Opinion of Huey Long

[nolesfan2011]

 Opinion of the Kingfish Huey Long, I would say FF simply because he helped the least among us against the entrenched financial and corporate interests,  he was a bit dictatorial but not anymore than many others and a lot of his political and economic ideas were correct, even if the corporate media disliked.

I also like he held both major parties accountable, his thirst for power aside, still one of the better politicians of the era and I wish he had lived.

[7,052,770]

Possibly the greatest American in all of our history.  Or at least second to Norman Borlaug.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Oh damn it...

It's FF first and HP second, for Christ's sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Peter the Lefty]

I like democracy.  HP.  Plus, he didn't really do anything for African-Americans.  I don't care how politically suicidal it would have been.

[morgieb]

Mixed. A HP who did FF things.

[RogueBeaver]

HP.

[Miles]

Same answer I gave to the last Huey Long thread:

MAJOR FF.

One of the finest men ever to hold elected office and one of my all-time favorites. A true fighter for the poor man. Yes, there was an element of graft to his reign, but Louisiana has always been one of the most corrupt states. To me, his unprecedented investments in the state's infrastructure and schools was much more important. I wish we had more like him here in Louisiana.

HP.

[Old Man Svensson]

On balance, HP. A bit like a "lite" version of Hugo Chavez, he did some good things, but was so totalitarian that it really didn't balance out.

[Goldwater]

HP.

[7,052,770]

Plus, he didn't really do anything for African-Americans.  I don't care how politically suicidal it would have been.

That's not fair.  He was better for blacks than any Deep South governor until ... well, ever?  At until the end of segregation in the 1970s.

[Miles]

I like democracy.  HP.  Plus, he didn't really do anything for African-Americans.  I don't care how politically suicidal it would have been.

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[Franzl]

Better than what Louisiana has today, I suppose.

[minionofmidas]

I like democracy.  HP.  Plus, he didn't really do anything for African-Americans.  I don't care how politically suicidal it would have been.

Louisiana had the highest Black turnout in the South from his era on until the 1970s. The Blacks were a major component of the Long faction's electoral coalition, which for decades combatted racist Conservatives within the Louisiana Democratic party - and whether Blacks were able to register to vote in a parish or not was largely a function of whether Longists were in power locally or not.

[TNF]

You're all acting like Long's opponents believed in democratic processes. They didn't. The Bourbons buried the populists in a ~15,000-140 vote count in the 1890s, when there were only ~3,000 registered voters in Louisiana. They used violence to enforce their control of the state. Long's own father said that one day Louisiana would be brought kicking and screaming into the 20th Century but it would have to be by "unchristian" methods. Long fulfilled that pretty aptly.

I'm not saying that what Long did in every instance was justified, but what I will say is that he, compared to his opponents, was far nicer on average. He didn't use violence to maintain control, for what it's worth.

[Adam Griffin]

FF. A man of results, that fought against entrenched Southern interests that are still powerful enough to kill a man.

[opebo]

Possibly the greatest American in all of our history.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

FF.

[minionofmidas]

Possibly the greatest American in all of our history.

[opebo]

Possibly the greatest American in all of our history.

Who is that guy, Lewis?  I can assure you only a foreigner would call him 'an American'... sorry to say.

[minionofmidas]

An American. Who preached that the European invaders were not children of the Great Spirit, but of the Great Serpent, and needed to be thrown back into the ocean whence they came. Tenskwatawa.

Anyways he was just one of the first few to come to mind.

[opebo]

An American. Who preached that the European invaders were not children of the Great Spirit, but of the Great Serpent, and needed to be thrown back into the ocean whence they came. Tenskwatawa.

Anyways he was just one of the first few to come to mind.

No doubt a great man.. but to stain such a one with the name 'American' is not really fair.  Presumably they had their own names for the place before the vile ones came.

[minionofmidas]

They only became aware of their identity as Americans due to the European presence, of course. Previously there were only Shawanos, Cherokees, Weas, etc - this new awareness (and the newness of this awareness) is central to understanding Tenskwatawa and his brother Tecumseh.

[nolesfan2011]

You're all acting like Long's opponents believed in democratic processes. They didn't. The Bourbons buried the populists in a ~15,000-140 vote count in the 1890s, when there were only ~3,000 registered voters in Louisiana. They used violence to enforce their control of the state. Long's own father said that one day Louisiana would be brought kicking and screaming into the 20th Century but it would have to be by "unchristian" methods. Long fulfilled that pretty aptly.

I'm not saying that what Long did in every instance was justified, but what I will say is that he, compared to his opponents, was far nicer on average. He didn't use violence to maintain control, for what it's worth.

correct..

also for the person that said he "didn't do much for blacks", on balance that actually isn't true.. his free school book initiative for example helped a lot of poor black schoolchildren get better education, also even the roads he built were used by both white and black people.

Now he wasn't calling for the civil rights act, but at least economically he did plenty to help liberate blacks from Jim Crow.

[Dr. Cynic]

Huey Long had a lot of compassion for a lot of people. He had drive, ambition and talent. He played the country bumpkin character but was actually sharp as a tack, sort of like what Terry Bradshaw does on TV.

As much good as Long did, he was also corrupt, vindictive and I think more interested in power than in people. The good things he did, such as paving the roads in Louisiana actually cost more than what they needed to because Long padded his pocket. He started a newspaper that all pro-Long politicians were expected to buy and shill. The proceeds went into something he called the "dee-duct box". He used that money to buy more influence and to control the legislature.

I think he did a lot of good, but as a person, I can't say much good for him.