Four thousand miles are behind us as we moved towards the beautiful city of Ottawa, my wife’s hometown and the capital of Canada. With just over one million people, it is the largest city we have driven through with a metro population that large on this trip. If you’ve never been, it’s definitely worth a visit. We would have loved to stop by for a quick meal with my in-laws, but we’re now on a timeline to get to New Hampshire by noon today, so needed to get to Montreal by last night.
I never thought about it, but do you think a Dickens- like A Christmas Carol visitation of ghosts might help explain what the future would look like if we lose our democracy? Or if Potterville from “It’s a Wonderful Life” became reality.
Democracy may be the greatest human experiment. The 2nd may be public education. No country in history attempted to educated the entire population until we started the public school experiment 130+ years ago. It was based on the understanding that Democracy thrives from an educated population and fails from ignorance. Everyone is a reflection of their education. The dismantling and destruction of the public school system, shows the power of ignorance everyday. We can blame the media, or big business, technology, etc. but the real cause of our diminishing society is bad education. What you don’t learn is as powerful as what you do.
You are right Howard, I wonder how many can follow TR’s train of thought, much less act on it. I have been saying for a while now that our education system is the reason that so many vote against their own interests, and blindly follow people who have no interest in their wellbeing.
If you wonder why we lost our ability to listen and concentrate on well thought-out arguments, in part it’s the “Star Wars effect.” TR’s speech comes from the time when oratory was a finer art and word salad not served to the listener.
So much in that speech on honor, duty, dedication and results. We heard of Commerce and Labor, and the need to consider our national corporate life as a commitment to shared community. Again,TR highlights how democracies fall. May we heed those words
Thanks, Steve, both for your comments, and for sharing that compelling speech. Both improved my mood in thinking about our country's current challenges, and our still vital future possibilities.
Though I feel hopeful because of the many optimistic comments and writings of many on substacks, somethings always jump out that scare me. “The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us” seems foreign to me in today’s America. I’ve been using the term bubble (as in yesterday’s post) for a while to remind me of my place in life and try as I might my bubble doesn’t stretch as far as I’d like but I work hard to overlap with as many others’ bubbles as I can. I’ve traveled a bit and learned a lot but I’ve also learned a lot by seeing opportunities to join with people beyond my comfort zone right in my own environment. In today’s world many, and I would hope most, have access to libraries and books by a huge number of diverse authors from all over the world and from them I’ve learned so much. As for the beauty Steve has exposed us to it’s important to see the beauty right outside our front door and appreciate all who contribute. One of my greatest joys learned during the pandemic is the opportunity to wave to our trash collectors any time I see them and yell “Thank you!”
Thank you, Steve, for once again sharing pertinent words from our forebears. It is definitely applicable today. The Republican party of the past is gone, with folks like you are working with Democrats and Independents to save not only the soul of this nation but democracy itself. We cannot be a beacon to other nations striving for democracy when the light dies here. Keep these messages coming, Steve. We are listening.
This: "The good citizen is the man who, whatever his wealth or his poverty, strives manfully to do his duty to himself, to his family, to his neighbor, to the States; who is incapable of the baseness which manifests itself either in arrogance or in envy, but who while demanding justice for himself is no less scrupulous to do justice to others. It is because the average American citizen, rich or poor, is of just this type that we have cause for our profound faith in the future of the Republic."
America's apparent disdain for the character, decency, and hard work Roosevelt outlined shows in the latest poll (ABC?) that shows Trump 40%, Biden 39% in a presidential matchup.
This country has gone so far off the rails. Neo-Nazis marching and telling a convenient cameraman they're Biden supporters, the MAGA trolls of social media insisting all the masked KKK men are "feds" in disguise, the lies, the manipulation of any and every truth to fit a narrative ...
It's the proverbial three branches of the media - MSM, cable, social - that has let this insanity get free publicity for their hate and deception. Freedom cannot exist without limitations. There are no more boundaries of what is 'reported' without any checks and balances - or basic journalism 1A.
Most Americans haven't saved a few hundred bucks and are a paycheck away from homelessness, but rail about whatever they heard last on Fox.
The USA's in much worse trouble than under Roosevelt, even if there are clear parallels to that time. It's the moral soul of the country at stake.
And in US state capitals (and capitols) where some of the most egregious laws are enacted. The states, not satisfied with harming their own, send others to Washington,DC, to harm the citizens of the Nation’s Capital by taking away or threatening to take away our laws duly voted by citizens without rights to act in the larger body that still lords over us. When you speak of “Washington, DC” please remember we the people who descend from slaves and those of us who moved here because we weren’t taught our rights were limited and stayed because it is where we’ve made a home.
This is an accurate description of where we are at this time. What we do about our situation is up to each of us as individuals. Will we have the moral character to save ourselves? Thank you for a brilliant writing, Mr. Schmidt.
It makes me sad to realize that a large portion of our population cannot even read much less understand that speech. The unwillingness to educate our populace will be our undoing.
Quote: “Whatever role that they play in society, it is clear that they view themselves as its essential architects and planners, while the rest of society serves as something between pawns and guinea pigs for the visionaries amongst us. No thanks.” End quote.
Response: I thought immediately of Vivek Ramaswamy. He is a megalomaniac who is a peril to our constitutional democracy.
From TR: . . . ” there has been on the whole from the beginning of our government to the present day a progressive betterment alike in the condition of the tiller of the soil and in the condition of the man who, by his manual skill and labor, supports himself and his family, and endeavors to bring up his children so that they may be at least as well off as, and, if possible, better off than, he himself has been.”
I thought immediately of my grandfather and great grandfather, who owned large tobacco farms along the Ohio River in Lower Indiana. Their entire annual income was realized when they took their hogsheads of tobacco to market in Louisville, Kentucky. Each of granddad’s six children had a far better and successful life “better off than granddad himself" had been; including my dad. My dad would tell about the hot summer days hoeing the long and wide tobacco fields. The mules kicking you if you got too close while plowing. We are Scots/Scots-Irish, known as builders of our great country. Dad became an electrical engineer. Yet, he/we never forgot our roots. There are thousands of such stories across our land, stories soured, soiled and tainted by the arrogance and egocentricity of a Trump or a Ramaswamy.
Nothing like getting hit about the head by ghosts, imploring us to heed their message.
I never thought about it, but do you think a Dickens- like A Christmas Carol visitation of ghosts might help explain what the future would look like if we lose our democracy? Or if Potterville from “It’s a Wonderful Life” became reality.
Imagery resonates!
Democracy may be the greatest human experiment. The 2nd may be public education. No country in history attempted to educated the entire population until we started the public school experiment 130+ years ago. It was based on the understanding that Democracy thrives from an educated population and fails from ignorance. Everyone is a reflection of their education. The dismantling and destruction of the public school system, shows the power of ignorance everyday. We can blame the media, or big business, technology, etc. but the real cause of our diminishing society is bad education. What you don’t learn is as powerful as what you do.
You are right Howard, I wonder how many can follow TR’s train of thought, much less act on it. I have been saying for a while now that our education system is the reason that so many vote against their own interests, and blindly follow people who have no interest in their wellbeing.
Perfect
I 100% Agree. Without proper education in history, civics and critical thinking skills, we're doomed.
If you wonder why we lost our ability to listen and concentrate on well thought-out arguments, in part it’s the “Star Wars effect.” TR’s speech comes from the time when oratory was a finer art and word salad not served to the listener.
So much in that speech on honor, duty, dedication and results. We heard of Commerce and Labor, and the need to consider our national corporate life as a commitment to shared community. Again,TR highlights how democracies fall. May we heed those words
Safe travels to NH.
Great read, Steve! You never disappoint.
Thanks, Steve, both for your comments, and for sharing that compelling speech. Both improved my mood in thinking about our country's current challenges, and our still vital future possibilities.
Though I feel hopeful because of the many optimistic comments and writings of many on substacks, somethings always jump out that scare me. “The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us” seems foreign to me in today’s America. I’ve been using the term bubble (as in yesterday’s post) for a while to remind me of my place in life and try as I might my bubble doesn’t stretch as far as I’d like but I work hard to overlap with as many others’ bubbles as I can. I’ve traveled a bit and learned a lot but I’ve also learned a lot by seeing opportunities to join with people beyond my comfort zone right in my own environment. In today’s world many, and I would hope most, have access to libraries and books by a huge number of diverse authors from all over the world and from them I’ve learned so much. As for the beauty Steve has exposed us to it’s important to see the beauty right outside our front door and appreciate all who contribute. One of my greatest joys learned during the pandemic is the opportunity to wave to our trash collectors any time I see them and yell “Thank you!”
