Pressure On FDR From The Left Moved FDR To The Left

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 05:39:13 PM EST
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I'm not sure what this dkos diarist was aiming at with his diary, but I think the important upshot of Left Flank pressure on FDR was that FDR moved to the Left as a result of the pressure. The apocryphal "make me do it" moments. In any event, if President Obama would react to Left Flank pressure the way FDR did, I would be content. Can we expect Obama to give this speech at the 2012 nominating convention?

For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up. We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace—business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.

They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob. Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred.

Speaking for me only

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Pressure On FDR From The Left Moved FDR To The Left | 21 comments (21 topical)

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You patronized (5.00 / 4) (#1)
by jondee on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 05:51:26 PM EST

(photo ops doing shooters in blue collar bars?) and, or, snubbed Organized Labor at your peril in FDR's day; with the American workforce being close to 50% unionized. THAT'S where most of that pressure from - and legitimate fear of - the Left came from..

Under the present circumstances, "another FDR" is impossible. Not until things get significantly bad enough again so that "the people" start organizing and educating themselves again..

: Not bad for a bunch of amateurs (5.00 / 2) (#9)
by Cream City on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 06:32:14 PM EST

on the Left, those union workers then.

: Well, maybe (5.00 / 2) (#18)
by NYShooter on Thu Aug 12, 2010 at 01:36:31 AM EST

all I know is that a new, bright future was laying out there for all to see. All Obama had to do was reach out and pick it up.

: Yep (none / 0) (#2)
by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 05:52:51 PM EST

: 50% Union... (none / 0) (#23)
by kdog on Thu Aug 12, 2010 at 09:01:26 AM EST

and willing to get their heads bashed in for a fair slice of the pie...which is the critical component to be feared and rerspected.
A union's leadership can be bought off...workers on the line willing to take a beating and get locked up is the key.

Government (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by hookfan on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 05:54:35 PM EST

by organized money is just as dangerous as government by organized mob, coming from Obama's mouth is just quite funny!

Well, that is unless one can take his bipartisanship schtick as serious. Then he won't be left with either/or but trying to govern by both/and!

My take on Obama's take" (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by mentaldebris on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 05:54:37 PM EST

"They are unanimous in their hate for me--and I will bend over backwards, tie myself up in knots and punch a few liberal hippies while I'm at it to get their approval. I need their money and support and will do everything in my power to obtain it."

: I'd bet it would be hard (none / 0) (#6)
by mentaldebris on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 05:56:57 PM EST

to find too many pols these days who would stray too far from this script.

Sure, he'll give a speech (5.00 / 5) (#7)
by shoephone on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 06:03:55 PM EST

touting major accomplishments, and they'll be couched in terms of "historic health reform legislation," "cleaning up Wall Street," "holding energy companies accountable" and so on. But none of it will mean anything, because the so-called accomplishments aren't doing anything to quell the voters' fears about the continuing inability to get the health care they really need, a strong economic future for themselves and their families, and a clean environment that puts people to work creating long-term sustainability. And our major products will still be manufactured overseas for a pittance in labor costs.

What will he say in his convention speech regarding Iraq and Afghanistan, the truth about torture, and our disappearing civil liberties under his watch? What dishonest doublespeak will he use when explaining how he's phucking us over on social security?

We won't have moved him to the left. We will cease to exist outside his myopia. He will continue to swing right and our concerns won't merit even a mention.

Sure, he'll give a nice, rousing speech. He's good at that. But it won't match reality down on the ground, so who will really be listening?

The "professional left" are already speeding for the exits.

Excellent comments (none / 0) (#10)
by Yes2Truth on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 07:40:39 PM EST

Right on de Monet!


I've had the unpleasant experience (none / 0) (#19)
by NYShooter on Thu Aug 12, 2010 at 01:54:48 AM EST

of seeing how some worthless losers who marry into fabulously wealthy families behave when given a position of power. I don't understand the psychology behind it but the sadistic treatment meted out to employees by these sick bast*rds just makes you want to puke.

I know there are exceptions but I've always felt that Obama has a deep seated problem: abandoned by his father, raised by a single mom, being neither black nor white, etc.

Why else does he display such disdain for the least fortunate among us? His "back of the hand" to Liberals, while, concurrently groveling to the Right is just too weird.


: LoL (none / 0) (#21)
by NYShooter on Thu Aug 12, 2010 at 07:05:10 AM EST

ooh, the evil thoughts that run through one's mind....
If there's a G*d, I surely will never meet him/her.;)

Mr. BTD please pick up the courtesy telephone (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by BTAL on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 06:06:07 PM EST

Paging Mr. BDT please pick up the courtesy telephone, you have a call waiting from a Mr. Gibbs.

was that (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by cpinva on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 07:51:06 PM EST

a trick question?

It's totally baffling (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by gyrfalcon on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 08:53:18 PM EST

that these people in the WH react to pressure from the medium-left (best we got these days) by pouting and moaning that they just want a pat on the back once in a while for all their good works, as they've apparently been very busy telling all the political reporters today is all Gibbs was saying.

These are political professionals? I don't get it. Rahmbo at least lashes out in fury. Pouting like a rejected high school boyfriend is nuts.

All pols get pressure from the right to move right and pressure from the left (sometimes) to move left, but these people seem unable to be grown-ups about it.

"Just words" (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by Anne on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 09:55:28 PM EST

That's the reality of this president:

"Let me distract you with my stirring rhetoric and perhaps it will take you a little longer to figure out that what I say and what I do are worlds apart."

People are hurting as never before, and this president doesn't seem to feel or be able to express the urgency that we are feeling. At this stage, telling people to be patient isn't enough.

There isn't going to be any leftward movement by this president; it doesn't matter how much we want him to go there, that's not where he's comfortable, and I expect he will do whatever it takes to avoid having to be beholden in any way to the left.

And speaking of the professional left, I listened to part of Gibbs' press briefing today, and all I can say is, it's a wonder I didn't drive off the road.

: The only thing that will save him... (none / 0) (#16)
by lambert on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 10:09:14 PM EST

... is an October surprise. So wait for the Gaslighting to start.
* * *
Actually, I don't mean save him; he'll do just fine, whether with his own show on the teebee or as a Golden Sacks VP; I mean save his Presidency.

Welcoming hatred is so divisive (none / 0) (#12)
by ruffian on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 08:33:42 PM EST

SASQ (none / 0) (#15)
by lambert on Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 10:06:16 PM EST

BTD writes:

Can we expect Obama to give this speech at the 2012 nominating convention?

Simple Answers to Simple Questions:

No.

Former spouse sd. today FDR didn't (none / 0) (#17)
by oculus on Thu Aug 12, 2010 at 12:46:21 AM EST

get U.S. out of depression until run-up to WWII. I sd., what's your source? He sd., History Channel.

Speech will never happen (none / 0) (#22)
by mmc9431 on Thu Aug 12, 2010 at 08:53:58 AM EST

Sadly, for true Democrats, Obama (and many in the leadership) would prefer to be compared to Reagan, rather than FDR.

Republicans have worked for 70 years to dismantle the New Deal. Who would ever have thought that it would be the Democrats that would become their enablers?