I see things like this and wonder why people would ever use talking points like this. The history of the two parties from the split of the Whigs until now is very storied and very complex. Both sides at many times have done things that are not at all representative of the modern parties we have today.

A good read on his second talking point is Black Rednecks and White Liberals by Thomas Sowell. I think that Dr. Sowell does a good job of pointing out just how much North Eastern progressives hurt freed slaves in those times. They helped a bit as well, but their effort largely did nothing but create further divide between freed blacks and whites in antebellum South. I truly do believe that blaming the actions of Reconstruction-era whites in Southern states largely on Democrats and progressives at the time is unfair and not just. Poor Southern whites at the time belonged to a culture that was largely very unhealthy. Dr. Sowell's book really opens your eyes to the many parts of what we see today as impoverished African-American, "ghetto", culture. Much of it was inherited from our Southern ancestors that brought it with them from Scotland and other countries before those countries had their respective academic and cultural revolutions. I know that my family, which is Scottish, personally had many family members killed in brawls at taverns and were the killers in some cases after fights or feuds broke out.

It is extremely important for all of us as Americans to educate ourselves. That is how we have remained on top for so long. Not just Americans, but all Westerners and our Anglo-Sphere brethren in the South Pacific. Best of luck to you all!