Changing Avatar to FDR for a Push to Left

[liberalmike27]

I guess it's presumptuous of me to ask this, but I wonder if we shouldn't all change our avatars to FDR as to suggest to Democratic politicians who may read here, the direction we all want our country to be going.

Clearly we've got to get out of Hooverville.

Of course mine has already been there for nearly a decade, since I saw this problem long ago, along with many of you, and what we needed to do.

[peace frog]

1. Push to the left,,,good luck with that

Not criticizing, by all means do what you like, but even if every DUer changed avatars to FDR it will do nothing change the hard right course this country is taking. I wish I knew what would reverse the trend, but if wishes were horses then beggars would ride.

[FredStembottom]

3. It's often said that Progressives are self-defeating

Why not be positive?

Couldn't hurt.:hi:

[peace frog]

4. As I said, do whatever is good for you

but imo "happy talk" does little to promote the defeat of the wingnuts, which is the defeat I'm concerned about.

[FredStembottom]

2. Works for me.

n/t

[no_hypocrisy]

5. I'd pair FDR with HST.

[socialist_n_TN]

6. Well maybe bro, but we'd probably do more good

to all change the avatar to Marx. :) After all it was the Reds who pushed FDR left.

[jwirr]

8. Good point.

[MADem]

7. FDR was responsible for a number of important "safety net" and social programs.

But he was more of an autocrat than a Democrat. In terms of the way that he used/took power, he's closer to Reagan and Bush2 than he is to any Democratic president.

He was the guy who created the Imperial Presidency. He's the template for every President since who has gathered a bit more power for the Executive Branch.

[FredStembottom]

9. False equivalency much?

FDR had the Depression and WWII to deal with. {i}Some{/i] very appropriate emergency measures were taken during those unprecedented crises.

But the Supreme court stopped a good number of those ideas, anyway.

[MADem]

10. What do you mean, "false equivalency?"

Look around this board, there are more Chicken Littles here than you can shake a stick at. The FDR 'true Democrat' analogy is being batted around ONLY because the Chicken Little crowd thinks the stock market is going to crash, unemployment will climb to twenty five percent, and people will start tossing themselves out of windows before we go to war with China.

Fearful folks love a strong leader to solve all their problems, so they don't have to do the hard work themselves. Only thing is, when you give up that power, you often never get it back.

Every president has crises to deal with; FDR's were big, but by your commentary, you are saying that he was "right" to try to pack the court and run roughshod over Congress. He was 'right' to usurp normal constitutional channels.

Ends justifies the means, is that it? It's OK to play the Emperor if your heart is in the right place?

If (and when) GWB did the same sorts of things, or even Nixon back in the Vietnam era, you'd be screaming bloody murder. Of course, they all learned it from FDR.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. FDR, as I said, and as any sentient historian will concur, is the guy who STARTED the whole concept of "the Imperial Presidency." Go on, do the google--that's his brand.

Yes, he did the right thing, but he did it in the wrong way, and every time a President from either party accrues more power for the executive branch, it's FDR's legacy at play.