The reason everyone is talking FDR so much is because this is an FDR moment

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

Things have to really be in the crapper in order to have the impetus to make the huge sweeping actions that will actually make a difference.

I hope Pres.Obama realizes that this is not the time for incrementalism. Go for it Mr. Pres!

[apnu]

1. Yes, I've always felt that parallels to FDR were better than Lincoln

The whole damn "Team of Rivals" thing was stupid. Its OK for Obama (or anybody else) to be a big Lincoln fan, and to draw inspiration from Lincoln. But this moment, as you pointed out, is more in tune with FDR than anything else.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Even the Russians turned early to New Deal lit, etc. when confronting their problems...

in the early '90s. They 'get' it in a way so many conservatives blindly and willfully do not.

The whole Team of Rivals thing makes no sense, as it was NOT a successful or particularly functional cabinet. Same with the JFK analogies. JFK was reckless and his inexperience and immaturity emboldened Khrushchev to place missiles in Cuba. Again, NOT an example for or parallel to Obama AT ALL.

The '30s were a time when the majority of people realized we had to re-write the rules. Hoover didn't 'get' that. Roosevelt did. Today's conservatives still do not. Because of the New Deal, our solutions today will have to be different, but the spirit that something needs to be done is very much the same. If the Republicans don't want to be on the bus with us, then let them be. They're not in charge any more and have been pasted in the past two elections. They're just going to have to learn to suck on it and like it.

Babylonsister keeps asking me why I draw in the '30s analogies. THIS is why. When you need to re-write the rules this is where you go. Here's hoping expectations for government will change along with all the I HATE GOVERNMENT shit that Reagan spoon fed people to deflect their anger from business.