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MineralMan

(151,467 posts)

88. I believe that FDR was one of the best Presidents the US

Fri Nov 1, 2013, 04:01 PM

Nov 2013

has had. His presidency, still, had issues that are of note that are also problems. Were the civilian bombing raids necessary? I do not know the answer to that question. They happened, nevertheless. That is a fact. The internment of Japanese Americans is also a fact. If such a thing happened today, it would be soundly criticized, and rightly so.

Yes, we were at war. And it was another time. In many ways. But, those were still American citizens, whose rights were taken from them over suspicion, rather than evidence. Expedient? Perhaps. Right? I don't think so, and I knew some of the people who were in those camps. Their lives were changed forever, and not for the better.

That FDR did some things of which I do not approve does not alter my overall opinion of his Presidency. He was one of our best, but his record is not 100% one of doing the right thing.

Personally, I'm of two minds regarding the strategic bombing of civilian targets. I have no solid opinion of the morality of them. But, they happened, and can be discussed as part of the history of his administration, just as can the internment of US citizens.

He was still a great President, who did many things that still form the basis of much of progressive thinking. He also did some things that I don't see as positive. And thus it is with every President.

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As President, FDR oversaw the most extensive bombing of civilian [View all] MineralMan Oct 2013 OP

Also, the internment of Japanese-Americans was awful and incredibly racist Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 #1

Indeed it was. But, I was only discussing the bombing MineralMan Oct 2013 #5

Another interesting fact I found out recently Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 #10

That is correct. However, it wasn't apparently enough to cause MineralMan Oct 2013 #16

I think it was fire bombing actually Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Nov 2013 #93

As War, II sucked leftstreet Oct 2013 #2

No, but Zombie FDR gets held up as some kind of superhero who would have geek tragedy Oct 2013 #6

He was an accidental 'hero' to the working classes leftstreet Oct 2013 #12

every president is a product of his political environment. geek tragedy Oct 2013 #15

And FDR probably understood the politics of the day (the people) better that any president has, indepat Oct 2013 #52

Politically, FDR had it easier than any other president, given geek tragedy Oct 2013 #54

Amen. Plus the depression made people desperate enough treestar Nov 2013 #90

He had fierce pressure from the left, moreso than from the right. geek tragedy Nov 2013 #91

^^ this ^^ - nt TBF Oct 2013 #63

Exactly. treestar Nov 2013 #89

The right wing has a recently stepped up propaganda program going on to discredit the New Deal and Zorra Oct 2013 #8

That is IT right there in a nutshell Zorra. Rex Oct 2013 #17

+1 leftstreet Oct 2013 #21

^^^^^^^^This is the correct answer.^^^^^^^^ woo me with science Oct 2013 #32

that is the correct call out to this thread. nt xchrom Oct 2013 #56

Yep. More manipulative bullshit... WorseBeforeBetter Oct 2013 #61

Agreed. nt DLevine Nov 2013 #86

and lo and behold, the Fan Club brings it to DU Doctor_J Nov 2013 #100

FDR is held up by some as a paragon of progressivism. MineralMan Oct 2013 #9

The policies, not the person n/t leftstreet Oct 2013 #14

Yes, and the policies included inflicting mass civilian MineralMan Oct 2013 #18

I've never seen his war policies 'lionized' here leftstreet Oct 2013 #20

Seems to drive people up the wall. Rex Oct 2013 #22

The rest of that adminstration's actions are simply not mentioned. MineralMan Oct 2013 #23

Has any war NOT sucked? karynnj Oct 2013 #11

And FDR helped lay the groundwork for the UN Art_from_Ark Oct 2013 #74

I have that stamp. Canceled, of course. N/T GreenStormCloud Nov 2013 #87

War is war. How war is defined is always a function of the time that it is bluestate10 Nov 2013 #102

War is a crime. That's the nature of War. The act of War is a Crime el_bryanto Oct 2013 #3

I would say he had no other options, actually. MineralMan Oct 2013 #7

I think when people compare presidents they are comparing character rather than programs el_bryanto Oct 2013 #13

Character. Yes. As I said, FDR's economic policies were strongly MineralMan Oct 2013 #19

Why is it important? What is the value of it? el_bryanto Oct 2013 #29

"Fair and Balanced?" Rex Oct 2013 #35

for the win frylock Oct 2013 #71

'when it came to making war, he was not any sort of pacifist.' Rex Oct 2013 #4

You find that amusing? MineralMan Oct 2013 #24

Looks like fluff I would see on a 10th grade history test. Rex Oct 2013 #33

That's gonna leave a mark! SammyWinstonJack Oct 2013 #64

Had he implented pacificist policies following Dec. 7th, 1941, he would have been impeached. Poddy Fries Oct 2013 #25

I doubt the idea of not pursuing war ever entered his mind, frankly. MineralMan Oct 2013 #27

