Relevant now

[CaughtintheMiddle1990]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYn5FJnvrZk

Regardless of what you feel on TR, he did believe in America and American freedom. I'll put it this way: Even Republicans liked Reagan honored him.

"THE great fundamental issue now before the Republican party and before our people can be stated briefly. It is: Are the American people fit to govern themselves, to rule themselves, to control themselves? I believe they are. My opponents do not. I believe in the right of the people to rule. I believe the majority of the plain people of the United States will, day in and day out, make fewer mistakes in governing themselves than any smaller class or body of men, no matter what their training, will make in trying to govern them. I believe, again, that the American people are, as a whole, capable of self-control and of learning by their mistakes.

Our opponents pay lip-loyalty to this doctrine; but they show their real beliefs by the way in which they champion every device to make the nominal rule of the people a sham. I have scant patience with this talk of the tyranny of the majority. Wherever there is tyranny of the majority, I shall protest against it with all my heart and soul. But we are today suffering from the tyranny of minorities. It is a small minority that is grabbing our coal-deposits, our water-powers, and our harbor fronts. A small minority is battening on the sale of adulterated foods and drugs.

It is a small minority that lies behind monopolies and trusts. It is a small minority that stands behind the present law of master and servant, the sweat-shops, and the whole calendar of social and industrial injustice. It is a small minority that is today using our convention system to defeat the will of a majority of the people in the choice of delegates to the Chicago Convention.

The only tyrannies from which men, women, and children are suffering in real life are the tyrannies of minorities. If the majority of the American people were in fact tyrannous over the minority, if democracy had no greater self-control than empire, then indeed no written words which our forefathers put into the Constitution could stay that tyranny."

[fettpett]

He was one of America's Great Men. Even if all his positions weren't the best, he made a lasting impact on America and have inspired many young men and women.

[CaughtintheMiddle1990]

He was one of America's Great Men. Even if all his positions weren't the best, he made a lasting impact on America and have inspired many young men and women.

Yup. And his reforms that he encouraged and put into practice were, I believe, common sense ones, especially considering the way America was at the time. He didn't believe, like Woodrow Wilson did, that a small trust of "philosopher kings" should rule America.He believed in America as it was. People can tear him down on the right all they like, but in my eyes, TR will always be a Patriot, an American hero, and one of my own personal heroes even outside of politics.

[CaughtintheMiddle1990]

THEODORE ROOSEVELT:

"The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his own weight."

"Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country."

"Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people."

"A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues."

"A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards."

"A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user."

"The government is us; we are the government, you and I."

"The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything."

"No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it."

"Order without liberty and liberty without order are equally destructive."

"To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society."

"Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action, and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big."

"The unforgivable crime is soft hitting. Do not hit at all if it can be avoided; but never hit softly."

"We can have no '50-50' allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all."

"Wars are, of course, as a rule to be avoided; but they are far better than certain kinds of peace."

"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer "Present" or "Not guilty.""

[CaughtintheMiddle1990]

"Today marks the beginning of a year-long celebration commemorating the one hundred twenty-fifth anniversary of the birth of Theodore Roosevelt, one of America's heroes and larger-than-life personalities.

Born with considerable physical handicaps, Theodore Roosevelt overcame his afflictions and drew strength from his triumph over personal adversity, a strength he would later devote to the public good. Through sheer willpower, he became a rugged outdoorsman and active conservationist, the organizer of the Rough Riders, a fearless crusader against corruption and for law and order, an explorer, a social reformer and author, our youngest President, and the first of our citizens to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He was truly an American Renaissance man. His life was a voyage of discovery guided by deep principle and private morality.

He was also our first modern chief executive, rejecting isolationism and leading America into active participation in world decisions for which we shared responsibility. Never again would the leaders of the Old World act without regard to this new world power called the United States. He understood our people and our spirit. He identified the national character with the words, "Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth, sincerity, and hardihood—the virtues that made America." And I might add, the virtues that made Theodore Roosevelt.

Now, Therefore, L Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 27, 1982, as a Day of National Celebration of the one hundred twenty-fifth anniversary of the birth of Theodore Roosevelt. I ask all Americans to join me in commemorating the birth of this fearless American hero. Let us redouble our efforts to confront adversity and promote the virtues and ideals of Americanism.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventh.

RONALD REAGAN"

As I read elsewhere, judging TR's entire career based on his brief period with the Bull Moose party (1912-1914) would be like judging Winston Churchill's career based on his time in the Labour Party, or judging Ronald Reagan based on the 20 some odd years he spent as an FDR supporting Democrat.