My reaction to the the expression GOP - Good Old Party is negative. I consider it a term of exclusion where those 'who count' are in the 'good old party'. To me it gives rise to elitism and superiority - those who can be allowed in and those who are shunned. Like the popular song from the 1960s "I'm in with the in crowd".
How did this come about - this association with exclusion? I think that's because similar expressions speak to this nostalgia for what's past and so is exclusive an age group: Good old days, Good old fashioned, Good old boy This last expression's definition is "usually white Southerner who conforms to the values, culture, or behavior of his peers," from Merriam-Webster. So perhaps I have these things conflated. On the other hand, the expression has its own issues. Even though GOP and Republican is used almost interchangeably, it doesn't mean everyone knows what the acronym stands for. A 2011 poll showed almost half of Republicans didn't know what the letters stood for. Some of the guesses for those who weren't sure included "Government of the People," "Grumpy Old People," and "God's Own Party.
That makes me wonder about GOP jokes and a most repeated is the lightbulb joke:
How many Republicans does it take to change a lightbulb? None. They're afraid of change- even if it makes the world a brighter place.
How many Republicans does it take to change a lightbulb? None. Trump just says it’s fixed and the rest of them sit in the dark and applaud
How many Republicans does it take to change a lightbulb? Change? That’s socialism.
How many Republican does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Twelve to investigate Obama’s involvement in the failure of the old bulb, 23 to deregulate the lightbulb industry and 51 to pass a tax credit for lightbulb changes.
Now, there's nostalgia for the 'good old days' - a postcard with a steam locomotive!
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