Another Helping of FDR Please

President Obama has produced a credible, if not exactly inspired Thanksgiving Proclamation.

Most of the statement relies on the usual boilerplate language employed by our recent presidents, although Obama's message is a bit more anthropological than those of his predecessors – referring to the first Thanksgiving as "a harvest celebration between European settlers and indigenous communities."

The president also tosses in some universalism: "As Americans, we hail from every part of the world. While we observe traditions from every culture, Thanksgiving Day is a unique national tradition we all share. Its spirit binds us together as one people, each of us thankful for our common blessings."

And, of course, there's the call "to express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own; and to share our bounty with others."

When all is said and done, however, Obama's proclamation is no more poetic, and no more adventurous, than those issued by George W. Bush.

For Americans who think that Obama ought to use the bully pulpit more ably than his immediate predecessor, that's disappointing.

Obama ought not be carrying on where Bush left off.

Rather, he should be renewing the tradition of his boldest predecessor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Unlike most presidents, Roosevelt recognized the annual writing of the Thanksgiving Proclamation as much more than a perfunctory task. Each of the 32nd president's dozen proclamations was unique, and as his tenure progressed, Roosevelt used them to express the values of the New Deal and the internationalist struggle against fascism.

Roosevelt broke what for his time was new ground with his statements, using them to teach about religious diversity and to decry racial and ethnic divisions. As an example, Roosevelt's proclamation for Thanksgiving Day, 1941, appealed for "the establishment on earth of freedom, brotherhood, and justice…"

But the 32nd president's most persistent theme in his Thanksgiving Proclamations was the need to develop a new economic order.

Roosevelt's first Thanksgiving Proclamation, penned in the depths of the Great Depression, declared:

May we ask guidance in more surely learning the ancient truth that greed and selfishness and striving for undue riches can never bring lasting happiness or good to the individual or to his neighbors.

May we be grateful for the passing of dark days; for the new spirit of dependence one on another; for the closer unity of all parts of our wide land; for the greater friendship between employers and those who toil; for a clearer knowledge by all nations that we seek no conquests and ask only honorable engagements by all peoples to respect the lands and rights of their neighbors; for the brighter day to which we can win through by seeking the help of God in a more unselfish striving for the common bettering of mankind.

Here was a president seeking not to deny economic turbulence but to offer a vision for responding to that turbulence as united citizenry rather than as isolated individuals.

This message was a constant for Roosevelt as he implemented the New Deal.

"During the past year we have been given courage and fortitude to meet the problems which have confronted us in our national life. Our sense of social justice has deepened. We have been given vision to make new provisions for human welfare and happiness, and in a spirit of mutual helpfulness we have cooperated to translate vision into reality," he wrote in his 1934 proclamation. "More greatly have we turned our hearts and minds to things spititual. We can truly say, ‘What profiteth it a nation if it gain the whole world and lose its own soul.' With gratitude in our hearts for what has already been achieved, may we, with the help of God, dedicate ourselves anew to work for the betterment of mankind."

A year later, concerned by the rise of European fascism, Roosevelt was at his most poetic, writing that:

In traversing a period of national stress our country has been knit together in a closer fellowship of mutual interest and common purpose. We can well be grateful that more and more of our people understand and seek the greater good of the greater number. We can be grateful that selfish purpose of personal gain, at our neighbor's loss, less strongly asserts itself. We can be grateful that peace at home is strengthened by our growing willingness to common counsel. We can be grateful that our peace with other nations continues through recognition of our peaceful purpose.

But in our appreciation of the blessings that Divine Providence has bestowed upon us in America, we shall not rejoice as the Pharisee rejoiced. War and strife still live in the world. Rather, must America by example and in practice help to bind the wounds of others, strive against disorder and aggression, encourage the lessening of distrust among peoples and advance peaceful trade and friendship.

The future of many generations of mankind will be greatly guided by our acts in these present years. We hew a new trail.

America needs, once more, to hew a new trail.

And it needs a president to lead it down that trail.

Obama's soft Thanksgiving Proclamation serves the purpose of marking the holiday.

But it relinquishes the bully pulpit and he opportunity to teach and to lead a country that would be well-served by a new New Deal – and a new FDR.

Comments (80)

1. NICHOLS: "America needs, once more, to hew a new trail.

   And it needs a president to lead it down that trail."

   Hey, Nichols, hello-ooooooooo-ooooooo.......

   We ARE on a new trail of Hopey and Changey of an Unprecedented kind.

   This "new trail" treats foreign terrorists as Americans, provide said terrorists with lawyers paid for by American taxpayers, and grant them our courtroom to promote their cause.....my, Unprecedented and certainly, Magic took the path no POTUS has ever taken!

   Along a similar vein, this "new trail" extends to putting our Naby Seals on trial for some bloodied lip of yet another terrorist sought after for almost 5 years.

   Isn't our country so much better today? Aren't we just great humanitarians? Why. the world must see that we treat our enemies even better than our allied?

   Holy Toledo, this is one thrilling "new trail" we are on and we already have the perfect "president to lead it down that trail".

   The good news is, we are less than 1/4 finished with this "new trail"!

   Posted by Happy at 11/25/2009 @ 10:06pm

2. Wonderful, but how can you expect a man who's financed mainly by Wall St to turn against Wall St & rein in his backers?

   Sure, we'd be very well served by a New Deal, but there exists no well organized largescale voting bloc -- i.e. urban voters -- able to move the Congress & the President in a New Deal direction. The city machines are long dead & nothing has replaced them but big money. The GOP knew what it was doing in going after the Dem machines, only big money now rules ... and the USSC has ruled that money, like people, enjoys the right to free speech. Overturn that decision & ban political ads on TV (like all other OECD countries), and you can then reasonably expect pols who are responsive to the majority of the public. But not before. Meanwhile, Glass-Steagall will remain dead & big money very much the only live player in the game ... hence, no more FDR.

