Can America Afford Another‭ ‬FDR‭?

Austin Hatfield
UNL Business Administration and Political Science Major

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I know what you’re thinking right now. ‭ “‬Can’t afford another FDR‭?‬ ‭ ‬I thought everyone loved FDR‭!” ‬My high school history book showered him with praise. ‭ ‬The media claims Obama is the next FDR,‭ ‬isn’t that good‭?‬ ‭ ‬Didn’t he get us out of the depression‭?”‬ ‭ ‬This sort of complacency is a great danger to the minds of a democratic people‭; ‬that is why I offer an opinion of FDR based on facts.

‏One of the greatest myths that has been fed to the American people is the idea that FDR ended The Great Depression,‭ ‬but there was only one true end,‭ ‬World War II. ‭ ‬Even with the Tennessee Valley Authority and other interior improvement groups‭ (‬which did great things for our country’s infrastructure‭)‬,‭ ‬the unemployment rate never went below‭ ‬20%‭ ‬and the second phase of the New Deal actually increased unemployment‭ (‬source:‭ ‬The Heritage Foundation‭)‬.

‏The greatest threat to a democratic people is a government that uses hard times as an excuse to exercise greater control over its people. ‭ ‬This is exactly what FDR did:‭ ‬all of his socialist programs did nothing to stop the Depression and may very well be the reason for its continuance. ‭ ‬They greatly increased government’s control over its people,‭ ‬creating a sense of need among the public that lingers to this day:‭ “‬The government will solve all your problems if you let them‭!”

‏The average length of a recession in the United States in the last century has been‭ ‬10-15‭ ‬months,‭ ‬yet FDR managed to make it last‭ ‬8‭ ‬years.‭ ‬ Instead of letting the depression run its course while lowering taxes,‭ ‬FDR gave us a wonderful assortment of social programs that encourage inactivity and government dependence,‭ ‬all promoted by fear.

‏What does Obama have to offer us in these trying times‭?‬ ‭ ‬Change you can believe in or politics as usual‭?‬ ‭ ‬Obama has been very clear on how he plans to manage the next‭ ‬4‭ ‬years of his presidency. ‭ ‬After zero Republicans voted for the‭ “‬stimulus‭” ‬bill in the house and a couple of the more wishy-washy‭ “‬Republicans‭” ‬in the Senate supported it,‭ ‬the most expensive act of legislation in U.S.‭ ‬history passed‭; ‬a‭ ‬$787‭ ‬billion dollar monster that makes the New Deal look like a cheap dinner. ‭ ‬The bill is overwhelmingly spending with a depressingly low amount of tax cuts‭ ‬-‭ ‬cuts that Obama promised throughout his campaign.

‏The bill includes expensive Frisbee golf courses,‭ ‬more money for the worthless Amtrak system that wastes billions each year,‭ ‬and even a new‭ “‬eco-friendly‭” ‬club house for a Lincoln golf course. ‭ ‬Plans similar to Obama’s have been tried before in many different countries,‭ ‬and they have never been very successful. ‭ ‬They simply encourage the public to think that the government is‭ “‬doing something‭” ‬about the problem. ‭ ‬The construction projects this plan will‭ create are just about the only benefit to be seen. ‭ ‬Unfortunately,‭ ‬these projects create work,‭ ‬not long lasting jobs. ‭ ‬We need long term solutions,‭ ‬but how can we get them‭?

‏The only way to solve the current economic troubles is actually quite simple:‭ ‬TAX CUTS‭!‬ ‭ ‬According to The Heritage Foundation,‭ ‬the‭ ‬2003‭ ‬tax cuts increased GDP by‭ ‬2.4%‭ ‬and created‭ ‬307,000‭ ‬jobs in just six economic quarters. ‭ ‬We need to encourage consumers to consume and spenders to spend instead of scaring buyers into stuffing their money in their mattresses. ‭ ‬I was amazed to see a supposed‭ “‬economic expert‭” ‬on CNN telling people to save their money and not spend. ‭ ‬What do you think would happen if everyone took her advice‭?‬ ‭ ‬Selling and buying is the key to capitalism’s survival,‭ ‬and the survival of our nation. ‭ ‬Tax cuts are the best way to encourage families and individuals to spend their cash. ‭ ‬Instead Obama has chosen to bury us in debt that our great-grandchildren will be paying off. ‭ ‬This bill is the greatest financial gamble of our nation’s history‭ – ‬and it seems that,‭ ‬once again,‭ ‬history has been ignored.