Oh, do get real. In the 1930's, there was 25% unemployment [much
higher in some places], starvation, ecological collapse, foreign wars
on the horizon, large numbers of internally displaced people, native
fascism, a growing U.S. communist party [partly supported by the
Soviet Union], and an incipient class war. Working conditions in
some places in this country [like my home state] were basically Early
Industrial Revolution--and, if you examine the history, it really was
as bad as you think. Things were going to hell very, very fast, and
it took drastic action to drag the country back from the brink.
Complete recovery took awhile, but the early measures did help.
The New Deal saved the country from a lot worse situation than we
have at present. In fact, FDR's most notable achievement may have
been saving capitalism; to a lot of people at the time, communism and
similar systems were looking pretty good, compared to the mess that
they blamed, rightly or wrongly, on laissez-faire capitalism and Wall
Street speculators. (And no cracks about "communism is what we have
now," please. As an amateur Kremlinologist with a special interest
in the satellite countries--remember them?--I know the difference,
and so do you.)
I'm a little chagrined that I let myself get baited into joining the
fray. I just have to believe that the statements about FDR ruining
the economy are something in the matter of a joke, or at least an
exaggeration. But in my home state, the scars of the Great
Depression are still visible, so I don't think it's particularly funny.
And as for worship: I don't care who worships what, really. I'm
actually more concerned about exaggerations and outright lies about
programs like the cash for clunkers program and other proposals of
this administration. I won't even speculate about the motives of
people who lie and exaggerate, because they're sufficiently evident
not to need further exposition here. The economy may be in better
shape than it was last fall, and some of the current programs seem to
be having some effect. But the chances are NOT ZERO that we could
still have another Great Depression; and certain news [sic]
reporters, by trying to tear down any Democratic program they see,
and in particular by lying about those programs, seem to be pushing
us toward the edge of the cliff.
--Constance Warner
On Aug 2, 2009, at 9:59 PM, Matthew Taylor wrote:
Reverend;
If you don't think FDR is worshiped by many you are not paying
attention.
Matthew
On Aug 2, 2009, at 9:52 PM, Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote:
There are differences between shines and monuments/memorials.
One is for the purposes of remembrance one is for the purpose of
worship.
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