To the Left, To the Left . . . Everything You Own in a Box To the Left

If one could describe FDR’s New Deal “Alphabet Soup” programs of the First Great Depression, one would say that it was a smorgasbord, a veritable buffet of programs and policies meant to offer options both to the  government and to the people it served.  It was as if FDR and his New Deal "brains trust" threw as much as they could against the wall to see what would stick.  Don't forget that FDR was a lefty, but he was pragmatic.

As is typical of such a strategy, everyone was happy and no one was happy.  From the left, critics argued that the programs did not go far enough, as Huey Long of Louisiana would say, to “share our wealth.”  From the right, critics warned FDR that New Deal programs had gone too far, making government the inhibitor of entrepreneurship.  Once the government tasted the intoxicating cocktail of power and control, thought the right, it could never pull itself away from the bureaucracy it created.  And once the people became accustomed to a federal handout, a drug as equally intoxicating as power, a welfare state would be created.

Welcome to the Second Great Depression and the challenges before Barack O’Bama.  He has ambitious plans . . . and detailed plans contrary to those who say his change is undefined or vague . . . that must target the middle of the road with a leftward lilt that reflects the will of the people.  Should he go too far to the left, his mandate will be retracted in 2010.  If he doesn’t go far enough to help alleviate the present economic woes, he will flounder like Carter and alienate his base . . . like Bush.  What a combination.

O’Bama did not win the south, but he won over many in the south. His victory is fragile in Dixie because of the fact that the far right has been firmly entrenched in the old Confederacy  since George Wallace split the Dems in 1968 and Carter embarrassed us in 1980.  The Old Guard is not gone, not by a long shot, but the arrogance and aura of entitlement of the last eight years is gone . . . and the gods always punish hubris.

O’Bama has the charisma of Kennedy, the ideas of Roosevelt (both of them), and the symbolism of Lincoln.  He needs to take the middle path . . . like Ike.

Comments

[Stephen Hull]

I know what a recession is and appears we at the begining of one. For those in the left biased media that claims we have been in one for over a year read this "Recession is when there is 2 consecutive quarters of negative growth." Last time I checked we had not hit that yet. Obama is the President and I will support him but that does not mean I have to roll over on my back like a dog and have him rub my belly.

[Jim Mc Mahon]

Good post and some good comments. I get so tired of everybody talking about the left and the right. What we need to be talking about what is good common honest sense and what is best for our country. FDR was a true leader and had the common sense to do what was pragmatic and doable. Ike did what was right for the country-not a lot of fanfare but got the job done. We still have two big Months of Bush and Cheney-would be a lot better if Obama could take over tomorrow. Obama inherits a real mess-almost as bad as what FDR inherited-but Obama is a smart man, honest, a hard worker and truly a President for all of the people inAmerica-not just one group like W. Look for 8 years of Obama-at the end of 8 years we all will probably want to change two term limit to at least 4 terms.

[Beth Foster]

Americans, both Republicans and Democrats have turned into a bunch of whiny babies like they have just missed their afternoon nap. There is no way to make everyone happy all the time, otherwise we would be living in a utopia. If Obama leans too far to the right then the left will cry "Foul!". Too far to the left and and the right will start to grumble. I am confident that there are many things that our new President will do that will piss off a lot of people, but equally I am sure that there will be many more things that he will do that will have Americans singing towards the Heavens, thanking God (or their personal religious figures) for the "Change" that Obama has brought to this great nation. I have to agree with the Hiker here in that the middle of the road is the best path for Obama to take in order to attempt to keep the majority of the citizens, dare I say happy.

In this day and age, I am proud of my country and its citizens for having the ability to elect a black man to the highest office in the land. I know that this was hard for many of the die hard Southern Republicans, and I am embarrassed to say that I know many of these people. The people that said "If Obama wins, then I'm gonna move." Well, it has been 3 days now and I don't see them packing. I assume that they will continue sit in their double-wides, drinking their Busch beer and complain. But this is America, they have that right. The Constitution protects all citizens in the wonderful country, even the ignorant ones.

I pray for my country. I pray for my President. I pray for my President-elect and his family, for their health, happiness, and safety. I pray that Obama will have the right words at the right time and with those words the ability to unite Americans much in the way that we were united after 9/11/2001.

In Obama's acceptance speech Tuesday night he stated that for even the people that didn't vote for him "I will be your President too." That single statement brought chill bumps to my skin for at that moment I felt and heard the truth that was in his voice.

Did I mention that I am a Republican? Even though my candidate did not win, I will support Obama to the best of my abilities...He is now MY President too and it is my duty as an American to support him.

[The Hiker]

Two years? No. Some on the right have been saying this "two years" bung since May. The Barbara and Harry show did not begin until January 2007. Last I checked, it's November. And one vote in the Senate, especially one by Jumpin' Joe Liebermann, does not a majority make. Congress has been at a standstill for two years...the whole damned place needs an enema.

BTW, unemployment is not the only measure of recession. This is the greatest recession since the Great Depression and most experts have said we are in a once-in-a-century economic downturn...the Second Great Depression. Thank FDR for putting in place programs that prevented the realities this country suffered in the 1930s.

Nixon and Ford doomed Carter, not Carter.

[Stephen Hull]

Well put, I think one of the exit poll questions was this. Do you consider yourself liberal or conservative? 22% Liberal, 44% Moderate & 34% Conservative. If he leans to far left, he could find himself on a lonely cliff looking at the disaster Jimmy Carter. BTW, we are not in a Depression, or even close at this point. Reagan (1st term) had the highest unemployment of any modern sitting President at 8.6% (Thanks to Jimmy). I think Bush left Obama a pile of dung but lets not forget who has controlled congress for the last 2 years. Middle of the road will get him 8 years, leaning left will get him 4. As the most liberal Senator in Congress, my bet is his arrogance(53% does not equal a mandate) will make him veer to far to the left and as you said a new change will start to hold in 2010.