Roosevelt's Grandson Calls on Right-Wing Front Group To Stop Misusing FDR'

[wicket]

Saw this over at Oliver Willis' blog:

http://www.oliverwillis.com/node/view/1654

From Sen. Reid's office:

Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) today joined James Roosevelt Jr., grandson of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in calling on the group Progress for America Inc. to cease running its latest television ad, which misleadingly features photos of President Roosevelt in its pitch for Social Security privatization.

Roosevelt's letter:

Progress for America, Inc
P.O. Box 19242
Washington, DC 20036
To Whom It May Concern:

It has come to my attention that your organization has begun running an advertising campaign to promote President George W. Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security and cut benefits. The advertisements that are currently being aired feature President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his signing of the original Social Security legislation. I find the use of my grandfather’s image and legacy in your campaign to be highly inappropriate.

For seventy years, Social Security has been the bedrock of retirement security for millions of Americans thanks to the efforts of President Roosevelt. My grandfather would surely oppose the ideas now being promoted by this administration and your organization. Not only that, but to compare the courage it took to provide a guaranteed insurance program for our seniors and the disabled to the courage it will take to dismantle the most successful social program in history is simply unconscionable. We should be working to protect and promote Social Security, not cutting benefits for our seniors.

On behalf of my family, I would ask that you cease using my grandfather’s image in your advertising campaign.

Respectfully,

James Roosevelt Jr.

[knight_of_the_star]

1. The Roosevelts should REALLY get back into things

I heard somewhere that Teddy's great-grandson or something like that had issues with IWR.

[IndyOp]

2. Knight_of_the_star -- what's IWR?

:shrug:

[PA Democrat]

4. Iraq War Resolution n/t

[IndyOp]

9. Thanks! (n/t)

[IndyOp]

3. Thanks for the post! - I feel a letter to the editor coming on... (n/t)

[Senator Lamb]

5. i think

the younger generations of great Democratic leaders should be more vocal in reminding America of its history. Hannity use to steal the names of FDR, Truman, and Kennedy all the time saying the dems were no longer tough on security like them and moved so far left. i guess this was a way of justifying their popularity and existance by attaching them to the GOP tradition otherwise a huge gap would arise in the historical truths.

[murray hill farm]

6. Good for him!!

I am so glad he stood up to them on this!!

[roguevalley]

7. FDR was god in our house. I hate this kind of crap.

[zann725]

20. FDR still IS to me. He embodied all that Democracy is.

If only his "spirit" would enlighten Shrub somehow.

[BansheeDem]

21. I'm sure this is why they used FDR to promote the Privatization Plan ...

FDR's Message to Congress on Social Security
January 17, 1935

"In the important field of security for our old people, it seems necessary to adopt three principles: First, noncontributory old-age pensions for those who are now too old to build up their own insurance. It is, of course, clear that for perhaps 30 years to come funds will have to be provided by the States and the Federal Government to meet these pensions. Second, compulsory contributory annuities which in time will establish a self-supporting system for those now young and for future generations. Third, voluntary contributory annuities by which individual initiative can increase the annual amounts received in old age. It is proposed that the Federal Government assume one-half of the cost of the old-age pension plan, which ought ultimately to be supplanted by self-supporting annuity plans."

If we look at what FDR wanted for the future of SS, I think it could be argued that he might have been in favor of some partial privatization of the plan today. I too would argue that partial privatization is not necessarily a bad thing as long as the fund is tied to indexed equities and managed like the THRIFT savings plans used by government employees. They can invest up to about 15 percent of their gross pay as a means to supplement their retirement. That plan has been in effect for nearly 20 years and has not lost a penny.

[housewolf]

8. Hooray!

Thanks to James Roosevelt Jr.


I saw that ad yesterday and was appalled.

[henslee]

10. I saw that spot. Deliberately misleading. Insidious and yes, appaling.

[dflprincess]

11. This needs some airtime.

Though I imagine Countdown will be the only show that mentions it.

Like the poster above, FDR was God in my house (and Eleanor was a saint). And I know that, if my mother and her sisters thought Bush's plan was a good one (they don't), just hearing this opposition from Franklin and Eleanor's grandson would change their minds.

[CBHagman]

12. I hate it when they exploit Democrats

Bush and his ilk love to claim the legacy of Harry Truman, JFK, and FDR, though God knows they would have vilified them in life. They wait until someone is conveniently dead and then move in.

[ClarkUSA]

15. We Need Some Savvy Democrats to Exploit the GOP

TURN THE TABLES instead of sitting at an empty table.

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. Good!

----------------------------------------------------------
Save our country one town, county, and state at a time!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm#why

[ClarkUSA]

14. When Will Democratic Front Groups Start Quoting Reagan and Eisenhower?

to frame their arguments to their own ends? Better yet, use quotes from FDR and JFK also instead of using egghead policy numbers and facts?

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. The first one we need to steal is, "There you go again"

----------------------------------------------------------
Save our country one town, county, and state at a time!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm#why

[fnottr]

17. Kerry touched on this a little

Mostly in the debates, but he definitly should have used it more, especially in ads.

[housewolf]

18. Some background on this statement

According to Kos, Harry Reid's new "War Room" took the lead and initiated this quick response.

Hey, that's really good news! Good going, Harry Reid! Impressive move.

Quote from Kos:
"The letter was released to the press by Reid's new "war room" operation. About 24 hours after the ad was first announced, the war room dug up a Roosevelt (there aren't many left) and coordinated this release. Not a bad start for the operation."
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/1/13/163359/769

[zann725]

19. Bravo!

FDR must be rolling over in his grave with the goings' on in the WH these days!