   Posted by sloper at 11/25/2009 @ 10:20pm

3. "May we ask guidance in more surely learning the ancient truth that greed and selfishness and striving for undue riches can never bring lasting happiness or good to the individual or to his neighbors." It was definately a different time and state of mind back when FDR was president. Sadly we have become a nation of overindulgence. Many believe it's their right to have everything yet not work for it. Who do we blame? How about ourselves for buying into the dream that we all deserve the best whether we work for it or not. We're all equal so if my neighbor has it then I need to have it also.

   Posted by DrPiggy at 11/25/2009 @ 11:14pm

4. Here's Another Helping of climate junk:

   BREAKING: NZ's NIWA accused of CRU-style temperature faking

   UPDATE 15:49 NZDT - NIWA's news release in response to this story appears to have been delayed, and according to a radio news report a few minutes ago Rodney Hide, leader of the minority Act Party and a minister in the National Government, is now calling on his Cabinet colleague, Climate Change Minister Nick Smith, to "please explain" [normal transmission now resumes]

   The New Zealand Government's chief climate advisory unit NIWA is under fire for allegedly massaging raw climate data to show a global warming trend that wasn't there.

   The scandal breaks as fears grow worldwide that corruption of climate science is not confined to just Britain's CRU climate research centre.....

   =============================

   The dam is breaking! For all the real scientists working under the thumbs of AGW Cultists, this is your time to come clean and blow this whole thing up! Your `science' is at stake!

   Posted by Happy at 11/25/2009 @ 11:36pm

5. Another Helping of FDR Please ?

   In other words you want a lasting global depression terminating in a world war...

   Posted by freiheit1 at 11/26/2009 @ 12:22am

6. I must say that Obama is a disappointment in more ways than one - from a leftist perspective. But at the same time he seems to be the best that the system is capable of producing. I only hope that he doesn't disappoint on Climate Change, or we're all screwed.

   Posted by mikecope at 11/26/2009 @ 02:16am

7. "The GNP was 34% higher in 1936 than in 1932 and 58% higher in 1940 on the eve of war. That is, the economy grew 58% from 1932 to 1940 in 8 years of peacetime, and then grew 56% from 1940 to 1945 in 5 years of wartime."

   http://tinyurl.com/n8sgb5

   Posted by hsuBfools at 11/24/2009 @ 11:33pm

   Save the enthusiasm, save the world...

   Posted by hsuBfools at 11/26/2009 @ 02:27am

8. I'd like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

   It really doesn't matter if we have a different view of politics or the our view of our government.

   I hope you all, and yours, have a great holiday, and a wonderful future.

   Turkey, Tofurkey, whatever...I'm here if you need help.

   Semper Fi!

   Posted by FLaim at 11/26/2009 @ 04:35am

9. The biggest TURKEY in the nation inhabits the White House now. Thanksgiving will be when he leaves in 2012!

   He still has a few things to do to finish destroying the country along with his Demwit pals!

   Posted by IndianLease at 11/26/2009 @ 05:12am

10. A couple auditioning for a reality TV show managed to slip past the U.S. Secret Service Tuesday night and attend the first state dinner given by President Obama honoring the prime minister of India.

    Worse yet, the incident only became known Wednesday after the couple, Michaele and Tariq Salahi, publicized the incident on their Facebook page with a picture of them posing with Vice President Joe Biden.

    FOOL TURKEY can't even secure the White House!!!

    Posted by IndianLease at 11/26/2009 @ 05:14am

11. No military tribunals for islamist murderers held in Gitmo but lets crucify the brave American servicemen who DARE to kill and capture the enemies of the nation! That is the message OBAMADOG is giving the military for thanksgiving!

    "The military is throwing the book at three terrorist-hunting Navy SEALs who captured one of the most wanted in Iraq.

    It seems one of the commandos may have punched Ahmed Hashim Abed, who intelligence reports said planned the bloody ambush of four Blackwater USA security guards in Fallujah, Iraq, five years ago.

    Instead of plaudits, three SEALs face court-martial in January."

    Don't you feel safer to be a fool koolaide drinking lib?

    Posted by IndianLease at 11/26/2009 @ 05:20am

12. We can all be thankful that the corporate welfare pimps who once held sway are now discredited, and their apologists are re-discovering genuine conservative principles, like smaller govt. and sound fiscal policy, that their leaders so consistently betrayed for the past 30 years.

    Of course, one thing FDR had that Obama hasn't was a genuinely Christian nation, instead of 'Christians' who demean their faith by advocating bigotry against those of different faith or skin color. No wonder that Obama's going 'anthropological' in an attempt to revive the golden rule wherever, and in whatever tradition, it may be found.

    Posted by samcrossett at 11/26/2009 @ 06:26am

13. Posted by Happy at 11/25/2009 @ 11:36pm

    Well, then, Hapy this would be the PERFECT opportunity for Michael Steele to come out and state that the Republican Party's official position is that there is no such thing as man-made global warming.

    A perfect time.

    When do you think Steele will show up on Fox to tell us that?...Sunday or a "bit later"?

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2009 @ 07:08am

14. BTW, I'm sure we'll get some of our right-wing friends showng up to tell us that "Government spending on jobs programs and infrastructure did NOT solve the Depression!"....

    that it was Government spending on buying tanks, ships, and planes and building forts, naval harbors, and airbases for the war!!!!

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2009 @ 07:10am

15. Posted by IndianLease at 11/26/2009

    Just because you disagree with someone, it doesn't mean that you have to be disagreeable.

