The Predatory Rich

Dear Friends,

I am reading The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin.  It is a great book about Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.  If you like American history, you will really like this book.

The book discusses an early piece written about Roosevelt by a journalist named Ray Baker who was given a significant amount of time with Roosevelt before he was thinking about running for President but after he was made famous by his Rough Riders activities.  The section discussing Baker's research reads in part:  "Roosevelt expressed his growing disgust for the predatory rich, 'the mere money-getting American, insensible to every day duty, regardless of every principle, bent only on amassing a fortune.' ... The finished article profiled 'a magnificent example of the American citizen of social position, means, and culture devoting himself to public affairs.' In every phase of Roosevelt's life, Baker detected a 'rugged, old-fashioned sense of duty,' the legacy of a civic-minded father".

Theodore Roosevelt was a Republican.  I cannot imagine that there is a single Republican today that would say what Roosevelt said about mere money-getting or could be described in the terms that Baker used to describe Roosevelt.  That lack of concern for the overall good is ruining our country.

Thanks for reading and please comment,
The Unabashed Liberal