Very Interesting: Chicago mayor Big Bill Thompson used American First decades before Trump

After the U.S. airstrikes against Syria in April, some questioned whether Donald Trump has abandoned his campaign platform of "America First." The phrase has elicited comparisons with language used by the American First Committee, the powerful isolationist group founded in 1940 to oppose any material support for Britain in its war against Nazi Germany. But it wasn't the first political movement to use the slogan.

William "Big Bill" Hale Thompson served three terms as Chicago's mayor, from 1915 to 1923, and then again from 1927 to 1931. In Chicago's 1927 mayoral race, Thompson campaigned against what he saw as the insidious influence of the British Empire in the city's politics. His America First slate would elect so many candidates that "the king of England will find out for the first time he is damned unpopular," Thompson said on the campaign trail. Insinuating that he might work to have the incumbent mayor, William E. Dever, sent to prison, Thompson described his opponent as "very weak, no courage, no manhood, doesn't know how to fight."

Read More: https://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2017/06/02/chicago-mayor-big-bill-thompson-used-american-first-decades-before-trump


A few interesting notes: "Big Bill" was Chicago's last republican mayor, never had one since. He was closely aligned with many shady characters in the city's underworld (the mob). As the article alludes, who are we reminded of? We can only hope he's the last republican.......