Jess+F.+-+FDR+-+FA11

=Franklin Delano Roosevelt=
 * Thanks for letting me know it didn't post Mr. Wimmer. Luckily I was able to find all but one of the paragraphs saved in Firefox's history. Phew!

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With alphabet soup running rampent throughout America during Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidency, Roosevelt took special care to preserve and develop America's natural resources. The first instance of this occured soon after FDR's presidency began, with the dust bowl. As people had moved out to the Great Plains for farming, they didn't take into thought the damage they may have been doing. As a drought swept across the plains, the dry soil that was no longer rooted by grasses due to plowing rose up in great dust storms that equated to blizzards. The high winds caused the dust to destroy most crops, and even reached all the way to the east coast. In order to help the farmers affected by this, FDR created the Federal Surplus Relief Corporation which slaughtered millions of pigs in order to restabilize prices. To prevent such an event from occuring again, he also created the Soil Conservation Serivce.

Another impact on the environment during FDR's presidency came with the TVA. In 1933, the Tennessee Valley Authority was created to develop the resources of the Tennessee Valley by building a dam across the river there in order to create hydroelectric power. Though displacing many people, and thus causing and uproar among some, the dam in the Tennessee Valley developed the area into a major source of power that would provide many jobs, despite its putting out of business its more expensive competitors.


 * President’s full name: Franklin Delano Roosevelt **
 * Born-Died: January 30, 1882-April 12, 1945 **
 * Political party of the president: Democrat **
 * Dates of the term or terms of office: 4 terms: 1933-1945 **
 * Vice President by term: John N. Garner (1933-41); **
 * Henry A. Wallace (1941-45); **
 * Harry S. Truman (1945) **

=** Analysis: **=

"The only thing to fear is fear itself." Those were the words of President Franklin Delano Rooselvelt aqs he first took office at the height of the Great Depression. Roosevelt took the oath of the prsidency with a clear mind and plan to fix the economy of America. Roosevelt's New Deal, though with its critics, would bring hope and, with the help of WWII, would eventually bring prosperity to America. The proof is in the pudding as FDR was elected for four terms as president and led America out of the Great Depression and through WWII, clearly deserving the grade of A.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, like Woodrow Wilson, came into office with a plan. And with a majority in both the House and the Senate FDR was able to achieve many of his goals for the presidency. One such goal was an end to corruption in politics. Passed in 1939, the Hatch Act prevented federal employees from being part of "any political organization which advocates the overthrow of our constitutional form of government." In this way the act prevented any federal employee from giving bribes to people for votes or support. FDR's main focus with 13 million unemployed was to give people jobs. In order to do this, Roosevelt set up the WPA or Works Projects Administration, which employed millions of people to create public works such as bridges, roads, and artwork., many of which is still around today. Even before the WPA came the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps, which hired young men for conservation and developement of natural resources. This served two purposes, as FDR also wished to delvelop Americas's natural resources. Along these same lines, FDR created the TVA, Tennessee Valley authority, a federally owned electric company that still lives today. the TVA created dams in the Tennessee Valley to create hydroelectric power, and it ended up providing millions of jobs. A further goal of FDR was to make homes and farms more affordable for the American people in the terrible times of the Great Depression. He did so by creating the National Housing Acts of 1934 and 37. Both of these allowed for the creation of homes for low income families and created the backbone of mortgages. In order to create these homes new jobs were also formed. With such a vast success rate of his goals it is clear to see the basis for Roosevelt's A.

