Gone, it seems, are the days when a modest High School graduate could become President of the United States of America. Now candidates of choice have Ivy League education, many years of college, a variety of degrees and impressive resumes. The American Dream, that anything is possible in this wonderful land, is now much less attainable, if attainable at all.
Harry S. Truman, President of the USA from 1945 to 1953, lived The American Dream. He was no Ivy League graduate. In his youth he attended High School and some evening classes at a local School of Law. His farmer parents were unable to finance 4 years of college. Harry Truman's first jobs included timekeeper, bank clerk and farm worker. He joined the National Guard in 1905, and when the USA entered World War 1 Truman was promoted to Captain and served in France. After the war he and a friend opened a haberdashery store, which failed in the recession.
Harry S. Truman's political career began after serving as judge in County Court from 1922.
In 1934, a Democrat, he was elected to the US Senate. By 1944, he was nominated to run as Vice President for Franklin D. Roosevelt. 82 days after being sworn in as VP, President Roosevelt died unexpectedly. President Harry S. Truman became the USA's 33rd president on 12 April 1945. At the time, the new President told reporters, "I felt like the Moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me."
Below is his natal chart (centre ring), along with a chart for Washington DC on 12 April 1945 (outer ring). He was born 8 May 1884 in Lamar, Missouri. Time of birth according to Astrotheme was 4pm.
Astrology can be seen in action here!
Transiting Uranus, planet of unexpected change was at 10 Gemini, exactly conjoining Truman's natal Saturn - planet of career, laws, authority. Transiting Saturn at 5 Cancer conjoined natal Venus at 3 Cancer. It is well documented by his personal letters that he hated being separated from his beloved wife and daughter - Saturn conjoining Venus seems to reflect the future in this regard, for they were often separated by his demanding duties as President: Saturn= career/status restriction, affecting Venus = love, harmony, relatedness.
Truman's natal Mercury(communication) and natal Pluto (transformation and sometimes death) are at 00 and 01 Gemini - an eery reflection of the nightmare in his future. It was his word (Mercury) which gave the order, late in World War 2 after victory in Europe, for the dropping of atomic bombs (Pluto) on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japanese cities devoted to war work. Hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths, immediate and eventual were the result. Japan had refused to surrender, but after this surrender quickly followed.
President Truman made that difficult and frightening decision. He always stood by it. Whether it was right or wrong is not for us to judge. We cannot know for how much longer the Japanese would have continued to fight, or how many Americans and allies would have died at their hands, and in their prison camps. In my own humble opinion we ought not to even set ourselves up as judges. The only thing we, in the 21st century, should be doing is trying to ensure that nothing comparable ever needs to happen again.
The USA's 33rd president led his nation through the final stages of World War II and early years of the Cold War. He vigorously opposed Soviet expansionism in Europe and sent U.S. forces to turn back a communist invasion of South Korea. He wiped out segregation in the military, expanded the Social Security program initiated by President F.D. Roosevelt.
He also brought in a Fair Employment Practices Act, and a public housing and slum clearance program, a higher minimum wage; these became known as his "Fair Deal". President Truman was determined that his nation’s growing economy would provide increased opportunities for all Americans, particularly those with low incomes.
"The buck stops here", and "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen" are President Truman's words, still often quoted some 60 years on.
As the cover of this DVD declares, he was "A simple man. A Legendary President."
Harry S. Truman, President of the USA from 1945 to 1953, lived The American Dream. He was no Ivy League graduate. In his youth he attended High School and some evening classes at a local School of Law. His farmer parents were unable to finance 4 years of college. Harry Truman's first jobs included timekeeper, bank clerk and farm worker. He joined the National Guard in 1905, and when the USA entered World War 1 Truman was promoted to Captain and served in France. After the war he and a friend opened a haberdashery store, which failed in the recession.
Harry S. Truman's political career began after serving as judge in County Court from 1922.
In 1934, a Democrat, he was elected to the US Senate. By 1944, he was nominated to run as Vice President for Franklin D. Roosevelt. 82 days after being sworn in as VP, President Roosevelt died unexpectedly. President Harry S. Truman became the USA's 33rd president on 12 April 1945. At the time, the new President told reporters, "I felt like the Moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me." Below is his natal chart (centre ring), along with a chart for Washington DC on 12 April 1945 (outer ring). He was born 8 May 1884 in Lamar, Missouri. Time of birth according to Astrotheme was 4pm.
Astrology can be seen in action here!
Transiting Uranus, planet of unexpected change was at 10 Gemini, exactly conjoining Truman's natal Saturn - planet of career, laws, authority. Transiting Saturn at 5 Cancer conjoined natal Venus at 3 Cancer. It is well documented by his personal letters that he hated being separated from his beloved wife and daughter - Saturn conjoining Venus seems to reflect the future in this regard, for they were often separated by his demanding duties as President: Saturn= career/status restriction, affecting Venus = love, harmony, relatedness.
