The Democrats have always been the party of patronage and handing out goodies to supporters. The Republicans (and the Whigs before) them have always been the party that preferred a government that respects merit more than identity and supports creating a pro-business climate. Both parties have a history of tolerating larceny. This all goes back at least to the period of John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, and has been amazingly consistent (even while views on race or foreign affairs have shifted).
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