Thread by @LarryGlickman

Seems like a good idea to take Trump's red-baiting, evidence-free charges against the Democrats and then to "fact check" the Dems. Given Trump's record of probity, I can understand the Times' obligation to do this./1 nyti.ms/2StfVHX

First, how does one even go about fact checking a claim like Trump's view that a vote for the Democrats will lead to "the rise of radical socialism and the destruction of the American dream”? /2

But more importantly one can't "fact check" such claims without putting them in historical context. Indeed, one can and should "fact check" similar charges that have been made in the past to see how well they stand up. /3

Sen. Richard Russell said that the 1964 Civil Rights Bill "would commence such vast governmental control over free enterprise so as to commence the process of socialism." (h/t @jasonmorganward's great book "Defending White Democracy.") Russell was wrong. /4

@jasonmorganward And I think it's safe to say that Ronald Reagan's prediction that, if Congress passed Medicare, "behind it will come other federal programs that will invade every area of freedom as we have known it in this country" was incorrrect. /5

@jasonmorganward In 1952, Sen. Harry Byrd predicted that the American welfare state would lead to "the blackness of socialism, or worse." He guessed wrong. /6
newspapers.com/clip/34101959/

@jasonmorganward In 2011, Sen. Ron Johnson (b. 1955) said he thought that the ACA was "the single greatest assault on our freedom in our lifetime." In retrospect, this seems a bit overwrought. /7
newspapers.com/clip/34102215/