Prior to the 20th century
by AquinasDomer (2023-12-28 19:30:39)

In reply to: No. But you have to be willfully obtuse to not know  posted by 88_92WSND

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Politics was quite partisan and nasty. In the era of reconstruction you had armed mobs working to suppress the black votes, mobs and fisticuffs outside of that area, and daily journalism focusing on politics (most news papers were founded as partisan organs).

The press around the 1800 election was hysterical with each side convinced the other was the doom of the country.

People died in an election fight in Philly
by 88_92WSND  (2023-12-28 19:53:48)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Cannot reply

around the time the first Frigates were being built. I'm aware of the level of partisanship that existed around elections - one of the CDs we have sitting one room over is a collection of campaign songs from most of the US elections through the middle of the 20th Century (crossing the streams of folk music interest and history interest can be a dangerous thing). But a fever pitch every few years in the past, requiring people to opt in (ie buy the paper, vs it being the headline on a thousand media outlets), and the sheer scale of communications today vs the need for proximity in the past completely changes the equation.
Ie if I want to complain to John Quincy Adams, I have to write him a letter. Drumming up a thousand of my followers to harangue him takes time, money, and lots of paper. The reason political machines worked was because they could harness manpower, which was necessary to get anything concerted and coordinated to happen. Today, a letter to the congressman is quaint because hundreds of causes every day are 'reaching out' to their representative. Lighting up the switchboard is a common occurrence.