Calvin Coolidge,last great republican president america had.

[LA RAM FAN]

the 30th President, John Calvin Coolidge, Jr., (1872–1933). If Americans remember anything about him, it’s for being a man of so few words that he was nicknamed Silent Cal. One story goes: a woman told him at a dinner, “Mr. Coolidge, I’ve made a bet against a fellow who said it was impossible to get more than two words out of you.” He replied, “You lose.” But he deserves to be known as one of our greatest presidents, helping to produce one of America’s most prosperous decades, the ‘Roaring 20s’.

Early career

Coolidge was born on Independence Day, 1872, in Vermont, but moved to Massachusetts as a young man. In 1905, he married a fellow Vermonter, Grace Anna Goodhue, a teacher of the deaf, in 1905, and they had two sons. He first trained as a lawyer, but became involved in politics slowly, gaining experience by climbing the political ladder.

In 1896 he campaigned for Republican presidential candidate William McKinley, then being elected for Republican City Committee the next year. The year after that, he was elected to the City Council of Northampton.

In the first decade of the 20th century, he had times in the State House of Representatives, as well as two terms as mayor of Northampton. This experience was a first hint of his greatness, as he reduced both debt and tax rates in the city.

In 1912, he ran for the State Senate, and demolished his Democrat opponent. Two years later, he was elected Senate President. In his speech, “Have Faith in Massachusetts”, he presented his principles:


Do the day’s work. If it be to protect the rights of the weak, whoever objects, do it. If it be to help a powerful corporation better to serve the people, whatever the opposition, do that. … Expect to be called a demagogue, but don’t be a demagogue. … Don’t expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong. Don’t hurry to legislate. Give administration a chance to catch up with legislation.

He would thus be spinning in his grave at Obama’s class warfare demagoguery, knowing full well that you can’t give the poor a bigger slice of the economic pie if you punish the bakers.

Massachusetts governor

In 1915, Coolidge ran for lieutenant governor under Samuel McCall, greatly contributing to their victories and re-elections (which were yearly at the time). In 1918, McCall didn’t run again, so Coolidge ran for governor, and defeated Democrat Richard Long.

The most famous action was breaking the Boston police strike, which left the city defenceless against violence and rioters, and nine people killed. Coolidge was very firm, calling the strikers “deserters” and “traitors”, and told the AFL leader, “There is no right to strike against the public safety by anyone, anywhere, any time.” He brought in Massachusetts State Guard to keep order, and eventually replaced the striking police with new recruits. For this action, he won re-election by a huge reaction, and was praised even by Democrat President Woodrow Wilson. It was also an inspiration to Reagan’s breaking the Air Traffic Controllers’ strike, as well as a good precedent for dealing with government teachers unions in Wisconsin and New Jersey.

Coolidge also showed his worth by refusing to raise taxes, and instead reduced the state debt by cutting government expenses by $4 million. This included vetoing a bill to increase legislators’ pay by 50%. But he also showed that conservatives are not anti-worker, by reducing the working week for women and children from 56 to 48 hours, saying, “We must humanize the industry, or the system will break down.”

And in an action that might seem quaint by today’s standards, he supported the Constitution even when it went against his own beliefs. He was an opponent of Prohibition, but still vetoed a bill that allowed liquor sales since by that time, the Constitution prohibited alcohol sales because of the 18th Amendment. Instead of using liberal judges to invent a new interpretation of the Constitution, he wrote: “Opinions and instructions do not outmatch the Constitution. Against it, they are void.” I.e. if we don’t like what it says, then amend it by the proper procedures (as happened in 1933 by ratification of the 21st Amendment).

Presidency

For the 1920 Presidential election, Coolidge was surprisingly nominated for Republican Vice Presidential candidate, under Warren Harding, because another delegate read his “Have Faith in Massachusetts” speech. They faced off against the Democratic Presidential Candidate, and his running mate, someone called Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and won in a landslide, winning 60.3% to 34.1% of the vote (still a record) and 37 of the 48 States.

Harding and Coolidge inherited a far worse mess than Obama did. After the devastation of World War 1 and the Spanish Flu, America had 11.7% unemployment and a top marginal tax rate of 73% (for income over a million dollars). Liberals wanted some public works programs, which would now be called “Stimulus packages”. But Harding and Coolidge rejected those, first because they were unconstitutional (as shown above, Coolidge actually believed it), and second, because they would suck money from the private sector so would not help the economy overall (see also Spendulus Spin).