    Posted by mikecope at 11/26/2009 @ 09:05am

16. You are pathetic John. We have God to thank for what we have, and the more clearly we remember this, the less we will fall in love with Communist leaders.

    Posted by silqworm at 11/26/2009 @ 09:44am

17. A perfect time.

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2009 @ 07:08am

    Yes, it's is, for me to show my `green' and efficient mind....reposting response from the "Coal" threa:

    You look increasingly ridiculous, you DO know that, right?

    Why would conservatives, by far the more respectful of real science than Libs, make a claim when there is UNCERTAINTY?

    It's reasonable to assume man has some effect on earth....a statement that is almost indisputable regardless of ideology. In the realm of temperature, our "effect" could be warming, cooling or none. Without good records stretching into the hundreds of millions of years, before and after the arrival of humans, all we'll have are guesses; and not very good ones so far?

    The average person have figured this out but the faithfuls, continues to "cling" to their God (that's Al Gore) and their IPCC bible.

    Where are the increased hurricanes the Believers staked their reputations on? Where is the Hot 2009 the Big Computer predicted?

    It will be a pleasure to see you continue to "cling"....I predict you'll be the last one and unlike most rats abandoning ship, you'll go down with the ship and be damned proud of it.....that, I can respect....LOL!

    Posted by Happy at 11/26/2009 @ 09:59am

18. God loves Communist leaders too.

    But then God is God...

    Thank God.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/26/2009 @ 09:59am

19. We can all be thankful that the corporate welfare pimps who once held sway are now discredited, and their apologists are re-discovering genuine conservative principles, like smaller govt. and sound fiscal policy, that their leaders so consistently betrayed for the past 30 years.

    Posted by samcrossett at 11/26/2009 @ 06:26am

    Mind if I borrow your comment, make some minor revisions and address another issue as my Thanksgiving thanks?

    We can all be thankful that the AGW pimps who once held sway are now discredited, and their apologists are re-discovering genuine scientific principles, like open to alternate studies and sound peer review policy, that their leaders so consistently betrayed for the past 30 years.

    Posted by Happy at 11/26/2009 @ 10:03am

20. As Woody Guthrie once said while standing on the banks of the mighty Columbia: "It's a good river--just needs a couple o' dozen big power dams up and down it."

    And as Woody's chorus resounded, "Uncle Sam took the challenge in the year of '33 for the farmers and the workers and for all humanity. He said, 'Roll along, Columbia, you can ramble to the sea; but, river, while you ramble, you can do some work for me....'"

    Ah, the good ol' days, when at least some on the left were much wiser, much more humane...and definitely free of the mendacious, malevolent, deeply anti-human obsessions of much of the left in these wretched times.

    Heartfelt thanks to God, to Woody, to FDR, and to the BPA. A toast to auld lang syne and best wishes to all for a wonderful Thanksgiving.

    Posted by feinfein at 11/26/2009 @ 10:12am

21. On this Thanksgiving day I give thanks to the great Flying Spaghetti Monster that I am finally witnessing the collapse of American style capitalism, you kmow, the kind that has lulled us all into supporting business over labor, have been ground down into a malleable disposable work force with no real contours, no vision, no philosophy or principles of labor, zero negotiation regarding the price of their labor, and no avenues for self determination as individuals or as a class.

    The legions of clueless free market conservatives and educated urban liberals never seem to grasp that most Americans no longer have access to the levers of self-determination. But then, I never expect the bourgeoisie to understand the legions of industrial serfs outside the gates. Nor do they much bother to try. After all, they've "got theirs." Education, safe working conditions, negotiable wages, access to real culture if they choose, progeny who will more or less continue their class patterns.

    But the sheer gravitational pull of 60 million people circling the drain is starting to draw these elites who do not know they are elites toward the drainpipe. They just might be forced into paying attention.

    Keep the pressure on,demand justice and keep the faith, it is up to us. Happy Thanksgiving y'all.

    Posted by elgreco49 at 11/26/2009 @ 10:44am

22. FDR was a patrician. There are no patricians today. FDR, Teddy and Eleanor felt that it was their duty as citizens that were given much to give back.

    There really isn't a lot to be thankful for from the current Administration/Congress: - We will get some healthcare benefits, but the main culprit, the insurance industry, will be getting rich. We needed health insurance reform more than health care reform; - On December 1, the Prez is going to authorize 34,000 more troops to Afghanistan. The Taliban is not our enemy and they will not go peaceful into the night. For many more years to come, many more young men and women will die and face tragic injuries for a meaningless war. Obama was voted in to hunt Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, not to give Karzai, Blackwater and their ilk a blank check; - TARP recipients still go unchecked and unmonitored. There is nothing that will guarentee that the current economic ills will not be repeated without Glass-Steagall's return.

    Solution - public funded elections and a broader running base. Dems and GOPPERs take their orders from K Street lobbyists not the American people. We have no democracy in America with the current election system.

    I do give thanks for the hope that things will get better. There was no hope in the previous 8 years.

    Posted by JustOneBobofMany at 11/26/2009 @ 10:46am

23. Of course, one thing FDR had that Obama hasn't was a genuinely Christian nation, instead of 'Christians' who demean their faith by advocating bigotry against those of different faith or skin color. No wonder that Obama's going 'anthropological' in an attempt to revive the golden rule wherever, and in whatever tradition, it may be found. Posted by samcrossett at 11/26/2009 @ 06:26am | ignore this person | warn this person

    NO Way, it was a violently segregated nation, complete with lynchings and the KKK, a nice bunch of christians.

