Today’s Good News: Movements More Important Than Presidents
Back on President’s Day, the Institute For Public Accuracy rounded up some good commentary on the relative importance of presidents and social movements when it comes to real change. Prof. David Reynolds, who wrote a book on John Brown, asks rhetorically, “To what extent does social progress result from reform movements as opposed to presidents and Congress? History suggests that more often than not reform movements have led the way in changing society, and presidents have been slow to follow.”
The item starts with Hillary “Top-Down” Clinton, quoted this past January: “I would point to the fact that Dr. King’s dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” This is followed up with a quote from Dr. King himself, saying that both Kennedy and Johnson got “undeserved credit” for the civil rights act, that both of them had in fact told him it would never happen, and most importantly, that Johnson really fell down on implementing the act once it did get passed.
Others write about the abolition of slavery and the New Deal, further examples of presidents following movements. Why is this good news? Well, regardless of which pandering idiot gets elected president, we will have the opportunity - and the duty - to organize and make real change happen.
Read the whole item here.
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