re: #240 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

elections have consequences. The 60’s that we grew up in was in many ways the result of Democrats being in power for 20 years and influencing the SCOTUS and the lower courts with their appointments.

The 60’s that we grew up in was the result of well-organized indefatigable activism, and good coordination and mutual assistance between the various single-issue enthusiasts.

That’s why there’s a Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act, and Title IX and Title X, and EPA, and Roe v Wade, and no draft, etc etc etc…

But as soon as the draft ended, a majority of the activists said “okay that’s done, mission accomplished, time to go home and devote myself entirely to my own life and we’ll just trust the government to run itself on altruism from now on.”

Leaving the playing field open.

While the right-wingers’ response was “okay, halftime. Let’s go in the locker room and strategize how to take back the ground we’ve lost.” And when they returned to the field, there was no opposition.

(ETA: Earl Warren was a Republican appointment. Having been a Republican governor. Back before the great re-alignment, back when Republicans could be liberals and Southern Democrats really weren’t.)