William D. Kelley is today largely forgotten. But this Pennsylvanian was a true political giant in his time. Kelley, who started out as a Jacksonian Democrat, became a Republican in the 1850's as he became convinced that slavery posed a direct threat to the type of democratic economic system he wanted to spread within the United States. Kelley was elected to Congress in 1860 representing the industrial district of Manayunk and Roxborough. He quickly became one of the leading spokesman for the key elements of Lincoln's economic plan: national banking, government support of the railroads and, finally, emancipation. In the post-War years, Kelley expanded his advocacy for emancipation to support for full citizenship and voting rights for freed slaves. There was no stronger defender of the rights guaranteed in the 14th Amendment than William D. Kelley.
Kelley also was a leader that Pennsylvania's manufacturers looked for ideas. While he was alive (he died in 1890 after 30 years of continuous service in Congress) he promoted the interests of productive enterprise, but justified his support, not with an ideology of private profit, but on the strength of his conviction that only by the development of a diverse industrial base would wealth be spread to all sectors of society. Kelley saw the spread of wealth in society as a key support for political democracy.
He was a vocal supporter of the rights of labor. He advocated in favor of a government-led credit system and denounced the gold standard and free trade as ideological shibboleths of entrenched power. At the same time, a large segment of business owners in Eastern PA looked to him as their advocate. The archives at the Library Company of Philadlephia contain ample testament to the support key business leaders gave to him and his seemingly "unorthodox" economic ideas over the years.
Now is the time to recast political alliances in our region the same way that Kelley did beginning in 1860. Kelley's ideas encouraged business owners to look beyond their parochial interests to the wonderful vistas that would open if their employees could enjoy the fruits of their own labor and the freed slaves were raised to the level (both in skill and income) of white workers. Before this realignment, the Philadlephia elite was largely pro-Southern and thought of their interests in terms of foreign trade and not home markets. In response, Kelley helped found the Union League as a center for pro-Lincoln businessmen and investors in our region, changing the region's political alignment until FDR rocked its foundations in 1932 and 1936.
Ideal candidate believes that a new alliance between the middle class, working class and skilled business managers and investors can be forged around a new program of investment in the US economy. This new program will not be led by Wall Street, which is too busy digging out of its current mortgage-backed mess. It could be led by a new alliance of manufacturers and investors not caught in the Wall Street vortex with citizens from all walks who realize that powerful ends can be achieved with the right kind of national government policy combined with the right type of private entrepreneurial energy.
Check out the talking points at the bottom of the posts on this site. Scroll down and post comments. Ideal candidate should be a collective effort of the best minds of our 6th district.
Kelley also was a leader that Pennsylvania's manufacturers looked for ideas. While he was alive (he died in 1890 after 30 years of continuous service in Congress) he promoted the interests of productive enterprise, but justified his support, not with an ideology of private profit, but on the strength of his conviction that only by the development of a diverse industrial base would wealth be spread to all sectors of society. Kelley saw the spread of wealth in society as a key support for political democracy.
He was a vocal supporter of the rights of labor. He advocated in favor of a government-led credit system and denounced the gold standard and free trade as ideological shibboleths of entrenched power. At the same time, a large segment of business owners in Eastern PA looked to him as their advocate. The archives at the Library Company of Philadlephia contain ample testament to the support key business leaders gave to him and his seemingly "unorthodox" economic ideas over the years.
Now is the time to recast political alliances in our region the same way that Kelley did beginning in 1860. Kelley's ideas encouraged business owners to look beyond their parochial interests to the wonderful vistas that would open if their employees could enjoy the fruits of their own labor and the freed slaves were raised to the level (both in skill and income) of white workers. Before this realignment, the Philadlephia elite was largely pro-Southern and thought of their interests in terms of foreign trade and not home markets. In response, Kelley helped found the Union League as a center for pro-Lincoln businessmen and investors in our region, changing the region's political alignment until FDR rocked its foundations in 1932 and 1936.
Ideal candidate believes that a new alliance between the middle class, working class and skilled business managers and investors can be forged around a new program of investment in the US economy. This new program will not be led by Wall Street, which is too busy digging out of its current mortgage-backed mess. It could be led by a new alliance of manufacturers and investors not caught in the Wall Street vortex with citizens from all walks who realize that powerful ends can be achieved with the right kind of national government policy combined with the right type of private entrepreneurial energy.
Check out the talking points at the bottom of the posts on this site. Scroll down and post comments. Ideal candidate should be a collective effort of the best minds of our 6th district.
No comments:
Post a Comment