Posted on 06/20/2012 11:15:18 AM PDT by ProgressingAmerica
In Theodore Roosevelt's Autobiography,(page 372) he writes the following:
I declined to adopt the view that what was imperatively necessary for the Nation could not be done by the President unless he could find some specific authorization to do it. My belief was that it was not only his right but his duty to do anything that the needs of the Nation demanded unless such action was forbidden by the Constitution or by the laws. Under this interpretation of executive power I did and caused to be done many things not previously done by the President and the heads of the departments. I did not usurp power, but I did greatly broaden the use of executive power. In other words, I acted for the public welfare, I acted for the common well-being of all our people, whenever and in whatever manner was necessary, unless prevented by direct constitutional or legislative prohibition.
How Napoleonic of you, Mr. Roosevelt. Saul Alinsky thought that the ends justified the means as well.
Both before and after this comment Roosevelt tries to claim that he is a constitutionalist. But a constitutionalist does not systematically look for weaknesses like a foreign invader, a constitutionalist protects and defends the constitution thereby defending liberty first and foremost.
Theodore Roosevelt stood against liberty, like every other progressive. We've been suffering because of progressivism ever since.
Theodore Roosevelt was a First Class A$$HOLE who “Gave(foisted)” ANOTHER First Class A$$HOLE (Woodrow Wilson) on the United States. I hope both are roasting in HELL!
H.L. Mencken did not like TR, but TR was too politically powerful and popular to openly oppose, so Mencken published a ‘vanity press’, just for his friends, that illuminates who TR was.
On one page was the text of a speech by TR, and opposite a page of the writings of Frederick Nietzsche, that Mencken had translated himself from the German. This clearly showed that TR had extensively plagiarized Nietzsche time and again, and by all appearances was a firm believer in Nietzsche’s philosophy.
“Nietzsche’s influence remains substantial within and beyond philosophy, notably in existentialism, nihilism and postmodernism. The son of a minister, Nietzsche despised Christianity.”
I have been to Teddy’s home in Oyster bay on Long Island several times and the impression that I always get is that he was a populist with a huge ego. When he went out west he dressed like a “dude.” And he tried to overcompensate for his lack of experience by getting some as quickly as possible. You could say that he felt entitled to impose his will upon the nation. Here in NY he started the civil service system. The problem with him was that in our system of representitive government the states are the proper place to try out new ideas, not the White House. The smart politicos placed teddy in the VP to get rid of him. So much for smart political manuvers.
Do you know where I might find anything about this ‘vanity press’?
Thanks.
Extremely hard to find. I got to see a copy in a university library reserve collection, and offhand, I don’t remember the title. His writings are so extensive that someone actually wrote a book about his bibliography, and in book 2 of his 6 volume set of Prejudices, there is an unrelated story, ‘Roosevelt: An Autopsy’, which further distracts from the search.
It’s unlikely that more than a few hundred copies were ever printed, and they are probably cherished by collectors.
BTW, there is a recent reissue of Prejudices, which used to be very hard to get, but is now available on Amazon.
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