• Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 year ago

    The longest serving Senator in history (and the man in second place for longest total time serving in Congress between both houses) was a Democrat but merely an exalted cyclops in the KKK (if I understand the organizational structure right, grand wizard is like a national president while exalted cyclops is more like a chapter president?). He also filibustered the Civil Rights Act. Again, Democrat - spent much of the late 70s to late 80s as either Majority Leader or Minority Leader as appropriate. Biden gave him a eulogy.

    So is the lesson here that Republicans pick higher ranking KKK members for leadership positions than Democrats will?

    • macarthur_park@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      much of the late 70s to late 80s

      Man, you’re reaching back 40 to 50 years to find an equivalence in the Democratic Party. A lot can change in half a century. It’s also worth noting that Byrd renounced his KKK membership later in life.

      I’m pointing out that just 2 days ago, a majority of the republicans in the house voted in favor of a speaker who compares himself favorably to a former KKK leader.