Teddy Roosevelt speech, 1906

[edhopper]

Where is a leader like Teddy today? Not in the White House.

"As a nation we still continue to enjoy a literally unprecedented prosperity; and it is probable that only reckless speculation and disregard of legitimate business methods on the part of the business world can materially mar this prosperity.

............................

I again recommend a law prohibiting all corporations from contributing to the campaign expenses of any party. Such a bill has already past one House of Congress. Let individuals contribute as they desire; but let us prohibit in effective fashion all corporations from making contributions for any political purpose, directly or indirectly.

Read more at the American Presidency Project: Theodore Roosevelt: Sixth Annual Message http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29547&st=middle+class&st1=#ixzz1YG1VDnYe

[Supply Side Jesus]

1. I can't rec this enough

TR is one of my favorite Presidents ever....a true progressive

[Liberal Insights]

2. TR was so great that

TR was so great that today's Republicans can't stand him.
If the Mormons can baptize people into their church long after they have died, maybe we Democrats make Teddy a Democrat.

[dflprincess]

6. Unfortunately the "new"/DLC/Blue Dog/Thrid Way Democrats

who currently control the party would not have a whole lot of use for TR either. I'm thinking he'd probably join with Bernie Sanders if he were with us today.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

3. TR the last Republican progressive.

[Flubadubya]

4. Yeah, where's Teddy when we really, really need him?

Of course, if any Republican today were to make such a statement he would end up "Breitbarted" or destined to some other such ignoble fate. x(

[struggle4progress]

5. After Citizens United, we'll need a different SCOTUS or a constitutional amendment for that

[happyslug]

7. TR had to address the support William Jennings Bryan was getting on progressive issues

While others were also attacking the money interests, Bryan had a Chance of becoming President and thus capable of doing something against the money interests:

Bryan Speech on the Income Tax (1894):
http://thriceholy.net/Texts/Income.html

Bryan Speech in 1908 to publish the names of anyone who donated more than $100, after pointing out that while TR had made Corporate contributions illegal, TR had NOT funded anyway to enforce the ban:

http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/07/22/let-there-be-light-listen-to-william-jennings-bryan-campaign-transparency-1908/

Bryan's attack on the GOP and the GOP's opposition to reforms ("Shall the People Rule?"):
http://books.google.com/books?id=Qte0CdftsDYC&pg=PA100&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false

Bryan's 1908 speech for what became the FDIC as part of the New Deal 30 years later:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Qte0CdftsDYC&pg=PA143&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false


Bryan's speech in 1908 to the AFL: Bryan points out that 08 speech for the Sherman Antitrust Act had been the law for almost 20 years, and in that time period the only person Charged CRIMINALLY under that law and that was for Union Activity, Bryan stated his support for Unions being exempt from the anti-trust act, such exemption was passed under Wilson:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Qte0CdftsDYC&pg=PA164&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false

Bryan's support for Government ownership of the Railroads: A big thing at that time, most Americans would NOT own a Car till after WWII, thus Railroads were much more important to the national economy then they are today (think in terms of today's Railroads AND the trucking industry controlled together by the same people:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Qte0CdftsDYC&pg=PA92&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false

The above citations (except for the Income tax speech) is from a book Google has on line, i give it is case the above Citations do not work:
http://books.google.com/books/about/Speeches_of_William_Jennings_Bryan.html?id=Qte0CdftsDYC