The Iconic 1980 GOP platform -
For too many years, the political debate has been conducted in terms set by the Democrats. They believe that every time new problems arise beyond the power of men and women as individuals to solve, it becomes the duty of government to solve them. Republicans disagree and have always taken the side of the individual, whose freedoms are threatened by the big government that Democratic idea has spawned. A defense of the individual against government was never more needed. Presently, the aggregate burden of taxation is so great that the average American spends a substantial part of every year, in effect, working for government.
Well, in 1980, Democrats had controlled the House for 26 years consecutively and would continue to do so for another 14 following. The President had been a Democrat for 32 of the preceding 48 years. It's not out in left field to say that in the New Deal era which only really ended in 1968 that Democrats set the political agenda.
