The LuLac Edition #2736, September 23rd, 2014
CARTWRIGHT OPENS HEADQUARTERS
REMINDS DEMOCRATS OF ROOSEVELT ROOTS
As I was driving home from the Cartwright event, I had an inspiration of what a great photo this would be for LuLac. Thanks to my friend Scott Cannon of Video Innovations for making the magic happen.
Congressman Matt Cartwright opened up his campaign headquarters on Monday evening. The 17th District Congressman drew a decent crowd with various people from all walks of life cheering him on for a second term. I saw young people there, Attorneys, laborers, senior citizens and people willing to make an effort to show up for an event for a Congressman that is regarded as a virtual lock for re-election.
Why would any person do that?
Maybe Cartwright’s little speech will shed some light on the reason. Cartwright began his remarks by referencing the 14 hour documentary on PBS by filmmaker Ken Burns. The Congressman said that for him the series was in effect the kick off to a fall campaign that is in desperate need of FDR pragmatism and commonsense. Cartwright noted that all the Democrats were now housed in his district as a majority courtesy of GOP gerrymandering in Harrisburg. Noting that he could relax a bit and just coast to victory, the Congressman urged those in attendance to work on races that usually aren’t competitive for Democrats. Cartwright also recounted the story of Owen Roberts, a prominent Philadelphia Attorney who later served on the Supreme Court under FDR. Roberts switched his vote a few times to make sure Social Security and a few other rulings become the law of the land. Roberts was known as “the switch in time that saved nine”. Roosevelt wanted to add justices to the Supreme Court to get the populace agenda that was needed in this country. Roberts is said to have prevented that confrontation by sane judgments.
At the end of his speech, Cartwright advised that sign up sheets were available. After the applause died down, those sheets started to get signed. That brings me to my earlier question as to why people showed up for an event where a Congressman was quite formidable.
Democrats of all stripes are sick and tired of loud mouth, bullying talk show hosts decrying the very foundations of The New Deal. Most right wing Republicans think that history began when Ronald Reagan got elected. Democrats have been stampeded into believing that the FDR program was socialism. That the Obama programs are socialism. That our freedoms are being stripped away. It has been more than a year since the GOP and some weak Democrats stopped Gun Registration. Has anyone come for anyone’s guns? Nope.
If you look at what progressives have done for this country it is staggering. From Teddy Roosevelt’s meat inspections (I wonder why any Republican in the last thirty years has not had the balls to run as a Teddy Roosevelt Republican!), his championing of child labor laws, to other programs passed and implemented by Democratic Presidents, things like Social Security, meaningful Civil Rights, Environmental Protections, Medicare, and now the Affordable Health Care Act. All of these benefits the Republicans use, take for granted but decry because it costs too much. Yet this new era GOP has spent billions on two wasted wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They’ll go against welfare for a struggling family (remember these guys refused to extend unemployment compensation over and over again) defying logic that the unemployed actually stimulate the economy. The GOP said it cost too much.
What I saw at the Cartwright event is this. The sons and daughters, as well as the grandchildren of those who benefited from Social Security, Civil Rights, The GI Bill, Higher Education grants, decent working conditions have not forgotten their history. These Democrats ranging from ages between 21 and 81 are sick and tired of having what made the middle class in this country great in the last century chipped away bit by bit by lies, lack of perspective and even political entities trying to take them away.
FDR might have been on PBS last week. But his spirit is alive and well in generations born after his death that understand what he did for working people. Unlike the GOP crazies who worry more about saving the unborn while living and breathing children go without nutrition and educational opportunities, these Roosevelt Democrats get it.
Successful or not, they’ll be coming for those who will lie the Roosevelt legacy away. That’s why the Cartwright event was worthy of note.
Our "In Focus" logo.
Wilkes Barre Area School Board member Shawn Walker with the Congressman. I had a very long conversation with the Reverend and he actually gave me hope for the Wilkes Barre Area School Board.
The Congressman and I had an extended chat about his opponent, the NFL, Soup and the Governor's race.
Attorney Marion Munley Cartwright chats with former Kanjorski aide Paul Maher.
Mr. Tom Bindus took this photo of me, Cartwright staffer Bob Morgan and Bob Caruso.
Photos taken by Brian Dowd.
Cartwright office is located at 220 Carey Avenue in Wilkes Barre.
posted by David Yonki @ 10:25 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
The New Deal was near socialism and I say whats wrong with a little socialism? Is it just a word that we fear? What was done was necessary. If socialism means lending a hand to your fellow man and working together for a common goal, I guess I have some socialist tendencies. That does not make me a socialist. And in fact are we a true democracy?
