Some Sunday Morning Inspiration: A Great Democratic President Tells Wall Street To Go Fuck Itself

The video above is an excerpt from a speech Franklin Roosevelt gave at Madison Square garden in 1936, just up the road from Wall Street. And it was to Wall Street-- and their Republican handmaidens-- he addressed these remarks:

Nine crazy years at the ticker and three long years in the breadlines! Nine mad years of mirage and three long years of despair! Powerful influences strive today to restore that kind of government with its doctrine that that Government is best which is most indifferent.

For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up.

We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace‹business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.

They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.

Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me and I welcome their hatred.

I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master.

Progressives who depend on the Democratic Party had a very rough week-- a very rough year, truth be told. Obama's response to Wall Street is nothing like FDR's. It's more like Herbert Hoover's. Yesterday we looked at how American fascism-- led by the DuPont family-- attempted to destroy democracy in our country and use Big Business as an engine of fascism, the way they did in Germany. FDR defeated Germany and it's allies abroad but died before he could defeat fascism at home. Obama, on the other hand, wants to be liked by everyone-- especially his campaign donors. He isn't secure enough to welcome anyone's hatred, even though that's exactly what his timidity inspires... and without the fear or respect.

Obama's approach to Wall Street-- while admittedly not as toxic as the GOP's-- is not the medicine the economy or the country needs. I write this with great sadness... and look forward to a day when Democratic Party voters and supporters will break free from the chains of banksters, lobbyists and Inside-the-Beltway careerists.