    Posted by emile duBois at 11/26/2009 @ 10:46am

24. Ah, the good ol' days, when at least some on the left were much wiser, much more humane...and definitely free of the mendacious, malevolent, deeply anti-human obsessions of much of the left in these wretched times.

    thanks for nothing, creep.

    Posted by emile duBois at 11/26/2009 @ 10:48am

25. The Nation apparently believes that economic "justice" is achieved only when the government takes wealth from those who created it in order to give it to the least productive members of society. The Nation believes that we have a "right" to profit as parasites from the toil of others even if we contribute nothing to society. Justice is the absolute inverse of this emotionalist, anti-reason ideal; it holds that each man gets what he deserves.

    Luckily, the consequences of the welfare state's moral failure make it unsustainable. Liberal mandated fiscal entitlements the government has promised to pay Americans in the future put our debt at about 52 trillion dollars, which is about as much as the net household worth of the entire United States. If our economy doesn't grow in the double digits every year for the next 75 years, then America will undergo a political and economic collapse comparable to the fall of Rome.

    Posted by rightwingnutcase at 11/26/2009 @ 10:55am

26. People can beat their gums all they want about Americans being selfish. Actually, we are the most giving nation on record, and always have been. It is just that we prefer to offer the helping hand ourselves, personally, not have it ripped from our hands.

    Posted by cjbow at 11/26/2009 @ 10:58am

27. The Nation apparently believes that economic "justice" is achieved only when the government takes wealth from those who created it in order to give it to the least productive members of society.

    Labor precedes capital. Labor produces. and despite the nonsense that is being spewed about lately, business doesn't produce jobs, demand for goods and services produce jobs, and consumers produce the demand. Business hires workers, but do not create jobs.

    Posted by elgreco49 at 11/26/2009 @ 11:04am

28. Actually, we are the most giving nation on record, and always have been. It is just that we prefer to offer the helping hand ourselves, personally, not have it ripped from our hands. Posted by cjbow at 11/26/2009 @ 10:58am | ignore this person | warn this person

    wake up. stop spreading pablum, many many children go hungry in this paradise of a country of ours.

    Posted by emile duBois at 11/26/2009 @ 11:06am

29. "Labor precedes capital."

    Someone had to invent the assembly line first.

    Posted by rightwingnutcase at 11/26/2009 @ 11:14am

30. Someone had to invent the assembly line first.

    In order to justify the building the assembly line first( by manual labor I'm guessing) there had to have been the demand for whatever was coming off the line first.

    Posted by elgreco49 at 11/26/2009 @ 11:36am

31. This article is a complete joke and I am firmly convinced that our county is doomed because people like Nichols exist. It is all over. It will not happen in the next few years but in our children or grandchildren's time it will be completely over. Roosevelt embarked on a disasterous economic policy that resulted in the longest depression in US history. His policies did not work yet no lesson is learned from it. The kool-aid drinkers want more and there is nothing that can be done to counter their cancerous ideology.

    Posted by Jefferson123 at 11/26/2009 @ 11:51am

32. Posted by elgreco49 at 11/26/2009 @ 11:36am | ignore this person | warn this person

    Henry Ford stimulated demand for his product by paying his workers a good wage. just the opposite what has happened in our time, when the bosses cut the wages, froze out unions, shipped jobs overseas, and killed the golden goose.

    Posted by emile duBois at 11/26/2009 @ 11:52am

33. Jefferson23 How's this Reagan-Milton Friedman free market crap sandwich we've been served up since 1980 workin' for ya? It sure looks pretty much screwed uo to most of us.

    Posted by elgreco49 at 11/26/2009 @ 11:57am

34. Posted by Jefferson123 at 11/26/2009 @ 11:51am

    "The GNP was 34% higher in 1936 than in 1932 and 58% higher in 1940 on the eve of war. That is, the economy grew 58% from 1932 to 1940 in 8 years of peacetime, and then grew 56% from 1940 to 1945 in 5 years of wartime."

    http://tinyurl.com/n8sgb5

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/24/2009 @ 11:33pm

    Save the enthusiasm, save the world...

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/26/2009 @ 02:27am

    The doom Jef-3 sees is that of the cold clasping hold greedy new con worms and blood sucking ticks have had on the world. Spit-- and it will be a thankful thing for humanity; good riddance to the anti-humanitiness of that ideology.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/26/2009 @ 12:07pm

35. Unfortunately, we have an economic system and national philosophy based on the idea of every man getting rich. Impossible, unsustainable and bound for disaster from the start. Mankind's entire idea of what constitutes an economy is about to come into question at some point soon. Not just in America, but all the other (over) developed nations too.

    We cannot manufacture our way out of it, or spend or invest our way out of it, through a free market "green economy." That's what got us here in the first place. Superheated spending to pump up a malignant economic system that devoured the earth.

    America needs to change our notion of governance. As long as we define our world ideologically in terms of conservatives or liberals, change ain't never gonna happen in the USA, for sure. Certainly not through politicians. They like the status quo, They depend upon it for their survival. Any new and better system undoubtedly would not include them. Their job is to tell us what we want to hear, not what we really need to do Real change would mean Americans grasping the concept of humility. Living small, very small, and being of meaningful service and value to one's neighbor.

    Posted by elgreco49 at 11/26/2009 @ 12:18pm

36. The culture needs more than a speech. It needs more than leaders and for that matter a press that is totally disconnected from reality. It needs a rediscovery of the necessity of personal responsibility, morality, voluntary charity, and educational standards that seek to produce more than self- esteem.

    The culture and values of the nation in FDR's era, as compared to now is separated by a monstrous chasm. The family unit is fractured contributing heavily to poverty, the halls of acadamia have lost their way, the media is an absurd tragedy and the body politic is a completely hollow shell, lacking the presence, brilliance and understanding of their moral obligation and purpose of our very distant past.

