Enter Franklin Deleanor Roosevelt. Rich, confident, and decidedly opposed to Hoover's way of handling the economic struggles of the American people. With fervor and insistence he railed against the current administration's policies and spread the news about the New Deal he wanted to hand to the American people. When he began espousing his ideas the people were ripe. Anything would be better than the other guy's strategy. The silver lining in that cloud was muted by the brilliance of a shining beacon that said, we're the government, we can help. He won that year, and many years in succession as he served a 12 year term (in that time there were no term limits). Even his wife, Eleanor, championed everyone's rights, including African Americans, and this did not go unnoticed. The African - American population left the Republican Party of Abraham Lincoln in mass exodus to embrace the politics of the Democratic Party.
Familiarly, the Republican Party was not a fan of FDR's politics. They hated the regulatory constraints being placed on Wall Street, declaring it would hamper growth. They hated that his policies allowed the federal government to "impose itself" on states' and individuals' rights. After all, the federal government couldn't possibly save everyone from impending doom, nor should they try. It's America, pull yourself up by your boot straps and take care of yourself. Many rallied against Roosevelt and thought his policies terribly dangerous to the capitalist system that defined the Nation's way of life. He was wildly unpopular in those circles, especially with the elite who felt betrayed by this perpetration of government intervention. It implied everyone was responsible for everyone else, an unbelievable idea, especially from someone who was himself, one of the elite.
Though the economic depression persisted and unemployment remained high, Franklin Roosevelt gave the people hope and slowly, as with all disasters, things began to get better. The truth is, things didn't really get back to normal until World War 2 brought manufacturing and industry back through weapons. He had already been president for 8 years. Any and everyone who was looking for gainful employment could have it by then. Although FDR's policies helped, it was little by little, bit by bit. Still, his confidence helped the people believe in the New Deal and hold on with hopeful anticipation until "Tomorrow". He led the people into tomorrow...World War 2. Still, wildly popular with all the people, he won another term.
Fast forward to present day. In 2007 an economic downturn ripped the Nation apart. The market crashed and so did everything else. Virtually no regulation to vet, the rich got very rich on the backs of mainstream America. And now, here it was all coming to a head. Unemployment rates soared. Foreclosures, layoffs, businesses going under and, the party of the day, the Republican Party, was winding down its regime in the White House. It was a sure bet they would not win the 2008 election, come what may. It all happened on their watch so they had to go. There would be little attention given to religious rhetoric about marriage and abortion. The people needed something different. Not to mention, our men and women being shipped off to Iraq and Afghanistan to retaliate against the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks without any actual sign of Osama bin Laden. Already two debt - ridden 7 year wars that had a bewildering origin, there was no way the people were interested in continuing on with these failures.
Enter Barack Obama - green, bright-eyed, bushy tailed, activist heart that says he's going to reach out and make a difference. Hope and change were his mantra while he criticized and undermined the 'evil' Republicans for their greed and unfettered callousness bringing the entire globe to its breaking point...again. He won. Gee, a literally African-American man was going to run the country. Absolutely unbelievable! No one conceived it would happen in this generation or lifetime, as racism is still a strong theme leading many facets of life in this country. Still, the people went to the polls and bet on him. In those beginning days there was a remarkable feeling tone of equality in which the black American almost felt like it really was possible to achieve anything in this country.
Yet, since he was sworn into office the American public has had to abide complete absurdity. In 3 1/2 years the leader we elected has been a socialist, an elitist, a Muslim, the anti-Christ, gay, a CIA operative, a terrorist, a racist, too inclusive, a communist, a dictator, a non-leader, and the list is actually even more intensive. Throughout his term a libertarianesque Republican army has been waiting to see the hope and change dressed in a package they can appreciate. Worse, Congress isn't helping. All of a sudden the popular rich kids and the townies can't make one solid decision regarding improving the quality of life of the people they're supposed to be serving. At some point at least 100% of the population has wanted to require all of their resignations for simply being useless. The figure is 100% because even they know they're guilty. Gridlock blamed of course on...drum roll: Barack Obama. Before he was elected he was golden. A week after inauguration he was toast.
The difference between 1933 and today? Media outlets run by corporate franchises and the overwhelming acceptance of propaganda by the American people. Hidden in plain sight, the minute anything happens in the Nation it's reported exactly the same way by just about every media outlet. The same soundbites, same rhetoric, same demeanor, and even same body language and tone of those delivering the message have become so commonplace to us that we don't even blink / think (except Fox - they originate their own lies). Reporters get called on the carpet for going old school and actually investigating something and reporting the facts. So Americans have had to endure the rough waters of hearing pundits take everything he does and serve it up on a trash heap. He got Osama bin Laden. Yeah? Was it staged? Why didn't he ask Congress first? Wasn't that why we went to Afghanistan? Yeah, but it's disrespectful for him to go in without telling us. The unemployment rate is in a steady decline. Yeah? That's no thanks to Obama. But last week you said it was his fault there were no jobs. Yes, but he's not creating them. No one's crossing the border and he's deported more illegal immigrants than at any other time in history. That's not because of his administration, that's just because of the economy. They're 'self-deporting.' Such nonsense.
It used to be that a politician had to have an idea, a plan that the majority of the people liked. They had to show some ability to get the plan to work and the country to follow it. Pave roads, build a task force, improve the military, help pass laws that help states better govern the people. Today we assume that if they confess a religion they must be okay. Well, you can't be African-American and confess Christ, as we found with Obama. But, otherwise, blindly we trust. The media perpetuates this notion by debating it, discussing it, round-tabling it while Congress passes laws we know nothing about but that affect us dramatically. This keeps the voting populace in just enough vague ambiguity to think they know who to vote for.
It's very difficult in this climate to know what's true and what's tweaked truthiness. Unfortunately,each November the American people go into the voting booth blind to the facts, but clearly seeing spoon fed truths that have been propagandized to the hilt. We may as well close our eyes and pick the one our finger falls on...it is just as insightful.
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