The other day I posted a diary with some facts in it . . . lot's of facts, and figures and statistics. They're the kind of facts everybody in America should know by heart.
Sadly, as someone in the comments pointed out, "Facts aren't enough." You need a narrative to go with your facts . . . and I've got one.
The simple narrative I offer is one sentence. It has a number of virtues. First, it is not exclusive of other narratives, and may be added to them. Second, it innoculates anyone using it from standard rightwing attacks of "socialism," "treason," and other nonsense, and indeed puts your rightwing opponent immediately on the defensive.
What is this magic narrative that is so powerful? It really is this simple.
"Liberalism WORKS!"
Here is a very simple story that illustrates this undeniable fact of history. When Franklin Roosevelt took office in March, 1933, we had 23% unemployment. When Harry Truman left office 20 years later, after 20 years of Democratic control of the White House, unemployment was 2.9%.
- Since the end of the war, three out of four Democratic administrations have left office with unemployment at 4% or lower.
- No Republican administration has left office with unemployment under five persent, and only one Republican left with unemployment under six.
- Four of the five strongest economies since the end of World War II, have occured under Democrats.
- Reagan was one of the those five . . . in fourth place behind Kennedy/Johnson, Truman, and Clinton.
- In the 28 years before the so-called "Reagan Revolutions" the US economy enjoyed 34 "boom" quarters with GDP growth in excess of 6 percent.
- Since the so-called "Reagan Revolution," there have been 14 such quarters.
But if you'd like an simpler story, try this one.
36 years passed between March, 1933 and the moon landing in July, 1969. Democrats controlled the White House for 28 of those 36 years. They controlled Congress for 32 of them.
Say it with me . . . and say it to any delusional tea bagger you know. "The Democrats took this country from the depths of the Depression to the moon."
If you doubt the power of this narrative, watch this video . . .
The video is the opening to the final act of my film, MEGA-DITTOS!!! The Tea Party Cult. Click the link to watch it.
Go here to help our Kickstarter campaign to take the film on tour . . . and bring it to Netroots Nation.
Go here to download a PDF Brochure with all the data you need to prove that liberalism WORKS.
If you like the video, please recommend this diary.