A.J. Baime - The Accidental President (Book Review)

This is a most precious book: it is fun, easy reading, yet it reminds and teaches of a critical moment in the country's and, indeed,  recent world  history.  When Franklin D. Roosevelt died suddenly on April 12, 1945, World War II was in the process of ending, the Allies defeating the Axis powers.  The war was almost but not quite over with big decisions forthcoming.  FDR had not prepared Harry Truman to take over, one of FDR's major failings not keeping Truman informed.   The weight of the world dropped on HST when he came POTUS on that day, having to face major problems and decisions.  This book wonderfully details those months soon after when Truman had to rise to the occasion.

We will never fully understand how FDR picked Truman as his running mate in 1944.  The impression I get is that it was a matter of elimination.  Wallace was too liberal.  Byrnes was a liability as a Southerner.  Apparently Truman had the fewest liabilities.

President Truman was a quick study.  He prepared for his encounter with Churchill and Stalin at Potsdam.  He stood his ground with Stalin though there was little he could about Poland and the rest of Eastern Europe as Russia extended its control over those Eastern European countries.  He didn't go to SF for the founding of the United Nations but supported it fully.  The author presents a great mini-history of the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Japan.  Truman's most talked about decision was to drop the bomb on Japan.  Under the circumstances as he understood the situation, he did the right thing although this author doesn't get into the debate over the decision although he seems to think also that Truman did what he had to do.  One fact that stands out that is that Truman didn't actually give the go-ahead for the second bomb on Nagasaki, but someone events moved forward on their own.

The Senator from Pendergast won a remarkable reelection campaign in 1940.  How he pulled this off after the death of Tom Pendergast remains to be told.

Thank goodness for Harry Truman!

At the Precipice

This country is hanging at the precipice of full blown autocracy. American democracy is threatened as never before. The Alabama Senate race is but a small part of the big picture, but a part of the whole nonetheless. Once Trump fires Mueller, and Republicans back him, refusing to face the facts, the jig is up. And I ain't just whistling Dixie.

Voter Suppression in Alabama

We had a friend once who lived over in Clay County, Alabama. He told us about the difficulty of getting out the black vote in that rural elderly blacks are intimidated about going to the polls, surrounded by old white men staring at them as well as various tricks like switching voting locations at the last minute, not to mention expunging names from the rolls, not knowing what pressure might be exerted against them. That county has been dealing with the Justice Department for decades fighting discrimination. Same story across the black belt. if you do not understand voter suppression in Alabama, then you don't understand this state. I wish I had the ability to help get people to the polls tomorrow.

Root Canal

A root canal is easy. Why would anyone be afraid of it?
An extra bonus today is that Brookwood Endodontics devotes one day this time of year as their Christmas Day and today just happened to be the day. All proceeds today go to charities with patients getting to choose their charity. I chose the Jimmie Hale Mission in downtown Birmingham. We give to them regularly already but I was pleased to see my doctor bill also go to them today.
Great thing for these 3 doctors at this facility to do.

Conservative?

In the first half of the 20th century, the GOP wasn’t considered “conservative.” It included liberal Republicans who supported social security, infrastructure spending, and civil rights. But in 1964, Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater became the Republican candidate running on an unabashedly conservative platform and shocking the establishment. Goldwater’s conservative movement ended up dominating Republican politics for 50 years. Trump’s takeover of the Republican Party looks a lot like Goldwater’s, so could an ideological movement resembling Trumpism dominate the next 50 years?

From Fareed Zakaria

“Many have argued that Republicans have been able to work this magic trick by dangling social issues in front of working-class voters, who fall for the bait and lose sight of the fact that they are voting against their own interests,” Fareed says.

“But what if people are not being fooled? What if people are actually motivated far more deeply by issues surrounding religion, race and culture than they are by economics? There’s increasing evidence that Trump's base supports him because it feels a deep emotional, cultural and class affinity for him.”

Merry Christmas from the Republicans

They pass their huge tax cut for the wealthy in the dead of night. Somehow these weasels must be held accountable.