If you take the time to look, finding a comparison between President Obama and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is not all that difficult. And, for the most part, President Obama has embraced the link because he firmly believes in what both Democrats have preached and put into action – large government and high government spending. But, I think it may be time someone that has the President’s ear mention President Roosevelt’s 1935 State of the Union Address, specifically the following portion:

The lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fibre. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. It is inimical to the dictates of sound policy. It is in violation of the traditions of America…The Federal Government must and shall quit this business of relief.

After finding this quotation in Representative Ryan’s (R-WI) “A Roadmap for America’s Future,” I immediately began to wonder what Obama would say in response to it. Then, ASO went out and slammed a directly linked article in my face via What’s Bubbling. The piece, “Obama keeps pressure on GOP on jobless aid,” (link found below) illustrates the key difference on the issue – not “should we provide assistance to those Americans struggling?” but “for how long?” According to many elected officials in the GOP, there are situations when enough is enough, when continuous aide only cultivates poor work ethic and a society of “hand extenders.” It is the opinion of this American that they may be right, and well, now I think maybe FDR would agree too.

Links:

• http://janda.org/politxts/State%20of%20Union%20Addresses/1934-1945%20Roosevelt/FDR35.html
• http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-jobless-20100720,0,6737645.story
• http://www.roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/

-          The Philadelphians