Thank you, Steve, for once again sharing pertinent words from our forebears. It is definitely applicable today. The Republican party of the past is gone, with folks like you are working with Democrats and Independents to save not only the soul of this nation but democracy itself. We cannot be a beacon to other nations striving for democracy when the light dies here. Keep these messages coming, Steve. We are listening.
This: "The good citizen is the man who, whatever his wealth or his poverty, strives manfully to do his duty to himself, to his family, to his neighbor, to the States; who is incapable of the baseness which manifests itself either in arrogance or in envy, but who while demanding justice for himself is no less scrupulous to do justice to others. It is because the average American citizen, rich or poor, is of just this type that we have cause for our profound faith in the future of the Republic."
America's apparent disdain for the character, decency, and hard work Roosevelt outlined shows in the latest poll (ABC?) that shows Trump 40%, Biden 39% in a presidential matchup.
This country has gone so far off the rails. Neo-Nazis marching and telling a convenient cameraman they're Biden supporters, the MAGA trolls of social media insisting all the masked KKK men are "feds" in disguise, the lies, the manipulation of any and every truth to fit a narrative ...
It's the proverbial three branches of the media - MSM, cable, social - that has let this insanity get free publicity for their hate and deception. Freedom cannot exist without limitations. There are no more boundaries of what is 'reported' without any checks and balances - or basic journalism 1A.
Most Americans haven't saved a few hundred bucks and are a paycheck away from homelessness, but rail about whatever they heard last on Fox.
The USA's in much worse trouble than under Roosevelt, even if there are clear parallels to that time. It's the moral soul of the country at stake.
As always Steve thank you for sharing your intellect and the Americanism of Teddy Roosevelt.
Thank you Steve. Sad to read this and then think about much of what goes on in Washington DC.
And in US state capitals (and capitols) where some of the most egregious laws are enacted. The states, not satisfied with harming their own, send others to Washington,DC, to harm the citizens of the Nation’s Capital by taking away or threatening to take away our laws duly voted by citizens without rights to act in the larger body that still lords over us. When you speak of “Washington, DC” please remember we the people who descend from slaves and those of us who moved here because we weren’t taught our rights were limited and stayed because it is where we’ve made a home.
Well said
Thank you. It’s exhausting to hear my chosen place of residence made to sound like it were only a part of the US Govt.
You just cannot go wrong revisiting a TR speech. They have a timeless eloquence and Everyman Elegance.
This speech by TR is a prescient follow up to George Washington's Farewell Address in which he too sounded a warning. Should be read by everyone.
This is an accurate description of where we are at this time. What we do about our situation is up to each of us as individuals. Will we have the moral character to save ourselves? Thank you for a brilliant writing, Mr. Schmidt.
It makes me sad to realize that a large portion of our population cannot even read much less understand that speech. The unwillingness to educate our populace will be our undoing.
Quote: “Whatever role that they play in society, it is clear that they view themselves as its essential architects and planners, while the rest of society serves as something between pawns and guinea pigs for the visionaries amongst us. No thanks.” End quote.
Response: I thought immediately of Vivek Ramaswamy. He is a megalomaniac who is a peril to our constitutional democracy.
From TR: . . . ” there has been on the whole from the beginning of our government to the present day a progressive betterment alike in the condition of the tiller of the soil and in the condition of the man who, by his manual skill and labor, supports himself and his family, and endeavors to bring up his children so that they may be at least as well off as, and, if possible, better off than, he himself has been.”
I thought immediately of my grandfather and great grandfather, who owned large tobacco farms along the Ohio River in Lower Indiana. Their entire annual income was realized when they took their hogsheads of tobacco to market in Louisville, Kentucky. Each of granddad’s six children had a far better and successful life “better off than granddad himself" had been; including my dad. My dad would tell about the hot summer days hoeing the long and wide tobacco fields. The mules kicking you if you got too close while plowing. We are Scots/Scots-Irish, known as builders of our great country. Dad became an electrical engineer. Yet, he/we never forgot our roots. There are thousands of such stories across our land, stories soured, soiled and tainted by the arrogance and egocentricity of a Trump or a Ramaswamy.