I had a thought last night about what Democrats need

[Jilly_in_VA]

I watched a program last night about Theodore Roosevelt and looking at what he did, not only the "trust busting" but his strong environmental stance and his founding of national parks, national monuments, and national forests, and earlier, when he was police commissioner of HYC, his tough stance on crime and the way he cleaned up the streets, which were literally open sewers at the time, I thought, THIS is who the Democrats need to run. Of course, the man has been dead for some time now, so I don't mean him, but someone LIKE him, and right now I don't see that anywhere,. There has to be somebody, but I don't see him (or her). Suggestions, anyone? It can't be a partial, either.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Anyone emulating TR would face far more institutional resistance than he did

Right now we can't even raise taxes on billionaires, quite the opposite. Everything is more corporate power. Corporations were nascent when TR was in office. He only had to deal with railroads, oil companies, and banks. Reforming corporate ideals in a conservative state is quite the order.

[Jilly_in_VA]

4. Fuck the institutional resistance

It's time to buck that so-called power and get it out of the way! We can do it. Stop being a naysayer.

[leftstreet]

2. These times call for more of an FDR n/t

[betsuni]

3. When Democrats are accused of being corrupted by legal campaign contributions, I think of Teddy.

"In his first run for president, in 1904, Teddy Roosevelt and the Republicans were caught taking enormous corporate campaign contributions. The most radical of the era's famous progressive journalists argued privately that he should give them back. Roosevelt refused and argued that it was 'entirely legitimate to accept contributions, no matter how large,' provided they were freely given. Finally, under mounting political pressure, he signed a bill, written by his archenemy, 'Pitchfork Ben,' limiting contributions -- but lacking an enforcement mechanism." -- Steven Stoft, "Ripped Apart, How Democrats Can Fight Polarization to Win"

Teddy's right. Obama received a record amount of Wall Street contributions in 2008 and regulated Wall Street as he campaigned on, so Wall Street gave more money to Romney the next election. Democrats are not corrupted by freely given contributions and accusing them of being controlled by wealthy donors, billionaires, and oligarchs and so on is extremely polarizing and only helps Republicans.

[Jilly_in_VA]

5. What you said

and forget the first reply.