 The Rough Riders
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New Tires
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OP
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July 1, the anniversary of San Juan Hill. TR was a bad ass among bad asses. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/roughriders.htm
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Feb 2005
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Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2005
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Yep, for a sickly kid, T.R. would sure go on to make his mark in the world, alright!
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Loquacious
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Loquacious
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It's no accident that TR's mug is on Mount Rushmore with Washington, Lincoln & Jefferson. 
Kevin - Luceo Non Uro
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Feb 2011
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Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
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While visiting TR National Park, I read a story about TR having a boat stolen by some lowlifes out in Wyoming in the winter. He and a couple other men built another boat and went down the icy river to recover his belongings. When they caught up to the men he sent his hands back to the ranch and he marched the bad guys 50 miles single handed to the nearest law. One of the men wrote him from jail several times thanking him for not killing them on the spot which was standard operating procedure.
He was a fascinating guy who could not be pigeon holed into any political philosophy as we know them now. We owe much of our land preservation to him.
Last edited by Smokey3214; 07/01/2012 9:28 PM.
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Jul 2007
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Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
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TR was a man's man. And he was a traitor to his class. He came from money, and when he became President he led the charge against the big money boys, or "Trusts", that were crippling the formation of the middle class. TR was a Statesman, while today we are suffering with nothing better than politicians.
Fidelis et Fortis
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,028 Likes: 8
New Tires
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OP
New Tires
Joined: Dec 2006
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Quote:
TR was a man's man. And he was a traitor to his class. He came from money, and when he became President he led the charge against the big money boys, or "Trusts", that were crippling the formation of the middle class. TR was a Statesman, while today we are suffering with nothing better than politicians.
TR is my favorite president, outside the obvious suspects. He was a statesman, a reformer but let's not forget also a politician. Trader to his class? We forget also that most reformers were upper class. We also forget what TR knew, without the help of politicians trust don't become trust. 
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,146
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
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Quote:
Quote:
TR was a man's man. And he was a traitor to his class. He came from money, and when he became President he led the charge against the big money boys, or "Trusts", that were crippling the formation of the middle class. TR was a Statesman, while today we are suffering with nothing better than politicians.
TR is my favorite president, outside the obvious suspects. He was a statesman, a reformer but let's not forget also a politician. Trader to his class? We forget also that most reformers were upper class. We also forget what TR knew, without the help of politicians trust don't become trust.
That's because most people wielding political might, good, bad, or otherwise, come from the upper class. With notable exceptions, it's a rich man's game. Oddly enough, though, the highest office has, from time to time, gone to men of simple beginnings (Lincoln, Eisenhower, Clinton, and Obama just off the top of my head, not implying any are better than others). Our founding fathers were all men of means. That's why we needed to make some course corrections along the way (slavery for example).
As astaren implied, I agree that it is notable when a man of great means steps forward to protect, not the wealthy from whence they came, but the great masses for whom they promised to serve.
That is greatness.
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 59
Member
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Member
Joined: Jan 2005
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...and just in case you're wondering how I came to use eighteen98 as my screen name now ya know. Love TR 
Last edited by eighteen98; 07/02/2012 12:10 PM.
'04 TBA Black
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Re: The Rough Riders
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New Tires
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OP
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Since FDR, 70+% of our presidents have come from some where in the middle class. Of course, if they happen to have lived through the great depression, that middle class isn't what WE are accustom to. 
Last edited by MACMC; 07/02/2012 8:38 PM.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,060 Likes: 6
Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,060 Likes: 6 |
it is notable when a man of great means steps forward to protect, not the wealthy from whence they came, but the great masses for whom they promised to serve.
That is greatness.
Correct and Eloquently put.
Fidelis et Fortis
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Adjunct
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Adjunct
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Something else to keep in mind is that while nearly all of our founding fathers were of the upper classes, to categorize them as being the same in their outlook would be incorrect. The American Revolution was organized and lead by the upper economic classes, those holding land and slaves (North and South). After the revolution, the real war began, and continues today. Weak central government vs. strong central government. The establishment of a central bank 'Federal Reserve' was a contentious issue. And its proponent, Alexander Hamilton, was born in Jamaica, to modest means.
