Reply #31: And Dems need to stop worrying about opinion polls/focus groups

[IronLionZion]

and not be afraid of criticism. FDR was called a dirty commie by the right and a belligerant imperialist by the far left but he didn't give a shit. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. And the Republicans have a war on fear, while trying to use fear as much as possible to win elections. Of course people will be confused and distrustful of politicians. FDR was a great leader.

Kennedy somehow managed to be liberal and tough on defense...somehow. He took controversial positions and was wildly popular. He lead our country towards Civil Rights even though congress and his own party were controlled by knuckle-dragging reactionary dixiecrats. He was so great that they had to kill him.

and we are better off because of these guys.

It's OK to be liberal and tough. I shudder when I think how radically different our country would be if only Jimmy Carter had used 18 helicopters in Desert One instead of 9. There would be no Reagan, no 9/11, no Al Qaeda, no global war on fear, our manufacturing jobs would not have gone to China, our energy needs would not enslave us to oil, and so on.