The proper response to Romney’s “smooth evasion” of the facts

The reason GOP candidates like Romney and Brown so often have to make things up is because reality -- from WMDs in Iraq to the results of massive deregulation of the financial sector to global warming produced by burning fossil fuels to the importance of equal rights for women and others -- doesn't fit their narrative. The truth is this is a relatively small group of wealthy men trying to put one over on a vast nation of over 300 million. They do it very skillfully, and it is impressive to watch, however cynical and-or misguided. - promoted by Bob_Neer

hasn’t changed much in 75 years. Here is a passage from FDR’s 1936 speech to the New York State Democratic Convention:

Let me warn you and let me warn the Nation against the smooth evasion which says, “Of course we believe all these things; we believe in social security; we believe in work for the unemployed; we believe in saving homes. Cross our hearts and hope to die, we believe in all these things; but we do not like the way the present Administration is doing them. Just turn them over to us. We will do all of them- we will do more of them, we will do them better; and, most important of all, the doing of them will not cost anybody anything.”

Here he is on Youtube. Worth watching just to see the joy on his face when he delivers the above:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3RHnKYNvx8

Recommended by somervilletom, petr, stomv.




Discuss

7 Comments . Leave a comment below.
  1. SUPERB!

    THANK YOU for putting this up — this is the PERFECT response to the Mitt Romney Show.

    The money quote — that remains true and devastating seventy five years later — is the close:

    … most important of all, the doing of them will not cost anybody anything.

    The GOP lie, in a nutshell.

  2. Absolutely superb

    That smug look is priceless.

  3. I wonder if people were quoting speeches from MacLelland...

    …made in 1861 back in 1936? The same gap between FDR and now.

    Time has moved on and the world has changed, due in no small part ot FDR. People are only beginning to question some of his underlying principles, and aren’t always happy with what they find there.

    • MacLelland? Not so much.

      But they still Quote Lincoln :)

    • Please try to have some respect for US history

      The Republicans hated Roosevelt with a fervor similar to that shown in recent years by the Tea Party to Obama. There has always been a regressive crust in this country of people who don’t want to acknowledge our potential for greatness through change, and instead cling to an imagined past, no matter how bankrupt, because of ignorance, spite and fear. In 1936, those people were core of the Republican Party and many of them appear still to be voting.

    • So which...

      … of the underlying principles here make you unhappy?

      Using a payroll tax to provide a very basic pension for every retiree (you have to have worked and paid in for ten years) over 60 (Social Security) ?

      Or is it the using income taxes from those who are employed and using it to “provide jobs for the unemployed” that bothers you so?

      If neither, I guess it’s the “saving homes” part (which today means some pretty complex regulations apparently necessary to stop far too many of those in the financial services industry from stealing from investors through fraud and greed)?

      If neither,
      ?

  4. Lawrence O'Donnell just showed

    this same clip of FDR on his MSNBC show.

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Wed 19 Jun 8:33 PM