Those who refuse to learn from history

. . . are doomed to listen to Hannity and Limbaugh and Malkin and The Civil War Re-Enactment Society Senate Republicans howl that anything they don't like is "socialism."

And what they particularly don't like is the idea of Americans catching on that large-scale government projects can sometimes provide them with things that they really want, things that the private sector can't or won't deliver.

Salon.com has a slide show today ironically titled "Greatest Achievements of American Socialism," featuring some of the enduring public goods--every one of which put Americans to work--created by massive government spending projects during the Depression. (Click the image to see it.)



(Of the 24 items in the slide show, two are in Oregon. I imagine most of you can name one or the other--can you name both?)

The accompanying Salon article is here (requires a subscription, or a day pass, or viewing some ads).