Now is the time to put FDR on a paper denomination of money in addition to the dime. I recommend the ten dollar bill. The greatest President of the twentieth century is owed this due, and there has been no time more than today that we have needed the inspiration of his leadership and belief in good government and the American people.
I know in the past Republicans have been pushing to get Reagan on money, or anything and everything for that matter. The difference between there cause and mine is that there was no rational explanation to put the Bonzo on anything. No reason that is, beyond the partisan propaganda and mythmaking that would serve only today's and tommorrow's Laissez-Faire Capitalist ideologues.
Franklin Roosevelt on the other hand is exactly the figure we need today in our public conciousceness as we embark on the next era in the great American adventure. As even his critics tend to agree, one of Franklin Roosevelt's greatest contributions to the country was his ability to inspire confidence and optimism in the face of great challenges.
I've been yearning for at least eight years for Roosevelt, and really the country has been for at least the last 30 years. Remember even when the country accepted Reagan, they were watching an actor playing FDR on television. Ironically, even though Reagan famously voted for Roosevelt four times, the Gip was FDR's ideological opposite. An evil (or misguided at best) twin.
I'd argue no other since has lived up the standard he set. His leadership in the presidency has been unmatched since his death in 1945. We came close, but the promise of both John and Bobby Kennedy were never entirely fullfilled, and of course Dr. King never had a chance to grace the role.
We are about to begin an administration and likely a great forty year era in which progressive leaders and ideas will rebuild and inspire our country much the way Roosevelt's New Deal corrected the Laissez-Faire neglect of earlier generations, and launched us strides forward into the twentieth century. He led us through the Great Depression and the Second Great War. He stands out in the words of biographer Jean Edward Smith in American History as do only George Washington and Abraham Lincoln among all of our presidents. Each of whom we should note are on both a coin and a widely circulated (small value) paper denomination -the quarter and the dollar for Washington, and the one cent and the five for Lincoln.
The dime was chosen for Roosevelt in large part because of his devotion to the March of Dimes. It would seem convenient enough that he be on both the ten cent and ten dollar denominations having earned his place in history among the other two top presidential figures in the history of the United States. Sixty plus years after his death, current events are reaffirming his ideas and his legacy. In such times, it becomes increasingly difficult for right wing ideologues to argue against honoring our longest serving president.
The dime isn't what it used to be. We need such an addition today even more to rejuvinate the prominance of Roosevelts image in the public due to the fact that dimes are of less value today, and so we handle them less, and for the same reason we handle tens relatively frequently. Currently, Alexander Hamilton is on the ten. Yes, he was critical to the creation of our monetary system, however ask the people in your life who is on the ten. They'll likely say "I don't know, you tell me.". When you tell them, expect a "who's Alexander Hamilton?". Well, I don't suggest this anectodal experiment should disqualify Hamilton from his place on the ten. But he may no longer be the best symbol for our proud history. It's time to recognize another great man that much more currently made our way of life possible. And since Republicans have been arguing for so long to replace Hamilton anyway, it would seem a bit silly if they argued against replacing his image now with the hero of their hero.
There is an argument that the figures on our money should have meaning and resonance with living generations of Americans. Roosevelt holds a much larger place in the concienceness of today's Americans. And just as much of the greatest generation is passing on, it seems of even greater importance to bolster his presence in younger Americans that don't remember the struggles of the depression, WWII, and the father figure that guided with a steady hand and reassured us in his fire-side chats.
Franklin Roosevelt saved this country from economic collapse, and some would argue was responsible for saving our economic system and system of government. Remember, it was widely held that a different leader at that time could have siezed much more power and done irrepairable harm considering the desperate political climate. Lord knows much of Europe suffered such leaders during that time. It was with great moral steadiness that he lead for the greater good.
Finally, as we wake up from the failed experiment of trickle down, greed is good, anti-worker, anti-public health, anti-public education, social Darwinian, sweet-heart deal corporatist Republican government... Take this opportunity to enlighten a new generation of Americans on what government is, what government can do, and what it should do.
If, as I believe we will, we take a filibuster proof majority in congress and take the presidency with an inspiring new Democratic president, let us put Franklin Delano Roosevelt on the ten dollar bill. With that act we will show the world where we are headed. We will show each other that this is a new era in which our money, our president, and our name will again lead by example. It will trumpet in the new era we hope for, one in which great progressive achievements like green jobs, a living wage, fair trade, universal health care one FDR's early hopes for America. Affordable quality education from preschool through college...And finally an end to the war in Iraq, justice to those that attacked us, peace and stability in Afghanistan, and peace and stability for the Israeli & Palestian people.
This symbolic honor to one of our greatest presidents, the greatest of the last century will precede these substantial goals of the new congress and administration, and inspire ourselves once again to beleive in and participate in this democracy. We will once again awaken to the reality that self responsiblitiy and our responsibility to each other are of great and equal importance. Barack Obama inspires us, but think what he and congress, and the American people will do with FDR in our back pockets.