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Cirsium

(2,749 posts)
5. A platform
Tue Jan 21, 2025, 04:07 PM
Jan 2025

An old English judge once said: “Necessitous men are not free men.” Liberty requires opportunity to make a living – a living decent according to the standard of the time, a living which gives man not only enough to live by, but something to live for.

For too many of us the political equality we once had won was meaningless in the face of economic inequality. A small group had concentrated into their own hands an almost complete control over other people’s property, other people’s money, other people’s labor – other people’s lives. For too many of us life was no longer free; liberty no longer real; men could no longer follow the pursuit of happiness.

Against economic tyranny such as this, the American citizen could appeal only to the organized power of Government. The collapse of 1929 showed up the despotism for what it was. The election of 1932 was the people’s mandate to end it. Under that mandate it is being ended.

...

The royalists of the economic order have conceded that political freedom was the business of the Government, but they have maintained that economic slavery was nobody’s business. They granted that the Government could protect the citizen in his right to vote, but they denied that the Government could do anything to protect the citizen in his right to work and his right to live.

These economic royalists complain that we seek to overthrow the institutions of America. What they really complain of is that we seek to take away their power. Our allegiance to American institutions requires the overthrow of this kind of power. In vain they seek to hide behind the Flag and the Constitution. In their blindness they forget what the Flag and the Constitution stand for. Now, as always, they stand for democracy, not tyranny; for freedom, not subjection; and against a dictatorship by mob rule and the over-privileged alike.

The brave and clear platform adopted by this Convention, to which I heartily subscribe, sets forth that Government in a modern civilization has certain inescapable obligations to its citizens, among which are protection of the family and the home, the establishment of a democracy of opportunity, and aid to those overtaken by disaster.

But the resolute enemy within our gates is ever ready to beat down our words unless in greater courage we will fight for them.

For more than three years we have fought for them. This Convention, in every word and deed, has pledged that that fight will go on.

https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/acceptance-speech-at-the-democratic-national-convention-1936/

Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

The platform should be simple to explain Red Mountain Jan 2025 #1
We already have the more popular platform, by far unblock Jan 2025 #2
As someone in marketing, I agree. Sweet Freedom Jan 2025 #10
Marketing training here, too. littlemissmartypants Jan 2025 #12
To be fair, right-wingers own the microphones unblock Jan 2025 #17
Ongoing Psychological warfare from within and out suegeo Jan 2025 #22
And if we can't expand the SCOTUS, I would say regulate it ck4829 Jan 2025 #3
"Going that far" Cirsium Jan 2025 #8
This message was self-deleted by its author LiberalArkie Jan 2025 #4
I am shocked Cirsium Jan 2025 #6
Agree 100%. Some of our reps say they are capitulating to preserve democrary. We are no longer a in2herbs Jan 2025 #9
Time to mail spines to Congress again LearnedHand Jan 2025 #14
A platform Cirsium Jan 2025 #5
yess. AllaN01Bear Jan 2025 #7
im beginning to think the dems need a tea party like movement moonshinegnomie Jan 2025 #11
Totally agree! LearnedHand Jan 2025 #15
+1. Loud, purposeful, and energetic dalton99a Jan 2025 #20
Yes, I think this is the right track. Mike 03 Jan 2025 #13
Improve messaging on unpopular causes. BannonsLiver Jan 2025 #16
Which ones? LearnedHand Jan 2025 #19
Improved messaging, perhaps a good first step. But... suegeo Jan 2025 #23
The first thing we need to do when we get back in control of the Senate is to eliminate totodeinhere Jan 2025 #18
I want control of my human body returned. suegeo Jan 2025 #21
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