Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd President

FDR is fondly remembered for leading the nation through the Great Depression into the Second World War. That covers so much!

The nation was reeling from the Depression which struck back in 1929. During the 1932 campaign, he offered hope to the many despondent, impoverished Americans, culminating in his first inaugeral address where he proclaimed that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Many of the commentators on Jack Cafferty's website yearned for someone who wasn't a "fearmonger" (as they see it Bush/Cheney have used fear to advocate their policy of intervention in Iraq--a failed policy these detractors would say, detaining prisoners at Guantanimo Bay, enlarging federal abilities to monitor communications in its various mediums, and use of controversial interrogation tactics). With his New Deal, Roosevelt greatly broadened the Federal Government, both in its beaucratic size, but also in its perceived mandate.

First, its size. Roosevelt created several federal agencies, mostly for the purpose of finding some way in which to employ men without jobs. In short, FDR had the federal government step up to deal with what recently failed businesses left in its wake, unemployed people. It undoubtedly helped with the morale of those who would otherwise be doing not much else; it also provided money to those households, obviously. It could also be included that FDR increased the size of the Supreme Court just so that his legislation would pass judicial review.

More importantly, however, it that FDR was elected because he declared, in essence, that the business of the federal government was in the caretaking of its population. In reading all of the comments on Cafferty's blog it struck me how beloved FDR was, but also for how beloved Jefferson was, but for a dramatically opposite reason. Jefferson was on many occassions championed because of his belief in a small federal government. FDR was the antithesis to this "anemic" government, but Jeffersonian America was not early modern America. Both had arguable reasons for their views. As stated, the United States in 1932 was in crisis. That crisis started in 1929 with the stock market crash where fortunes were lost. There was a run on the banks because money seen was more safe than money put away. Money on paper was money no more--there was deflation. However, folks still had debts and deflation made it extremely difficult to pay back. Especially farm debt. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s excerbated the problem and left hundreds of thousands homeless (remember The Grapes of Wrath?) There was going to be no private sector solution to the problem. Hoover tried and failed at various stragtegies and was personally blamed by millions of Americans for their plight. The big-government solution was the only solution. (And unlike Hoover, FDR met with better success in getting his programs to work. He was an adept administrator.) This belief in the federal government as the caretaker of its people is one of Roosevelt's greatest legacies, whether for good or ill. I've also have read in different places that FDR's socialism saved America from Communism... I'm not sure that I'd go that far, but his policies at the very least kept the nation more cohesive than it would have been otherwise.

Another fondness for FDR lies in his spouse, Eleanor Roosevelt. Like FDR, she was reviled amongst Republicans... She was an intelligent, independent mind who went across the nation as FDR's eyes and ears. Moreover, the average American trusted her, which is why Mrs Roosevelt was one of the few non-presidents that some of Cafferty's commentators wished would be president now.

It should also be remembered that FDR was the original Great Communicator. His radio addresses allowed him into many families' homes and demonstrated his understanding of their plight, but also allowed him to explain his policies and their efficacy. Mrs. Roosevelt's trips across the country aided him greatly in these addresses. It also allowed him to convey his sense of hope.

Hope. That was one of the items that many commentators on Cafferty's website wanted to be communicated by a President. It was one of the huge draws to Reagan. It was one of the huge draws to the man from Hope, Bill Clinton. It was one of the huge draws at present to Barak Obama. People went to be reassured that things will get better. FDR was able to do that in a believable way, like Reagan after him.

Vision. FDR was also able to communicate his vision to the nation through his fireside chats. That is another draw for Cafferty's commentators. It's why so many loved Kennedy (Jack or Bobby), Reagan, Clinton, even the current President Bush, when he received accolades, it was in part because he did have vision, albeit a controversial vision.

Unity. Americans of the Great Depression believed that they were all in a struggle together (The Grapes of Wrath withstanding...) and FDR made it a common struggle. Yes, there were those who opposed his adminstration in Congress (thus necessitating the packing of the Court--they'd question the constitutionality of his measures, it would end up going to court, and be found unconstitutional, etc.), but the picture of the nation drawn by FDR was that of a nation united overcoming the struggles of the Great Depression.

December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy. If the nation wasn't truly united before Pearl Habor Day, it certainly was thereafter. This is the last reason I'll give for why so many look at FDR with fond memory. He was commander-in-chief in two huge theaters of war--the nation has never experienced a world-wide conflagaration like this before and hopefully never will since. He let the military fight its battles (blessed with capable and brilliant generals), but he was a master diplomat with Churchill and Stalin. Managing that war, from mobilization, to prioritization (as much a political decision as a military one), to inspiration after a series of losses in the Pacific, took a man of uncanny ability. So what if he was taken off the top secret list for his throwing away secert memos into the White House trash can? And he demonstrated remarkable foresight... He recognized that Nazi Germany would eventually present a problem to the US and bolstered Britain's defense through the lend-lease act (and I believe that was his idea); he recognized that Britian could no longer remain a colonial power after the war and kept nudging Churchill in that direction. Some critics may say that he should have had foresight regarding Pearl Habor, but his administration was in talks with Japan over their colonial expansion into China and Southeast Asia, finding it untenable.

Surely the man had to have faults... Well, the one that immediately comes to mind are the Japanese internment camps. That isn't remembered well and he went along with it. I'm not happy with packing the Court. It showed too much of presidential aggrandizement.

One last thought, I believe that the US involvement in the Second World War is what finally brought the US out of the Depression. It was slowly recovering before, but the federal government infused the economy (bond-backed, of course... dulling the pain of deficit-spending) with so much money, it was the New Deal on steroids. The military became another alphabet agency for all intents and purposes.