Video: The Origins of Occupy Wall Street
Torah Café
Louisiana Governor Huey Long
JLI uncovers surprising origins of Occupy Wall Street in a post depression movement of the 1930s. To promote their upcoming business ethics course, Money Matters, JLI released a promotional video yesterday that tells the story of Louisiana Governer and U.S. Senator Huey Long who campaigned for presidency on the promise of redistributing the wealth of America’s richest among the poor.
JLI’s course, dubbed “Wisdom of the Ages on Today’s Economic Crisis,” deals with ethics from Torah relating to CEO compensation, living wages, insider trading, bankruptcy, unions, and freeloading. Money Matters is scheduled to run this January in over 350 locations worldwide and is expected to attract thousands of students around the globe.
Mendel
WOW and double WOW!
CR
Huey Long was the embodiment of everything that is wrong with our political system. He wielded nearly absolute power via his systems of patronage and cronyism. He used government institutions to punish political enemies and reward allies. He stole millions of dollars from state pension funds (do a search “Huey Long deduct box”). And he proposed huge new taxes in order to pay for it all. Despite all the “investments” in infrastructure, education, etc. that took place under his leadership Louisiana remained and still remains the poorest state in the country.
I humbly suggest finding a different archetype politician on whom to base your educational programs.
Menachem
Very well done! Is this course going to be taught in CH?
Dooby
To #2 CR: In your flowing prose, you somehow manage to trick the masses in much the same way you accuse Long of doing. I believe a fact check is in order.
First, Long’s systems of patronage were in place decades before his time in office and many of his “selfish” initiatives led to social welfare programs that remain in place today of which most of us benefit from in some way — If any of us are looking for a role model politician, we’re not likely to find it in Long or anyone else, but it doesn’t negate his role and the effect that it had.
Second, JLI isn’t promoting his policies or style – they’re merely using his example as a springboard for discussion on the Jewish way to approach today’s world economy.
Lastly, Louisiana was never the poorest state in the country, even after Katrina.
declasse- intellectual
one forgot to mention that this was the height of the depression and Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s attempt to apply socialism and government controlled everything was a huge failure, led to an increase in the negative effects of the depression and led to famous Supreme Court case where his attempt to destroy the kosher poultry industry was ruled unconstitutional.
In both cases, Long’s and FDR”s they attempted to capitalize on the dispair, loss of hope and no vision for the future. In each case they had programs designed to address the current social issues. Some programs worked, most did not. In this case the Occupiers do not have a agenda except to condemn those who made it by their efforts and entitlements at the expense of everyone else. Sounds like a lot of those in the current administration.
declasse- intellectual
Oh, yes, I forgot to mention, must people cite and vilify Long while forgetting that there were others out there that spoke the same language and proposed the same ideas;i.e., Father Caughlin.