    Talk is cheap unless it incudes the evidence of courage, intelligence, sacrifice and real heroism. The nation needs both leaders and citizens that have rediscovered the price and responsibility of maintaining true freedom. "What have you given us Mr. Franklin?" "A Republic if you can keep it", Franklin replied.

    In the end the responsiblity is ours, for we the people truly reap what we sow and embrace. THE FUTURE STILL BELONGS TO FREE PEOPLE, BUT I WONDER IF THE COST IS TOO HIGH FOR US TO STOP JUST GRIPING, AND TO LIVE IN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LEGACY THAT WE HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED?

    Posted by preacherdanb at 11/26/2009 @ 12:34pm

37. Yes, please, please let us have another FDR instead of this pretender.

    When FDR put people back to work during The Great Depression, "Americans built 125,000 public buildings, 75,000 bridges, 8,000 parks, 800 airports, and more than 650,000 miles of roads, creating a modern American infrastructure and earning a paycheck all the while." http://tinyurl.com/2d2pn4

    FDR had moved swiftly, creatively and energetically to stop the hemorrhaging of the Great Depression and soon had America on the path to better times; for some the times were better than they had ever known.

    People with regular paychecks bought things, the money circulated and people prospered. The surest proof that people knew their lives had improved under FDR's leadership was the awesome landslide of support they gave him when he ran for a second term in 1936. FDR won re-election with 60.80 % of the vote (62.6% of the votes cast counting only the two major parties) -- that is the second highest percentage in America history. http://tinyurl.com/mrglvs

    Posted by Dream at 11/26/2009 @ 12:34pm

38. Posted by preacherdanb at 11/26/2009 @ 12:34pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    bitch, bitch, bitch.

    the past was always better. follow this to its logical conclusion, the stone age was best of all.

    Posted by emile duBois at 11/26/2009 @ 12:36pm

39. Back then in the good old FDR days, was it even 'proper' to print/popularize poverty, single parent families, death due to lack of healthcare,... etc. Accept perhaps during Christmas, a some small cry for charity. Wasn't muckraking rare. Information mostly word of mouth due to high illiteracy. No cable news; radio news was way limited to a few minutes a day. Mostly entertainment. Well, some things haven't changed.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/26/2009 @ 12:57pm

40. OMG Can we all please wait until our failure joke of a president actually accomplishes something substantial before comparing him to FDR, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy???

    The Obama Cult thing is getting old and nauseating.

    Posted by TonyV at 11/26/2009 @ 1:19pm

41. The Obama Cult thing is getting old and nauseating. Posted by TonyV at 11/26/2009 @ 1:19pm

    New con wormy lying ideology and paranoia is much much older and sickening.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/26/2009 @ 1:45pm

42. Some of the Obama supporters here seem to think it is only Republicans who say Obama is failing as a president.

    Wake up, Obama robots, millions of liberals and Democrats (some of whom voted for Obama) also recognize that Obama is failing as president.

    Posted by Dream at 11/26/2009 @ 2:04pm

43. At core the conflict is between Ayn Rand and FDR. FDR won, but the John Galt crappola churns anew with each emergent crop of semi-literate adolescents.

    The problem is, Rand's "self interest as highest good" seems to make sense until quite a bit of reflection has passed. It takes some growing up to see that forms of cooperation are the most individually enriching. There are probably many arrangements that will "work," though all can be brought to an end through wealth disparity.

    The market is amoral. It has nothing to say about good and bad. I say again that America is a practical -- a pracgmatic -- nation. Laissez Faire Capitalism has no better chance of success than any form of activity without rules. Communism has no success because all groups become intersted only in themselves.

    Oh, and this set of commentators has Tea Baggers attached. They are like mold encrusting communication channels.

    Posted by delonix at 11/26/2009 @ 2:31pm

44. Obama is checking off a long list of attempts to make repubs relevant. At some point it becomes pointless and change happens despite or because of our allowing the new con worms' and blood sucking ticks', inability to evolve-- find inevitable and justifiable extinction.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/26/2009 @ 3:01pm

45. Posted by Dream at 11/26/2009 @ 2:04pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    perhaps we can compare Obama with Kennedy and that goddamn Bush. both of those had major disasters during their first year, Bay of Pigs and 9/11.

    Obama has had no such failures, and he was dealt a far worse hand. in fact he has had a major success in avoiding the total collapse of the economy. that is what the electorate will remember when they vote in 2012.

    finally, what would McCain/Palin have done?

    Posted by emile duBois at 11/26/2009 @ 3:06pm

46. wake up. stop spreading pablum, many many children go hungry in this paradise of a country of ours.

    Posted by emile duBois at 11/26/2009 @ 11:06am

    Wake up. Stop spreading pablum.

    We are the most obese people in the world-especially our children.

    Posted by antisocialist at 11/26/2009 @ 3:51pm

47. We are the most obese people in the world-especially our children. Posted by antisocialist at 11/26/2009 @ 3:51pm

    Oh the anti-humanity...

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/26/2009 @ 4:03pm

48. Wake up. Stop spreading pablum.

    We are the most obese people in the world-especially our children.

    Posted by antisocialist at 11/26/2009 @ 3:51pm

    So presumably you haven't seen the report by the Department of Agriculture that found that 49 million, or 1 in 7 American struggled to get enough to eat. The report used the term "low food security," which has been the case ever since the Bush administration ordered the reports to stop using such terms as "go hungry" or "hunger." The problem of obesity is caused primarily by over reliance on low cost foods high on additives and preservatives, but low on nutritional value.

