New Appreciation for America’s Forgotten President
<img src="http://media.voanews.com/images/480*360/main-RevisitingCoolidgesPresidencyWebVersion03.jpg" width="480" height="360" alt="Calvin Coolidge was a man of few words who reduced taxes, lowered federal spending and signed a bill granting full citizenship to native Americans during his presidency. " title="Calvin Coolidge was a man of few words who reduced taxes, lowered federal spending and signed a bill granting full citizenship to native Americans during his presidency. ” border=”0″ /> Photo: Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation/Library of Congress
Calvin Coolidge was a man of few words who reduced taxes, lowered federal spending and signed a bill granting full citizenship to native Americans during his presidency.
America’s 30th president has been largely ignored by historians.
Calvin Coolidge was sworn into office in August 1923, after the death of President Warren Harding. Elected in his own right the following year, Coolidge left office in 1929.
Now, his legacy is being revisited in a new book that suggests Coolidge’s world view can be applied to modern politics and life.
‘Silent Cal’
Calvin Coolidge is not a well-known president.
What most Americans know of him is limited to his nickname – Silent Cal. He was reserved, introspective and often seemed uncomfortable at social events. But this man of few words got a lot accomplished as president.
He reduced taxes, lowered federal spending, signed a bill granting full citizenship to native Americans and limited immigration. He also made himself available to lawmakers and reporters - a novelty in the early 20th century, states Jim Douglas, government of Vermont.
“Coolidge had breakfast meetings with the members of Congress,” he says. “He had a press conference on average every four days.”
Core values
Douglas is one of the 21 politicians, journalists, activists and thinkers who contributed their thoughts to “Why Coolidge Matters,” a collection of essays about the 30th president.
In his essay, the governor highlights how Coolidge reflected the character and values of Vermont, where he was born and raised. Calvin Coolidge inspires him.
“There are really two ways: one is his commitment to fiscal integrity, to reducing debt, to balancing the budget, to lowering taxes, something we did in Vermont in our legislative session this year,” states Douglas. “Secondly, I take from the Coolidge legacy the values of civility, integrity, honesty, straightforwardness, of communicating in a transparent way with the people he served and on a frequent basis.”
Other contributors to “Why Coolidge Matters” include former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis, presidential scholar Peter Schramm and U.S. Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.
Public servant
Coolidge’s great grandson, Christopher Coolidge Jeter, is pleased his great grandfather’s legacy is being revisited.
“I think it’s great that folks are taking a second look at Coolidge. I think sometimes he gets a short shrift in the historians’ perspective because there were not any great crises or wars that occurred during his tenure,” states Jeter. “But I think, when we reexamine his character, values and strong moral beliefs, that there is a lot that can be learned and applied to today’s world.”
Jeter believes Coolidge was a true public servant. He held more public offices than any other president and supported many reforms including women’s suffrage and tax cuts. He was a fine writer who not only wrote his own speeches, but also an autobiography. On a personal level, Jeter states he learned the importance of being financially rational from his great grandfather.
“Coolidge had a great quote of, ‘There is no dignity quite so impressive as living within your means.’ I tried to achieve that myself, and hopefully that is something I think the nation can take a cue from as well.”
Watch Listen Email Print Comments Comments (1) 02-09-2010 Jerry L. Wallace (USA)
Well done–an excellent program on Calvin Coolidge. I hope your listeners will be motivated to seek out more information on our 30th President, who presided over one of the most exciting and vital decades in US history. It was a time when modern America came alive. They are several fine biographies of him, including Robert H. Ferrell’s “Calvin Coolidge,” Robert Sobel’s “Coolidge: An American Enigma,” and David Greenberg’s “Calvin Coolidge.”
Post Your Comment * Required
More Source:
New Appreciation for America's Forgotten President | USA | EnglishJohn F. Kennedy Quotes - BrainyQuote
Will Rogers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chester Alan Arthur: The American Presidents Series ... - Amazon.com
Related News:
- Internet bowled over by Obama email hoax
- EBay Seller Seeks a Cool $1 Million for President Obama’s Chrysler
- FIFA kickbacks document can be released: report
- Browns try to defend McCoy concussion handling
- Obama to Issue Order Cutting Down on Promotional Goodies
- Obama Honors Muslim-Americans
- Fox News Poll: Obama Job Approval at Low for the Year
- Huntsman: Issues, Not Religion, Will Decide GOP Race
- Former President Clinton Retracts Default Comments After White House Intervention
- Donald Krim Dies at 65
Details :
Submited at Friday, September 3rd, 2010 at 3:00 am on Book by robert
Comment RSS 2.0 - leave a comment - trackback