FDR’s Lesson in Why You Should Never Say Never

April 17, 2008 at 6:07 pm | Posted in Political | Leave a comment
Tags: Politics

“Let us … highly resolve to resume the country’s interrupted march along the path of real progress, of real justice, of real equality for all of our citizens, great and small. … There are two ways of viewing the government’s duty in matters affecting economic and social life. The first sees to it that a favored few are helped, and hopes that some of their prosperity will leak through … to labor, to the farmer, to the small businessman. That theory belongs to the party of Toryism. … But it is not, and never will be the theory of the Democratic Party.”

— Franklin Delano Roosevelt – July 2, 1932

It might be worthwhile to provide some clarification to my last post … particularly regarding impressions it might convey about notions I hold toward aristocrats. FDR was one of their kind. However, his sensibility is inspiring. We need more like him in the United States.

One thing I would fault, though, in the quote above is FDR’s claim … “Toryism … never will be the theory of the Democratic Party.” Tell that to Pelosi and her boy Rohatyn…