What's with the no New Deal?

[ManyShadesOf]

Wouldn't a Works Progress Administration type program help the country and help the president get reelected? Where is the relief for Americans? If this election is about, "Different bums are better than what's happening now," are Democrats in trouble?

New Deal Art During the Great Depression
http://www.wpamurals.com/
On May 6, 1935, the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) was created to help provide economic relief to the citizens of the United States who were suffering through the Great Depression. The artistic community had already become inspired during the 1920s and '30s by the revitalization of the Italian Renaissance fresco style by the inspired creations of Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueriros. Certain visionary U.S. politicians decided to combine the creativity of the new art movements with the values of the American people. The Federal Art Project was one of the divisions of the W.P.A. created under Federal Project One. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had made several attempts prior to the F.A.P. to provide employment for artists on relief, namely the Public Works of Art Project (P.W.A.P.) which operated from 1933 to 1934 and the Treasury Department Section of Painting and Sculpture which was created in 1934 after the demise of the P.W.A.P. However, it was the F.A.P. which provided the widest reach, creating over 5,000 jobs for artists and producing over 225,000 works of art for the American people.

It is this legacy of the thousands of workers who labored at their craft for little money but great pride which we have to inspire us today. Although many of these works of art have been destroyed or stolen, those that remain must be preserved. They stand as a reminder of a time in our country’s history when dreams were not allowed to be destroyed by economic disaster.

[freshwest]

1. Every attempt to do such at the beginning of Obama's administration was shut down. And the Governor

Of one of the northeastern states removed all that 'labor' history in murals from government offices. It was part of the 'labor' department he sought to have re-named, as the GOP hates labor so much they are trying to get the word removed from all public life. They even tried to change the name of the NLRB when they weren't actively fighting its funding or allowing it to operate. No, this is not FDR's USA. Thanks for the very beautiful art work, though.

[ManyShadesOf]

2. Yes, you're right, the attempt to scrub history

and progressive reforms and language has been going on for a while. So, give up? I'm asking if polls are close, etc. now, maybe it's time to rethink this. People are HURTING!

I'm not familiar with "very attempt to do such at the beginning of Obama's administration was shut down"?

[freshwest]

11. Obama tried some projects such as FDR implemented, CCC, WPA, etc.

The tremendous hysteria on the right was that any such programs were the Obama version of the Hitler Youth. Really, that's what they called these things. I went to schools built by the WPA. My dad was employed by the CCC and there are parks you can go to (if they haven't been sold off) from the work they did. The obstructionists won't allow it, period. They hold the majority in the Congress and are powerful in the Senate.

The message put out about those programs was that they were going to be squads of minorities or illegals coming to yank the patriots out of their beds after seizing their guns, sending them to the FEMA camps to be killed. They started talking about the color of dots on rural mail boxes, they put out movies how all these programs were for a fourth reich.

This was consistent on programs by Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck and Alex Jones. When Obama pushed to close Gitmo and bring the prisoners here to be tried under our laws, they said he was importing a Muslim army to destroy the USA from within. Which was in keeping with their meme that any public works or employment program would be swearing allegiance to Obama over the US Constitution.

So after manufacturing that in their media, the GOP prevented funding to move them here. Just as slick as could be, they said Obama's failure to close Gitmo was proof he was the dictator they said that he was from the beginning. Both sides have been consistently played for both sides.

Obama made many alternative energy proposals from the beginning that would have provided jobs and got us away from oil. That began attacks he was planning to starve the USA of all energy sources to bring us to our knees and break the economy to force us to accept giving up our sovereignty. Everything this man has done has been attacked six ways from Sunday.

EDIT: As far as people HURTING, that's the plan of the GOP. The more desperate people are, the more likely to fall into the hands of cults, demagoges and other people offering them somone to blame and a quick fix. Their solution is to bring the government down and disband the USA into camps of states controlled by local leaders and then root out their enemies. Which is okay for those connected, and very bad for those who aren't. It's their model.

[ManyShadesOf]

31. What were those projects?

I missed as did others here. It seems we would have heard about it, on a national level? Thanks for your great posts.

As for people HURTING do Dems need to make more of a point of that or do they fear that makes O look bad?

[girl gone mad]

43. They never really tried..

because they don't have a decent grasp on the difficuly economic issues confronting this nation, caused by decades of incompetent policies.

The administration's strategy was to throw trillions at the banks and hope green shoots would sprout. But hope is not a plan.

[ManyShadesOf]

48. Well put!

"The administration's strategy was to throw trillions at the banks and hope green shoots would sprout."

Could the admin now make that point, the "job creators" failed and bailed on the American people?

[sweetapogee]

64. True...

But don't forget, we do have free healthcare in the pipeline. That is a blessing.

