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“Republicans approve of the American farmer, but they are willing to help him go broke. They stand four-square for the American home--but not for housing. They are strong for labor--but they are stronger for restricting labor's rights. They favor minimum wage--the smaller the minimum wage the better. They endorse educational opportunity for all--but they won't spend money for teachers or for schools. They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine--for people who can afford them. They consider electrical power a great blessing--but only when the private power companies get their rake-off. They think American standard of living is a fine thing--so long as it doesn't spread to all the people. And they admire of Government of the United States so much that they would like to buy it.”

This quote is attributed to Harry S. Truman.  I haven't done any fact-checking yet to make sure it isn't one of those "reconstituted quotes" some of our friends on the right are so fond of.

Comments

  1. It seems legit,

    http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=13046

    and shows the Republicans haven't changed in 64 years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They haven't changed and nowhere is that more evident than in their drive for entitlement reform saying that the nation can't sustain the current system. But sustainability is a matter of priorities and commitment. The GOP is using the affordability argument to mask its social restructuring agenda in a haze of cause-serving arithmetic.

      Delete
    2. So true. The Republicans have essentially made the military and energy sector into a welfare state with all their subsidies and tax breaks, not to mention make Americans increasingly more dependent on these two industries.

      Delete
    3. Plus, there is plenty of money in America -- it's just in fewer and fewer hands. Look at the excess millions being pumped into the Romney campaign.

      I still can't quite believe that Americans are willing to continue to buy this austerity business. When politicians say we can't afford to invest in the country, they mean the majority of Americans can't afford it. The rich have millions and often billions to spare.

      Delete
  2. Does everyone see a small ghost of the Harry Truman picture in the upper lefthand corner of this blog page? I do, but I don't know why.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is very bizarre. I see it too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Turns out it was a double image. I corrected the image in the post and the shadow image appears to be gone.

    ReplyDelete
  5. BTW, you can use adblock,

    https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gighmmpiobklfepjocnamgkkbiglidom

    to get rid of unwanted ads in the header, if you haven't done so already.

    ReplyDelete

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