A Real Leader

While George Bush is using his usual scare tactics to stampede the nation into a bailout for his rich friends, we should look at what a real leader had to say at a time when the economic conditions paralleled today's crisis. Franklin Delano Roosevelt had a different approach. He showed true leadership during a crisis. He said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." But that was not all he said. The text below is the rest of his speech:


This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure, as it has endured, will revive and will prosper ...

"In such a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things. Values have shrunk to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious curtailment of income ... More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment ...

"The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths. The measure of that restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit ... If I read the temper of our people correctly, we now realize, as we have never realized before, our interdependence on each other; that we can not merely take, but we must give as well."

(The entire article can be found by clicking on the link.)

http://www.truthout.org/092708Y

If ever this country needed a savior, the time is now. It is inconceivable to me that anyone who buys groceries, fills his gas tank, or watches his savings dwindle would vote for John McCain. Is half the country brain dead?

It was obvious that Obama showed better judgment in his debate answers, but I fear common sense does not sway voters. Critical thinking is sadly lacking in today's culture.

I wanted to have a stop-watch last night because I thought Jim Lehrer allowed McCain to ramble on way beyond the time limit. His constant repetitions grew tiresome, but I suppose he needed to drill, drill, drill them into the skulls of the non-thinkers as a necessary way to get his point across. I hope that some of the people understood that McShame (not a typo) was lying when Obama corrected his statements. I fear most of it was over the heads of the McCain believers.

Roosevelt was correct then and he is correct now. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. And I have great fear that McCain's sleazy tactics might work.