Sunday, January 06, 2019
"Rights" to duties, 1936 edition
A recent addition to the American Radio History library is a 1936 Radio Guide to Politics written by Philco.
Philco made excellent radios and also had an excellent corporate attitude, so I decided to read the piece. The booklet includes biographies of Roosevelt and Landon, plus the platforms of both parties. (Note that I'm not putting "both" "parties" in quotes as usual; we actually had TWO PARTIES in 1936.) I'd never looked at those platforms before, but the context of Radio + Philco somehow made them more palatable.
The Democrat platform is impressive in several ways.
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1. It's written in terms of DUTIES, not "rights". It replaces the satanic "rights" constitution with a Godly DUTIES constitution.
First paragraph:
1.We hold this truth to be self-evident: that government in a modern civilization has certain inescapable obligations to its citizens, among which are: 2. Protection of the family and the home. 2. Establishment of a democracy of opportunity for all the people. 3. Aid to those overtaken by disaster. These obligations, neglected through 12 years of the old leadership, have once more been recognized by American government. Under the new leadership they will never be neglected.Note that family and home came first. Both words are alien CRIMETHINK to modern politicians of "both" "parties". = = = = = 2. Because FDR had actually DONE THINGS AND ACCOMPLISHED GOALS during his first four years, the platform was able to speak to people on the basis of trust. The people had seen REAL ACTION, and had good reason to expect more of the same.
We have begun and shall continue the successful drive to rid our land of kidnapers and bandits. We shall continue to use the powers of government to end the activities of the malefactors of great wealth who defraud and exploit the people.Note that kidnappers, bandits, and malefactors of great wealth are correctly listed in the same paragraph. = = = = = 3. Government has a DUTY to encourage thrift and savings, NOT to encourage debt.
We have safeguarded the thrift of our citizens by restraining those who would gamble with other people's savings, by requiring truth in the sale of securities; by putting the brakes upon the use of credit for speculation; by outlawing the manipulation of prices in stock and commodity markets; by curbing the overweening power and unholy practices of utility holding companies; by insuring 50 million bank accounts.= = = = = If modern "Democrats" really wanted to win without cheating, they should simply adopt this platform. Of course the trust part wouldn't work, because modern "Democrats" specifically deleted FDR's legacy in 1999 and thereafter participated equally in slaughtering the poor to boost the Dow. Moderns would have to promise a restoration of thrift and obligations, and frankly nobody would believe them.
Labels: From rights to duties
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