What should we do with our Mandate? Let Huey Long Be Our Guide:

[RepublicansRZombies]

"How many men ever went to a barbecue and would let one man take off the table what's intended for 9/10th of the people to eat? The only way to be able to feed the balance of the people is to make that man come back and bring back some of that grub that he ain't got no business with! [Laughter and applause]

Now we got a barbecue. We have been praying to the Almighty to send us to a feast. We have knelt on our knees morning and nighttime. The Lord has answered the prayer. He has called the barbecue. "Come to my feast," He said to 125 million American people. But Morgan and Rockefeller and Mellon and Baruch have walked up and took 85 percent of the victuals off the table!

Now, how are you going to feed the balance of the people? What's Morgan and Baruch and Rockefeller and Mellon going to do with all that grub? They can't eat it, they can't wear the clothes, they can't live in the houses.

Giv'em a yacht! Giv'em a Palace! Send 'em to Reno and give them a new wife when they want it, if that's what they want. [Laughter] But when they've got everything on God's loving earth that they can eat and they can wear and they can live in, and all that their children can live in and wear and eat, and all of their children's children can use, then we've got to call Mr. Morgan and Mr. Mellon an Mr. Rockefeller back and say, come back here, put that stuff back on this table here that you took away from here that you don't need. Leave something else for the American people to consume. And that's the program."

"We will call in Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Mellon....Dear Mr. Mellon, We're not going to destroy the capitalistic system, but we're going to put in a limit, you can have up to 4- to 5-million dollars and that's all. We're not going to destroy the Gulf Refining Company; we're not going to destroy the Standard Oil Company, but we're going to say that the limit of any one man's stock ownership in the Standard Oil company is from 3- to 5-million dollars for that individual and the balance to the people of America who own the balance of what the Standard Oil company is worth! [applause]

Then, we start from the bottom. That the 25 or more million American families shall have a homestead. Up to $5,000....a home and the comforts of a home, including an automobile and a radio, the things it takes in that house to live on...

We say to America, 125 million, none shall be too big, none shall be too poor, none shall work too much, none shall be idle. No luxurious mansions empty, none walking the streets, none impoverished, none in pestilence, none in want, but in the land blessed by the smile of the Creator with everything to be consumed, to be eaten, to be worn, that America will become a land, sharing the fruits of the land, not for the favored few, not to satisfy greed, but that all may live in the land in which the Lord has provided an abundance sufficient for the luxury and convenience of the people in general! I thank you."

http://130.18.140.19/stennis/longsharethewealth.html




Now, my friends, you have heard me read how a great New York newspaper, after investigations, declared that all I have said about the bad distribution of this nation’s wealth is true. But we have been about our work to correct this situation. That is why the Share Our Wealth societies are forming in every nook and corner of America. They’re meeting tonight. Soon there will be Share Our Wealth societies for everyone to meet. They have a great work to perform.

Here is what we stand for in a nutshell:

Number one, we propose that every family in America should at least own a homestead equal in value to not less than one third the average family wealth. The average family wealth of America, at normal values, is approximately $16,000. So our first proposition means that every family will have a home and the comforts of a home up to a value of not less than around $5,000 or a little more than that.

Number two, we propose that no family shall own more than three hundred times the average family wealth, which means that no family shall possess more than a wealth of approximately $5 million—none to own less than $5,000, none to own more than $5 million. We think that’s too much to allow them to own, but at least it’s extremely conservative.

Number three, we propose that every family shall have an income equal to at least one third of the average family income in America. If all were allowed to work, there’d be an income of from $5,000 to $10,000 per family. We propose that one third would be the minimum. We propose that no family will have an earning of less than around $2,000 to $2,500 and that none will have more than three hundred times the average less the ordinary income taxes, which means that a million dollars would be the limit on the highest income.

We also propose to give the old-age pensions to the old people, not by taxing them or their children, but by levying the taxes upon the excess fortunes to whittle them down, and on the excess incomes and excess inheritances, so that the people who reach the age of sixty can be retired from the active labor of life and given an opportunity to have surcease and ease for the balance of the life that they have on earth.

We also propose the care for the veterans, including the cash payment of the soldiers' bonus. We likewise propose that there should be an education for every youth in this land and that no youth would be dependent upon the financial means of his parents in order to have a college education.