Truman's natal Mercury(communication) and natal Pluto (transformation and sometimes death) are at 00 and 01 Gemini - an eery reflection of the nightmare in his future. It was his word (Mercury) which gave the order, late in World War 2 after victory in Europe, for the dropping of atomic bombs (Pluto) on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japanese cities devoted to war work. Hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths, immediate and eventual were the result. Japan had refused to surrender, but after this surrender quickly followed.
President Truman made that difficult and frightening decision. He always stood by it. Whether it was right or wrong is not for us to judge. We cannot know for how much longer the Japanese would have continued to fight, or how many Americans and allies would have died at their hands, and in their prison camps. In my own humble opinion we ought not to even set ourselves up as judges. The only thing we, in the 21st century, should be doing is trying to ensure that nothing comparable ever needs to happen again.
The USA's 33rd president led his nation through the final stages of World War II and early years of the Cold War. He vigorously opposed Soviet expansionism in Europe and sent U.S. forces to turn back a communist invasion of South Korea. He wiped out segregation in the military, expanded the Social Security program initiated by President F.D. Roosevelt.
He also brought in a Fair Employment Practices Act, and a public housing and slum clearance program, a higher minimum wage; these became known as his "Fair Deal". President Truman was determined that his nation’s growing economy would provide increased opportunities for all Americans, particularly those with low incomes."The buck stops here", and "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen" are President Truman's words, still often quoted some 60 years on.
As the cover of this DVD declares, he was "A simple man. A Legendary President."
5 comments:
Harry S. was an outstanding president, who in most regards showed the character we seem to think is missing from modern politicians. However, in this discussion that seems to be raging about politicians and their "associates," 'lest we forget, Truman owed his entire political career to a man named Tom Pendergast, who ran a political, gangsterish machine in Kansas City and Jackson County that was even more sinister than Richard J. Daley's Chicago machine.
Until he became VP, Truman was known in Capitol Hill as being "Tom Pendergast's" boy.
My first rule of politics, and about everything else as well: Ain't nobody got clean hands.
Yes, after a few quick Googlings, TNPOTUS, I see what you are saying about Truman.....and in fact about all politics in America - a crooked business, for sure. I realised a while ago that "the end justifies the means" is often brought into play.
However, two things occur to me (off the top of my tin foil hat)
#1. Truman didn't run as a presidential candidate, he became president in the most unexpected way, so while his entry into politics may have been thanks to a shady character in Kansas City, he didn't put himself forward as any kind of Superman who would bring hope and change. His attitude seems to have been - I'll do the best I can, but don't expect too much".
and
#2. Tom Prendergast may have been a bit of a crook but from what I can find on-line I doubt he was anti-American in any way whatsoever. If the associates of Obama were simply crooks it'd be easier to accept - they aren't they are anti-American and former terrorists.
But you made an interesting point that's part of the whole picture cwhen thinking about President Truman, TNPOTUS - thank you for the input. :-)
A blog in praise of Harry S. doesn't seem the right format to discuss "associates" and anti-Americanism and conspiracies and the like, but I'm in a chatty mood. So, here are some topics that haven't surfaced in the Dems primary campaign but will most certainly arise from the right wing should Hillary win the nomination:
1. Hillary's involvement with the Black Panthers and the "New Haven Nine" when she was a legal intern in the 1970s.
2. Hillary's role in 1969 as an editor for the Yale Review of Law and Social Action, which conservatives believe to be a journal promoting cop killing and cartoons of pig-faced police.
3. Her close association with Yale law professor Thomas Emerson, who's known as "Tommy the Commie."
4. Both Clintons are accused of masterminding the "suicide/murder" of former White House aide Vince Foster, something Rush and the boys have been spewing on radio for decades.
5. The Clintons association with James and Susan McDougal, the Rose Law Firm and the Whitewater Affair.
5. And here's a weird one - check out www.lizzardword.com/?p=152.
Ooops! On that website mentioned, it should be lizzardworld.com not lizzardword!!!
Yes, it does seem the wrong place, and I apologise to the late President Truman. I would move these comments to be placed under the post of a couple of days ago when I mentioned a few odd conspiracy theories about the primaries - but I'll probably end up crashing the whole thing,so.....never mind!
I'm sure you're right TNPOTUS, the Republicans have had lots of practice in slinging mud at the Clintons, they'll have a filing cabinet (or several) full of stuff they can use - whether it's true or relevant is another matter, of course.
I wasn't meaning to imply that I think Senator Clinton would get a free pass. Far from it.
It looks as though the Republicans will have to carry on gathering new material to sling at Obama though, the way the DNC have voted makes it almost impossible for Clinton to be the nominee.
I did enjoy watching the whole thing on TV today. There are some people there from whom I got a really good feeling.
It ain't over 'til it's over, and even then it might not be. ;-)
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