FDR speaks about the 2012 presidential race from beyond the grave

person

This one minute excerpt sounds like it could be about today's politics.

vinlyn

Too bad my candidate, Mr. Obama, can't say it so simply and so elegantly. Instead, we got the last debate. FDR...still my hero!

Dakini

Well, but the opposition to Obama isn't promising to support Social Security, saving homes, and all that. They're into cutting everything. But I agree that Obama needs to come up with a catchy, yet simple, presentation like that. He seems to have lost his oratorial touch.

Comparing FDR with Obama makes me think: some people say Obama probably would have been able to get better cooperation from Congress (the Repubs) if it weren't for racism. Do you guys think racism is a political obstacle for him, in terms of getting his proposals approved and legislation passed?

person

Dakini said:

Well, but the opposition to Obama isn't promising to support Social Security, saving homes, and all that. They're into cutting everything. But I agree that Obama needs to come up with a catchy, yet simple, presentation like that. He seems to have lost his oratorial touch.

Actually they do say they support many if not all of the social programs and most of Obama' health care bill but they'd just do it differently.

Watch this segment in three parts showing many clips where Romney says he's for everything good and against everything bad.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-october-9-2012/democalypse-2012---vague-against-the-machine

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-october-9-2012/democalypse-2012---vague-against-the-machine---romney-s-wizardry

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-october-9-2012/democalypse-2012---vague-against-the-machine---the-numbers-guy

vinlyn

Dakini said:

...
Comparing FDR with Obama makes me think: some people say Obama probably would have been able to get better cooperation from Congress (the Repubs) if it weren't for racism. Do you guys think racism is a political obstacle for him, in terms of getting his proposals approved and legislation passed?

Yes, I do. I think it galls many Republicans that we have a Black president.

zombiegirl

vinlyn said:

Dakini said:

...
Comparing FDR with Obama makes me think: some people say Obama probably would have been able to get better cooperation from Congress (the Repubs) if it weren't for racism. Do you guys think racism is a political obstacle for him, in terms of getting his proposals approved and legislation passed?

Yes, I do. I think it galls many Republicans that we have a Black president.

Racism, like sexism, is really hidden from most of what we consider 'polite society'. With obvious remarks "frowned upon", it's really devolved into a form of prejudice that some people aren't even aware of themselves. They might say and think that his race has nothing to do with it, but it's really hard to shatter those preconceived notions that some people have been taught since birth. It takes the introspective look of a questioning mind that I honestly think most people just don't seem to possess (or want to, rather).

tmottes

zombiegirl said:

vinlyn said:

Dakini said:

...
Comparing FDR with Obama makes me think: some people say Obama probably would have been able to get better cooperation from Congress (the Repubs) if it weren't for racism. Do you guys think racism is a political obstacle for him, in terms of getting his proposals approved and legislation passed?

Yes, I do. I think it galls many Republicans that we have a Black president.

Racism, like sexism, is really hidden from most of what we consider 'polite society'. With obvious remarks "frowned upon", it's really devolved into a form of prejudice that some people aren't even aware of themselves. They might say and think that his race has nothing to do with it, but it's really hard to shatter those preconceived notions that some people have been taught since birth. It takes the introspective look of a questioning mind that I honestly think most people just don't seem to possess (or want to, rather).

I grew up in a Utah suburb where blacks were (times change and Katrina brought in a lot of displaced blacks who just stayed) just about non-existent. Unfortunately, thanks to lack of socialization and conditioning from media (news, cops, etc), I have these quick snap judgement thoughts that pop into my head. Since I rarely saw blacks, I never saw my conditioning frequently enough for me to notice it as an issue. I just moved to San Antonio, TX for a temporary work assignment and I moved into a mainly black neighborhood and I really enjoy it, haha. I see a group of black people sitting out on their porch and my first reaction is to tense up a bit, then the reactionary thoughts flow. It has been great to move to this neighborhood because it has given me a chance to look at those thoughts for what they are, silly. The people here are super friendly: always saying hi and genuinely wanting to know how you are. Several times I have been approached by a "scary" (my stupid thoughts) black man. I am thinking he is going to ask for money or something, but he just seemed to want to talk for a bit and then go on his way. I also think it goes beyond racism. The things with which we aren't familiar we tend to fear and if we don't get in the habit of questioning our reactions, it only gets worse as we get older. I would guess many humans are in this same boat.

vinlyn

@Tmottes, interesting. Reminds me a little bit of me. I grew up in a town in western New York State that was all-White until my teenage years, when one Black family moved in (well, we did have one Jewish family before that...my dentist)...before that, we Catholics were perceived as being somewhat on the low end of the totem pole. Then, after college I moved to the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. and taught in a middle school that was (at that time) about 55% Black. It took some time for me to adjust. After my adjustment period, I actually found that my fears were situational, not about being Black. But, I have known people who were, in general, very afraid of or simply disliked people because they were Black (or Latino).

RebeccaS

vinlyn said:

Dakini said:

...
Comparing FDR with Obama makes me think: some people say Obama probably would have been able to get better cooperation from Congress (the Repubs) if it weren't for racism. Do you guys think racism is a political obstacle for him, in terms of getting his proposals approved and legislation passed?

Yes, I do. I think it galls many Republicans that we have a Black president.

That's awful I really don't think that's true. I think they just don't really like him for the same reason that people don't like whatever candidate. They don't like his policies and they don't like his attitude. It probably has something to do with race for a minority out there because there are assholes everywhere but I really don't think it's a lot of people, I don't think it's many people, I think it's very few people.

I don't think you can say a lot of Republicans don't like Obama just because he's black. If I was in the States I'd be a Republican, and I don't like Obama very much but the color of his skin doesn't even factor into my feelings about him. On the other side of that, I wouldn't support a racist party.

I don't think racism is an obstacle for him at all, though I do think some people would like to believe that. That way they get to write off anyone who votes against him as simply racist and stupid, because if they weren't racist and stupid they'd vote for him. Which is ridiculous.

ThailandTom

The same old dribble is timeless isn't it, politics :rolleyes: