Ike: Messin' with Texas

Found by David Sirota of the Center for American Progress: the money quote of the year, if not the millennium-to-date, nailing the Bush administration:

Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid.

-- President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 11/8/54

(Ouch. For the full text, visit the Eisenhower papers.)

This is as good a time as any to re-read Ike's stunning address as he left office, on the military-industrial complex. They don't make Republicans (or generals) like they used to.

Posted on May 12, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack