Freedom From Fat Cats

This fat cat started like probably a lot of other fat cats, you find the cat find the painting or vice-a-versa. Well I found this fat cat all plump and orange and it reminded me of Norman Rockwell’s Thanksgiving Dinner, which is actually the “Freedom From Want” painting from the Four Freedom’s series.  Replace that turkey with a nice plump fat cat, a little Photoshop clone tool to round out its butt, done.

Then I went to post this little ball of fur on a plate, and decided to listen to Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Four Freedom’s speech (advance to 32:02 for the introduction of the themes of four freedoms) delivered during his 1941 state of the union address to congress. I love listening to FDR’s voice for it’s cadence as much as the inspired rhetoric. What was striking to me was the call for sacrifice that preceded the four freedoms at the end of the address:

I have called for personal sacrifice. And I am assured of the willingness of almost all Americans to respond to that cause. A part of the sacrifice means the payment of more money in taxes. In my budget message, I will recommend that a greater portion of this great defense program be paid for from taxation then we are paying for today. No person should cry or be allowed to get rich out of the program. And the principle of tax payment in accordance with the ability to pay should be constantly before our eyes to guide our legislation. If the congress maintains these principles, the voters putting patriotism ahead of pocketbooks will give you their applause.

Can you imagine any president or presidential candidate today asking people to pay more taxes? Or imagine a president asking that congress maintain a focus on citizen’s “ability to pay.” That’s why we truly need “Freedom From Fat Cats.”