Thoughts from my 86 year old father on the election
1918 – the year I was born. 18th Amendment to the Constitution prohibiting manufacture, sale, or consumption of liquor adopted cf. with Gay Marriage ban in 10 states today. 18th Amendment repealed by FDR in 1933. I believe much the same core of midwestern and southern states supported both bans 86 years apart.
1932. FDR, I couldn’t vote. Your mother and I remember our fathers utterly despised FDR and were convinced he would ruin the country.
1940. My first vote. I voted for Wilkie. FDR elected to 3rd term. Looking back on those years, there’s no question FDR pulled the country out of a deep depression.
My God, my vote for Wilkie was wrong. FDR along with Churchill were two immensely effective strategists, powerful warriors and communicators, without whose leadership we could have lost WWII. That is a simple fact.
In 1948 and up until the Clinton era, I was a faithful Republican.
Since 1992, he has been a Democrat.
So, this country has survived 228 years, and will continue to survive. If you have never done so, read a history of some of the country’s previous severe crises. And remember Churchill’s oft-quoted thought, “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.”
Thanks, Dad!