Garvin put on our family blog the following quote:
"If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions." ~ Calvin Coolidge
I would like to extend this quote…by a piece written by President Ronald Reagan from his book “Stories in His Own Hand” – Pages 64-68:
President Calvin Coolidge, derided by many historians, was one of Reagan’s favorites. One of the first things Reagan did after he became president was to hand Coolidge’s portrait in a place of honor in the Roosevelt Room in the West Wing of the White House. This story explains why.
President Coolidge – Written: September 21, 1976
“The names of some presidents are invoked by spokemen of both of both political parties as “men for all season,” epitomizing the greatness of America, Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, etc. Then there are presidents whose names are brought up in party circles, hailed as great but if acknowledged by the other party at all with not quite the same enthusiasm.
There are also two lists of presidential names---one for each party usually held up to view for strictly partisan purposes. Each party lists past presidents of the opposing party as examples of that party’s terrible record.
The Democrats for example get laughs by mentioning silent Cal Coolidge. And truth is many Republicans chuckle a little and go along with the idea that he was a “do nothing president”. Sometimes I wonder if he really was a “do nothing” or was he a little like a LIFEGUARD on the beach who also seems to be doing very little when there is no emergency. If you take a closer look he is quietly being watchful.
Cal Coolidge is good for laughs but not all of them are at his expense. There was the press conference where a persistent reporter asked the President if he had anything to say about Prohibition. Cal said “No.”--- “Any comments on the world court?” --- “No.” “What about the farm situation?” Again the answer was “No.” The reporter said, “You don’t seem to haven any comment about anything.” Coolidge said, “No comment and don’t quote me.”
Probably no president has ever lived in the White House and maintained so unchanged his previous lifestyle. Which in Coolidge’s case was the simple even frugal life he had lived on a New England farm.
Shortly after he became president he sent his teenage son into the tobacco fields to work in the summer as he always had. One of the other workers surprised at this said to the young Coolidge, “If my father were president I wouldn’t be out here working in the field.” Young Coolidge said, “If my father were your father you would.”
But while “Silent Cal” seemed to be doing nothing as President, the federal budget actually went down and so did the national debt. Consumer prices fell but unemployment stayed at the figure we only dream of---3 ½ percent, which means everyone who wanted a job had one. Federal taxes were cut four times.
The number of automobiles on our streets and highways tripled during his years in the White House and radio sales went up 1400 percent.
In just the five years from 1922 – 1927 the purchasing power of wages rose 10 percent. It was a kind of Golden Era, in other ways.
So what if he was a “do nothing” president. Do you suppose doing nothing had something to do with reducing the budget, reducing the debt and cutting taxes FOUR TIMES?”
"If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions." ~ Calvin Coolidge
I would like to extend this quote…by a piece written by President Ronald Reagan from his book “Stories in His Own Hand” – Pages 64-68:
President Calvin Coolidge, derided by many historians, was one of Reagan’s favorites. One of the first things Reagan did after he became president was to hand Coolidge’s portrait in a place of honor in the Roosevelt Room in the West Wing of the White House. This story explains why.
President Coolidge – Written: September 21, 1976
“The names of some presidents are invoked by spokemen of both of both political parties as “men for all season,” epitomizing the greatness of America, Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, etc. Then there are presidents whose names are brought up in party circles, hailed as great but if acknowledged by the other party at all with not quite the same enthusiasm.
There are also two lists of presidential names---one for each party usually held up to view for strictly partisan purposes. Each party lists past presidents of the opposing party as examples of that party’s terrible record.
The Democrats for example get laughs by mentioning silent Cal Coolidge. And truth is many Republicans chuckle a little and go along with the idea that he was a “do nothing president”. Sometimes I wonder if he really was a “do nothing” or was he a little like a LIFEGUARD on the beach who also seems to be doing very little when there is no emergency. If you take a closer look he is quietly being watchful.
Cal Coolidge is good for laughs but not all of them are at his expense. There was the press conference where a persistent reporter asked the President if he had anything to say about Prohibition. Cal said “No.”--- “Any comments on the world court?” --- “No.” “What about the farm situation?” Again the answer was “No.” The reporter said, “You don’t seem to haven any comment about anything.” Coolidge said, “No comment and don’t quote me.”
Probably no president has ever lived in the White House and maintained so unchanged his previous lifestyle. Which in Coolidge’s case was the simple even frugal life he had lived on a New England farm.
Shortly after he became president he sent his teenage son into the tobacco fields to work in the summer as he always had. One of the other workers surprised at this said to the young Coolidge, “If my father were president I wouldn’t be out here working in the field.” Young Coolidge said, “If my father were your father you would.”
But while “Silent Cal” seemed to be doing nothing as President, the federal budget actually went down and so did the national debt. Consumer prices fell but unemployment stayed at the figure we only dream of---3 ½ percent, which means everyone who wanted a job had one. Federal taxes were cut four times.
The number of automobiles on our streets and highways tripled during his years in the White House and radio sales went up 1400 percent.
In just the five years from 1922 – 1927 the purchasing power of wages rose 10 percent. It was a kind of Golden Era, in other ways.
So what if he was a “do nothing” president. Do you suppose doing nothing had something to do with reducing the budget, reducing the debt and cutting taxes FOUR TIMES?”
1 comment:
Roaring 20's and unemployment. Everyone who wanted a job had one...except 3.5 percent. :)
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