Theodore Roosevelt from 1901

[rpannier]

"The great corporations which we have grown to speak of rather loosely as trusts are the creatures of the State, and the State not only has the right to control them wherever need of such control is shown but it is in duty bound to control them," he said in 1901.

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No wonder the Republicans don't believe in evolution. They've been devolving for over 100 years

[JHB]

1. The corporations themselves are "government interference in the market"...

Next time you hear someone complaining about the government "social engineering", ask them why corporations are granted limited liability, and then ask them how is that not "social engineering".

[Sherman A1]

3. Agreed

[Sherman A1]

2. Good Quote!

Thanks for posting.....

[pampango]

4. A weird time - he was a repub president and later a leader of the Progressive Party

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt

Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919) was the 26th President of the United States (1901–1909). He is noted for his energetic personality, range of interests and achievements, leadership of the Progressive Movement, and his "cowboy" image and robust masculinity. He was a leader of the Republican Party and founder of the short-lived Progressive ("Bull Moose") Party of 1912.

Roosevelt attempted to move the Republican Party in the direction of Progressivism, including trust busting and increased regulation of businesses. Roosevelt coined the phrase "Square Deal" to describe his domestic agenda, emphasizing that the average citizen would get a fair share under his policies.

On his return to the US, a bitter rift developed between Roosevelt and his anointed successor as president, William Howard Taft. Roosevelt attempted in 1912 to wrest the Republican nomination from Taft, and when he failed, he launched the Bull Moose Party. In the election, Roosevelt became the only third party candidate to come in second place, beating Taft but losing to Woodrow Wilson.

Progressive Party (United States, 1912)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Party_1912_(United_States)

The Progressive convention and platform

In the social sphere the platform called for

A National Health Service to include all existing government medical agencies.
Social insurance, to provide for the elderly, the unemployed, and the disabled.
Limited injunctions in strikes.
A minimum wage law for women
An eight hour workday
A federal securities commission
Farm relief.
Workers' compensation for work-related injuries.
An inheritance tax.
A Constitutional amendment to allow a Federal income tax.

The political reforms proposed included

Women's suffrage.
Direct election of Senators.
Primary elections for state and federal nominations.

The platform also urged states to adopt measures for "direct democracy", including:

The recall election (citizens may remove an elected official before the end of his term).
The referendum (citizens may decide on a law by popular vote).
The initiative (citizens may propose a law by petition and enact it by popular vote).
Judicial recall (when a court declares a law unconstitutional, the citizens may override that ruling by popular vote).

However, the main theme of the platform was an attack on the domination of politics by business interests, which allegedly controlled both established parties. The platform asserted that

To destroy this invisible Government, to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.

To that end, the platform called for

Strict limits and disclosure requirements on political campaign contributions.
Registration of lobbyists.
Recording and publication of Congressional committee proceedings.

Besides these measures, the platform called for reductions in the tariff, limitations on naval armaments by international agreement, and improvements to inland waterways.

[Pab Sungenis]

5. Roosevelt was a blip on the Republican radar, an accident.

He was a war hero and popular governor of New York, which the Republicans needed to hold on to. He was also pissing off the Republican elites in New York State.

Vice-President Hobart had died the year before, leaving a hole on the ticket. Mark Hannah, the Karl Rove of his day, decided to kill two birds with one stone by kicking Roosevelt upstairs to the job where he could do the least damage. It got him out of Albany and got McKinley re-elected by a wide margin.

By the summer of 1901 McKinley was dead, and to quote Hannah, "that damn cowboy is now President of the United States."

Roosevelt was the only progressive Republican President, with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln, and got into the job accidentally.

[TheKentuckian]

6. TDR is a blip on the national radar as well, few of his quality have come from either party

and he had substantial flaws.

[FLPanhandle]

7. One of the best presidents this country ever had

It would be fun if he could come back and see what's going on now. I'd vote for him.

[hootinholler]

8. Teddy marked the end of progressive republicans

IIRC, The progressives left with him forming the Bull Moose party.

Yes they certainly have devolved.

-Hoot