    Posted by nkurland at 11/26/2009 @ 5:27pm

49. We are the most obese people in the world-especially our children.

    Posted by antisocialist at 11/26/2009 @ 3:51pm

    This is true "anti" however we are a country of extremes don't let the little fat ones fool you. There are plenty of malnourished children in our own backyard. Even worse there are more songle moms who shouldn't be mom's, they would rather party and have fun then take care of there children. In highscool its considered a status booster if you get pregnant.

    Posted by DrPiggy at 11/26/2009 @ 5:47pm

50. One of the key questions for Obama is how well he adjusts to the moralk collapse of the Global Warming Fraud, aqnd whether or not he faces reality.

    John D. Froelich

    Posted by balataf at 11/26/2009 @ 7:06pm

51. 'As an example, Roosevelt's proclamation for Thanksgiving Day, 1941, appealed for "the establishment on earth of freedom, brotherhood, and justice…"'

    John Nichols should have put a "sic" after brotherhood. As usual, Nichols looks the other way when patriarchy rears its ugly head.

    Posted by ktrig at 11/26/2009 @ 7:30pm

52. It's very possible to be malnourished and obese. Calories are not necessarily nourishment.

    And for crying out loud, folks, wake up. We have ONE political party in this country, both branches controlled by banksters, judeo-christian racists, con artists in suits and people who have become obscenely wealthy by NOT doing and honest day's work EVER. Communism, capitalism, yadda yadda, it's always been about who does the work and who takes the money. We are as corrupt as any socialist society has ever been and serve as absolute proof that any government can be subverted and corrupted from the inside out.

    My Thanksgiving wish is this: Now that anyone can see that Obama is every bit the mobster that Bush was, maybe now we can get serious about fighting the REAL enemy. Any decent person who WORKS for a living knows who they are.

    Posted by DejaVu at 11/26/2009 @ 7:34pm

53. "It's reasonable to assume man has some effect on earth....a statement that is almost indisputable regardless of ideology."

    Happy, stoop using male chauvinistic language. You should have said, "It's reasonable to assume humaniind has some effect on earth . . ."

    Posted by ktrig at 11/26/2009 @ 7:35pm

54. "it holds that each man gets what he deserves."

    Rightwing nutcase, stop using male chauvinistic language.

    Posted by ktrig at 11/26/2009 @ 7:39pm

55. "Unfortunately, we have an economic system and national philosophy based on the idea of every man (sic) getting rich. Impossible, unsustainable and bound for disaster from the start. Mankind's (sic) entire idea of what constitutes an economy is about to come into question at some point soon."

    Elgreco.49, stop using male chauvinistic language. I stopped reading your post when you said, "Mankind."

    Posted by ktrig at 11/26/2009 @ 7:45pm

56. It's not chauvanist to point out that WOMEN are every bit as greedy, dishonest, self serving and arrogant as MEN are. Granted, 15 million years has taught the sexes different tactics, but the effect is the same.

    Posted by DejaVu at 11/26/2009 @ 7:49pm

57. Why did Roosevelt succeed?He put people to work and they in turn spent their earned wages on goods and services.Mind you this was in an era of 30% unemployment.The point is though that the people spent and the economy recovered.Fast forward to today and our current Administration gave a hand to the pillars of the business community who steered the ship onto the rocks.They have repaid the President by bolstering their bottom lines,working up a bonus payment schedule,and not loosening up credit for the engine of America,small business.Look at the legislation,cap and trade "credits" to whose benefit. Health care legislation that a majority party has so incompetently crafted that their own members don't know if they can support it.A minority party whose only goal is to obstruct the President,intellectuals are few and far between.War supporters,let's hunt down the terrorists though we don't know if the terrorists are the governments of Iraq,Pakistan,or Afghanistan or the Taliban or AlQaida. Who really is who?Let's solve this mess with more troops and a larger budget.Let's howl like wolves that we are going to prosecute criminals in New York.The conservatives would rather hold them in perpetuity in a foreign country.Why can't we try them now?What are we scared of,ourselves?It would be nice to see Obama have a Roosevelt moment.Actually stand up for the American people as a whole. Tell the health care cabal that he wants to see premiums go down not up.Tell the Congress you have written a blank check for your contributors,have you no shame.To members of his Administration,let's think and work to create jobs not click glasses with corporate lobbyists.Maybe then Americans would think"Change is coming to America".I believe our President needs to listen to speeches from a year ago.

    Posted by whatozz at 11/26/2009 @ 8:21pm

58. Posted by Jefferson123 at 11/26/2009 @ 11:51am

    "Americans don't think, they have opinions"

    Posted by V at 11/26/2009 @ 9:40pm

59. It's an interesting comparison, despite the fact that Obama has repeatedly taken great pains to alienate and isolate his progressive base. That being said, if anything resembling a new New Deal is pursued, it will come from the House, which realizes the very real and potentially devastating discontent brewing among their supporters and more importantly, the American public.

    As it stands the financial sector is universally reviled. On top of the proposed audit of the Federal Reserve, the bill on regulating systemic risk was amended to include provisions for breaking up institutions "too big to fail," and now were seeing legislation being proposed that would cap credit card interest rates. All of this has come from the House.

    We've put nearly a year of Obama flagrantly breaking campaign promises, whether it be simply rejecting the prospects for renogiating NAFTA or making a disgusting backroom deal with Billy Tauzin. There needs to be a very clear message sent to this administration: act in the public interest or get out.

    Posted by nkurland at 11/26/2009 @ 10:03pm

60. FDR was an evil tyrant who came closer to bringing this country to dictatorship than any other President in history. The facts clearly show he destroyed our economy. Read the section of The Capitalist Manifesto devoted to the Great Depression to see the facts for yourself.

