The consistency of the nationalist GOP vs. internationalist Dems divide

[darklordoftech]

1896: Republicans for annexing islands, Democrats against

1918-1940: Democrats more likely to support League of Nations and Republicans more likely to oppose League of Nations

1940: Democrats support lend-lease, Republicans want to build up America’s own military instead

1990s: Democrats support UN and NATO interventions, Republicans oppose them, Republicans want to build up military more than Democrats

00s: Iraq War

2010s: Trump runs against “globalists” while supporting unilateral strikes on Iran

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

This has not been consistent throughout history, not even recent history (and not by a long chalk). Reagan led the charge for free trade (and presided over a great number of South American interventions) and HW Bush followed. W started a global war on terror and did not seek to fight it alone, establishing a coalition of state and non-state actors in the process.

Bill Clinton campaigned as a NAFTA skeptic and only went back on that once in office. The coalitions have had different foreign policy priorities but both have been committed to a form of globalisation shepherded in by Reagan.