Bob Herbert writes today that the grand vision proposed by FDR would be "radical" by today's standards. Fair enough. But the more important point is that the New Deal, contrary to what everyone learned in high school, was not a neatly wrapped gift. It was much more spontaneous, pragmatic and sloppy, constantly re-engineered and formidably resisted.

It's been a long time since my political history days, but if you're interested in this topic, I recommend two books: The Politics Presidents Make by Stephen Skowronek (especially the chapter on FDR), and The End of Reform by Alan Brinkley. These well-written and comprehensive analyses uproot what has been a largely romanticized history of the New Deal. Pushing through reform today certainly isn't any easier, but it's not like it was a piece of cake back then either.