Michelle+F.+-+FDR+-+FA11

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Democrat 30 January 1882 – 12 April 1945 1933-1945 John Gardner (1933-1941), Henry Wallace (1941-1945) Harry Truman (January-April 1945)

 Franklin Roosevelt was just the sort of president that the country needed during a depression and a world war. His calm assuredness during times of crisis gave the people hope. His policies, if nothing else helped allow the American people to have faith in their government, and to get the country out of its isolationist shell so that it could become the world’s greatest superpower. For this he gets an A+.  FDR’s most notable accomplishment regarding the environment would be the variety of programs he created to help with sustainability, reforestation and environmental action. The Civilian Conservation Corps built roads, planted trees and implemented flood-control measures while giving jobs to thousands of unemployed young men. The Tennessee Valley Authority, even as it built dams and supplied houses with electricity also practiced soil conservation and forestation. The Dust Bowl was in part caused by unsustainable farming practices which led to massive erosion and decreased the soil quality so that when the Great Plains winds rolled across the Midwest, giant clouds of dust descended on towns and farms. The development of more environmentally-conscious and effective practices helped reduce erosion and allow for more profitable farming.  Roosevelt wanted to implement his radical plan for reform and recovery: his New Deal. It involved sweeping government reforms and policies, along with the creation of a veritable alphabet soup of organizations. FDR early on expressed a desire to stay out of the war, but after Pearl Harbor he immediately asked for a declaration of war, and people reelected him because they didn’t want to ‘change horses in mid-stream’. Roosevelt wanted to get the country out of a depression and put jobs, money and dignity back into the hands of the American people.  FDR had a good relationship with his largely Democratic Congress, but he crossed the line when he attempted to get his controversial Court-Packing scheme passed. Many people were already wary of FDR’s seizure of so much executive power, steamrolling his New Deal through Congress, and this was just too much. FDR in his first 100 days passed a huge number of bills and got the early parts of his New Deal implemented within the first few years of his presidency.  There were a few squabbles about FDR’s record-breaking number of terms, but by the time World War II started, people were loath to get rid of him, and they loved their president, even if he did take advantage of his power a few times.  The most positive outcomes of FDR’s presidency are those that can still be seen today: the accomplishments of the CCC and other organizations that are still in place to this day, as well as the aid organizations and programs that help the unfortunate and hold a safety net for all people, including Social Security as well as the labor and stock reforms that he passed. The most negative outcome is probably the massive spending incurred during the Depression, as well as the fact that some would say he caused the American people to depend more on the government than on themselves by giving handouts to the poor and to those who had lost their jobs.  Perhaps the largest precedent set by FDR is the fact that he broke precedent by being elected four times. Any repeat of this was barred following a Constitutional amendment in 1948. FDR also set the largest precedent for ‘big government’, taking the most control any other president has ever dared to do before and since. This is perhaps only excusable considering the extraordinary circumstances of his presidency: the largest economic depression ever and a World war. FDR stepped up to the plate and took the reins of the country in its time of greatest need, guiding it through dark times and giving hope to the American people.  The United States was most certainly better off at the end of his presidency than it was at the beginning. Following the war, the US shot up in international influence and power, becoming on par with Russia as the world’s great superpower. Decades of prosperity and success followed, including technological advances, a booming economy and social change. Roosevelt helped steer the country towards a brighter future, and gave people the hope to believe that they could be successful and prosperous once again. For all of these things FDR deserves an A+. Works Cited DeGregorio, William A., and Sandra Lee. Stuart. "Franklin Delano Roosevelt." //The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents//. 7th ed. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade, 2009. 479-505. Print.
 * Theme **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Goals **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">FDR and Congress **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Positive and Negative Outcomes **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Precedents **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion **