Old Gene best run at President came from jail! November 3, 2009

This Marx Brother Was Eugene's Favorite

On This Date in History:  In the past year or so, we have heard the term “Socialist” has been tossed about when speaking about politics and some individuals involved in political policy.  This is not new.  Socialism has been a political doctrine that has been at least part of the American political discussion in the past.  In the late 20th century, it was mostly spoken of in great disdain but earlier in the century, it was seen as a potential revolutionary ideal.  During the Great Depression, some in America saw Socialism as an answer to all of the ills of the country.  Now, Karl Marx had published his Communist Manifesto in 1848 but it took a while for the ideals to rise.   See, Marx thought that his brand of socialism was scientifically superior.  The folks in Russia kinda liked it because they took a form of it into their revolution in 1917.  Most Americans were not too keen on the whole idea and there was a sort of Red Scare. 

But, one American, Eugene V. Debs thought that if socialism was good for the Russians, it was good for America.   Actually, Debs had run for President as a socialist for every election since 1900, except for the 1916 race.  The Socialist Party of America had written lots of stuff.  Perhaps he thought that Woodrow Wilson had kept the country out of the war so maybe the timing wasn’t good in 1916.  But, since then, the revolution in Russia had taken place and the Americans had entered the Great War, the war was over, millions were dead from the flu and the war, Europe lay in ruins and the League of Nations had not gained American support.  The Socialists blamed Capitalism for the Great War.   So the time was right to strike again!

1918 Gene Campaigning Before Heading to the Pokey

Debs had been out and about, speaking out to anyone who would listen in 1918.  Millions had died in World War I and the Spanish Flu was killing millions around the world and devastating the population of the United States.  What a good time for a little revolution, thought Debs.  But, the U.S. Congress had passed the Espionage Act in 1917 as part of the war effort.  Part of the legislation was if one criticized the law, then you were in violation of the law.  Eugene V. Debs spoke out against it and into jail he went.  But, in a rather remarkable turn of events, Eugene V. Debs carried on his campaign for President of the United States from his Atlanta Federal Penitentiary jail cell as the Socialist Party candidate for the 1920 presidential election. 

Debs Campaigned from the Big House in 1920

Prison officials allowed Debs to write on press bullietin per week.  The night before the election, Debs wrote, “The result will be as it should be.  The people will vote for what they think they want, to the extent that they think at all, and they, too will not be disappointed.”  It’s hard to say from that statement what Debs expected but, on this date in history,  what he got was almost a million votes, or about 5.7% of the vote total of the winner, Warren G. Harding.   Of the five times that Debs ran for President as the standard bearer of the Social Party, but never did he receive more votes than he did when he was in prison.   Debs never ran for president again and one socialist leader said that the 1920 election said it was “the last flicker of the dying candle.”  Maybe; but then again it  merely marked the high point of a candidate running under the moniker of “socialist.”    I mean, if you look at the Socialist Party Platform of 1896, you will find many of their demands have indeed come into the American mainstream. 

The socialists were in favor of a progressive income tax, suffrage for all citizens without regard to race or sex, government the sole issuer of money, compulsory education for kids under 14 and the state providing meals, books and clothes to kids when necessary and Federal management of forests.  Sound familiar?  All of those things were eventually enacted but not by Socialists, but instead Republicans and Democrats. So, who knows?  Perhaps the socialist call for the destruction fo the capitalist system, which socialists claim brings “inequality essentially destructive of life, of liberty and of happiness” may be pushed…but not under the moniker so boldly proclaimed by Debs from his jail cell.

Weather Bottom Line:  It got to freezing at my house last night. I can tell because Paint Brush, our unofficially adopted stray cat, decided to climb on my sunflowers.  The 12 foot stalks are still strong because he dangled from them..but..I noticed the leaves are suddenly drooping terribly and overnight they turned almost black.  Well, the cool conditions will persist all week. Highs in the 50′s, probably no freezing temperatures for most people but with lows in the 30′s area wide for the next few nights, freezing conditions for some people is probable.  Aside for some clouds midweek, it should be dry and next weekend look for a moderation to the low to mid 60′s by Saturday and maybe Sunday afternoon.

No Harmony and No Bike January 2, 2009

Historical Marker

On This Date In History: George Rapp had this idea of building the perfect, harmonious society and he began by building Harmony, Indiana just northwest of Evansville.  The Harmonists were pretty successful financially and spiritually, though Rapp’s teaching was a bit odd at times.  When his predicted Second Coming didn’t materialize in 1829, he simply announced a postponement. 

R.D. Owen, son of Robert Owen

By that time he had sold Harmony and established a new town, Economy, in Pennsylvania.  Harmony was sold in 1825 to industrialist Robert Owen who renamed it New Harmony and tried to make it the perfect communal environment.  This attracted a partner, William Maclure who arrived on April 12, 1826 with other reformers, scientists and educators on the ship the “Boatload of Knowledge.”  These guys, including

I Doubt if New Harmony Ever Looked Like This

Stedman Whitwell, came with their own ideas of paradise.  Whitewell was an architect and social reformer who had the great idea of changing every city’s name.  Owens had promised equality for all, as long as you were white, and strove for universal happiness.  Whitwell was bent out of shape for towns being named for someone else…like Washington!  He proposed that every town be given a name in which the letters represented it’s latitude and longitude.  New York would be Otke Notive and Washington DC would be Felli Nyvul.  I guess the folks in New Harmony didn’t buy what he was selling because they didn’t change the name to Ipba Venul.  And he’s not the only one that failed. 

Everyone Got Along Better in New Harmony by 1895

The town itself failed within two years as the communal living of New Harmony found problems.  See, the industrious weren’t too happy with the lazy because only part of the people were doing all of the work. And the lazy weren’t  happy because they were being forced to work.  Not exactly “universal happiness.”  If you ever  wondered why it is that communist societies almost exclusively have been under some sort of authoritarian regime, this is a great example.   It’s something Karl Marx didn’t tell you about and it’s why communism is fading from the world stage.

You can still visit New Harmony today and they have all sorts of restored buildings and such.  The above picture is what Whitwell imagined as his perfect city.  I’m not sure if the walls were intended to keep people intruders out or to keep the people in.

Here’s a link to a website telling you more about New Harmony, Indiana.

http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/kade/newharmony/home.html

Practice what you Preach:  So, a city commissioner of Fort Lauderdale pushed for reforms to prevent bicycle theft.  Tim Smith must have been a bike enthusiast and was trying to help his fellow bikers.  Last Monday, he was cycling along when he came upon an auto accident and stopped to render assistance.  When he returned, his bike was gone.  When he went to the authorities, he revealed that his bike was, in fact, not registered.  Here’s the story of the man who sounds like he’s ready for Congress so he can pass laws for others to follow.

Weather Bottom Line:  So, we had a nice day of recovery for New Year’s Day.  On New Year’s Eve, Snow White and I were at a small party when at midnight, I thought I heard someone banging at the window numerous times.  The window was rattling.  Turns out it wasn’t a reveler coming over to help celebrate…no…it was a neighbor firing off his 9 mm. pistol numerous times.  We did not go outside to bang pots and pans. 

GFS 12Z Wednesday

Now, the nearterm forecast holds true as we warm up this weekend with a rainy Sunday.  It’s

NOGAPS 12Z Wed

not out of the question that we push the mid to upper 50′s if we get some breaks in the rain.  Rumble of thunder or two won’t be too far fetched if that happens.  Anyway, the real story for me is the middle of next week.  The GFS has kinda gone back to its older solution which is rain on Tuesday turning to snow on Wednesday as an area of low pressure swings out of the Rockies into Texas and then around and up our way from the southwest.  This pattern is the one that gives us the best chances for good snow, but we need to have all the ingredients in place….like cold air.  In this case, the low draws up warm air with the rain and then on the backside of the low, the cold air comes down and there would probably be a period of some sleet before it turns to snow.  Right now the GFS is calling for about 2 inches of snow.  I doubt if that much would accumulate since the ground would probably be a shade warm to begin with.  But…all of this is dependent on the track of the low.  If you look at the NOGAPS and compare it to the GFS at 12Z Wed, you find a good illustration.  The NOGAPS has the low past us and the freezing line (540) to our northwest, which means rain.  Meanwhile, the GFS has the freezing line well to our south.  Keep in mind that the NOGAPS is a tropical model and the GFS has been changing its story almost every run.  So, the song remains the same…its not out of the question for us to get some excitement on Wednesday but I wouldn’t bet the ranch.