A Day In History

Yesterday: January 6, 2011.

Was listening to Thom Hartmann commemorate the seventieth anniversary of FDR's "Four Freedoms" State of the Union address.

(YouTube here; transcript and audio here.)

Not that the anniversary was much noted—or would even be found via a casual search.

Going by the top "day in history" results, one of the most important events of a January 6th in the twentieth century was the 1994 attack on Nancy Kerrigan.

But, why would our corporate media want to promote this sort of thing—

...there is nothing mysterious about the foundations of a healthy and strong democracy. The basic things expected by our people of their political and economic systems are simple. They are:

Equality of opportunity for youth and for others.

Jobs for those who can work.

Security for those who need it.

The ending of special privilege for the few.

The preservation of civil liberties for all.

The enjoyment of the fruits of scientific progress in a wider and constantly rising standard of living.

These are the simple, basic things that must never be lost sight of in the turmoil and unbelievable complexity of our modern world. The inner and abiding strength of our economic and political systems is dependent upon the degree to which they fulfill these expectations.

Obama is the biggest socialist ever, yet FDR could go before Congress and say that

Many subjects connected with our social economy call for immediate improvement. As examples:

We should bring more citizens under the coverage of old-age pensions and unemployment insurance.

We should widen the opportunities for adequate medical care.

We should plan a better system by which persons deserving or needing gainful employment may obtain it.

I have called for personal sacrifice. I am assured of the willingness of almost all Americans to respond to that call.

A part of the sacrifice means the payment of more money in taxes. In my budget message I shall recommend that a greater portion of this great defense program be paid for from taxation than we are paying today. No person should try, or be allowed, to get rich out of this program; and the principle of tax payments in accordance with ability to pay should be constantly before our eyes to guide our legislation.

And among the freedoms FDR would outline as human rights:

The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world.

We have indeed moved on.

As highlighted by a reminder from Hartmann's engineer: that January 6 marks another anniversary—the 2001 congressional certification of Bush's "election."

In the hours I was listening to reminders of our history, the new, improved House was reading its edited version of the Constitution.

Well, at least it's not yet the David Barton re-write...

Though David Cole does suggest this version, as an honest reflection of contemporary conservatism.

Also off to a fine GOP start: illegal voting by representative skipping his swearing-in to attend a fundraiser.

Meanwhile, Clever Sister sent her latest find.

Could BROTHER HARRIS LOUISIANA ROOTMAN bring hope to our battered system of governance?

He does have quite the "Custom Case Work" menu.

Though, with choices like GET RID OF ENEMIES, or, DESTROY YOUR ENEMIES—Republicans hardly need guidance there, and go-along-to-get-along Dems would never dream of such appalling partisanship.

Personally, after a couple days of media swooning over Boehner, Issa, et. al: I'm ready to spring for the SHUT YOUR MOUTH OIL.

We're in a world of trouble, yet Brother Harris is so confident—could he have the answer we need?

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