I find it interesting as to how history consistently repeats itself. Viewing the Roosevelt Documentary and seeing the GOP levy the charges against FDR, such as his being a socialist, communist, etc. echoed the very accusations hurled at Obama.
I was surprised to see that petty GOP politics was still in use during WWII when the GOP accused Roosevelt's sons (falsely) of benefiting from favoritism in the military. Heck, the GOP was just as low back then as they are today in many respects.
Dare I say, had he not been a white man the GOP probably would have accused FDR of being a Muslim.
ALl said, a great deal of the New Deal is safely secured.
No GOP Congressman/Senator would have the guts to gut Social Security (GW Bush tried with congressional majorities and failed) or its offshoot, JFK/LBJ's Medicare.
Both, still the 3rd rail in American politics.
I can name an entire host of other popular programs and we all recall the Tea Partiers clammering about national health insurance in their Medicare funded wheelchairs.
I.E. the majority of Americans are liberals, and don't even know it.
There is a huge difference between TR and FDR and many who think socialism is a good thing. This quote sums it up best, from TR
"I stand for the square deal. But when I say that I am for the square deal, I mean not merely that I stand for fair play under the present rules of the game, but that I stand for having those rules changed so as to work for a more substantial equality of opportunity and of reward for equally good service. One word of warning, which, I think, is hardly necessary in Kansas. When I say I want a square deal for the poor man, I do not mean that I want a square deal for the man who remains poor because he has not got the energy to work for himself. If a man who has had a chance will not make good, then he has got to quit."
The problem with socialism isn't that it want to help others, it wants to make others reliant on the government, and that is the sin of soc. security, welfare and the like. They do not help people earn there way up, they keep them in poverty, reliant on others for even the most basic necessities.
The affordable health care act doesn't change the price of insurance, it redirects who pays for it, thus continuing the creation of dependence.
Say what you will, define it as you like to prove your point.
Criticize people in wheel chairs who you don't agree with and use exaggerated labels, it merely indicates to me that you have no substance.
Any reduction or surrender of freedom and liberties can not be promoted.
We live above natural resources and energy that can help us crawl out of this depressed economy and we continue to allow OUR representatives to cripple our individual and collective efforts with an increasing array of regulatory fiat.
BTW: If I was allowed to keep and invest the money that has been confiscated for Social Security since 1965 I would be a freaking multimillionaire and able to access the money when and how I wanted. Come to think of it, the tax bill would probably have made it a wash and maybe my family could inherit it.
When are you guys going to stop thinking any of these politicos have ever given a damn about us?
Roosevelt looks a little suspicious
of Cartwright in your photo. Sort of like who is this guy and what does he want from me or is this just another hanger on? Maybe after Cartwright gets a couple accomplishments under his belt (and I hope he does) he would belong in a sentence with FDR. Until then its your fantasy, Mr Yonki.
IN RESPONSE
We live above natural resources and energy that can help us crawl out of this depressed economy and we continue to allow OUR representatives to cripple our individual and collective efforts with an increasing array of regulatory fiat.
THE REGULATIONS YOU SPEAK OF ARE IN PLACE FOR THAT 10% OF BUSINESSES WHO WILL NOT PLAY FAIR. THAT'S A FACT. LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED WITH AN UNREGULATED WALL STREET IN 2008!
BTW: If I was allowed to keep and invest the money that has been confiscated for Social Security since 1965 I would be a freaking multimillionaire and able to access the money when and how I wanted. Come to think of it, the tax bill would probably have made it a wash and maybe my family could inherit it.
IT WAS A LAW PASSED THIRTY YEARS BEFORE 1965. BUT IF WE HAD YOUR WAY OF THOUGHT, THAT CONFISCATED MONEY MIGHT NOT BE PROTECTED BY THE SAME GOVERNMENT THAT SAVED THE BANKING INDUSTRY A FEW TIMES OVER.
BUT GO ON HATING THAT GUVERNMENT!!!
IN RESPONSE
Roosevelt looks a little suspicious
of Cartwright in your photo. Sort of like who is this guy and what does he want from me or is this just another hanger on? Maybe after Cartwright gets a couple accomplishments under his belt (and I hope he does) he would belong in a sentence with FDR. Until then its your fantasy, Mr Yonki.
FANTASY?? FANTASY?? HAVE YOU NOT BEEN READING LULAC THE LAST 8 YEARS? FANTASY IS THE SOLE PROPERTY OF ONE MS. GEENA DAVIS!!!
NO THIS WAS A TRIBUTE TO OUR CONGRESSMAN AND FDR. BOTH WEREN'T AFRAID OF BEING DEMOCRATS, TRUE BLUE, NOT BLUE DOG!!
Post a Comment
<< Home