Posted
5:44 PM
by Gene
Ideologues must fight yesterday's battles to gain control of the history books.
Con-SER-va-tives have long said FDR's New Deal hurt the economy. Their new bag is that
he allowed the public to accept survival rather than beckon prosperity. But the Great Depression hit harder than a WIZARD OF OZ speech. "Above all,"
said FDR in his campaign, speaking to a desperate nation, "try
something." Had a con-SER-va-tive favorite like Silent Cal (or Herbert Hoover -- why don't con-SER-va-tives lionize him?) remained in office he would have tried nothing. Perhaps only war could have revived America. Whatever his economics at least FDR gave his people courage and confidence enough to endure hard times. Our nation might not exist anymore if it had done nothing.
P. S. Corrected at 6:12 p.m. I doltishly ascribed FDR's remark to his
first inaugural address.