The Rich Progressive Legacy of FDR

[scandal 951]

April 12. Today marks 65 years since the death of FDR at Warm Springs GA

http://www.politicalcortex.com/story/2010/4/12/144238/387

The Rich Progressive Legacy of FDR

By Bill Hare

04/12/2010 02:42:38 PM EST

April 12, 2010 marks the 65th anniversary of the death of the leader who spearheaded the twentieth century progressive movement, righting the economic ship during perilous times, giving Americans hope at a time when it was desperately needed while changing the face of the Democratic Party in the process.

Perhaps the key personal ingredient that propelled Franklin Delano Roosevelt into the ranks of the nation's and world's great leaders was his handling of adversity. Overcoming adversity is a hallmark of so many great achievers. In the political sphere it can serve as both an instructive and motivational shaping tool.

The Roosevelts were a Dutch aristocratic family that settled in New York's affluent Hudson Valley region. FDR had earned a law degree from Harvard. He followed along the same lines as his cousin President Theodore Roosevelt by securing as a young lawyer a position of Assistant Secretary of the Navy under Josephus Daniels in the Woodrow Wilson Administration.

A handsome, articulate, highly ambitious young aristocrat such as Roosevelt, a young man in a hurry in sprinting toward success, is bound to garner notice. With such notice comes opportunity.

While it was a campaign that appeared destined for inevitable defeat, which occurred, Franklin Delano Roosevelt enhanced his national visibility and party credentials when he was selected as vice presidential running mate to Democratic Party presidential nominee Governor James M. Cox at the 1920 convention in San Francisco.

Roosevelt was not blamed for a seemingly pre-ordained Republican landslide which swept Warren G. Harding into office. Indeed, as an energetic young man of 38 he undertook a robust campaign schedule and introduced himself to Democratic Party stalwarts throughout America who would later prove beneficial when he ran for and became president.

Just when Roosevelt appeared to have everything going his way there was that moment of tragedy. It was depicted movingly on stage and later adapted to the screen in the work "Sunrise at Campobello," which was written by Hollywood studio chieftain and Roosevelt admirer Dore Schary.

Roosevelt suffered an attack of infantile paralysis that thereafter deprived him of the ability to walk. In place of allowing defeat to set in he became more determined than ever to overcome adversity with his ultimate achievement becoming the only figure in American history to be elected president four times.

When Roosevelt would visit Warm Springs, Georgia, taking advantage of its soothing waters along with others similarly afflicted, he would happily refer to them as "my people." Tragedy had molded Roosevelt, enhancing his perspective, making him more readily able to relate to Depression hard times and people seeking to overcome adversity.

The same element occurred in the case of Roosevelt admirer and grassroots liberal John F. Kennedy. Reporters covering then Senator Kennedy's successful presidential campaign of 1960 noted that the young Bostonian of privilege was profoundly moved by images of poverty he observed in West Virginia.

Kennedy achieved victory in West Virginia, knocking liberal rival Senator Hubert Humphrey out of the presidential race. He pledged to do all he could for West Virginians once he became president.

Roosevelt was an inspiration to Kennedy and numerous other American progressives who followed him. He gave America hope during a dark period of history and exercised resourceful pragmatism to bring the nation back to a solider economic foundation.

[Danno 1,228]

April 12. Today marks 65 years since the death of FDR at Warm Springs GA

By Bill Hare

04/12/2010 02:42:38 PM EST

April 12, 2010 marks the 65th anniversary of the death of the leader who spearheaded the twentieth century progressive movement, righting the economic ship during perilous times, giving Americans hope at a time when it was desperately needed while changing the face of the Democratic Party in the process.

How does a guy come into office in 1933 and spend and spend and Start one Govt. program after the next and yet unemployment never gets below 10% until 1941 ... and still he has people claiming he "Righted the economic ship".

Just imagine had not WW2 not put the demand for raw materials and the Factories not cranked up to supply THe once GReat Briton and Russia, what our Unemployment numbers might have been.

