THE MODERATE MAN
If you use "islamofascists" or "jihadists" in a sentence, I will kick you in the nuts. If you don't have nuts...I'll figure something out.
18 April 2008
Kudlow On Kennedy...
(Larry Kudlow, April 8, 2008)
"Perhaps the anti-war forces should recall the portion of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, where he called on Americans to pay any price, and bear any burden, in order to preserve freedom, liberty, and democracy. Do these folks actually think 1 percent of GDP is too large a price, too heavy a burden? I sure hope not."
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Kudlow's feelings are certainly not uniquely his...rather, they unfortunately exemplify the notion that the values of most importance to this country are somehow measured simply in dollars. There is no recognition of the thousands of lives lost, of the sons and daughters not returning home. Obviously Kennedy was speaking about sacrifice far greater than monetary ones...he was asking Americans to be ready to commit their very lives to protect these values we held so dear.
In 1960, lest we forget, the United States was the world leader in virtually every arena. Our education system was the envy of the world; our medical system was superb and affordable, our military, (with draftees), was far and away the leader, (even though we may not have known it); our businesses were the largest and most successful ...and they paid higher wages than those in any other country which gave us the highest standard of living. Our taxes were also...far higher than today.
But Kennedy wasn't talking about money to fund an invasion and occupation of a small country... he was talking about the problems that we faced at the time. We were in the early phases of the great racial uprising which would require us all to take a hard look at ourselves and our core beliefs. He had committed us to land a man on the moon within the decade...something which doesn't seem so amazing now...but was strictly the stuff of science fiction in 1960.
He was talking about the fight against communism. At the time it posed a terrifying threat to us. A country equipped with a nuclear arsenal equal to our own...with countless missiles targeted on our most populous cities...and a political system which might just use them. In 1963, of course, the Soviet Union brought the world closer to a nuclear Armageddon than we had ever been.
No, Kennedy wasn't talking about a percent of GDP when he asked us to "pay any price, bear any burden", he was asking each American to work side-by-side, to pitch in, to help one another ...not to fight a war...but to see ourselves fully and finally accomplish those goals of freedom, liberty and democracy for all Americans.
The "sacrifice" Kennedy envisioned was that of each American, united by the strength of our combined will, lifting all...the rich and the poor, so that we might all share in the enjoyment of those noble concepts committed to by our forefathers.
Unfortunately for America in 2008, the Kudlows of the country don't have this vision of our country. Their field of vision is limited to the fortunes of themselves and their friends..."sacrifice" to them is measured in dollars and the effect those dollars have on their lifestyle. America is a lapel pin and a flowery mention of "patriotism". It is a bucket full of dollars belonging to the rich and powerful. It is greed.
It is the ability to buy other people's children to die in a war far away.
(Moderate)
"Perhaps the anti-war forces should recall the portion of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, where he called on Americans to pay any price, and bear any burden, in order to preserve freedom, liberty, and democracy. Do these folks actually think 1 percent of GDP is too large a price, too heavy a burden? I sure hope not."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kudlow's feelings are certainly not uniquely his...rather, they unfortunately exemplify the notion that the values of most importance to this country are somehow measured simply in dollars. There is no recognition of the thousands of lives lost, of the sons and daughters not returning home. Obviously Kennedy was speaking about sacrifice far greater than monetary ones...he was asking Americans to be ready to commit their very lives to protect these values we held so dear.
In 1960, lest we forget, the United States was the world leader in virtually every arena. Our education system was the envy of the world; our medical system was superb and affordable, our military, (with draftees), was far and away the leader, (even though we may not have known it); our businesses were the largest and most successful ...and they paid higher wages than those in any other country which gave us the highest standard of living. Our taxes were also...far higher than today.
But Kennedy wasn't talking about money to fund an invasion and occupation of a small country... he was talking about the problems that we faced at the time. We were in the early phases of the great racial uprising which would require us all to take a hard look at ourselves and our core beliefs. He had committed us to land a man on the moon within the decade...something which doesn't seem so amazing now...but was strictly the stuff of science fiction in 1960.
He was talking about the fight against communism. At the time it posed a terrifying threat to us. A country equipped with a nuclear arsenal equal to our own...with countless missiles targeted on our most populous cities...and a political system which might just use them. In 1963, of course, the Soviet Union brought the world closer to a nuclear Armageddon than we had ever been.
No, Kennedy wasn't talking about a percent of GDP when he asked us to "pay any price, bear any burden", he was asking each American to work side-by-side, to pitch in, to help one another ...not to fight a war...but to see ourselves fully and finally accomplish those goals of freedom, liberty and democracy for all Americans.
The "sacrifice" Kennedy envisioned was that of each American, united by the strength of our combined will, lifting all...the rich and the poor, so that we might all share in the enjoyment of those noble concepts committed to by our forefathers.
Unfortunately for America in 2008, the Kudlows of the country don't have this vision of our country. Their field of vision is limited to the fortunes of themselves and their friends..."sacrifice" to them is measured in dollars and the effect those dollars have on their lifestyle. America is a lapel pin and a flowery mention of "patriotism". It is a bucket full of dollars belonging to the rich and powerful. It is greed.
It is the ability to buy other people's children to die in a war far away.
(Moderate)
Labels: Kennedy inaugural speech, Kudlow, rich and poor
(From "The Moderate Man" )
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