Why Didn't We Listen To Teddy Roosevelt Over 100 Years Ago?

[Playinghardball]

The well-known Republican nailed it in a report to Congress in 1906.



Source: MoveOn.org

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

1. Kick

:kick:

[redqueen]

2. Perhaps the same reason we didn't listen to Ike about the MIC.

Which might be in part that humans are, by and large, given to acting as followers... and so tend to want to believe what most of the 'leaders' tell them.

[The Doctor.]

21. Or Carter about the energy industry.

We have a long, shameful history of only listening to those who promise convenience.

[valerief]

3. The 1% paid plenty to bury that. nt

[deaniac21]

4. We weren't alive.

[TlalocW]

5. Cuz the man slept with a stuffed bear

That he insisted on naming after himself or something like that.

TlalocW

[dtexdem]

6. Well, a lot of we's listened to this and similar admonitions down through the years.

But the corporations certainly didn't, or rather listened and rejected the advice.

Hmm, I wonder who has had greater influence on public policy: the people or the corporations. ;-)

[gratuitous]

7. For many years, we did

Then the Supreme Court decided that money = speech, and the law of the land was turned on its head.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. We listened. The people who could make the laws he endorses are on the payroll.

[HughBeaumont]

9. Around Teddy's time was when the early war corporatists came into play.

They used the military as their enforcers when setting up their banana republic shops overseas, in the gulf and in South America. The military came in, companies like United Fruit followed.

Thus began the genesis of the MIC that Ike had to warn against . . . a warning that also went unheeded.

The 1% has not and never will concede a millimeter of their power.

[bigmonkey]

18. So your position is that resistance is futile?

There's an ever-tightening ratchet that the corporations have, and our only freedom is the freedom to fruitlessly refuse to cooperate until we are finally ground down?

[redqueen]

10. There seems to be a lot of excuse-making on this thread.

Other countries have successfully implemented more equitable blends of socialism and capitalism.

Too many Americans sided with their oppressors rather than with the socialists who helped with the labor movement. Most Americans chose to believe the lies about socialism.

[RKP5637]

11. And still do. This is such a propagandized nation it's an illness. Many times I've

had arguments with republican rock hard heads and minds, and often the response is, "Well, if that's what you choose to believe." I used to think stupidity was often conditioned in this country, but anymore I'm thinking 'proud of being ignorant' is organic based. Much of the populace of this country reeks with the Stockholm syndrome.

[blindpig]

12. Well you see that's the problem with 'reforming' capitalism.

Teddy's 'Trust Busting' was a fine sentiment but that vampire cannot and will not be satisfied with chicken blood. Best to put a stake thru it's heart and get it over with.

[Nye Bevan]

13. We did. Corporations *are* prohibited from making campaign contributions. (nt)

[eallen]

20. In some state, they are. For federal campaigns, no.

We need a federal law prohibiting corporate donations.

:hippie:

[libinnyandia]

14. There are a surprising number of Republican turning over in

their graves over what has happened to this country. Living Republican are strong supporters of what has happened and want to go even further. The idiots who vote for them are responsible. They are too ignorant of history to know what the founding fathers and those who built this country really stood for.

[Riftaxe]

15. Because "Bull Moose Party" sounded just

as silly then as it does now? :shrug:

[ParkieDem]

16. Look closely ...

... at the quote:

"Let individuals contribute as they desire."

I am not advocating any particular position here, just wondering what people feel about this type of setup:

Would you support unlimited contributions to political campaigns by individuals, in exchange for a complete ban on political contributions by corporations (and I mean ALL corporate entities - companies, unions, nonprofits, advocacy organizations, etc)?

Just curious.

[Jack Sprat]

17. Frankly, I would disallow all but public money

evenly distributed to candidates and disallow all political ads (always baised to extremes) and force all media to give equal time and coverage to make elections completely fair. Campaigns are far too long and expensive and driven by profit. Even Witch Lady from Delaware saw profit in losing efforts, not to mention Sarah Palin who has used the system like a pro to enrich herself.

[mmonk]

19. Since when do people listen to progressives?

Well, we did for awhile on some things, but we forget.