    Posted by rightwingnutcase at 11/26/2009 @ 10:47pm

61. "It's reasonable to assume man has some effect on earth....a statement that is almost indisputable regardless of ideology."

    Happy, stoop using male chauvinistic language. You should have said, "It's reasonable to assume humaniind has some effect on earth . . ."

    Posted by ktrig at 11/26/2009 @ 7:35pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    ."it holds that each man gets what he deserves."

    Rightwing nutcase, stop using male chauvinistic language.

    Posted by ktrig at 11/26/2009 @ 7:39pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    And another feminazis fool makes the thanksgiving day parade costumed as a castrated turkey! Almost 40 years of senseless crapola from these extreme seperatist, except when Clinton raped, groped, and womanized!

    Posted by BigPasture at 11/27/2009 @ 12:05am

62. "One of our great presidents, Franklin Roosevelt, expressed this optimism even at the height of the Great Depression. He said, and I quote, 'plenty is at our doorstop but a generous use of it languishes in the very sight of the supply.' "

    "My friends, that's true again today. I reject the gloom and doom that says our nation is in decline," **McCain** said. "America's best days are ahead of us."

    ==============================

    Mike Huckabee is the latest in a long line of Republicans who casually perpetuate the meme that FDR apparently was one of them. Speaking at tonight's convention, he told his audience that in his little hometown of Hope, Arkansas, three big heroes were God, Elvis and FDR.

    ==============================

    FDR pulled the US out of the Great Depression, created Social Security and many other fundamental and revered federal programs, and shepherded the democratic world toward victory against facism and the Axis powers.

    ==============================

    Even Republicans have come to applaud this most successful of Democrats. Ronald Reagan voted four times for F.D.R. Newt Gingrich calls F.D.R. the greatest President of the century. Bob Dole praises F.D.R. as an "energetic and inspiring leader during the dark days of the Depression; a tough, single-minded Commander in Chief during World War II; and a statesman."

    Posted by winyahn at 11/27/2009 @ 12:09am

63. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091214/kaufmann

    How do you see FDR's response to the Depression as compared to the actions of this administration and Congress?

    It just seems that we are burdened by our own complexity. When Roosevelt was president, within three months because of a man named Harry Hopkins, hundreds of thousands of young people and others were employed through the Civilian Conservation Corps. In three months. They were able to figure out how to do that. Now we are into month eleven, and only 22 percent of the recovery money is spent, according to what they said at this morning's hearing. But you don't see the same kind of aggressiveness on the jobs front that Roosevelt seemed to be able to achieve within the bureaucracy.

    And what about the foreclosure and reform fronts?

    [FDR] had set up the Home Owners' Loan Corporation. They put all of the troubled loans into that. There was an aggressiveness and an immediate responsiveness, and to me--in contrast to helping people--thus far what's happened is Wall Street's been helped tremendously. They've got some of the biggest profits in history, while the rest of the country's going down the tubes. And, I can't believe Roosevelt--I mean, he would never have let that happen. He had a focus on Main Street. He understood Wall Street. His advisers understood it. They understood its power, and they used their own power to help the American people. And that's what I don't see happening here. I see enormous delay, I see lots of obfuscation, I see lots of press releases. But I see more joblessness and I see more foreclosures. And I don't see the dispatch with which Roosevelt worked to try to stem the bleeding.

    Posted by ttr at 11/27/2009 @ 12:36am

64. Posted by DejaVu at 11/26/2009 @ 7:34pm

    yep.

    Posted by Blair Wooff at 11/27/2009 @ 01:10am

65. FDR pulled us out of the Depression? Really? The "New Deal" was a complete failure! Unemployment went UP not down under it. World War Two is what got us out of the depression. That is a FACT not the fiction liberals love to spout. But FDR did do one thing, he let 2400 Americans die at Pearl Harbour and ruin the careers of Adm.Kimmel and Gen.Short. FDR knew Japan was going to attack Pearl and he let it happen. I'd suggest you read Pearl Harbour A day of deceit. Or watch the film The Pearl Harbour deception on the web. FDR was a 33rd degree Mason, the highest level you can achieve, he was a believer in the "New World Order". He pushed England under the bus for his good friend Stalin who was worse than Hitler! Yeah, we need another FDR, but then we have one right now with Obamugabe.

    Posted by Rick43515 at 11/27/2009 @ 02:41am

66. Hey Rick glad you could open your keyboard now put it to sleep.

    Posted by whatozz at 11/27/2009 @ 05:51am

67. Here's a dose of FDR for you

    April 18 1943 FDR orders an entire squadron of P-38's to fly to the extreme of their range, avoiding all contact with land and radar to murder the planner of 12/7/41, where fewer Americans died than in Manhattan and the Pentagon.

    Of course, one of the parts of his character which made that great man was his ability to recognize the national interest with a view to security without mercy. This president today is capable only of planning and executing harm to those who can never harm him, except politically, REPUBLICANS, specifically those who served the administration and now will actually be the ones on trial in NY. And perhaps in reality as a result in the Hague, after. But then, of course that will fall neatly into 2012, won't it?

    Men such as Tojo, Yamamoto, Homma met their fate as those who initiate a war should. Obama has yet to accept the real world.. we are in a war not of our own making, cause, or fault.

    Until he does, his every foreign endeavor will end in confusion and humiliation.

    Just watch.

