So what was up with Huey Long? I hear all the time how much FDR and his crew were scared of him becoming the new president, and everyone at the time comparing him to Hitler. And then theres the conspiracy theories that FDR had some influence in his assassination.
What would have happened if he became president instead of FDR?
T H E K I N G F I S H
>>1403496
gas the syndies, civil war now
The Hitler comparisons are pretty silly considering he was one of the less racist politicians in the South.
Personally I think he'd have expanded the executive branch even more than FDR and would've tried to force through a bunch of socialist bullshit that would hold us back.
>>1403496
The United States probably wouldn't have been as involved in the European theater of WWII, if at all. Progressive policies that make the New Deal look positively anarcho-capitalist. Probably a larger bureaucracy, but I'm not sure I agree with >>1403733 in regards to executive expansion. Long had a lot of friends on capitol hill. A lot more than FDR did (which is why he had to resort to brute forcing bills and SCOTUS stacking). Probably would have been a little less corporate influence in politicking through Long as well. I can't say it would be better or worse, but it would have been dramatically different. Basically, have a look at how he changed Louisiana and read his book. He did a lot of good, but he gets a little bit of a bad rap.
>>1404540
>changed Louisiana and read his book. He did a lot of good, but he gets a little bit of a bad rap.
hes a hero in louisiana, by both republicans and democrats. He without a doubt brought the state into the new century.
>>1403512
>syndies
>>1403496
He was a corrupt, radical left-wing populist with a long authoritarian streak. He plundered the state coffers in Louisiana when he was governor, and continued to do so and control the state during his time as a senator. His "every man a king" platform was quasi-Marxist.
But he basically built LSU and Tiger Stadium and for that Louisiana totally forgives him.
>>1403733
>The Kingfish wasn't racist
When it was decided to put Southern University (the black state university in Baton Rouge) next to LSU's campus, Long literally ordered Southern's foundations flooded just so the white students wouldn't have to be near the blacks.
That's what created the LSU campus lakes.
(They're beautiful lakes though, thanks Huey).
>>1405427
When I said a bad rap, I meant nationally, not statewise.
>>1405660
>He was a corrupt,
Indeed, but you leave out a lot of information here. His corruption was used to remove corporate and upper-class interests which had dominated Louisiana for decades, not personal enrichment, and he succeeded in that. His shut down of Standard Oil, (which caused the corruption charges and attempted impeachment), is the biggest evidence of that fact. What's funny is that Long paradoxically helped remove corruption in Louisiana through corruption.
>>1403496
"It can happen here" by Sinclair Lewis was inspired by Huey's presidential run, and gives a plausible account of what it might have been like. Lewis had European Fascism clocked before most people.
>>1403496
>He was a crook — but he had no money; a corrupt politician — but the cost of government is third-lowest in the country; a demagogue — but he kept his campaign promises; a hillbilly — but he had no racial prejudices; an ignoramus — but he ran a business administration; a dictator — but he broadened the suffrage; an opportunist — but he had ideals.
Drew Pearson's proposed epitaph for Long
>>1405845
>was inspired by Huey's presidential run
It wasn't. Lewis denied any connection between the two, but people like you have implied it and ran with it ever since it came out.
>>1405660
There was nothing Marxist about "Every Man a King". In fact, it was specifically intended to circumvent socialism; essentially, a more advanced New Deal.
>>1405672
Long never openly challenged the status quo on the racial issue, but he did pass a lot of laws through the backdoor that were extremely beneficial to the black population and he's still remembered fondly for it. Huey Newton of the original Black Panthers was named after him.
>>1405871
I'll retract my statement on his racial policies. I honestly just wanted the shoe-horn the story about the lakes in there.
>>1405871
Here are the provisions of his Share Our Wealth / "Every Man a King" proposal:
>No person would be allowed to accumulate a personal net worth of more than 300 times the average family fortune, which would limit personal assets to between $5 million and $8 million. A graduated capital levy tax would be assessed on all persons with a net worth exceeding $1 million.
>Annual incomes would be limited to $1 million and inheritances would be capped at $5.1 million.
>Every family was to be furnished with a homestead allowance of not less than one-third the average family wealth of the country. Every family was to be guaranteed an annual family income of at least $2,000 to $2,500, or not less than one-third of the average annual family income in the United States. Yearly income, however, cannot exceed more than 300 times the size of the average family income.
>An old-age pension would be made available for all persons over 60.
>To balance agricultural production, the government would preserve/store surplus goods, abolishing the practice of destroying surplus food and other necessities due to lack of purchasing power.
>Veterans would be paid what they were owed (a pension and healthcare benefits).
>Free education and training for all students to have equal opportunities in all schools, colleges, universities, and other institutions for training in the professions and vocations of life.
>The raising of revenue and taxes for the support of this program was to come from the reduction of swollen fortunes from the top, as well as for the support of public works to give employment whenever there may be any slackening necessary in private enterprise.
Capping maximum allowed wealth ownership and income via the government seems at least qasi-Marxist to me. What happens to the current wealth / means of production that an individual owns over the limit? Nationalized or redistributed? This is incredibly far left even if it doesn't qualify under Marxism technically.
>>1405913
A policy being too far left for your liking doesn't make it "Marxist".
>>1405913
everything about that seems reasonable except for the vagaries about what "no person should be allowed..." entails. Tying it to "the average family income" is a good idea because it encourages the rich to want everyone to get richer
>>1405913
NIGGER ALL YOU NEED TO DO TO CUT DOWN ON OLIGARCHY IS PROPERTY TAXES, PROGRESSIVE INCOME TAX AND INHERITANCE TAX
This makes me somewhat angry. Wasted potential.
Also, he could have mandated union membership like a Scandi country.
>>1406005
>inheritance tax
>mandatory union membership
discarded
>>1406010
>wanting handouts
