From: sojacobson@mmm.com
Subject: Re: CHANGE ISN'T BAD
Harvey, as you know, I tend to agree with Mike on the term limit.  I 
don't think that which party was in power even matters, since at that 
time, the Democrats had among their ranks, a sizeable number of 
Republicans who were only Democrats because they couldn't stand to be 
part of the party of Abraham Lincoln.  Many of them disliked Roosevelt as 
much or more as many of the Republicans of the time, partly because of 
positions taken on Civil rights.  Roosevelt was not particularly 
outspoken on civil rights by today's standards, but he and Elanor raised 
a few eyebrows at that time.  
> 
> On 1997-10-09 Mike Freeman said:
> MF>Hmmm ... I beg to differ with you.  Didn't the Republicans win
>  MF>both houses in 1946?  The Demos took the House, at least, back in
>  MF>1948, I believe, but the Republicans again controlled both houses
>  MF>from 1952-1954.  the 22nd amendment was ratified in either '52 or
>  MF>'53, if I recall.
> I can't speak for 1946 to 48, but I don't believe the republicans
> took both houses until the 1954 election because when they took
> both houses in 1994 it was widely said that this was the first
> time the republicans would control both houses of congress since
> 1955 when the elected congress of 1954 was actually seated.  So
> if that is true, they couldn't have taken control back in 1952.
>  MF>Absolutely.  My opinion as to why he did not is that he sensed
>  MF>that he was beginning to slip a bit intellectually and wanted to
>  MF>leave while he was in good shape and before he did the country
>  MF>harm.  Listen to the speech before the Demos in which he announced
>  MF>he would not run again and compare that with, say, the news
>  MF>conference wherein he announced McArthur's firing and you will
>  MF>notice a slight difference in style -- he is not as dynamic in the
>  MF>former case as in the latter.
> Maybe so, but there were also other factors.  He barely beat
> Thomas E. Dewey in 1948.  We all know the famous Chicago Tribune
> headline," Dewey Defeats Trueman," so he came from behind and won
> but it was not a pretty win as they say.
> 
> Also his firing of McArthur, right or wrong was not a popular
> decision with the American people, and I think he sensed
> the Eisenhower popularity and knew he could not overcome it.
> Eisenhower had his eyes on the Whitehouse at least as early as
> World War Ii and he won big in 1952 defeating Stevenson twice in
> 52 and 56 essentially ruining his chances of becoming president
> because he wanted it in 1960 but the democrats knew they wouldn't
> win with him again and it would be a third loss if they
> renominated Stevenson.
>  MF>Incumbents definitely have the edge.  However, I would dispute
>  MF>your claim that the longer they remain in office, the more
>  MF>powerful they become.  Tell that to Tom Foley!
> Foley ran into the anti-incumbent sentiment and if I'm not
> mistaken he had problems at home.  As powerful as Dan Roustencowski
> was he still was defeated due to his scandalous behavior in that
> postoffice scandal.  No one can win if they are hopelessly
> crippled by scandals.
> 
> On the other hand, Ted Kennedy seems to behave as scandalously has
> he wants to and still gets re-elected although Nick Romney gave him
> a close run in 1994.
> 
> Harvey
> 
> Net-Tamer V 1.09  - Registered
> 
> 
--
          Steve Jacobson
          National Federation of the Blind
          3M Company 
          E-mail:  SOJACOBSON@MMM.COM
The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the 3M Company.
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