Social Security — FDR's 'greatest' feat —praised

[SecularMotion]

Source: Poughkeepsie Journal

HYDE PARK — About 200 people gathered Sunday at the Henry A. Wallace Center of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum to celebrate the 75th anniversary of one of the most pivotal pieces of legislation signed in American history — the Social Security Act of 1935.

The panel discussion moderated by WAMC's Alan Chartock featured writers, historians and Nobel Prize-winning scholars.

"I'm 69 years old," Chartock announced. "I'm a Social Security recipient."

Chartock introduced "1935 and the Enduring New Deal: the Social Security Act and the National Labor Relations Act" as the title and topic of the first program in a series of free public forums taking place throughout the fall in honor of the historic legislation .

Read more: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20109270326

[Oceansaway]

1. K&R...n/t

[wilt the stilt]

2. This is the day that conservo/freaks hate

They love the idea of debtor prisons and poor houses.

[avaistheone1]

3. Listen to an excerpt from John F. Kennedy's speech about the Social Security Act

http://www.nps.gov/hofr/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=273330




On August 14 1960, the 25th Anniversary of the Social Security Act, United States Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy travelled to Hyde Park, New York. The Senator’s trip was motivated by two important goals. The first was to visit former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt in an attempt to gain her support for his Presidential campaign. The second was to deliver a speech to the Golden Ring Club, an organization of senior citizens, who had gathered on the grounds of the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site to pay tribute to FDR and the Social Security bill he had signed into law in 1935.
Eleanor Roosevelt agreed to meet with Senator Kennedy at her Val-Kill home on August 14th. Sadly, tragedy struck the Roosevelt family the day before Kennedy’s expected visit when Mrs. Roosevelt’s 12 year old granddaughter, Sally, died as a result of a horseback riding accident. The Senator, offered to postpone the visit with her, but Eleanor Roosevelt insisted he keep the appointment.

In 1960, Eleanor Roosevelt was a major political force in the Democratic Party. Anyone running for the Presidency of the United States realized her active support was important to a successful campaign. Eleanor Roosevelt wanted Adlai Stevenson to be the next President, but John Kennedy won the Democratic Party’s nomination. Mrs. Roosevelt felt the next leader of the nation needed to support Civil Rights. Based on his voting record as Senator, she thought John Kennedy would be unwilling to push for Civil Rights legislation. During the course of their meeting at Val-Kill, they came to a compromise. John Kennedy agreed to make a strong stand on Civil Rights issues. Mrs. Roosevelt, in turn, agreed to actively campaign for the Senator.

In one of the campaign ads she did on his behalf, Eleanor Roosevelt stated: “John F. Kennedy came to visit me at Hyde Park. We talked together and I learned he was truly interested in carrying on many of the things which my husband had just begun. Mr. Kennedy is a strong and determined person who, as president, will provide the leadership for greater social security benefits which the social welfare of a civilized nation demands…”

http://www.nps.gov/hofr/on-with-history.htm