“The real Republican campaign is not going to be fought on the issues. The Republicans are going to wage a campaign of phony propaganda. They are going to try what we might call the “white is black” and the “black is white” strategy.
The Republicans are all set to try this “white is black” technique. And this is the way it will work. First of all, they will try to make people believe that everything the Government has done for the country is socialism. They will go to the people and say: “Did you see that social security check you received the other day—you thought that was good for you, didn’t you? That’s just too bad! That’s nothing in the world but socialism. Did you see that new flood control dam the Government is building over there for the protection of your property? Sorry—that’s awful socialism! That new hospital that they are building is socialism. Price supports, more socialism for the farmers! Minimum wage laws? Socialism for labor! Socialism is bad for you, my friend. Everybody knows that. And here you are, with your new car, and your home, and better opportunities for the kids, and a television set—you are just surrounded by socialism!”
Since that speech, things have gotten worse. The Republican party has succumbed to the religious Taliban in this country. The parasite now controls the host where the party is the parasite .
What was a phony attack on government institutions is now combined with attacks based on phony moral high ground.
Harry, had an attitude.
#4:
Straw man. You act as though those problems can only be solved with Obama’s health care reforms.
#5: I suppose you prefer the insurance companies and their “pre-existing conditions” clauses that can leave many people uninsured. If the insurance companies drop all the pre-existing conditions roadblocks and actually cover their customers, I suspect they would still make a profit, but they’d actually have to pay for medical bills then, wouldn’t they?
Truman was a great man no doubt. However as far as starving government and blaming it for sucking as argued by #4 doesn’t add up. How much has been spent on so-called “Great Society” programs (LBJ) that have only turned a societal safety net into a lifestyle for some? Clearly there are limits to what government can do (or should do but that’s a matter of one’s philosophy I suppose).
#2: “Stupid me…
I’ve been to all 57 states and seen the results.”
Interesting, since the last I heard there were 50 states.
Truman gave the speech, then Americans elected Ike the Republican anyway. From what I read in the history books, our parents and grandparents Liked Ike.
36,516 Americans died in Korea because of Truman.
I respect Harry. He had a sign on his desk that said, “The buck stops here.” and was known to say, “If you can’t take the heat get out of the kitchen.”
None of America’s enemies thought he was some sort of weak wuss they could push around or accused him of dithering.
As a modestly successful small businessman he also had a firm grasp of what it meant to make a business work and what you had to do stay in business.
He was not a fan of Carl Marx or friend of dictators anywhere.
If somebody is trying to compare Truman to Obama they are out of their minds. They would have had no use for each other.
#8 Floyd,
#2 was referring to what Obama said during his campaign.
“It is wonderful to be back in Oregon. Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go. Alaska and Hawaii, I was not allowed to go to even though I really wanted to visit, but my staff would not justify it.”
We are talking Harry Truman the Democrat, right? Harry the-bomb-is-good Truman?
I wonder how a Republican President might predict the Democrat campaign future? Please to gimme a break, already.
RBG
Hear it in his own voice…
Lou i believe there were many non-white americans who did not like Ike at all.
Truman’s speech is prescient to where the republinazis stand today.
If everything the government does for you is good, why stop at a measly Social Security check or building a few dams? Why not buy a house for everyone? Why not buy a car for everyone? How about perks for your Democrat buddies paid for by taxpayers?
The first rule of economics is that there are no free lunches. If you are getting money from the government, it came out of someone’s pocket.
#10
> None of America’s
> enemies thought he
> was some sort of weak
> wuss they could push
> around or accused him of
> dithering.
Not true, at least at first. Stalin was able to push Truman around at Potsdam. Truman came away thinking that Stalin was one of the nicest people he ever met. Both Churchill and Stalin thought he was a country bumpkin. Churchill eventually changed his mind (getting his clock cleaned at poker by Truman had something to do with it). Stalin didn’t really feel threatened by Truman until he appointed Marshall.
> As a modestly successful small businessman
Very modest. He almost lost his farm and failed at a number of businesses. The President’s retirement fund was created specifically because Truman almost died penniless.
Oh look how you Demoncats LOST this election Tuesday. I look forward to a repeat in 2010. HAR-D-HAR-HAR Losers!
#16, Thomas,
Very modest. He almost lost his farm and failed at a number of businesses. The President’s retirement fund was created specifically because Truman almost died penniless.
Most Missouri farmers were hit hard by the depression and the drought. Having difficulties was not the farmer’s fault.
Truman ran a store before going into politics. Once elected, that became his sole source of income, something maybe a few more politicians should do. While the Presidential pension was created for him, it wasn’t because he died almost penniless, it was because he retired without any income.
