Charlie+P.+-FDR-+FA12

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

January 30th, 1882 (Hyde Park, NY) - April 12, 1945 (Warm Springs, GA)

Political Party: Democratic

Terms: March 4, 1933 - April 12, 1945 (a total of three full terms and a partial fourth term)

Vice Presidents: John Nance Garner (1933-1941), Henry A. Wallace (1941-1945), Harry S. Truman (1945)

Thematic Context: Throughout the presidency, there are ample instances where the nation’s identity shifted because of FDR’s crucial adjustments to the nation from the inside. The most shining example of this can be seen in his elaborate reconstruction plan, the New Deal. In and through this program, the president provided direct relief and economic regulation from the Great Depression and thus established the modern welfare state. The many acts passed by this program are considered by many the most progressive form of legislation to ever be taken by a president in a time of crucial need. Before FDR took office, the recent government was mostly a hands-off, lasseiz-faire, system. The president sought to eliminate this mindset and create a proactive system of welfare and resurgence from the terrible depression. This caused a great shift in American identity, primarily in the federal and state governments. The new ideals of hands-on government and ample involvement in the lives of the citizens was a new way of thinking for these laissez-faire agents of the federal system. This shift was a difficult transition for some, but it was ultimately a good thing for politicians. For without the shift, toleration of promising legislations like the Hatch Act, or the Court Packing Plan would have been non-existent, and the nation would have seen a much less climactic rise in the government and the economy.

Thesis: Franklin Delano Roosevelt is considered by many the greatest president of the modern era. His many acts of economic reform in America were some of the strongest legislations passed since Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, an equivalent act of social justice rather than economic recovery. The most resilient among these radical changes including the Social Security Act, the Civil Works Administration, and the Civilian Conservation Corps. All of these provided economic opportunity for lower-class individuals in the time of greatest monetary need the nation has ever seen. For FDR’s understanding of the importance of how the economy works, the expression of love shown for his country in every single passing of a piece of legislature, and his unending political creativity, the 32nd president of the United States earns himself an A for his three plus change terms in office.

Goals as President: In his first inaugural address, Roosevelt states that his greatest primary task is to put people to work, doing so by the direct recruit by the government itself, treating the depression in the same way as the emergency of a war, and at the same time, work to reorganize and stimulate the use of natural resources. In his second address, the president “paints a picture” of the continued economic issues faced by the nation. He includes low income, indecent living conditions, the denial of equal treatment in education and other social aspects, the impoverished millions who are ill-housed, ill-clad, and ill-nourished. He concludes his second inaugural address by stating, “It is not in despair that I paint you that picture, I paint it for you in hope...” In FDR’s third inaugural address, he discusses the importance of an active human spirit in the destiny of a nation. He cites evidence from his past presidential terms that shows how the human spirit was kept alive, which greatly assisted the rise from depression. His fourth address was short-lived, seeing as the president was only in office for four months of this final term before his death in April, 1945. He discussed his motives to come out of war on top and bring economic, political, and social peace to the nation once again. All in all, his four inaugural address seemed lofty. But is undeniable how well all of these goals were accomplished. F.D. Roosevelt is known as one of the greatest presidents of all time for his outstanding motivated action and completed work, as seen through the new intense programs of the New Deal and the similar, yet somehow unprecedented legislation known as the Good Neighbor Policy.

Relationship with Congress: Congress in FDR’s time was fairly relational. Specifically with his policies, Roosevelt had mixed relations with his Congress. Coming out of a time of lasseiz-faire and moving into a time of progressivism, Congress was politically diverse in nature. Many supported the president’s hands-on approach, but then again others did not. Most exceptional among his cabinet was Postmaster General James A. Farley, who was Roosevelt’s campaign strategist. This could have introduced some bias into legislative positions, but truthfully more than half of Congress advocated the president’s hands-on approach. The identity transition in the United States makes it hard to distinguish who supported who inside the government, but as shown through action, FDR was largely supported on all fronts. So it is safe to say that though there was a defining grey area amongst the legislative branch, it is clear that the president kept a nice relationship in order to pass his abundant programs within his remarkable reconstruction plan, the New Deal.

Positive Action: FDR’s program the New Deal is easily had the most positive outcome in his administration. With more than 12 welfare administrations launched over the course of this reconstruction plan, much about the economy and the government was changed for the better. From internal improvements, to foreign policy, and to, dominantly, the economy, everything about this package deal worked out in favor of the country. Perhaps the most significant action taken by the New Deal was the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC hired more than 3 million young men aged 18-25 of poor families, mostly from cities to work on varied conservation projects. The men were placed in rural camps under military watch. They were provided with food, shelter, and a whopping $1 per day wages. The truly significant thing about this program was that it offered work opportunities for the unemployed, while improving the environment. This act, among others, is what really made the New Deal a fantastic recovery plan for the United States.

Negative Action: The only really negative outcome that arose from the Roosevelt administration was the Court Packing Plan. This act was made out of anger by FDR over the supreme court. The court’s invalidation of much of the early New Deal angered Roosevelt into packing the court in his favor with a bill enabling him to appoint one new justice, up to a maximum of six, for every sitting justice of 70 years of age or older with at least 10 years’ service. This plan drew heated protest, even among FDR’s supporters. This bill died with its chief sponsor in the Senate while the bill was still in consideration. It was all-around just a poor act issued out of anger, and just ended up being a flop.

Influential Action: The Good Neighbor Policy was essentially the extension of Dollar Diplomacy, which was slighted by Roosevelt. This policy led FDR to withdraw U.S. forces from Haiti, abrogate the Platt Amendment, and increase payments to Panama for use of the Canal. The thing about this policy which really made it unique to influence later administrations was his personal attendance of a Pan-American conference in Buenos Aires in 1936 to pledge cooperation in hemispheric defense. This was influential because it laid the groundwork for the Western Hemisphere’s strong stance against the Axis Powers during WWII. Without this in place, the outcome of the second world war would have been significantly different.

Conclusion: Franklin D. Roosevelt was, hands-down, one of the greatest presidents of all time. His proactivity in the nation’s emergency during the depression, his motivation for climbing out of the nation’s worst economic crisis, and his greatly creative political mind for dealing with diplomatic and domestic issues make him worthy of an A for his three plus change terms.

Bibliography: Degregorio, William A. The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents. 6th edition ed. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade Books, Inc., 2005. Print.