Reagan and Roosevelt
While I have always had respect for the opinions expressed by Michael Barone, as a student of the New Deal era, I must disagree with his conclusions in the article (Editorial Pages, Sept. 21), “Reagan and Roosevelt: Historic Equals in Affection.”
Without question Ronald Reagan would relish emulating Franklin Roosevelt, and, as Barone points out, he lavishingly dots his rhetoric with Rooseveltian phraseology, he very frequently attempts to equate his failed policies with those of our former giant of a President, but I am sure F.D.R. would turn over in his grave if he thought his image was being compared to that of Ronald Reagan.
Orson Welles once told the story of the time he visited Roosevelt at the White House. Roosevelt, in a confidential manner, told Welles, “Mr. Welles, there are two great actors in the United States, and you’re the other one.” Indeed, Roosevelt was an actor, an actor on the worldwide stage of politics, not a has-been “B” movie actor.
The differences are deep between these two men. While both were and are popular, there the similarity ends. It is hard to imagine a lightweight like Reagan inspiring a nation during the Great Depression. Can one imagine Reagan putting forth innovations--many of which are still with us--to cure the illness afflicting the country?
Roosevelt was a builder, Reagan a dismantler. Or can you conceive of Reagan at the helm guiding us successfully through World War II?
Another great difference between these men, can be equated with the character of the men, it deals with the high-level appointments that each has made.
When F.D.R. took over in the bleak days of 1933 he sought out men and women of the highest intelligence and imagination to restore our country to economic stability after 12 years of Republican misrule. He chose people like Harold Ickes, Frances Perkins, Harry Hopkins and Henry Wallace. Reagan has given us Edwin Meese, Raymond Donovan (now under indictment) William Casey and James Watt.
But all is not lost, Reagan does have a role model in past Presidents, in the person of Warren G. Harding. The similarities are uncanny. Both men proved to be extremely popular, both handsome and ingratiating. Neither of these Chief Executives have ever been accused of being eggheads.
In both administrations serious scandals developed involving the appointees of both Presidents, neither Harding nor Reagan was or has been tainted by these matters. Both men allowed the country’s economy to go to hell--Harding by permitting excesses and graft to run amok, and Reagan by allowing the federal budget to engulf us in a sea of debt.
The comparisons seem endless, and this is frightening to contemplate.
PETE TORGE
Hollywood