A similar situation happened with Gerald Ford. Only Ford went on the speaking circuit and quickly became a millionaire.
#11 Hmeyers
“THE PROBLEM: Our federal government bungles everything”
National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Federal Highway Administration
National Archives and Records Administration
Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Marshals
U.S. Mint
U.S. Geological Survey
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service
Should I list more?
Cursor_
Tell you what, let our elected officials vote whatever ‘ism they want. If the end result is not more Americans driving bigger SUVs, living in bigger houses further apart from each other and where they work and generally living ‘bigger’ lifestyles, the elected officials who voted for the failed policies are publicly executed and we try again.
BTW, one thing you have to give Truman is he is the only POTUS who had the guts to use a nuke. Thank God he did too.
#21, Cursor,
I notice your list doesn’t include War. Off the top of my head it appears the last “war” the Republicans won was the Spanish American War.
Eisenhower, lost Cuba. He also sewed the seeds for the Iran we have today.
Johnson escalated Vietnam but, the most casualties and cost, and withdraw came under the Republican Nixon.
Then there were Reagan and Bush attacking small countries. Great jobs there. But there was the small problem of Beirut Lebanon when Reagan hightailed it out of there when the locals shot back.
Iraq I was a farce. A small country with a worn out military faced the overwhelming might of the greatest coalition the world has ever had. And still didn’t remove the instigator from power. (clap, clap, clap, …[that is one hand])
Clinton did push the Serbs out of Kosovo. At a grand total of two Americans lost and a multitude of Kosovo lives saved.
Then we get to Iraq II and Afghanistan. Total screw-ups and we are still in both places.
Yup, if Republicans know how to run anything it is a disinformation campaign. Exactly like Truman suggested.
#11, Our government just shit out $3 trillion in the last 2 years under two different political parties and then printed another $1 trillion.
Something else to be concerned about — once the banks start loaning out that $1T, it will turn into $10T+ in new money . . . with nothing to back it. Inflation is currently only increasing at a moderate level. Once that extra money hits the streets, it’s good-bye dollar.
#16, The first rule of economics is that there are no free lunches. If you are getting money from the government, it came out of someone’s pocket.
That’s something the majority of people don’t understand.
The government has no money. What it does have is either forcibly taken from people (see CA as the latest example) or it is printed with nothing to back it.
Interesting how Democrats have been using the same political speech for 50 years.
Typical Harry, always dropping the Bomb.
Other prophetic Truman quotes:
Richard Nixon is a no good, lying bastard. He can lie out of both sides of his mouth at the same time, and if he ever caught himself telling the truth, he’d lie just to keep his hand in.
Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.
Actions are the seed of fate deeds grow into destiny.
It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose yours.
A bureaucrat is a Democrat who holds some office that a Republican wants.
A president either is constantly on top of events or, if he hesitates, events will soon be on top of him. I never felt that I could let up for a moment.
All the president is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway.
and my personal favorite –
Experience has shown how deeply the seeds of war are planted by economic rivalry and social injustice.
I’m sure Harry’s still giving them hell from the other side.
#29, My favorite:
A bureaucrat is a Democrat who holds some office that a Republican wants.
As a musician I have had many…many jobs (non-music) I worked for the census in the year 2000. I was paid $25/ hr… never once knocked on a door and regularly went to the dwntwn headquarters and saw 30+ people being paid more doing nothing!!! and I was doing my required job, not cheating the requirements.
Name one successful…non-union business that has that same work ethic.
Point is.. govt. is inefficient and lazy but keeps getting propped up. Private sec. has to work or die.
IF govt. programs could become subject to the same rules…I might be more supportive in general.
#23
There is no question that Roosevelt (or later Eisenhower) would have used it had they been given the opportunity.
#24
You should stick to bus driving.
RE: The last “war” won by Republicans
Persian Gulf War. Then of course there is Iraq, Panama, Grenada… The last “war” won by Democrats was WWII if I’m not mistaken.
Eisenhower did not lose Cuba; Kennedy lost Cuba. It was Kennedy’s choice to invade (and throw out Eisenhower’s plan). Eisenhower lost Korea but Truman clearly had a hand in it. Had Truman allowed MacArthur to use nukes, the entire Korean peninsula might be free today.
Arguably Nixon and Johnson (and Kennedy) should share in the loss of Vietnam.
> Iraq I was a farce.
At the time of the Persian Gulf War, Iraq had the fourth largest army in the world and outnumbered all allied forces at the outset of the ground war.
Kosovo was a failure. It was a half-ass attempt by Clinton to look strong on military matters. Even when it was clear it was an ethnic cleansing, he delayed until public pressure finally forced him to act. When Clinton finally did act, he didn’t use enough troops and when we encountered a few casualties he pulled out.
