Roosevelt Is No Socialist, Norman Thomas Assures Al Smith February 15, 1936

[Better Believe It]

Roosevelt Is No Socialist, Norman Thomas Assures Al Smith
February 15, 1936
The Progressive

Attempts of Al Smith, in his Liberty League banquet speech, to read Roosevelt and the New Deal into the Socialist fold were emphatically rejected by Norman Thomas, Socialist leader, in a broadcast over the Columbia network.

Thomas said Roosevelt has not “carried out most of the demands of the Socialist platform—unless he carried them out on a stretcher.”

“There is nothing Socialist about trying to regulate or reform Wall Street,” Thomas said. “Socialism wants to abolish the system of which Wall Street is an appropriate expression.”

“There is nothing Socialist about trying to break up great holding companies. We Socialists would prefer to acquire holding companies in order to socialize the utilities now subject to them.

“There is no Socialism at all about taking over all the banks which fell in Uncle Sam’s lap, putting them on their feet again, and turning them back to the bankers to see if they can bring them once more to ruin.”

http://www.progressive.org/node/128718

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Norman Thomas was a long-time leader of the the Socialist Party and was the Socialist Party candidate for President in 1936.

Al Smith had been the conservative Democratic Party candidate for President in 1928. In 1936 he opposed FDR and the "New Deal" programs from the right and campaigned for Alfred Landon, the Republican candidate for President.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Eleanor admitted that she would have voted for Thomas in '32 had she not been married to FDR.

Norman Thomas, ER and Alf Landon in 1960.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Thomas also ran in 1932. nt

[Better Believe It]

3. I think he was the Socialist Party candidate for President from 1928 to 1948

[Captain Hilts]

4. Yes, he had quite a run. A good man. nt

[Oregone]

5. I dont think he was either

Do you?

[Better Believe It]

6. FDR wasn't a socialist and never claimed to be one.

[Oregone]

7. But fortunately, there were real socialists

As well as influential, populist leftists.

Otherwise, we never know 100% what would of happened.

[Better Believe It]

8. That's true

[Captain Hilts]

9. I think he was an opportunist. nt

[Vidar]

10. No, but his great Vice President, Henry Wallace, was..