During the FDR years, we were still acquiring national park land, and had more natural resources, metals, timber, water and food. There were vast open spaces to exploit and a richer ecosytem.
The population was the opposite of what we have now, much bigger urban areas dependent on other areas for necessities. There were a few 'frontiers' at that time, room to make mistakes and grow.
In numbers alone, what we now face and most plan for requires the hings that the GOP is resisting, smart growth and sustainable development. For example, when FDR was in office, our population was over 120 million. Now, it is over 320 million and projected to be a billion at the end of the century at this website. although I've heard this predicted before:
http://www.mnforsustain.org/united_states_population_growth_graph.htm
We have a older population, which is not the problem. Nothing is going to return to the open spaces of the past and the many resources of the past, there is no turning back, we must 'move forward.'
There was also a long standing belief in public education, a desire to build the nation up and not tear it down. We have an entrrenched class who wants to own everything in this nation and guarantee their prosperity, and deny the rest of us. That was not the case in FDR's day.
The media was diverse and people knew what propaganda such as the 3rd Rsich used to incite, that we have been flooded with for over twenty years. FDR put the measures in place to prevent media consolidation and only one view being expressed, but our current variety of Reichwingers has turned those back and the populace has accepted it. They've also used religion to dumb down the public and spread hatred and disrespect for the democratic processes that were put in place ot give an equal playing field. True, we had our own version of domestic demagoguery in some areas, little different than now, but without the national power of FNN and hate radio.
Obama came into office with 2 wars ongoing, a 911 mentality, a media spreading lies when started programs like FDR did. He tried giving them different names but was savaged by media and congress relentlessly. He worked to rebuild our manufacturing and to provide stimulus to keep Americans going to work and into alternatives.
Obama has had a hell of a time, and it was not because he didn't have ideas or wasn't smart or was bought off. The conquest of America by our domestic fascists was almost complete when he entered office. I'm hoping that with a second term in office, he will be able with a more receptive Congress to exercise more flexibliity as he said.
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