RE: Iraq II and Afghanistan
Iraq II is a win. We have bent the will of that country to our own. The jury is still out on Afghanistan.
#31,
As a musician I have had many…many jobs (non-music) I worked for the census in the year 2000. I was paid $25/ hr… never once knocked on a door and regularly went to the dwntwn headquarters and saw 30+ people being paid more doing nothing!!! and I was doing my required job, not cheating the requirements.
Sorry, but I call bullshit. If you were being paid $25/hr then you were NOT an enumerator. That you saw some people doing, in your opinion, nothing is meaningless.
Just making up anecdotal stories like this is the current trend of the right wing nuts. The sad part is the other right wing nuts now fully believe them.
Some other right wing nut lies.
President Reagan gave a speech advocating tort reform. One of his examples included a farmer who set a ladder in some manure while he climbed the ladder. The ladder fell and the farmer sued and won big. Only it never happened. The other examples used by Reagan were found to have serious problems.
http://tinyurl.com/yfc97go (pg 15)
A lady spills hot coffee on herself and won millions from McDonalds. Wrong. The coffee was super heated to 190F+ instead of the 135F temperature coffee is usually served at. She was a passenger, not the driver. The 80 yr/o woman suffered third degree burn to her legs, crotch, and buttocks. She spent eight days in the burn unit. When first approached, McDonalds refused to accept any responsibility and refused to pay the $20,000 for her medical bills.
Somehow when the right wing nuts tell the story though, it comes out a little different.
#32, Thomas,
Sorry but Ralph had it right.
Eisenhower did not lose Cuba; Kennedy lost Cuba. It was Kennedy’s choice to invade (and throw out Eisenhower’s plan).
You better go back to reading your history books. Cuba was taken by the rebels in 1959. That made Eisenhower the President. It was not until 1961 Kennedy took over. Castro was rebuffed by the Eisenhower Administration and so went to the USSR for assistance.
Persian Gulf War. Then of course there is Iraq, Panama, Grenada…
The greatest coalition of forces the world has ever seen against a country that just fought a bloody long war with Iran. And they still allowed the leader Rumsfeld and Cheney courted only a few years earlier to remain in power. Ten years later the chief reason for invading Iraq was to depose Hussein.
Oh yes, Panama, now that was a war! Several hundreds of Panamanians killed so the Americans could arrest their own CIA puppet.
Granada. Yup. They were invaded because Cuba was helping the island nation of less than 150,000 build an airport capable of handling large jets. We have more Marines than they have people and you call it a war?
Iraq? Is that different from the “Persian Gulf War” or are you seriously just being disingenuous. In case you didn’t notice, we are still in Iraq.
Arguably Nixon and Johnson (and Kennedy) should share in the loss of Vietnam.
The actual first Americans were sent in 1957, during Eisenhower’s Administration. It was still low keyed during Kennedy’s time. Johnson escalated the conflict but nothing like Nixon. The most number of troops, bombing, and casualties came during Nixon’s time. Attacks into Laos and Cambodia were during Nixon’s term.Even then, Nixon bailed and allowed the North to take over.
FYI, Eisenhower ran his first campaign on getting out of Korea. Truman and the Pentagon were correct NOT to continue too far into the North. The Chinese were prepared to send millions of soldiers south against the UN forces. This would also have induced the USSR to openly assist the North. Truman realized the potential for a long drawn out war with a country that had just exploded their own Hydrogen bomb.
Panama and Granada were wars, LOL.
#24
No I didn’t mention war because there were only TWO of them we fought that were justified.
1812
WWII
All the rest were wasteful bloodshed just for control or muscle-flexing.
Cursor_
In #21
“National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Federal Highway Administration
National Archives and Records Administration
Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Marshals
U.S. Mint
U.S. Geological Survey
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service
Should I list more?
Cursor_
”
Those are “business” that only the US government has the legitimacy to run, i.e., there is no competitor domestically or internationally.
GM and Ford have long time taken all the motor vehicle contracts from the military and the police department (ah, those greasy, fatty and easy money.) Yet, since the auto manufactruing business must be facing the cruel competition from the other countries, GM was already belly-up and Ford is going to limp forever.
If any government can ever run any business with competitors successfully, then the looser should have been Ronald Reagan, the laughter should have been Mikhail Gorbachev, and the Berlin wall breaker should have been the east Germany people, not the other way.
#37, Cursor,
No war is ever justified in the end. But sometimes you do have to defend yourself and even your neighbor from aggression.
If you look at your two examples from the opposite side, Britain and Japan both had their reasons for doing what they did. (Don’t take that as I agree with them)
War is always a waste.