Your Granny Is a Godless Communist

Let me ask you a question: Is your grandmother on Social Security? How about Medicare? Do you know who came up with Social Security? Do you know who got Medicare implemented? Go ahead. Look it up. I'll wait.




Now, let me ask you another question (or two):

Was Franklin D. Roosevelt "too liberal"?

Was Lyndon Baines Johnson "too liberal"?

If you answered "yes" to either of those, let's take a look at what history says. From Wikipedia:

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Siena College Research Institute, Presidential Expert Poll of 2018

"On February 13, 2019, Siena released its 6th presidential poll.

The poll was initiated in 1982 and occurs one year into the term of each new president. It is currently a survey of 157 presidential scholars, across a range of leadership parameters.

The ranking gave the top five spots to George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt (FDR), Abraham Lincoln, Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson. This top five, described as Mt. Rushmore plus FDR, was consistent with prior surveys. Washington had been ranked fourth in all previous surveys, and FDR first."
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Let's think about this now: "Mt. Rushmore plus FDR". The greater truth is that FDR usually ranks in the top 3: Washington, Lincoln and FDR. (I'm always amazed that you just can't say "Roosevelt". Teddy is usually ranked 4th or 5th.) So the guy that came up with Social Security is considered the 3rd greatest President of all time -- right behind the guy that created the country and the guy that saved it.

(Let me interrupt myself to put this controversial idea into print. To the best of my knowledge -- in the history of the world -- only two men can be credited with saving the world. And FDR's daddy wasn't God.)

FDR was elected to 4 terms as President. Good or bad, it's kind of hard to deny his popularity. And speaking of popularity, can you name a program more popular with the Public than Social Security? You know, the program that keeps your Grandmother (Godless Communist that she is) from living in your basement?

So I'll ask again; Was FDR too liberal?



And that brings me to Lyndon Baines Johnson. Admit it. When I asked you to name a Government program more popular than Social Security, Medicare flashed through your brain didn't it? Can we all agree that Medicare is indeed insanely popular?

LBJ (#10 on this Presidential survey) was a lot of things but "liberal" usually isn't what tops the list. Right up until he was sworn in as President, most Americans thought of him as just another racist Southerner. He wasn't. Turns out, he was an FDR-Democrat Westerner. The Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Immigration and Nationality Act, he doubled Federal spending on education, the Public Broadcasting Act -- his legislative accomplishments were simply breathtaking. None were bigger or more important than Medicare (and Medicaid).

So we go back to the question: Was LBJ "too liberal"?

I ask because I'm tired of hearing one of my local political pundits describe Elizabeth Warren as "too liberal" because she supports "Medicare for All". Now don't get me wrong. I like my local political pundit. (Well, sort of.) That's the reason I listen to him. But I hear the same sentiment from many other pundits. Given the position of Overton's Window these days, he's probably correct. But when you look at the facts, when you look at history, when you look at reality...the concept of Social Welfare is incredibly popular with the American Public.

Just because Conservatives have appropriated the words and vilified them doesn't change the fact that Granny is receiving a government retirement subsidy and is using "socialized medicine". And she loves it. It's not me that's calling her a Godless Communist/Socialist, it's the money guys -- the ones getting rich off of American's misery.

FDR and LBJ tried to end (or at least moderate) American's misery. Elizabeth Warren wants to do the same. (As do all the other Democrats.) "Welfare for All" is just advertising. What America needs (and the rest of civilized world has) is Universal Healthcare. I don't care how we get it. Just as long as we get it. Republicans probably want to end American's misery too. They just want somebody to be able to make a profit on it. They're willing to let you -- and your kids -- suffer until they get it. After all, Granny's got her's.

Don Brown
December 6, 2019