    It will take a generation to fix three more years of this

    Posted by epaminondas at 11/27/2009 @ 05:57am

68. Roosevelt controlled the actions of the world,Obama is being controlled by the actions of the world around him.Roosevelt had the people behind him when he engaged a disgraced business/upper class.Today Obama has a group of conservatives in opposition,independents who have the need to feel power,and liberals disenchanted with a lack of change.Who is our enemy,the natural historical glue of our national identity.We are throwing trillions of dollars at "national defense".Our return on investment has been soldier and civilian deaths,a staggering economy,and a deeply polarized nation.The fear mongers on the conservative side continually warn us of danger.It is like a modern day "numbers" racket in which if enough time goes by thewre will be an ugly incident.What bothers me the most is one of the most strident voices in this camp is our former Vice President.Here is a man that was granted 5 deferments to escape serving his country.Then he becomes a man at the forefront of our "war on terror".He is a symbol of the wide gulf in between schools of political thought in this country.Another symbol is the usage of a political operative(Karl Rove) as an op-ed writer in The Wall Street Journal.This is the merger of business and political philosophy.Add in the group of ex-Wall Streeters helping steer our national ship onto the rocks at present and see why liberals are seeing today as a true "Black Friday".

    Posted by whatozz at 11/27/2009 @ 08:03am

69. What did Obama do? According to Mark Zandi, the chief economist for Moody's, he stopped the recession from being far worse. "The cost to taxpayers has been substantial but would have been even greater if aggressive action was not taken and the financial crisis and recession had been allowed to continue unchecked." http://tiny.cc/33jOS

    Obama was handed the most severe recession of the post-war era. Zandi gives the stress tests by Treasury part of the credit for stabilizing financial institutions.

    Zandi also stated that "The stimulus is doing what it was supposed to do: short-circuit the recession and spur recovery." with spending increases such as unemployment benefits and infrastructure spending giving the most GDP boost per dollar.

    Posted by brunowe at 11/27/2009 @ 08:52am

70. Posted by ttr at 11/27/2009 @ 12:36am

    Yes, there was a lot less complexity during that era, but greater yet lets not forget that FDR was still years away from being engaged in two war fronts when he 1st arrives into office.

    Imagine if Obama had only a financial mess to fix.

    No, the new con frat debacle left an almost totally destroyed house to repair.

    Anybody, but ignorant new con repubs, not see an on-going and/or recurring pattern here?

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/27/2009 @ 08:54am

71. WE COULD NOT SURVIVE AS A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC IF WE GET ANOTHER MARXIST NEW DEAL-WE ARE ALREADY BANKRUPT.

    Obama already admitted we are broke

    <Sat May 23 2009 10:32:18 ET

    In a sobering holiday interview with C-SPAN, President Obama boldly told Americans: "We are out of money."

    C-SPAN host Steve Scully broke from a meek Washington press corps with probing questions for the new president.

    SCULLY: You know the numbers, $1.7 trillion debt, a national deficit of $11 trillion. At what point do we run out of money?

    OBAMA: Well, we are out of money now. We are operating in deep deficits, not caused by any decisions we've made on health care so far. This is a consequence of the crisis that we've seen and in fact our failure to make some good decisions on health care over the last several decades.>

    http://www.drudgereport.com/flashocs.htm

    Posted by antisocialist at 11/27/2009 @ 09:15am

72. Elgreco.49, stop using male chauvinistic language. I stopped reading your post when you said, "Mankind." Posted by ktrig at 11/26/2009 @ 7:45pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    whattabunchofnonsense. the word woman has the word man imbedded. I suggest we stop using that word, perhaps being replaced with something more contemporary, like bitch.

    Posted by emile duBois at 11/27/2009 @ 10:08am

73. Men such as Tojo, Yamamoto, Homma met their fate as those who initiate a war should.

    men and women such as Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice et al sshould share their fate.

    there is no justice, there is only victor's justice.

    Posted by emile duBois at 11/27/2009 @ 10:20am

74. Posted by antisocialist at 11/27/2009 @ 09:15am

    None so broke as to be soulless and anti-humanity.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/27/2009 @ 10:33am

75. None so broke as to be soulless and anti-humanity.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/27/2009 @ 10:33am

    You truly are a fool. Being anti socialism, being against bankruptcy for the nation is not soulless and anti-humanity.

    Posted by antisocialist at 11/27/2009 @ 11:56am

76. ...will not be repeated without Glass-Steagall's return.

    Posted by JustOneBobofMany at 11/26/2009 @ 10:46am | ignore this person | warn this person

    Yes.

    Glass-Steagall is an excellent example of NEW DEAL ERA legislation which has been REPEALED to the detriment of the nation:

    The Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 established the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in the United States and included banking reforms, some of which were designed to control speculation.[1] Some provisions such as Regulation Q, which allowed the Federal Reserve to regulate interest rates in savings accounts, were repealed by the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980. Provisions that prohibit a bank holding company from owning other financial companies were repealed on November 12, 1999, by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

    Posted by schnellerheinz at 11/27/2009 @ 2:57pm

77. And another feminazis fool makes the thanksgiving day parade costumed as a castrated turkey! Almost 40 years of senseless crapola from these extreme seperatist, except when Clinton raped, groped, and womanized!

    Posted by BigPasture at 11/27/2009 @ 12:05am | ignore this person | warn this person

    I LOVE THAT!

    ANOTHER rightie poster here using the "feminazi" moniker, a sure sign of Limbaugh addiction.

    Forthwith...

    Since we are appropriating proprietary phraseology, I shall retain the right to the use of the term "assclown" where the situation shall warrant.

    Posted by schnellerheinz at 11/27/2009 @ 3:04pm

78. Posted by antisocialist at 11/27/2009 @ 11:56am

    You are then also delusional.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/27/2009 @ 3:24pm

79. Obama is a weak and indecisive president and he whines entirely too much.

    Posted by Dream at 11/27/2009 @ 6:46pm

80. Wake up-- you're dreaming again.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/27/2009 @ 7:24pm