[former9thward]

46. Obama never tried projects like the CCC, WPA.

Don't know where that is coming from.

[ManyShadesOf]

47. It hasn't been answered

despite a couple of requests.

[Zax2me]

6. At the beginning he had a Dem House and Senate. Who are you blaming?

You can blame GOP all you like.
They had to have help from our 'side'.

[freshwest]

15. About that fillibuster proof majority myth. A link from Mother Jones:

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/09/about-filibuster-proof-majority

Those of us who followed this daily at the time saw what was happening. But if the solution as most who despise the Democratic Party as much as the GOP does, is not to vote at all, or put any of them in, why even mention it?

Other than to depress the votes of those who want to change things in the government with a majority than cannot be filibustered, after dealing with nearly a score of GOP dominance.

How did not voting in 2010 help progressives?

If it doesn't make any difference, why do the GOP suppress Democratic voters at every oppotunity while putting out dog whistle to their voting block?

As far as this issue is concerned, I don't waste time talking to people who are not going to vote, or are determined to make the Democrats the bad guys in all of this. And it doesn't matter which part of the Democratic Party they loathe, the GOP voters will vote for their man no matter who it is.

Because they do believe voting matters and they have proven it at every single election as they have voted in a GOP majority in state houses, governor mansions, the US Congress and most of the Senate.

It is really no use talking to those who continually denigrate all Democrats. Their minds are made up, just as surely as GOP voters, only the memes are different. The results are exactly the same.

I answered the OP, that's all that's needed. EOM.

[MannyGoldstein]

17. 14 weeks = 98 days. Know what FDR did in 100 days?

He turned America around. 15 major pieces of legislation, 30 press conferences, and a new deal for the 99%.

In FDR's first term, unemployment dropped by 40%.

It all starts with fighting for it.

[freshwest]

19. This is not FDR's USA. Offer solutions that work in 2012.

[ManyShadesOf]

32. Same deal

X major pieces of legislation, X press conferences, and a new deal for the 99%.

A CHALLENGE to the obstructionists.

[TheWraith]

34. FDR also had a Congress that was ~70% Democratic.

Even so, most of his proposals were knocked down.

And guess what? Even then, he was continually ridiculed by the left wing of the party for not doing enough. You constantly talk about "FDR Democrats," but if you'd been there you probably would have been one of the ones attacking him.

[freshwest]

44. Yup.

[MannyGoldstein]

10. Which attempts were those?

All I remember is trickle-down efforts, nothing WPA-ish. Perhaps I'm wrong.

[freshwest]

20. Somehow you missed those years. I saw it as it unfolded and posted then. Briefly:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002819298#post11

[TheKentuckian]

56. There is a standing Executive Order banning WPA type programs signed by Reagan

which has not been countermanded, which means no fight at all. Not even the pretense of such.

Nothing was missed.

[freshwest]

57. State the standing executive order that says Congress has to fund it.

I'd love to see how a house ruled by teabaggers can be forced to authorize these funds. It wouild be so refreshing to have one to refer to in letters to my representatives. At this point they've been reduced to adding riders for food stamps and other programs.

[TheKentuckian]

62. Of course they don't have to fund it but you are arguing they were "fought for"

and obstruction is why we don't have such effort and I say there has been ZERO material effort.

We aren't arguing about if the policies would be enacted and funded at this time but rather if we are even trying to and we are not.

I'm saying make them obstruct and present a competing narrative so that we can either turn the conversation or at the very least allow other options to a part of debate so that we have a fucking argument.

The opposition doesn't give a damn if they have the votes or not, they don't care what the polls say about their agenda, and they sure a hell don't care about being or even appearing "bipartisan", they push their vile shit until it moves from batshit to "centrist" and part of the beltway common wisdom.

No TeaPubliKlan would leave an EO in effect against an agenda they are seeking, funding or no because they actually do fight for what they want and damn the torpedoes.
You know, I don't believe a Democrat would do so either and can identify no plausible justification reason they would in good faith so I'm left with every impression that such efforts are not on the agenda.

[Egalitarian Thug]

26. This is whatever USA we determine to make it. If the President tried some of these things,

he certainly didn't try very hard as too few ever heard of it. If you define trying as floating an idea in a back room full of leadership types in DC, who knows?

If OTOH, you try to do something by clearly stating it in public over and over and then pushing out legislation while broadcasting that you are doing it and explicitly naming who is fighting it and who is not supporting it, well then even if you fail this time at least people know.

But I forgot, that isn't pragmatic.

[TheWraith]

38. So it's Obama's fault when people don't know what they're talking about?

He's supposed to personally correct the misinformed, clueless, and sometimes deliberately ignorant? Or are we simply forgetting, among many other things, the budget proposal he put forward which Paul Krugman described as the most significant emphasis on progressive economics in generations?

