Timely Find

[Frustratedlady]

This quote was sent to me and, perhaps, should be sent to The George. It would be interesting to see who the "Texas millionaires" were that he mentioned.

'I Like Ike'; Eisenhower on Social Security

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are...Texas oil millionaires and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."

-- President Dwight D. Eisenhower, November 8, 1954

[Slit Skirt]

1. good quote....send it everywhere!!!!

[mrcheerful]

2. The oil men breed alot of kids since 54

now its if you try to keep any of those 4 programs you'll be run out of washington.

[HereSince1628]

3. But it isn't a tiny splinter group that believes that anymore,

Eisenhower was reflecting public sentiments. Sentiments from a time when many of the people who were still alive who pushed for the creation of labor standards, social security.

They were people who had lived the misery, dangers, and poverty that defined American working life in the early 1900's.

Having been raised under these protections their children and grand children have no personal knowledge of how bad it was. Their descendants would now rather outsource jobs than maintain protections that insure safety, living wages, and the possibility of retirement.


We are so screwed.

[nuxvomica]

4. He mentioned "H.L. Hunt" as an example

Here's the source of the quote:
http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential%2Dpapers/first%2Dterm/documents/1147.cfm

The actual quote reads:

There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas.5 Their number is negligible and they are stupid.