New Deal, Old deal, Big deal

Everyone is trashing FDR and the New Deal. In case of doubt, everyone refers to members of the GOP.

Made possible by President Obama and the state of our country, the GOP has raised the smouldering Old Deal (anti-FDR) into a roaring blaze.

Old deal, old talk:

FDR was responsible for the economy and the Great Depression.

World War II solved the Depression, and FDR's New Deal had nothing to do with it.

FDR's Big Spending programs like the CCC, WPA, and TVA put more people out of work and worsened the economy.

"Black Tuesday" and thus the Great Depression can be placed on the Hoover administration. Of course WWII ended the Depression, but that doesn't diminish FDR's New Deal. Big spending? Perhaps that was the thinking of the time. Realistically, his emergency measures were too narrow, too conservative. His proposed budgets were not large enough to provide the impact needed to stop the Great Depression.

Idaho is blessed with WPA buildings and roads. The CCC had a positive effect on Idaho, too. President Roosevelt said the CCC enhanced the value of both natural and human resources. Try telling the people who worked on these projects that they were worse off. Try telling their present day family members.

The anti-FDR and anti-Obama group makes comparisons between the two. They compare FDR's Fireside chats to Obama's Internet chats. Lately, they compare FDR's wheelchair to Obama's cigarets.

Big deal.

Is there a parallel here?

President Hoover (Republican) and his poor economic policies caused the Great Depression and the people call on President Roosevelt (Democrat) to fix it. President Bush (Republican) and his poor economic policies create disaster and the people choose President Obama (Democrat) to fix it.

"I Like IKE"

Just to clear the air, let me say that I have never voted for a Republican during my entire voting history. In that voting booth, I feel my dad's breath as he looks over my shoulder. That's the way it's been when he lived and for the last 40 years after he died.

I can tell you magnificent stories about FDR and Truman. I can tell you as many stories about everything wrong with Eisenhower and Nixon.

A son-in-law was overheard summing up Dad's political views saying that he would vote for a horse thief before he'd vote for a Republican. Dad cornered him and set the story right. He said it depended on the horse thief's political affiliation. Then he advised his son-in-law to get his facts right before talking about other's political views.


Growing up, my friends and I never discussed politics. We identified ourselves by gender and sports preference.

Politics becamc a factor when I was in fifth grade. Almost every kid in the class sported an "I like Ike" button. Those that didn't yelled all day, "I like Ike!"

The day before the election the teacher had us stand. All those who were for Eisenhower formed a line to the right, and all those who were for Stevenson, to the left.

I stood by my desk. All eyes were on me. The looks that bothered me most came from my best friend, George and my girl friend, Harriet.

I wanted to move to that right side. I tried. I tried so hard to take that first step toward my friends. Finally, I shuffled to the left and joined Ernest.

I stood by him and felt my life sink into the heavily oiled oak floor.

This is how I grew up as a Democrat in Idaho.