[Egalitarian Thug]

42. No, it's his fault when he ignores people like Dr.'s Krugman and Stiglitz for years.

Expends all the goodwill (political capital) he came into office with by foolishly pursuing so-called bipartisanship and kowtowing to the DC PTB for two years until it's too late.

Too little, too late. I hope he pulls it out for all of our sakes, but whether he does or not is entirely his fault.

[ManyShadesOf]

50. Well put!

Agreed.

Not sure about "entirely his fault," though. Considering how compromised the system and Congress are ...

[Egalitarian Thug]

51. TY. Funny how these fools never seem to have an answer to these very basic principles.

They cried foul over and over when he was making these obvious errors and we pointed it out.

They plead ignorance or helplessness during the run-up to the catastrophic mistake.

They demand patience while the mistake is being made.

And then finally, once the pooch has been screwed, they try to lay the blame on those of us that told them exactly what would happen when it inevitably does.

It's almost like they were working for some other agenda entirely.

[freshwest]

45. +1,000

[ManyShadesOf]

49. Who are you talking about?

"He's supposed to personally correct the misinformed, clueless, and sometimes deliberately ignorant?"

Not sure what youre responding to. The poster suggested legislation and promotion of steps to implement, push the agenda.

"If the President tried some of these things, he certainly didn't try very hard as too few ever heard of it. If you define trying as floating an idea in a back room full of leadership types in DC, who knows?"

[Taverner]

60. They really hate the working class

And they want to convince the working class that they are rich...

[freshwest]

61. And that Obama is the enemy of all. MInds are made up. EOM.

[DCBob]

3. Do you honesty think a "New Deal" WPA-like program could be passed in either chamber??

The GOPers would kill that before the ink dried.

[ManyShadesOf]

4. Let em try

Do you think at this point the American people wouldn't have enough free time on their hands to blast Congress with demands that they quit bailing out biliionaires and start working for the people?

[DCBob]

8. Americans blast congress?? HA!

They are so dumbed down and brainwashed by Faux newz and talk radio they wont even realize its the Republican's fault.

[ManyShadesOf]

9. Are you sure?

Are you talking about all Americans or Republican voters?
What American family that's hurting in this depression wouldn't rise to the occasion if a plan were presented?

[DCBob]

24. Yes. The Republicans will frame it as a huge wasteful Big Gov program.

They will say Obama wants to spend enourmous amounts of taxpayer money just to generate a limited number of "non-productive" jobs just to gain some votes. They will come up with some crazy number like we are spending $250,000 per job and that is was the media will focus on.

Its futile as long as the Rethugs control the House and the media.

[ManyShadesOf]

30. Fuck em

[DCBob]

37. Brilliant strategy.

[ManyShadesOf]

39. You'd rather give up without trying

because of how they will frame it? Now THAT's brilliant. Succeeding in failure.

Your point about control in Congress and media is well taken. Is there NO way around that?

What if Obama admin came out swinging with their plan and framing? And pointed out that the "job creators" FAILED epically after being given how many billions of taxpayer $$?

[DCBob]

40. Focus on legislation that is realistic.

A new "New Deal" is not.

[ManyShadesOf]

41. Maybe not but it's needed

Are the Democrats assured a win if they can't detach themselves from this depression? That would be one way -- make the case and actually DO something to relieve people's suffering. Which would require acknowledging it ...

[TheKentuckian]

58. That isn't how the TeaPubliKlans moved the spectrum.

They push and have pushed for decades for legislation that not only had no realistic chance of passing, that was not only far from mainstream, but also for legislation about as popular as turds in a punchbowl and kept pushing, were ever more certain of their convictions in the face of opposition, and relentlessly pursued and pursue their agenda until what was once seen as nuts became beltway common wisdom.

They don't give a fuck if the Ryan budget is unpopular or that it admittedly does the opposite of the stated goal of reducing the deficit, they relentlessly push their agenda and at worse trick, coerce, or grant cover to Democrats to at least accept the Catfood Commission which means their agenda moves even if it is actually despised and mocked.

[DCBob]

65. Its shocking how many people on this board "admire" Teaparty politics.

Thats like saying you admire terrorists for their "accomplishments".

We certainly do not want to copy the tactics of the Teaparty. One of the key differences between Democrats and Republicans is that we place the nation above politics.

[TheKentuckian]

59. I also will say your realistic tends away from effective and broadly beneficial

and seems to come with big profits for corporations and less self determination and broad prosperity for the people.

Most of what is presently "realistic" is net negative and/or wasteful costing a lot for minimal benefits and then horse traded to include a lot of toxic baggage and nonsensical give aways to the wealthy and the corporations essentially little flecks of copper (there is no gold or even silver, best we get is bronze) surrounded by a lot of feces that cannot be picked away.