As mentioned above, FDR was graced with a majority of Democrats in both the House and the Senate. Due to this, and America's desperate need for a leader, Congress essentially sat back and let Roosevelt do as he pleased in his famous First Hundred Day of Office. In such dire straights FDR was able to pass through many New Deal programs, even if they didn't always work or were labeled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. FDR's main success with Congress, was his elimination of the "lame duck" period in which Congress would have been out of session, by calling an emergency session to fix the economic straights. As well put by philosopher T.V. Smith, "Roosevelt's voice knew how to articulate only the everlasting Yea." Only on a few occassions did it seem FDR was not able to woo Congress, and yet he still found ways to work around this. One such case of this was when Congress refused to participate in the League of Nations due to their isolationist mindset. In order to still move forward with foriegn policy in a way that would benefit the American people, FDR publically recognized the USSR and created the Good Neighbor Policy towards Latin America. Both of these decisions would prove helpful during WWII, and at America's start into WWII Congress agreed to set up conscription laws. Through such a difficult time, FDR's friendly "deal" with Congress brought America out of the hole.

In such a sea of amazing accomplishments it becomes hard to pick a most positive action by the Roosevelt administration. Through close examination, however; it becomes clear that the entering of WWII was its most positive course of action. Though the New Deal programs were slowly bringing America out of the hole, the catalyst for real improvement was the war economy created by WWII. As seen with Congress' actions toward the League of Nations, it was clear that, in the beginning, the idea of entering the world war was not popular. Despite this, a growing support appeared for the war as radio waves came from London, describing the bombings. With the attack on Pearl Harbor and the threat of German U-boats on the American coast FDR launched America into WWII. Though costing about four hundred thousand American lives, America joining the war saved countless more, a before its entrance, it appeared as if the Axis powers were sure to win. Once America was fully in the war mass production of war supplies brought America out of the depression, truly showing the great impact of the decision to enter. The actions of the FDR administration in the war causing an Allied victory also meant that America became a world power. With such an amzing outcome from the decision to enter the war it is apparent that it had the most positive outcome.

In contrast to this, there was one decision made by FDR that kept him from getting an A+. After being reelected in 1936, Roosevelt sought to add seats to the Supreme Court in order to outnumber the Republican judges who had refused to retire and constantly shot down many New Deal programs. Roosevelt's attempt to stack the court bench made many people upset. With Associate Justice Owen Roberts "switch in time that saved nine," in which he voted to uphold a Washington state minimum wage bill, Roosevelt cooled down. And among the popular dislike of Roosevelt's proposal the matter was dropped. Creating widespread dislike that in the following election year caused Republicans to gain more seats in Congress, FDR's attempt to stack the Supreme Court shines as his most negative action.

With an impact that changed not just America, but the world, Roosevelt's entering into WWII forever changed the course of history. In America, the war meant an escape from the Great Depression that would have otherwise crippeled America for many years more. For the world, it meant an end to the Nazi regime, the creation of Israel as a home for the many persecuted Jews of the Holocaust, and a reason for the Cold war. To the last point, the Russian's were angered greatly because of the long wait for America to aid the Allies as it cost them millions of lives. This brewed a hatred for America, which as the second world war came to an end and Russia and America were left as the world powers, meant a race for the top would ensue. A final impact that entering WWII created was the creation of the United Nations which still works today in the pursuit of world peace.

By far, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was one of the greatest presidents of the United States to date. With his outstanding progress of New Deal programs in his first hundred days of office, and his ever strong will that pulled America out of the rubble of the Great Depression it is evident that he deserves his grade of an A. To add further proof of his great work, one need only look at his mighty efforts in WWII which won the war for the Allies. Showing only minor misteps in his, the longest presidency, it behooves one to gladly bestow upon him an A.

Bibliography:
"American President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)." //American Presidents//. Miller Center, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. .

Franklin D. Roosevelt: "Inaugural Address," March 4, 1933. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, //The American Presidency Project//. [].

"Franklin D. Roosevelt." //The White House//. United States Government, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. .

Leuchtenburg, William E.. "The FDR Years: On Roosevelt and His Legacy ." //The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - The Washington Post//. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. < [] >.

Office of the Clerk. "Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives Art & History - Party Divisions." //Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives Art & History - Art & History Home//. House of Representatives, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. < [] >.

"Political Activity (Hatch Act)." //Office of Special Counsel//. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. < [] >.

"U.S. Senate: Art & History Home > Origins & Development > Party Division." //U.S. Senate//. Senate, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. < [] >.