Good morning.
Friday in Whitewater will be partly cloudy with a high of 75. Sunrise is 5:15 AM and sunset 8:35 PM for 15h 19m 49s of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 2.9% of its visible disk illuminated.
On this day in 1911, IBM is founded as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company in Endicott, New York.
As an ideological matter, one would not expect a libertarian to find inspiration in Franklin Roosevelt. That would be a mistake, as this libertarian blogger finds much to admire in Roosevelt apart from the New Deal. Indeed, there’s not one of Roosevelt’s speeches, whether read, heard, or seen that I do not find inspirational in some way. As Lincoln was transformative of America in the 19th century, so Roosevelt was in the 20th. They were, in ways more thorough and profound than their contemporaries, both shaped and shapers of America.
Recently, Jamelle Bouie mentioned favorably Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union address (commonly called his ‘Four Freedoms’ speech). Bouie’s right: it does pop, each word, line, and paragraph:
In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.
The first is freedom of speech and expression–everywhere in the world.
The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way–everywhere in the world.
The third is freedom from want–which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants-everywhere in the world.
The fourth is freedom from fear–which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor–anywhere in the world.
That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called new order of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb.
To that new order we oppose the greater conception–the moral order. A good society is able to face schemes of world domination and foreign revolutions alike without fear.
Since the beginning of our American history, we have been engaged in change–in a perpetual peaceful revolution–a revolution which goes on steadily, quietly adjusting itself to changing conditions–without the concentration camp or the quick-lime in the ditch. The world order which we seek is the cooperation of free countries, working together in a friendly, civilized society.
This nation has placed its destiny in the hands and heads and hearts of its millions of free men and women; and its faith in freedom under the guidance of God. Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere. Our support goes to those who struggle to gain those rights and keep them. Our strength is our unity of purpose.
To that high concept there can be no end save victory.
Roosevelt was also willing to confront others in blunt terms. In his October 1936 speech at Madison Square Garden, he makes his views plain:
We have not come this far without a struggle and I assure you we cannot go further without a struggle.
For twelve years this Nation was afflicted with hear-nothing, see-nothing, do-nothing Government. The Nation looked to Government but the Government looked away. Nine mocking years with the golden calf and three long years of the scourge! Nine crazy years at the ticker and three long years in the breadlines! Nine mad years of mirage and three long years of despair! Powerful influences strive today to restore that kind of government with its doctrine that that Government is best which is most indifferent.
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.
Of his critics, Roosevelt expresses no hatred, but boldly welcomes their opposition, even their hatred:
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.
There, in full: a worthy man. Words and convictions that are inspirational this century later even to ordinary people as we are.
See from FREE WHITEWATER Roosevelt’s Speech at Madison Square Garden (10.31.1936).
NASA Reveals New ‘Postcard’ From Mars:
I don’t think this is surprising when you think that perspectives are about ideology in different ways. There is more than left vs. right. There is also up vs. down. Roosevelt was no populist man of the people to be sure, but he did care about regular people. You seem to place huge emphasis on regular people over groups, so it makes sense that Roosevelt’s rhetoric would be appealing from that perspective. In many ways Roosevelt was the ultimate insider although he consistently rejected other insiders of his era. (The speeches make that clear. He’s arguing against big business and foreign threats.)
It is not kidding to describe Roosevelt as blunt! He said what he meant.
Thanks very much for your comments. Yes, I suppose that must be right. American history has a vast repository of examples, useful in many ways, from the great men and women of our past. New Deal aside, FDR doesn’t disappoint.