Share Our Wealth Proposal

* Cap personal fortunes at $50 million each — equivalent to about $600 million today (later reduced to $5 - $8 million, or $60 - $96 million today)
* Limit annual income to one million dollars each (about $12 million today)
* Limit inheritances to five million dollars each (about $60 million today)
* Guarantee every family an annual income of $2,000 (or one-third the national average)
* Free college education and vocational training
* Old-age pensions for all persons over 60
* Veterans benefits and healthcare
* A 30 hour work week
* A four week vacation for every worker
* Greater regulation of commodity production to stabilize prices



http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5109/

[libdem4life]

1. Perhaps we can stop watching, quoting, funding Fox News. How about Current.

If we can win an election, it's time to start for winning the media...not defending, criticizing and kowtowing to it, particularly the non US born Rupert Murdoch. We pay him enormous sums of money (collectively) and homage when we fail to ignore him and his drivel. It is akin to reading/quoting/actually buying the National Enquirer in the grocery line or whatever else trash he spews.

Al Gore has done more than any Liberal...put his time, money, reputation, energy...into Current. And he's 100% American and invested in America. Just sayin'

[RepublicansRZombies]

2. yes, stop following the corporate media narrative and make them follow us

they have lost all credibility, it shouldn't be too difficult

[libdem4life]

4. A shout-out and a challenge to DUers ... is it possible to stop watching Fox?

Or are we already "brainwashed" into thinking we have to be "informed" by idiots...so we can disagree? To me, that's like the fundies having to look closely at porn to decide for sure whether it is really porn to be banned and burned, or just poor taste. Either way, it's titillating.

I consider the Fox Message to be posing as factual and editorial media via political porn. That there are elements that are not, is irrelevant. In fact, our continued support/quoting/gnashing of teeth has lent credence and continued descent to the increasingly empowered "unfair and unbalanced" non-Fox media.

Obama won. Intelligent thought won. We have a chance here.

JMHO.

[RepublicansRZombies]

5. I do listen to limbaugh and beck sometimes, 2 minutes is all it takes to get their 'arguments'

I do need to know what I am up against.

A person would assume that they must have some intelligence, something factual to offer their audience but no, it is all ignorant hypocritical BS.

But I need to know that so I can call out Republicans on their stupid ass 'arguments'

This is how I know they are touting JFK lowering taxes as proof Dems use to know cutting taxes helped spur economic growth.

So now I explain to Republicans that JFK lowered taxes to 70% (MUCH higher than today) after a Republican had taxes at 91% in order to pay off WWII.

WE have to know how to approach their arguments, but we should ignore their distraction issues like Benghazi. (After 9/11, I just want to slap those assholes and I am not a violent person, so I just ignore that BS- okay, after pointing out that our fighter jets were nowhere to be found, Cheney was in charge of NORAD and Rumsfeld was the only person on the planet that had no idea a plane hit the WTC until a plane hit the pentagon over an hour later)

[NYC_SKP]

3. KR but missing, as usual, is any consideration of the environment.

I'd rather live in a sustainable world with great diversity of wealth than a grey dead planet with a health care plan.

[RepublicansRZombies]

7. of course these things go hand in hand, a clean planet = healthier people= cheaper health care

I don't think pollution was as big of a concern back in Huey Long's day.

[Bucky]

6. So the "stuff" you want is barbecue? Hell, what I want is some motherfuckin' ice tea!

By the way, what you're describing is 100% redistributionist socialism. It's bullshit and it'd never work. The president and the Democrats in Congress and 90% of the Democratic Party would outright reject that malarkey. You might fool some DUers some of the time, but I know exactly what you are and what you're doing.

[RepublicansRZombies]

9. I'm a vegetarian and these are the words of Huey Long

n/t

[RepublicansRZombies]

10. You might fool some DUers some of the time, but I know exactly what you are and what you're doing.

I'd like to know what you are talking about?

Because all I see are people who are afraid of the bully Republicans, and people who don't know history which shows that higher taxes leads to higher economic growth.

Everything the corporate media and the Republicans have been saying is a lie.

So if 90% of Dems would reject raising taxes to increase revenue, stimulate the economy and decrease the debt...they they haven't been paying attention.

That is precisely what history has shown us?

Who are we to ignore history?

Why do we have to cater to ignorance?

[Odin2005]

8. The Kingfish!!!