Where’s the strong, impassioned, continuing and overwhelming true “public opinion” which was so forceful a strong factor in New Deal days, surely felt by the Congress?
(EUGENE, Ore.) - Long-prevailing conservative myth-making states that “the New Deal failed to end the Depression, with World War II the real factor for eventual return to prosperity.”
That erroneous story is now recognized as a canard, distorted Far Right propaganda to denigrate the New Deal and its far-reaching changes of American lifestyle and inevitable impact of democracy on the whole world.
Our July 4 observance commemorates signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Surely that’s a relevant time to examine again what brought on those significant New Deal accomplishments, presenting a pattern for further progress again NOW.
It was strong resurgence of what can only be termed “Do it yourself governance” that created the concepts, lead on to the legislation, and finally found ways to fund and make it all work. Everlasting credit must go to the social movements supplying the absolutely essential power-drive. Now recognized for unusual shaping effort are the diverse impacts of Sen. Huey Long’s Share Our Wealth program --far more radical than FDR; the Townsend movement seeking $200-monthly checks for everyone over 65, Veteran’s Bonus troops twice marching on D.C., Father Coughlin’s fierce criticisms; and activist peace groups working for probing War I profiteering and worldwide disarmament.
Then there was the rebirth of unionism, strongly reflected in the Congress of Industrial Organizations and the American Federation of Labor: Their combined impact laid the national legal framework for corporate/labor “agreement on a social contract that was the foundation for decades of rapid industrial and business growth.”
In short, strong public opinion drove both Congress and Roosevelt, mobilized by multiple and massive mutual action by a diverse range of social and union movements. That’s surely the way well-intended by our Founding Fathers, involving strong citizen responsibilities exerted through mutual cooperative action --highly reminiscent of the first American Revolution.
We lack that social/cultural/economic organization demanding “progress NOW !” from Congress today. The two once-powerful political parties are finding themselves now overwhelmed by the heavy consequences of corporate dollar-power, at work everywhere -- at perhaps a Million-to-One money-ratio vs the common confused and frustrated American citizen.
In fact, that malign massive money-impact is now itself the target of rapidly-growing social-economic forces dedicated to reversing a flawed decision by the Supreme Court. Remediating corporate chartering as demanded for return to serving public interest, as was the original intention of charter control, will inevitably become part of that absolutely necessary system reform and restructuring --only made much. much worse by the current worldwide economic crisis.
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For the latest well-documented statement of those essential historic happenings, and the forces fully now recognized as the major factors moving both President Roosevelt; and a Congress for once not only cooperative but itself creative --sometimes even controlling-- we are indebted to Dr. Elizabeth Sanders, Cornell Professor of Government. (IN THESE TIMES, APRIL ‘09).
Surely it is no coincidence that in TIME’s Annual Making of America Issue (6 July) there also appears an equally comprehensive special feature (pp. 27-51). This timely, historic report outlines, summarizes and explores in depth what can only be understood as further development of essential citizen responsibility.
The joint message of these probing, incisive further examinations of that crucial period in our American history is extremely clear: Democracy is very definitely a do-it-yourself project continuing through decades and even centuries, demanding constant surveillance and continuing every citizen responsibilities.
The very clear connection is mirrored in our Founders’ inventive approach to both the Constitution and the accompanying Bill of Rights, presciently built flexibly enough at allow rational, reasonable adaptation to the multiple, massive changes sure to come in the New Age. Indeed, the Bill --now proven the classic declaration of human liberties over the entire past two centuries-- reflects precisely those very flexibilities and diversities which make this unique approach to governance the great role model for democracy that is has now become.
That has certainly, occurred --again, worldwide-- flying in the face of those desperate but deficient other systems set up as anti-democracies, on whatever failing basis. This historic development has occurred even in the face of determined, continuing heavily corporate-funded desperate attack, with deep damage, to the strong movement toward unionism which characterized those earlier New Deal days.
It was that strong, concerted, cooperative and comprehensive gathering of social/economic strengths that gave those New Deal years not only a very special flavor for all-involved, but also a record of true and tremendous accomplishments, boding well for all citizens of this nation. (See TIME-issue for comprehensive coverage complete with revealing graphics.)
One of the most essential of our freedom-defining public decisions then developed was, surely, the right of workers to unionize. That remains the ONLY WAY they can negotiate a level playing field with their inevitable partner for the creation of wealth; thus equalizing the shaping and controlling of the fundamental opportunity for the pursuit and capture of happiness --as so plainly set forth in our nation-shaping documents now the criterion for the 21st Century world.
Another absolutely essential work-out of the Founders blueprint for human rights is the coming-soon arrival of universal healthcare, in radical format now demanded for rational --and reasonable !-- reasons, already reflected worldwide in every other “civilized” nation. It was first proposed in 1912 --by Theodore Roosevelt.
We can go on and on,,,and on and on and on...with many more such now-clearly necessary reforms for the true development of the American Way set up so long ago by our Founders. The full agenda is now on public record, set forth in detail and with flexible development provided for the work of the Congress.
Where’s the strong, impassioned, continuing and overwhelming true “public opinion” which was so forceful a strong factor in New Deal days, surely felt by the Congress ? Closing lines of Prof. Sanders revealing research says it all, after summarize that then-crucial situation: “Which is to say, if we want a New Deal, we have to do it ourselves.”
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At 21, Henry Clay Ruark was Aroostook Editor for the Bango, Maine DAILY NEWS, covering upper 1/4 of the state. In the ‘40s, he was Staff Correspondent, then New England Wires Editor at United Press-Boston; later Editor for the Burlington, Vermont 3-daily group owned by Wm. Loeb, later notorious at Manchester, New Hampshire UNION LEADER for attacks on Democratic Presidential candidates.
Hank returned to Oregon to complete M. Ed degree at OSU, went on to Indiana University for Ed.D. (abd) and special other course-work; was selected as first Information Director for NAVA in Washington, D.C.; helped write sections of NDEA, first Act to supply math, science, foreign language consultants to state depts. of education; joined Oregon Dept. of Education as NDEA administrator/Learning Media Consultant for tenyears.
He joined Dr. Amo DeBernardis at PCC, helping establish, extend programs, facilities, Oregon/national public relations; moved to Chicago as Editor/Publisher of oldest educational-AV journal, reformed as AV GUIDE Magazine; then established and operated Learning Media Associates as general communications consultant group. Due to wife’s illness, he returned to Oregon in 1981, semi-retired, and has continued writing intermittently ever since, joining S-N in 2004. His Op Eds now total over 560 written since then.
Op Ed for Salem-NewsSalem-News.com