Wednesday, March 04, 2009

76 Years Ago....


"“We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace — business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering. ... 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!"


76 years ago today in 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was sworn in to his 1st term as president. As the corporate conservatives desparately try to rewrite the real history of America we find ourselves reliving the same struggle for control over the forces of unfettered greed and control of our national destiny.
Below, thanks to crooksnadliars is Roosevelt's 1936 speech from Madison Square Garden on October 31, 1936. After the rhetoric that came out of last weeks CPAC convention it is more evident than ever that is the same fight, the same foes, the same truths.

11 comments:

mud_rake said...

We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace — business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.

Sad, isn't it, that history repeats itself. Apparently American History is not taught too well in schools. Rather than memorizing idiotic names and dates, schools ought to insist that our students 'get' the important historical stuff- the stuff that we ought not repeat, ever!

microdot said...

Well, the real failure of American education is apparent when the conservatives feel confident enough in trusting the ignorance of the public to try to rewrite history to fit their fantasies.

Anonymous said...

Here is the problems with the education system...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swl8frWSNEQ

-Sepp

steve said...

^^ rebutal ^^

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226093423.htm


One of my best friends is an authored doctor of chemistry who went through Washington Local- K-12 and graduated from Whitmer.

microdot said...

Sepp, I watched that piece you referred to...C'mon, man, it was a parody, right?
I cannot believe that people think that by doing away with public education, instead of responsibly funding and fixing the broken systems, that they could provide anything on any realistic scale that would resposibly address the needs of a society.

I like and respect the basic concepts of Libertarianism, but a lot of
the opinions about guns and education and social responsibility are pretty infantile...

-Sepp said...

We've been "responsibly funding" the U.S education system in ever increasing amounts for 40+ years to no avail. It isn't a funding problem it's a curriculum problem as well. Regardless of the billions being spent, if we're teaching junk, we're going to produce junk and take the place in the world that we've earned for ourselves.
All the "feel-good" crap that is being passed off as "education" comes crashing down for a kid who has to compete for a job against someone who's school skipped the social engineering and focused on math, science, reading and language skills.

LOL, personal responsibility is infantile? As opposed to what? Growing up and trading a biological parent for the government? I think you have it backwards!

microdot said...

Yes, it is, when the concept is misused as a magic bullet to relieve yourself of the responsibility of participating in and contributing to the society of the country on the planet you live on.
Other countries have schools systems which work. America has many fine schools and systems that work.

To focus on the problems caused by mismanagement or try to say that government is controlling the curiculaum and then to say that to fix the probem requires trashing the system and making it a private responsibility boggles the mind.

I do not think your arguments are based in reality or offer anything of value to society.

microdot said...

and another thing...I am the last one to defend the quality of education on the whole in Americas public schools...
I agree, the system as a whole is very lacking, but it needs intelligent support and real funding.

It ranks very far down the scale on the list of education systems compared to ther countries, but whose fault is that?
And if kids don't get the support at home to make the most of the system, well, whose fault is that?

Your entire line of thinking leaks reality by the buckets and as far as I am concerned it is lazy and irresponsible.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it's a completely warped concept to expect people to take responsibility for themselves and their actions and be held accountable for their actions!

God forbid we have actual expectations for people as opposed to finding excuses for failure and granting a pass.

Odd that kids who have those values in the home DO tend to succeed!

-Sepp

microdot said...

There is no society on this planet that relies on a privately funded educationsl system.
There are privately funded schools but they are rarely if ever secular.

I think you are totally ignoring reality. We are talking about your responsibility as a citizen in the society on the planet you live in.

Do you feel so disconnected from the society you live in that you deny your responsibility ion providing quality education for the society? Does not improving the quality of education uplift the society you claim to be a part of?

This is the dichotomy of the argumant you present.
What is responsible?
When is the denial of responsibility the beginning of the denial of your connection with reality?

No, there are many societies with education systems that provide quality for the entire population.
They are publically funded and deliver.
The American system fails and will fail because it is not a priority for many Americans.
If you and people like you refuse to support education, then it will fail...
The American educational system is now ranked around #34 in the world.

Finland is #1.

Anonymous said...

MD, I do support education! Know how? I parent my children! And they are succeeding!
The largest problem in the education formula in America is parents who don't give a shit!
Not funding.
Not the level of my caring.
Parenting! Discipline. Setting a standard, having expectations and helping my kids reach their goals.

Regardless of how many millions you throw at the education system, the people who don't push their children to use it will produce the next generation of sloths looking for a free ride...and then blame "the system" for their personal failures...when simply giving a damned about BEING educated would, could and DOES produce results.
Simply using the system as the scapegoat for failure has become just another accepted excuse.