It is funny how few people know history even recent history. History is over and done with for most people. If you ask most people about the Great Depression, they could tell the stock market collapsed. My mom would tell tales of people crossing the country looking for work who would stop by asking for something to eat and even though they had little they would feed them.
At that point capitalism was considered to have failed and the country was looking for a different economic system. Boat loads of prominent Americans went to Russia to look at communisms. The short comings of communism were not obvious yet. A strong communist movement began to take place in America. As it began to gain popularity FDR did what major political parties do, he took the most popular programs of the upstart party. One of the communists most popular programs was social security like program.
Most people have heard about all the people that were blacklisted for attending communist's meetings, but some American communists found a new home in the Republican party and were worshiped like Gods and made national heroes. The fact that Frank Myers is father of conservative movement and was one of the best-known American communists is little known. How the little man lost his job for attending a communist meeting but the top communists being major players in Republican party does not make sense.