"Realistic" seems to include imperialism, lots of too big to fail, education deform, shitloads of fracking, opening up sensitive environments to drilling, ineffective and even counter-productive tax policy, and more job killing "free trade".

We need to be pushing for a lot less presently "realistic" legislation so that it will be plausible in a future that isn't to late to make corrections and we sure as hell need to stop passing crap just to be able to claim we did ***something*** because the hole we are in just gets deeper.

[Ship of Fools]

28. I agree--and timing IS everything at this point.

[liberal N proud]

5. Blame an obstructionist republican led Congress

A group who has publicly stated, their sole mission is to make Obama a one term President.

If they truly were concerned about America and Americans, they would do something. They will intentionally tank the economy if necessary to complete their mission.

[ManyShadesOf]

7. So CongressDems just don't bother?

The people would support some real efforts toward RELIEF

[kenny blankenship]

25. Obstructionism now comes in two different flavors

"Don't Bother The Donkey" and "Enraged White Elephant"

If the people don't like obstructionism they're going to have to brew up a third flavor of their own devising, Minty Fresh Start.

[ManyShadesOf]

36. Rocky Road

to the White House

[TheKentuckian]

12. They can only be blamed for obstruction when they have an opportunity to do so

It doesn't carry a lot of weight when the policies never got proposed and Obama refuses to countermand Reagan's ban by Executive Order on WPA type programs.

You can't blame them when we don't try and refuse fights because they cannot be won at the moment because our folks cannot perceive that wars won have many battles lost, often battles that could not be won that became rallying cries in broader wars.

[ManyShadesOf]

14. well put!

[MrTwister]

22. Damn good point. nt

[leftstreet]

27. +1

[Ship of Fools]

29. I get you! Like *threatening* to filibuster.

Push this stuff EVERY DAY. The Rs can only complain so long
about *politicizing* before people will tune that out and feel
the sense of urgency that Pres. O is trying to put out there.

[ManyShadesOf]

55. It's true that the RWingers

have the media noise machine to push their memes. But not all of it. "Push this stuff EVERY DAY."

[Art_from_Ark]

54. Well said

[MannyGoldstein]

13. A WPA program would certainly help Democrats get elected because

It would help to reverse the increasing poverty, homelessness, and hunger of the 99%.

The Third-Way Democrats continually lose majorities because they haven't learned that they need to actually deliver results, not just triangulate and whine.

[whathehell]

21. Agreed. If this USA isn't the "FDR America", it should be

and it COULD be, if worked at.

The problem isn't just repukes, as I see it,

it's also Corporate Dems that are almost as eager

to drop the FDR"s great legacy as the repukes.

[malthaussen]

16. Programs need money. Money comes from Congress.

It's that simple. Mr Obama could write an Executive Order tomorrow that calls for a billion infrastructure projects, but if Congress won't disgorge, the program is a dead letter.

I'm no knee-jerk supporter of Mr Obama (the opposite, if anything), but in this case I think he's doing all he can do: continue to call attention to the problem, and hope somebody's listening.

-- Mal

[Cooley Hurd]

18. WPA and CCC were awesome, special programs...

It was the perfect merger between art, community and government. CCC, WPA and NYA were a demonstration of government orchestrating social and economic engineering principals. That experiment gave us so much - most of which can still be enjoyed today. State Parks, National Parks, dams, lakes, stadiums, war memorials, bridges, roads... damn, I could go on and on!!

[WiffenPoof]

23. I Started Talking About This...

....six months into Obama's Administration.

I know...The Repubs went crazy when just the idea of these kinds of programs came about. But why stop fighting for this? What happened. It wasn't politically smart to continue the fight? I don't get it. I guess that this means our vote doesn't count for anything if the person we voted for doesn't have the power (or is unwilling) to fight the good fight. A WPA type program was a 'no brainer" - it was the obvious thing to do with what we were facing. And, I'm convinced that the American people would have been behind our President supporting the cause.

-P

[Egalitarian Thug]

33. About 1,000,000 people visit Boulder (Hoover) Dam every year. It is one of the Wonders of the World.

It is also the greatest single monument to what can be done by government, and yet it is rarely if ever mentioned in the context of what we face today.

I believe that there are enduring examples of New Deal projects in every state in the union, but we don't see them anymore.
K&R

[ManyShadesOf]

35. There sure are and they are in the murals

and/or the murals are in them!

They glorify work and workers. Maybe that's what a modern admin would fear: the S-word.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

52. It's been replaced by the Third Way "No Deal".

[ManyShadesOf]

53. I'll hafta google

Third Way. Is that like My Way or the Highway?