-Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Them's fig htin' words, pardner! Man! I feel like wagin' a little class warfare, baby! (Nonviolently, of course).
As the title of this little ditty of mine suggests, the forty-fourth president of the United States could learn a hell-of-a-lot from the actions of the thirty-second. As I write these words, a discussion is taking place on the Morning Joe program. Mike Barnacle has just wondered aloud whether or not Obama has Clinton's ability to "sit down with the Republicans." Mike!!! You're completely missing the point! What good did Clinton's "sitting down" with the GOP do us in the long run? What are the positive results all these years later? NAFTA? Have another sip. Sixty-five years after his death, we still benefit from FDR's New Deal - or what's left of it . What are the present-day benefits of Bubbah's so-called "New Covenant"? On second thought, don't ask, don't tell.
Let's give Bill Clinton credit. He was in many ways an able and intelligent chief executive. But ultimately he was a bitter disappointment because of his tendency to cave in to the right wing. We can only hope that Barack Obama doesn't make the same mistake.
There are a lot of good reasons why Franklin D. Roosevelt is usually rated by historians as one of the three greatest presidents in the history of this country. One of those reasons is because the guy loved a good fight - and never shied away from one. He never tried to appear "above it all". He loved to say, "We must take action. NOW! " And he took action, Buster - you'd better believe it. That is why most people hold him in such high regard today. FDR was a fighter.
Are you listening, Mr. President?
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
SUGGES TED READING:
The Three Roosevelts
by Jame s MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn
If it is not available at your local, independently owned bookstore (go there firs t), you can probably pick it up on Amazon.com. It's a page-turner.
Them's fig htin' words, pardner! Man! I feel like wagin' a little class warfare, baby! (Nonviolently, of course).
As the title of this little ditty of mine suggests, the forty-fourth president of the United States could learn a hell-of-a-lot from the actions of the thirty-second. As I write these words, a discussion is taking place on the Morning Joe program. Mike Barnacle has just wondered aloud whether or not Obama has Clinton's ability to "sit down with the Republicans." Mike!!! You're completely missing the point! What good did Clinton's "sitting down" with the GOP do us in the long run? What are the positive results all these years later? NAFTA? Have another sip. Sixty-five years after his death, we still benefit from FDR's New Deal - or what's left of it . What are the present-day benefits of Bubbah's so-called "New Covenant"? On second thought, don't ask, don't tell.
Let's give Bill Clinton credit. He was in many ways an able and intelligent chief executive. But ultimately he was a bitter disappointment because of his tendency to cave in to the right wing. We can only hope that Barack Obama doesn't make the same mistake.
Are you listening, Mr. President?
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
SUGGES TED READING:
The Three Roosevelts
by Jame s MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn
If it is not available at your local, independently owned bookstore (go there firs t), you can probably pick it up on Amazon.com. It's a page-turner.
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