by Ed Klein, Peoria, IL

With more that 25 million unemployed, the poverty rate moving upward every month, corporations going overseas, and many small businesses turning belly up, I think it is appropriate to take a backward glance to the 1930’s when Franklin D. Roosevelt was facing a situation similar to what’s happening in this country today.

FDR’s NRA – National Recovery Act – enacted to get the country back on its feet can give us something to consider today … Some tell us those programs really didn’t help much, and that it took WWII to finally get us out of the depression. In my estimation, however, FDR at least too action to get something done, and I think he accomplished much that was worthwhile.

The reason why I think that is because I was a teenager during those troubled years and remember very clearly how for one, the CCC – Civilian Conservation Corps – provided employment for thousands of young men along with a sense of purpose and valuable experience constructing buildings, bridges and other things in national and state parks. I remember also the Federal Arts Project that gave unemployed artists an opportunity to earn a living by creating murals and sculptures for post offices and other federal buildings. And walking to school, I saw gangs of men who were put to work by the WPA – Works Progress Administration. In addition to an income they were given a sense of dignity and motivation, attributes often lost when people are faced with long-term unemployment and lose hope of ever finding work.

So here we are. I can easily see a parallel between FDR’s efforts and President Obama taking control attempting to pass job bill after job bill to get people back to work and introduce legislation to help get the country back on its feet. And what’s the result? Unlike FDR, Obama is blocked at every turn by an opposition who lets their hatred of him and everything he tries to do sabotage America. Is it possible that in their blindness the Republicans care more about destroying the president than they do for the wellbeing of America? That they care nothing for the people they are supposed to represent? They were elected with promises – empty rhetoric, it proves to be – about how they are pledged to keep America the greatest country in the world, strong and wealthy and an example of what the blessings of unfettered capitalism can do.

I think it’s time to call their bluff and name their obstructionism for what it is … unpatriotic and criminal.

All the while the Republicans are pandering to their sugar daddies – the Koch Brothers, Coors, the Waltons and oil barons. Keeping them happy is of utmost importance to assure they look favorably upon their foodies and keep a steady stream of goodies coming in the form of bribes and payoffs for doing their bidding.

As Oscar Wilde once remarked, “they know the price of everything and the value of nothing – especially the values of public service, basic morality and common decency.”