Political Heroes/Idols & Why

[Sharpe]

Having read the election thread and the various Obama/McCain threads on here I got to thinking about political idols and heroes.

Call me nosy but i'm really interested in who your political hero/idol is and why. I'll post mine once i've eaten.

 

[Draciot]

Three names popped into my head as soon as I read the OP.

Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and James K. Polk.

Roosevelt tops them all for me, but Churchill is a very close second.

What can you really say about TR that hasn't been said before? He was just awesome. No one (in my opinion) epitomizes what it means to be American more than TR.

The man was shot in the chest, and instead of going to a hospital went on to give a ninety minute speech. He opened his speech with the following quote: "I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose."

Whether you agree with his tactics in handling the Panama Canal, you have to agree that what he did was incredible. When Columbia tried to extort an extra $10,000,000 from us, he helped Panama gain their independence, had their Constitution written and gave them the protection of the United States of America.


One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from TR.

In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.

A great soldier, a savvy politician, Theodore Roosevelt is one of the greatest Presidents to ever live. More than just a political idol, he's my personal hero; and I would love to see a similar politician today.

 

[Sharpe]

Mine is Tony Benn. I'm not sure how many non-British people know of him but he was a Socialistically (is that even a word) minded Labour MP. His father was granted a peerage by Winston Churchill and his older brother was intended to inherit it. However, his brother died in WWII and Tony got his fathers peerage instead. Benn thus had to give up his seat in the House of Commons (as he would now be eligible to sit in the House of Lords). Benn refused and won the by-election (even though the public knew he wouldn't be able to take his seat).

He managed to get a change in the law to retake his seat and fought for the average Britain's rights. He was a supporter of the miners strike, a leading figure in the development of concorde and many other things. He retired in 2001 from politics but was allowed to keep his usage of the Parliamentary libraries. His reasons for retirement were to focus on "real politics". The man has been an inspiration to me and many left of centre politicians in Britain.

 

[Tristam Green]

A great soldier, a savvy politician, Theodore Roosevelt is one of the greatest Presidents to ever live. More than just a political idol, he's my personal hero; and I would love to see a similar politician today.

A loyalty to the American people. Truly a lost concept of the neonationalist days in which we now live.

Mine:

General Douglas A. McArthur - not necessarily a politician, but he's the man who wouldn't take "no" for an answer, told off the President himself, got fired for it, and is still a national hero.
George Washington - In all United States History, he is the only U.S. President to successfully command a field battalion during his presidency.

 

[Dayner]

none .... all NA politcal look dump or evil to me

for my contery ? i say king abu allah and king fasel *dead*

 

[Sharpe]

none .... all NA politcal look dump or evil to me

There are politicians that aren't North American you know.

 

[alanon]

Reagan

The man had balls. For decades we pandered to the Russians. Reagan finally (and quite literally) looked them in the eye and said 'nyett'. Basically ended the cold war by himself.

 

[Trippyhippy]

Before reading anyone else's post...

Thomas Paine.

He was an early advocate of republicanism and liberalism, dismissing monarchy, and viewing government as a necessary evil. He opposed slavery, proposed universal, free public education, a guaranteed minimum income, and other ideas then considered radical.

Bill Clinton

I would explain myself on that one but you wouldn't be able to hear me over the sound of how awesome he is.

and after reading everyone else's post...

Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, MacArthur, Washington, I understand.

Polk seems like a bit of a strange one to single out, but there was no explanation given as to why he was chosen.

Like most Americans, I am ignorant to the goings on in foreign politics. I had never heard of Tony Benn. Interesting read. Seems like a stand up guy.

Same with the examples given by Dayner. I tried looking up some info about the two kings you mentioned. Were you talking about King Faisal, king from 1964-1975? I read a great deal about him. He did a lot for your country and could have done a lot more if he had not been assassinated. He seems like a well deserving target for your respect.

Reagan.

I have to disagree with ya on that one. Also, on the topic of the cold war. The Soviet Union was a shell of it's former self by the time Reagan was in office. If anyone "won", it was Gorbachev. But the end result was The Soviet Union collapsing in on itself because Communism doesn't work on that large of a scale.

 

[Tristam Green]

Reagan

The man had balls. For decades we pandered to the Russians. Reagan finally (and quite literally) looked them in the eye and said 'nyett'. Basically ended the cold war by himself.

My favorite Reagan line:

"We begin bombing in five minutes."

The USSR collective crapped its pants on it.

Reagan.

I have to disagree with ya on that one. Also, on the topic of the cold war. The Soviet Union was a shell of it's former self by the time Reagan was in office. If anyone "won", it was Gorbachev. But the end result was The Soviet Union collapsing in on itself because Communism doesn't work on that large of a scale.

although, I gotta agree. While Reagan's driving-up of expenditures on the last bit of arms race helped to assist in the USSR's collapse, Gorbachev was opening it up just as quickly to the West.

Before reading anyone else's post...

Thomas Paine.

He was an early advocate of republicanism and liberalism, dismissing monarchy, and viewing government as a necessary evil. He opposed slavery, proposed universal, free public education, a guaranteed minimum income, and other ideas then considered radical.

I agree. "Common Sense" was a great read.

 

[Excalibur]

One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from TR.
"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

That is a fucking unbelievably awesome quote(heard it before but never knew who said it), and I agree 100%. I just wish all those "African-Americans" and "stupid wetback beaners" would understand this or gtfo.




My newest hero is Sarah Palin, cause she's totally hot. She's like a sexy librarian. Just let the hair down, take the glasses off, dress her up a little sluttier and holy flying shitballs, I would fuck her in a heartbeat.

 

[Skaw]

FDR probably ranks as my political hero/idol. He took a nation that was broke, riddled with unemployment, and becoming destitute, and turned it around. Completely redesigning our nations economy in the process as well. He planned out the United Nations, which was a great thing at the time. He's probably rolling in his grave over how the UN acts today though, being a shadow of it's former self.

 

[Skaw]

That is a fucking unbelievably awesome quote(heard it before but never knew who said it), and I agree 100%. I just wish all those "African-Americans" and "stupid wetback beaners" would understand this or gtfo.

You're such a backwater hick. People don't call themselves African-American because they're loyal to Africa. It's about roots. The same goes for Irish Americans and so on and so forth. Teddy was talking strictly about loyalty.

 

[Sharpe]

My newest hero is Sarah Palin, cause she's totally hot. She's like a sexy librarian. Just let the hair down, take the glasses off, dress her up a little sluttier and holy flying shitballs, I would fuck her in a heartbeat.

When I first heard Palin had been chosen I was like "Cool a woman" then I saw she's a creationist and lol'd hard.