TR was a great president. His vision led to the establishment of National Parks and other areas left generally unspoiled by development.
But, he was wealthy, and connected, and a politician.
Ted
Send lawyers, guns and money, cause the sh*t has hit the fan!
-W. Zevon
2020 Bud Ekins T100
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Oil Expert
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Quote:
Since FDR, 70+% of our presidents have come from some where in the middle class. Of course, if they happen to have lived through the great depression, that middle class isn't what WE are accustom to.
...and a couple just barely qualified at that.
The expansion of the middle class was, by and large, a product of the unions. Prior to that is was pretty much the 'haves' and the 'have nots'. As far as reaching the White House back then, in the absence of wealth, being a military hero was generally the only other route.
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Adjunct
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I would say that the expansion of the middle class was due to industrialization. The need for a more skilled labor force resulted in the expansion. There is no doubt that unions played a part, but they were only a player, among many.
Send lawyers, guns and money, cause the sh*t has hit the fan!
-W. Zevon
2020 Bud Ekins T100
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Re: The Rough Riders
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New Tires
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In 1776, the country had a thriving middle class. The thirteen colonies had the highest per capita income in the world with low taxes. There was a great disparity in acquired wealth, but that isn't surprising considering slavery existed. The have nots were on the outer frontiers, where things were primitive and risk high. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424...EditorialPage_h
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Adjunct
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Adjunct
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I agree with you that there was a thriving middle class in 1776. I will continue to assert that the expansion of the middle class was largely due to industrialization, which occurred in the early 1800s.
The Revolutionary War muster rolls, as well as the tax rolls indicate that a segment of the population that fought were farmers, and not wealthy landowner type farmers. The muster rolls further show that a large number of those who fought were, not landholders, but employees or sharecroppers. The have nots were firmly embedded in the metro areas of the 13 colonies.
The need for a large skilled labor force, came about beginning in the 1820s, when cotton mills began producing woven goods from raw materials in the south. Other forms of industrialization, such as railroads and steel production began during this time. As the country grew more wealthy, so did it's workforce. The skilled, and the supervisors became the core members of the "middle class". The labor movement didn't even get any traction until the late 1800s. When they began to try to improve the lot of all workers. I'm not trying to denigrate their role in our society, but they came to the party later than the rise of the middle class. IMHO
Ted
Send lawyers, guns and money, cause the sh*t has hit the fan!
-W. Zevon
2020 Bud Ekins T100
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Dec 2006
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New Tires
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I agree with industrialization as an accelerant to middle class development.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Apr 2008
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Loquacious
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Loquacious
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Quote:
...that middle class isn't what WE are accustom to...
Today's Middle Class;
Too little income to prosper, too much income to qualify for any assistance. 
And you may see me tonight
With an illegal smile
J. Prine
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Re: The Rough Riders
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I recommend reading "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair. It gives a more personal face to industrialization in the absence of union representation.
Besides that, it just a damn good book.
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Aug 2007
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Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
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Quote:
I recommend reading "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair. It gives a more personal face to industrialization in the absence of union representation.
Besides that, it just a damn good book.
+1 It's a fantastic book
Always remember to be yourself. Unless you suck. Then pretend to be someone else.
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Re: The Rough Riders
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Joined: Dec 2006
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New Tires
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Who didn't read that in Jr High or High School?
The truth is the union movement began in the very late 1800s and was relatively impotent. It faltered on and off thru the early 1900s, but gaining in the 1920s culminating with the Wagner Act in the mid 1930s, giving unions gov sanctions. If I remember correctly the height of union membership was 1959 and has been steadily declining ever since. Granted, the increased wealth of the middle class and the rise of unions coincide with WWII and it's aftermath leaving the USA with the only standing industrial base.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken
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