Republicans.

Yes, but "Republican" loosely means "for the country" and "Democrat" loosely means "for the people" which does make sense especially relating to military policy.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The New York State Democratic Committee dates to 1792.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The Conservative Party proper was not founded until 1834.

And the modern party was only established in 1912.