Opinion of Huey Long

[Virginian87]

Many Republicans seem to think that FDR was a socialist.  Well, FDR actually thought this guy was a socialist.

Go.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Freedom Fighter

[Bandit3 the Worker]

America needs someone like a Huey Long today.

(It also needs someone like a Huey Lewis today, but that's another matter entirely.)

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

America needs someone like a Huey Long today.

If for no other reason than to make people realize that Sarbanes, Reed, Ted Kennedy, and Barbara Boxer are moderates.

[opebo]

America needs someone like a Huey Long today.

If for no other reason than to make people realize that Sarbanes, Reed, Ted Kennedy, and Barbara Boxer are moderates.

Good point jfern.  I keep trying to tell these kids that liberalism is the moderate political postition - they of course can't see it because there haven't been any real leftists in American politics for generations.

But the reason I would like to see a Huey Long today would be to view the reaction of the ruling class!  What panic would ensue.. though of course they'd probably just having him assassinated.

[Dr. Cynic]

Long was a rabblerouser and a con artist. He preached the cause of the common man, when he himself was anything but. Politically he was a shrewd genius, personally, he was an utter asshole.

[opebo]

Long was a rabblerouser and a con artist. He preached the cause of the common man, when he himself was anything but. Politically he was a shrewd genius, personally, he was an utter asshole.

Sounds like GW, except with the cause of the intolerant rather than the 'common man'.

[minionofmidas]

Ah, yes, the Kingfish. He was cool.

[WalterMitty]

silly populist.

[minionofmidas]

silly populist.

He'd have given America a pension system that would have never gone bankrupt and that would actually have been redistributive. That's hardly "silly".

[WalterMitty]

silly populist.

He'd have given America a pension system that would have never gone bankrupt and that would actually have been redistributive. That's hardly "silly".

redistribution is quite silly, lewis.

germany is in quite a pickle due to its welfare programs.  wouldnt you agree?

[minionofmidas]

silly populist.

He'd have given America a pension system that would have never gone bankrupt and that would actually have been redistributive. That's hardly "silly".

redistribution is quite silly, lewis.

germany is in quite a pickle due to its welfare programs.  wouldnt you agree?

No, due to its nonredistributive (and thence unnecessarily expensive) pension plan ... and America's Social Security was based on the German model.

[WalterMitty]

silly populist.

He'd have given America a pension system that would have never gone bankrupt and that would actually have been redistributive. That's hardly "silly".

redistribution is quite silly, lewis.

germany is in quite a pickle due to its welfare programs.  wouldnt you agree?

No, due to its nonredistributive (and thence unnecessarily expensive) pension plan ... and America's Social Security was based on the German model.

you know my opinion on social security.

it is a ponzi scheme which should immediately be privatized.

[minionofmidas]

silly populist.

He'd have given America a pension system that would have never gone bankrupt and that would actually have been redistributive. That's hardly "silly".

redistribution is quite silly, lewis.

germany is in quite a pickle due to its welfare programs.  wouldnt you agree?

No, due to its nonredistributive (and thence unnecessarily expensive) pension plan ... and America's Social Security was based on the German model.

you know my opinion on social security.

it is a ponzi scheme which should immediately be privatized.

Social Security for those who own and earned enough to pay for their own retirement belongs privatized. Those who did not need to be paid a decent pension out of tax dollars. That (ignoring numbers - the amount of money they wanted to throw around was too large) was Long's and the Townshendites' idea.

[MasterJedi]

Horrible Person

[opebo]

redistribution is quite silly, lewis.

No, it isn't at all silly.  Explain why you're foolish enough to think it is, worker.

[WalterMitty]

redistribution is quite silly, lewis.

No, it isn't at all silly.  Explain why you're foolish enough to think it is, worker.

because it is silly to think rich people owe poors something.

if you believe otherwise, feel free to redistribute your wealt my way.

[opebo]

redistribution is quite silly, lewis.

No, it isn't at all silly.  Explain why you're foolish enough to think it is, worker.

because it is silly to think rich people owe poors something.

if you believe otherwise, feel free to redistribute your wealt my way.

'Owing' has nothing to do with it, WalterMitty.  It is simply a political choice - the rich have the power, so they get the money.. if the poor ever got the power, presumably they would change that.  The concepts of property and debts are also defined by power relationships.  'Morality' has nothing to do with any of this.

[Virginian87]

silly populist.

That should be your catchphrase. 

As for the question, I believe that Long went a little too far in his redistribution programs ("Every man a King"), but with projects like expansion of public schools, a medical school at LSU, and construction of over 12,000 miles of roads in Louisiana, he restored optimism to a state that was hit hard by the Depression. 

[© tweed]

certainly fought for freedom.  although both options fit him; he was a horrible who for the freedom.

[Sam Spade]

certainly fought for freedom.  although both options fit him; he was a horrible who for the freedom.

I actually tend to agree with this.  Although I don't like a lot of what he did, I probably would have voted for him.

It's good, though, that he never got to be President, imo.  Sort of like RFK.