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posted by [personal profile] eftychia at 05:25am on 2005-06-06 under

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are [a] few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid." -- President Dwight Eisenhower, 1954

(My thanks to the person whose locked journal entry I cribbed this from.)

There are 3 comments on this entry. (Reply.)
 
posted by [identity profile] redaxe.livejournal.com at 09:47am on 2005-06-06
Here is an excerpt from the reference at snopes.com, expanding the story:

Save for a few minor details, however, the quote from President Dwight D. Eisenhower cited at the head of this page is in fact an accurate one. It wasn't something he uttered (it was instead something he wrote), and the version reproduced above omits Ike's reference to a specific Texas oil tycoon (H.L. Hunt), but it otherwise is taken verbatim from a letter President Eisenhower penned to his brother, Edgar Newton Eisenhower, on 8 November 1954:

Now it is true that I believe this country is following a dangerous trend when it permits too great a degree of centralization of governmental functions. I oppose this--in some instances the fight is a rather desperate one. But to attain any success it is quite clear that the Federal government cannot avoid or escape responsibilities which the mass of the people firmly believe should be undertaken by it. The political processes of our country are such that if a rule of reason is not applied in this effort, we will lose everything--even to a possible and drastic change in the Constitution. This is what I mean by my constant insistence upon "moderation" in government. Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid.
 
posted by [identity profile] dglenn.livejournal.com at 05:03pm on 2005-06-16
Thanks for that additional info. I hadn't thought to check Snopes for the context (though I was pretty sure it wasn't an out-of-the-blue blurting).
 
posted by [identity profile] en-ki.livejournal.com at 01:16pm on 2005-06-06
Or, in short, "Texas oil millionaires ... are stupid."

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