Consider the past and you shall know the future.
Chinese Proverb
Earlier One-Off Post: Sarah Palin's Facebook ISIS Post
Image of the Day
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| Via Cato Institute |
Chart of the Day: Will Scotland Join the British Independents?
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| Via Lew Rockwell |
Entertainment Potpourri: The Roosevelts: Part IV
This episode covered covered the post-WWI era through FDR's first election to the White House, starting with his losing campaign as the Democratic VP nominee in the 1920 election and his barely successful campaign to succeed Al Smith as governor of NY. In fact, what's eerie is seeing how FDR tried to imitate cousin Teddy's rise to power: Assistant Secretary of the Navy, election to the NY state legislature, opposition to the Tammany Hall party bosses, election as NY governor, nomination as VP, election to the Presidency (including a willingness to challenge the two-term tradition: technically, Teddy's first term was a succession to assassinated McKinley, months after his reelection). In fact, Gov. Cox selected FDR to appeal to independent voters given the popularity of his late fifth cousin. Of course, FDR announced a "New Deal" after Teddy's "Square Deal".
Burns understandably focuses on FDR's contraction of polio during a 1921 Canadian vacation. But there are a couple of things that bothered me about this segment.
First, Burns goes out of his way to make Al Smith look petty when FDR succeeded him as governor. He speaks of Al Smith's anger when FDR decided to put his own stamp on the office by dismissing some long-term Smith appointees (the issue, in my view, had more to do with corruption and political spoils). If I were to speculate, he is looking to be dismissive of Smith, whom, alarmed by the nature of FDR's centralization of domestic policy in DC, gave an early 1936 address, "Betrayal of the Democratic Party". However, Smith's analysis was spot on; if you go to the Wikipedia article on the 1932 election, it was like Hoover was the tax-increasing, make-working, big-spending, Keyesian pointing at FDR as the King of Austerity who would undo all of the efforts he had been doing to get us out of the deepening recession/depression. Now, of course, Smith had been defeated by FDR for renomination in 1932, but Al Smith's allegation of bait-and-switch is well-founded. (I made the same inference before I ever came across Smith's speech.)
Second, I thought the 1932 election and Depression got shockingly brief coverage in this segment. The 1930 mid-term resulted in strong GOP majorities in both chambers being reduced to bare majorities, and as economic conditions deteriorated further, the writing was on the wall for 1932. The GOP would only regain control of the House for two terms (80, 82) until the 1990's and similarly for the Senate until the Reagan era.
Although I support Smith's position as discussed above, I would say anyone who has reviewed FDR's record as governor should not be shocked by the bait-and-switch. FDR was a big spender turning Smith's surplus to a deficit and had introduced unemployment compensation and old-age relief, not to mention leading a spending binge on make-work infrastructure.
Still, the differences between Hoover and FDR as President are much exaggerated, not unlike the those economic and foreign interventionism and sharply increasing expenditures between Bush 43 and Obama; among other things, Hoover raised top-end tax rates, expanded public works, engaged in protectionist "beggar thy neighbor" policies, and jawboned business leaders against letting wages float/decrease. As I recall, Burns basically waved his hand saying that the causes of the Depression are still debated. He includes the requisite clip of people waiting in breadlines. Which, by the way, were mostly operated by churches and charities, not the government.
Anti-Competitive Fascist Bureaucrats vs. Consumer-Oriented Chinatown Buses
Fung Wah is my hero! Fight the good fight!
House Approves Funding Syrian Rebels 319-108: Thumbs DOWN!
When will we ever learn? How many times have taxpayer-paid arms end up in the hands of hostile forces? When are we going to stop meddling in the internal affairs of other countries? This is unconstitutional and unlawful; it does not reflect America's direct interests.
Choose Life: I Want Twin Baby Daughters!
More Proposals
I don't know why I noticed this, but all but two dancers were barefoot.
Well, this is different...
Political Cartoon
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| Courtesy of Eric Allie via IPI |
Barry Manilow, "New York City Rhythm"
