Obama renews U.S. optimism

Rex Murphy (11/21, Letters) claims he won’t support Barack Obama’s presidency because Americans didn’t support George W. Bush’s. I’m sure there are others out there in the dark with me as to how this makes sense.

I voted for “W” eight years ago and watched his inauguration with hopeful anticipation. Then I watched his presidency unfold with slack-jawed horror. Never has our nation been governed with such a level of incompetence or corruption.

By “not supporting anything Obama wants,” just on principle, Mr. Murphy cuts off his proverbial nose to spite his face. As we look around, we see the most optimistic face our country has shown since I was a child.

The United States once again has the respect of the world. I am filled with hope and, in Rex Murphy’s words, I’m sure I’m not alone.

Nancy Long
Harrisonville

Comments

[whispering_to_kc]

"Harry Truman was a member of the KKK ..."

No, no he wasn't.

As explained below, his relationship to the KKK was, at worst, arm's length. According to oral testimony at the Truman Library from his county level political associates of the time, the McCullough account even goes too far. The whole story was probably cooked up by political opponents at the time to discredit Truman.

Truman "... was anti-Semitic ..."

Nothing could be further from the truth, for the reasons stated below.

Truman "threatened to beat up a reporter who had written that Truman's daughter could not sing well."

She couldn't sing well. But what father doesn't have the right to beat up anyone who points out the obvious about his daughter?

Back on topic ... Obama hasn't even taken office yet, he's still two months out, and I get more optimistic every day.

Bush has already retired. He only appears long enough anymore to say a few words and trigger a "DOW slides 500" day. Obama is already gathering his O-Team and with each news conference he throws we get a "DOW shoots up 500" day.

Yes sir. BushCo has left the O-Team terrible messes, at home and abroad. As grossly incompetent as the Bushies were/are, the O-Team is inversely smart and capable. Cause for optimism.

[repete]

So there was a strong showing at the funeral of a former head of state? Are you surprised? I guess he didn't do anything wrong after all. I make it a point to avoid using superlatives, but Nixon was the worst president since 1930. (Perhaps the second worst.) Contrary to his testimony, he *was* a crook. And I'm sure just about everyone at that funeral would admit as much.

[Arminius]

Mark:

"McCullough explains that Truman was out of character, taking this action for political ambition reasons."

Given his comment about blacks and "Chinamen," joining the KKK would seem to be in Truman's character. Of course, many Democrats belong to the KKK in those days. Membership in the KKK and membership in the Democrat Party often went hand in hand.

[Mark Robertson]

Arminus,
On pages 164 and 165 of "Truman" by David McCullough, it explains that Truman paid the ten dollars to join. McCullough explains that Truman was out of character, taking this action for political ambition reasons. Like I said, he soon backed out when told he couldn't hire Catholics. It seems obvious that he paid the ten dollars for political support reasons, but when you say that this means he was a Klansman, I still think that you are off base. Plus I thought you usually had to sign something to be a member of an organization.
And even though Truman wrote something stupid to his wife, and may even at one point had some racist sentiments, it obviously didn't affect his White House leadership. He was a great supporter of Lincoln,(even though his mom hated him)and, as mentioned, he is one of the great civil rights presidents. Thankyou.

Mark Robertson
Independence

[Arminius]

Mark:

"I usually agree with you, but Harry Truman was not a member of the KKK. He was told that joining would help his election prospects in Jackson County in the early 20s and even paid the 10 dollar membership,"

He paid his membership dues. Usually, when you pay membership dues, that makes you a member. In any case, Truman's letters to his wife demonstrate that he was indeed a racist.

"I think one man is just as good as another, as long as he’s honest and decent and not a nigger or a Chinaman.” - Harry S Truman
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1991/7/1991_7_55.shtml

For a contemporary look at the smallness of Harry Truman, see William F. Buckley, Jr.'s "Up From Liberalism."

