Dr. Carl Weiss~ Huey Long   Current Rating: (3.67)     # of Ratings: 9       Click HERE to share your opinion See More Which assassin had the most historical impact

1. JonTheMan (12) , on 8/6/2005 5:45:00 AM, said:      Huey Long was one of the many quick fix populist political spin doctors of the Great Depression, not unlike the demagogue Father Coughlin and the bizarre Dr. Townsend. Huey, known affectionately as The Kingfish, rose to prominence as governor of Louisiana where he delivered substantially better public services to his people, but used every dirty trick in the book to do it, including blackmail, bribery and intimidation. After his apparently successful governorship, Long became a Democratic senator shortly afterwards. Following FDRs victory in 1933, he was at first staunchly behind Roosevelt. Unfortunately, Huey's burgeoning ego endowed him with a jealousy for FDR and this, coupled with his dislike of the corporatist stance of the NRA, prompted him to promote himself as a candidate for the Oval office. The proposed consequences of his Share our wealth program were noble. The pledges included: much higher incomes for workers, state pensions, universal college education and better working hours along with many other attractive promises. However, his figures simply did not add up. There was simply not enough wealth to redistribute to provide the proposed benefits. When talking to a group of Iowa farmers he said Maybe somebody says I dont understand it. Well, you dont have to. Just shut your damn eyes and believe it. In 1935, Huey claimed 7.5 million supporters and surveys from the time say he probably wasnt too far off. Huey probably wouldnt have won the 1936 election, but he may have split the vote with Roosevelt enough to hand Landon (the Republican candidate) the presidency. Had Huey not been then assassinated by the son in law of a man he blackmailed, history may have been very different. Three terms without Roosevelt, who fundamentally changed the role of government in the United States and influenced the shape of the post war world, would have made the world a very different place indeed.   (4 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)

2. irishgit (61) , on 2/15/2005 9:11:00 PM, said:      Intriguing. Long was a populist with growing popularity and an unusual world view. While he may not have become president, if he had, the world would likely be very different (and probably not for the better) today.   (3 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not)

3. spartacus007 (7) , on 2/15/2005 6:27:00 PM, said: Huey P. Long was a pipe dream that would have been shot down by the courts. Fortunatly, he didn't get that chance.   (2 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not)

4. jlovell (0) , on 12/29/2004 6:11:00 PM, said: The murder of Huey Long effectively spelled the death knell of real economic populism in this country. If Long had lived, economic populism would have been the political engine that drove public debate. Instead, we have false choices between a corporate conservativism and an elite liberalism -- neither of which addresses the very real problems of ordinary people.   (1 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not)

5. TruthandVerasity (0) , on 12/6/2004 2:17:00 PM, said: There is substantial evidence strongly indicating Long's own body guards to be his true assassins. Similarly I believe Long himself would have undone any real bid for the presidency.   (1 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)

6. Enkidu (21) , on 11/19/2003 9:57:00 AM, said:      This is a very interesting one. Imagine what might have happened had this man lived (people think FDR was a socialist --LOL!) I'm surprised more people don't know who HL was: he was a potent force at the time, and ONLY a time such as the 1920s and 30s could have produced such a man. (He advocated, among other things, seizing the assets of the rich, and of corporations, and dividing them Robin-Hood-like among the have-nots.) What would have become of the world had a demagogic radical socialist risen to power in the US simultaneous with the rise of Hitler in Germany? (In a parallel universe, someone is writing an opinion-site comment on an unknown politician named Adolf Hitler, who was killed in a failed coup in Munich...)   (3 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not)

7. tboneya (71) , on 11/18/2003 5:12:00 PM, said:       The assassination of Huey Long may have had the biggest impact on American history of any assassination. Long could have seriously divided the country in the upcoming election, possibly even won. The rise of this power hungry maniac at such a crucial time in history could have had serious consequences for the world.   (2 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not)

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