To credit FDR, for putting people back to work and for a sound economy when the DRAFT and the WAR effort did it, is laughable.

POLL:If it took Obama 8 years and a World war to get the unemployment numbers below 10%..... how many people would call that a "successful presidency"?

I would have to agree, it is one heck of a "Rich Progressive legacy"..... and one I hope we will get past the spin and learn from.

FDR, Rest in Peace

[spookyturtle 9,466]

POLL:If it took Obama 8 years and a World war to get the unemployment numbers below 10%..... how many people would call that a "successful presidency"?

I'm sure that a few here would. Just as those at the opposite extreme find fault with everything he does.

[웃 910]

Scandal, just out of curiosity, why do you like FDR so much?

[scandal 951]

Scandal, just out of curiosity, why do you like FDR so much?

Because in my view, he was the greatest President of the 20th century. And one of the top 3 of all American history - the only others in the same league being Lincoln and Washington.

That's the short answer. Long one will have to wait, I need to sign off now.

[luckytxn 2,265]

righting the economic ship during perilous times

Afterwards it was considered his policies deepened and worsened the depression by economists.

[Danno 1,228]

I'm sure that a few here would. Just as those at the opposite extreme find fault with everything he does.

The oddity between the two groups would be: The first being so long suffering toward a President who is not producing a good economy (Who doesn't want that) Think how quickly Carter was dumped.

The second group finds fault with so much because Obama "Produces too much" of what this group does not want. (Enlarged Govt, higher taxes perhaps social issues).

While I have been a fault finder with Obama on the domestic issues, I have no beef with his foreign policy.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Gee, I wonder Glenn Beck has to say about the subject:

[luckytxn 2,265]

Gee, I wonder Glenn Beck has to say about the subject:

My grandmother had other words for FDR than the kudos he receives now by the Socialists. Most hated how he tried to pack the supreme court when they ruled against his policies as unconstitutional then caved and approved them after the battle to pack the court. Many railed against him then. Hated his spending. In fact most oldsters I talked to about him hated him for his pre war policies but everyone then said how great of a war leader he was.

[Danno 1,228]

Of course this is a Classic FDR idea which telegraphs loud and clear what was in his political heart.

He actually wanted this "ripe for mischief" New Bill of Rights passed and placed right up there with the Right to bear arms or freedom of Speech.

FDR's Second bill of Rights.

In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.

Among these are:

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;

The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;

The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

The right of every family to a decent home;

The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;

The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;

The right to a good education.

All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.

For unless there is security here at home there cannot be lasting peace in the world.

Oddly enough, the "old Bill of Rights tells us what the Fed "can't do" to us..... this one tells us what the fed "Must do" for us.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Frankly, FDR was a piece of ###### who gets credited with way too much.

Hell, Social Security should be enough to make him the laughing stock of all presidents in the past. Of course god knows how the sheeple love a damned social program that truly does nothing for them and steals from those who truly work to pay into it.

Then of course we're not even going to get into the many ways his administration could be at fault for getting us into an unpopular war either (of course BOOOOOOOSH gets blasted where FDR is praised).

Ugh, I'm not in the mood to debate the 1930's and 40's at the point, but it's a touchy subject that is filled with a bunch of damned ignorance by most who live in the 'spin' class on things.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Frankly, FDR was a piece of ###### who gets credited with way too much.

Hell, Social Security should be enough to make him the laughing stock of all presidents in the past. Of course god knows how the sheeple love a damned social program that truly does nothing for them and steals from those who truly work to pay into it.

Then of course we're not even going to get into the many ways his administration could be at fault for getting us into an unpopular war either (of course BOOOOOOOSH gets blasted where FDR is praised).

Ugh, I'm not in the mood to debate the 1930's and 40's at the point, but it's a touchy subject that is filled with a bunch of damned ignorance by most who live in the 'spin' class on things.

Let me guess. You came to this conclusion from studying history.