[Mark Robertson]

Arminus,
I usually agree with you, but Harry Truman was not a member of the KKK. He was told that joining would help his election prospects in Jackson County in the early 20s and even paid the 10 dollar membership, but quickly rescinded when told that he couldn't hire Catholics if he won election for Jackson County Judge. The KKK strongly went against him in his race for Jackson County Judge.(which was actually an administrative post and not a judgeship)
Earlier he had joined Masonic efforts to quash Klan efforts.
As President, Truman integrated the armed forces and was a strong defender of civil rights, even when many told him it would hurt his 1948 election bid. But,unlike others, Truman actually meant it when he fought for civil rights.
And Truman was not anti-Semitic either. He went into business with his friend Eddie Jacobson who was Jewish. He also, as President, listened to Jacobson's advice on many occasions. And it was during the Truman adm. that Israel was recognized as a state. Thankyou.

Mark Robertson
Independence

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Nixon did however get us out Vietnam of which it was LBJ who implemented the draft and sent 52,000 plus soldiers to die in a loss.

[Arminius]

repete:

"What?! Perhaps in Yorba Linda, California, but no place in what is known as "Planet Earth". Where do you get your information. Nixon resigned in disgrace."

Airhead, I wrote that Nixon's reputation was quite good two decades AFTER he resigned. Here's funeral service, which all living presidents attended, proves that.

http://www.rvv.com/peacemaker/funeral_services_rn.htm

[Arminius]

whispering:

"Hmmm. What an odd collection of people come "here".

Harry Truman was a member of the KKK, was anti-Semitic, and threatened to beat up a reporter who had written that Truman's daughter could not sing well.

That's "vile" in my book.

[Engineer]

Jim
I was evaluating him based on what he was saying. I admit my mistake.
He hasn't taken any actions as yet other than nominations, just talked. You seem to be pointing out that whatever he might say or might have said has little or no relation to what he might do when the time comes to act. Fair enough, but that brings it down to the bed rock that there was no reason to vote or him except he made a real good stump speech. But he has shown change, alright.

[Jim]

Eng,

The fact that Obama is a pragmatic thinker who takes actions based on what he believes is best for the country, and not beholden to the party line the way chronic tax cutters are, is obviously driving you crazy. You worked for months to convince everyone here that he was a dogmatic extreme liberal party line socialist, and he's disproving that ridiculous notion every single day.

[Engineer]

Jim
Several months age Obama was going to "fix" the problems by raising taxes on high earners. If that were a good solution to the problems at that time, why isn't it a good solution to the more serious problems at this time? Or was it that his desire to raise some taxes had nothing to do with overall financial problems but everything to do with government empowerment?

[Jim]

Eng,

The fact that you seem to be unaware that the situation is indeed a lot worse than it was a few months ago tells me all I need to know about how seriously to take your comment.

[tomw]

"...and a leftist elitist.."-Kee

Sounds cool. How do I get to be one of those?

[Engineer]

The heading isn't entirely correct because Obama did not renew my optimism, just the opposite. But let us all hope for the best. On the bright side, he seems to be backing away from some of the things he promised or seemed to promise. Shortly after inauguration I expect to hear, ala BC, "the situation is so much worse than I was allowed to know that......”

[repete]

"Nixon's reputation was quite good two decades after he resigned."

What?! Perhaps in Yorba Linda, California, but no place in what is known as "Planet Earth". Where do you get your information. Nixon resigned in disgrace.

[whispering_to_kc]

You're welcome.

[whispering_to_kc]

"... President Bush has made many mistakes, most great leaders do ..."

"... Nixon's reputation was quite good ..."

"... Harry Truman, a truly vile, little man ..."

Hmmm. What an odd collection of people come "here".

[Arminius]

"I'm sure many confused people said the same thing about Nixon. Time will tell, but I doubt it."

Actually, Nixon's reputation was quite good two decades after he resigned. Also, Harry Truman, a truly vile, little man, left office with an apporval rating lower than Bush's. Look how his reputation has been rehabilitated.

[Arminius]

"Never has our nation been governed with such a level of incompetence or corruption."

Someone obviously slept through the Carter and Clinton years.