The sentence itself is pure fluff. Rex Oct 2013 #39

welcome to DU gopiscrap Oct 2013 #50

Is FDR saying he's going to run against Hillary? Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #26

I don't believe that would be possible, actually. MineralMan Oct 2013 #30

Obama walked back from bombing Syria RobertEarl Oct 2013 #40

Yes, he did. And that was an excellent decision on his part. MineralMan Oct 2013 #42

Why did we not stop Bush? RobertEarl Oct 2013 #47

No, Obama is not a Pacifist. MineralMan Oct 2013 #49

The bashing of FDR seems to be a thing Centrists do when prepping for a big election. Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #72

War is evil whether it is justified or not. hrmjustin Oct 2013 #28

I'd certainly agree with you there. MineralMan Oct 2013 #31

FDR had a Congressional Declaration of War Fumesucker Oct 2013 #34

No wait...I thought FDR declared war and forced us into WWII. Rex Oct 2013 #38

Ancient history, as dead and gone as Carthage Fumesucker Oct 2013 #43

Ah the days of Antiquities. Rex Oct 2013 #45

Those are Greecian soldiers. Hopolites. GreenStormCloud Nov 2013 #92

Actually is it a cartoon of Roman soldiers. Rex Nov 2013 #97

Both Romans and Greeks used spears. GreenStormCloud Nov 2013 #103

No it is Roman, notice the sword, it is not a glade like the Greeks use. Rex Nov 2013 #106

The cartoon sword is too long to be a gladius. GreenStormCloud Nov 2013 #107

No sorry but they are not Hopilites or Greeks. Rex Nov 2013 #109

I think I am coming from the same place as you since we are about the same age. My parents, who jwirr Oct 2013 #36

No one becomes president who... RobertEarl Oct 2013 #37

tell it to the Marines datasuspect Oct 2013 #41

Have you seen the movie? MineralMan Oct 2013 #44

i read about it datasuspect Oct 2013 #53

It is available on DVD. MineralMan Oct 2013 #57

for an optimistic take on the world: Peace Is Increasing / Prof. Joshua S. Goldstein Douglas Carpenter Oct 2013 #46

Yes the bombings were awful, as was the Japanese internment Dpm12 Oct 2013 #48

I didn't just pick out those. In fact, I referred to his economic MineralMan Oct 2013 #51

Oh, I know he signed the internment into law because he agreed with it Dpm12 Oct 2013 #55

Accurate perspective: FDR was a great president, maybe the best. MrTriumph Oct 2013 #58

Not if you were a citizen of MineralMan Oct 2013 #59

He won the fucking war of wars.... trumad Oct 2013 #60

Nice, trumad... MineralMan Oct 2013 #65

Oh fuck Zombie Jesus.... trumad Oct 2013 #66

Always a surprise... MineralMan Oct 2013 #68

Yeah well there's a couch over there if you need it. trumad Oct 2013 #69

Your utter and complete lack of context regarding kratos00 Nov 2013 #105

It's so easy to sit back in our armchairs in 2013 ruminating Nye Bevan Oct 2013 #62

Not really hard for people who want to slyly diss one of our great Democratic Presidents. trumad Oct 2013 #67

it's not that sly datasuspect Nov 2013 #75

Thanks Hitler and Tojo Ichingcarpenter Nov 2013 #80

have you ever even read a bio of FDR? Somehow it doesn't seem like it. cali Oct 2013 #70

Of course I have. MineralMan Nov 2013 #96

The mass bombings of civilians in WWII... MicaelS Oct 2013 #73

In 1940 and 41 trumad Nov 2013 #79

More than one million people were killed each month MannyGoldstein Nov 2013 #76

Yes, many things are done in wartime that cause harm to innocent MineralMan Nov 2013 #77

Your choice of subject line is interesting: MannyGoldstein Nov 2013 #85

I believe that FDR was one of the best Presidents the US MineralMan Nov 2013 #88

manny -- i love ya -- but please don't buy into feeding this shit. xchrom Nov 2013 #78

Yup, a great President who caused the death of more civilians than any other. great white snark Nov 2013 #81

Accurate analysis, well said. Zorra Nov 2013 #82

Bingo! Rex Nov 2013 #84

Enough is enough. nt Romulox Nov 2013 #83

When our local Birchers would bash FDR, my father would say 'look out, when they attack FDR Bluenorthwest Nov 2013 #94

The New Deal was of huge benefit to the nation. MineralMan Nov 2013 #95

I see that your critique of FDR has left out kratos00 Nov 2013 #98

Do you believe that smearing FDR elevates Obama some how? Doctor_J Nov 2013 #99

Egad....Egad! Are you claiming FDR was not flawless? nt bluestate10 Nov 2013 #101

We all know that history. I was born 1946. upaloopa Nov 2013 #104

OMG! He was Worse than the Bushies! or Johnson! KoKo Nov 2013 #108