JoeB131
Diamond Member
I see parallels between the 1936 election and the 2012 election. In both years the economy was improving. The Republicans in 36 attacked the New Deal just as Republicans today attach the economic stimulus plans. In 36 they painted the president as a dictator and a socialist who would bankrupt the country just as they are doing today. In 36 the Republicans chose a weak candidate in Landon and it looks like they are going to make the same mistake again by choosing Romney.You're probably correct, however unemployment doesn't have to break 8% for him to win. He can win as long as the unemployment picture is improving. The country was in the middle of the great depression in 1936, but the economic picture was improving and Roosevelt won by a landslide.
Why do you keep repeating this after it's been debunked?
In 1936, FDR won because the GOP ceased to function as a party, not because people were overwealmingly for FDR. America had essentially ceased to be a real democracy, much like the rest of the world had written democracy off as a bad idea at that point.
Eventually, FDR went too far and his own party yanked him back. (Trying to stack the Supreme Court, interferring with elections on the state and local level). And five minutes after he was in the ground, they amended the constitution so something like that could never happen again.
Now, that said, I think the magic number for Obama is still about 7.5. Actually worse than he found the economy in, but better than it's worst.
The fact the GOP is about to nominate a weird Mormon robot probably helps him, too.
I agree that Romney is a weak candidate. Not much else though.
For one thing, the thing that helped FDR was that the GOP had taken a beating in 30, 32 and 34, so they were barely in a position to mount an effective campaign. (They didn't start the long climb back until 38, and didn't get the presidency again until 52.)
I also think, frankly, we are a different people now. We want instant gratification.
I think in addition to Romney's awfulness, Obama is helped by the fact that the 69 million idiots who voted for him so they can feel better about themselves aren't inclined to admit they blew it four years ago.