Smartest Political Josh

Bad Moon Rising

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• contest

[dernogg]

What a great concept. Why help them, because we can.

[DirAlbino]

Nope. Europe in 1939.

Russia and Germany weren't at war at that time. Rather they amicably split Poland between them.

[sarnieken]

This is why I like the West Wing. It takes a subject that most people have no understanding of and educates you in a non-patronising way. Love it. :-)

[step5732]

@Riculf101 The repayment, it was not, as you so eloquently put it, at a time when they just had "their asses kicked". It was an extremely large sum of money - $50.1 BILLION (equivalent of $759 billion in 2008). It was set up to be repaid, in annual installments, over 50 years, with a deferment of 5 yrs. The final payment, as planned, was on 12-29-2006.

I think the entire scene,using a bit of artistic license, was meant to make a point (help when you can) and to show good faith between nations.

[step5732]

@Riculf101 First - thanks for the reply! I realize your comment was quite old. The scene was DEFINITELY saying you should help because you can. Josh's comment about the hose was paraphrasing what FDR said -

"What do I do in such a crisis?" the president asked at a press conference. "I don't say... 'Neighbor, my garden hose cost me $15; you have to pay me $15 for it' …I don't want $15 — I want my garden hose back after the fire is over." (from Wikipedia). Hence, no haggling, repay when you can.

[trallala]

@step5732 I was talking about the comment. Josh doesn't extend the analogy, he makes it initially.

[step5732]

@trallala I meant that the posting on youtube was silly, not what Josh said to Donna! I think it is an extraordinary use of factual information. It probably enlightened many viewers!

[trallala]

@step5732 It's not that silly. He extended the analogy to parts of reality that also exists in the West Wing universe, which is pretty tangential to our own, right up to Nixon.

[Riculf101]

@lilfelber ...although, at the time, France and the UK were embroiled in a rather messy war and anything that France could do to help America meant that much needed fighting strength was being siphoned off to (what can be argued as) a minor action. The French did it because it helped them and screwed their ancient enemy. Same thing happened between the Scots and the French. Admittedly the British had spent a lot of time invading everywhere so they were probably asking for it :)

[Riculf101]

@step5732 Actually, yes, I do realise it's a "fictional television show" and is also one of my favourites. I would rather the content matched the situation more completely. The scene seemed to be trying to say people should help one another because they can. In reality the example given was taken out of context. The recipients had to pay back the lenders at a time when they had, as the saying goes in the colonies, "their asses kicked". The UK finished paying off Lend-Lease in 2006 :)

[step5732]

@trallala yes, I realize that! It;s one of the first comments that shows up and it's silly.

[trallala]

@step5732 you do realise you're replying to a year-old comment, don't you?