Instead, they cut the top rate to 25%, eliminating all income taxation for some two million people—and revenue went up not down! They also cut federal spending by 50%. So instead of budget deficits, America ran surpluses, American debt was reduced by 25%, and American credit was the most sought after in the world. And by 1923, unemployment had plummeted to 2.4%. And this was not just fake “make-work” stimulus jobs; allowing entrepreneurs to keep most of their money made this an incredibly fruitful time for new inventions. They developed Kleenex, scotch tape, the zipper, sliced bread, and especially the radio.

In August 2, 1923, President Harding died in office, and Coolidge succeeded him. He was visiting his family in Vermont at the time, and upon receiving this news, he said a prayer, and his father, a notary public, swore him into office after midnight. The next day, he was re-sworn by the Chief Justice of the Washington DC Supreme Court.

In the 1924 election, Coolidge was able to stand on the Harding–Coolidge record. It was so overwhelmingly obvious that even his Democrat opponent John Davis, likewise promoted limited government and lower taxes and regulation. The lefties fled to a third party candidate, Robert LaFollette (the silliness of third parties is explained in Why conservatives should hold their nose and vote Republican). This time, the spoiler effect was irrelevant, because Coolidge won convincingly with an absolute majority of 54.0% of the votes and 35 states, but it contributed to an almost 2:1 margin over his main opponent who gained only 28.8%. This was despite a family tragedy: the death of his younger son.

Later years

Coolidge declined to run in 1928, explaining, “If I take another term, I will be in the White House till 1933 … Ten years in Washington is longer than any other man has had it—too long!” His Republican successor, Herbert Hoover, Coolidge’s Commerce Secretary, ran on continuing Coolidge’s economic boom, and crushed the Democrat Al Smith by 40 states to 8 (58.2% to 40.8%).

As we now know, he did anything but that (despite textbook mendacity that he was a “do-nothing President). While Hoover had previously been a great humanitarian and businessmen, as President he was a control freak, who increased spending, taxes, regulation and tariffs, starting the Great Depression. Coolidge had presciently criticised Hoover’s nomination, saying “for six years that man has given me unsolicited advice—all of it bad.” FDR easily defeated Hoover, sharply criticising Hoover’s big spending, but we now know that FDR was just Hoover writ large, and prolonged the Depression [update: see my later Patriot column Hoover and FDR: big government Presidents who prolonged the Depression].

Coolidge was not interested in running for President again, even when Hoover was headed for crushing defeat (FDR demolished him with 42 states to 6, and 57.4% to 39.7% of the vote). Instead, he was semi-retired, and was honorary president of the American Foundation for the Blind. He died suddenly of a heart attack on January 5, 1933, aged only 60.



Coolidge’s tax cut lesson was learned by President Kennedy, of all people, who likewise cut tax rates and increased revenues.

Its no wonder JFK was our last GREAT demo president we had.

 

[LiberalMedia]

A link to your source would be appropriate.

 

[regent]

Since historians began rating presidents in 1948 Coolidge has always been rated below average as president.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Coolidge was one of the 20th century greatest presidents.

 

[LA RAM FAN]

someone farted in here.^

 

[LA RAM FAN]

Since historians began rating presidents in 1948 Coolidge has always been rated below average as president.

what else would you expect from a historian? Historians are on government payrolls.they are never going to rate the great presidents like Collidge high on the list.

 

[rightwinger]

Coolidge dumped the Great Depression on Hoover

 

[LA RAM FAN]

Since historians began rating presidents in 1948 Coolidge has always been rated below average as president.

and as the facts up there prove,those government payrole historians are wrong,because of Harding and Coolidge who rescued the economy from disater,the twenties were known as the roaring twenties. If most historians say JFK was killed by a lone assassin named lee harvey oswald,are you going to automatically accept it as fact when the evidence proves otherwise? thats why 80% of americans dont believe in that fairy tale anymore.

 

[LA RAM FAN]

Coolidge dumped the Great Depression on Hoover

says the troll who believes in magic bullets and has the arrogant attitude the majority of americans are wrong and I rightwinger am right.

 

[rightwinger]

Coolidge dumped the Great Depression on Hoover

says the troll who believes in magic bullets and has the arrogant attitude the majority of americans are wrong and I rightwinger am right.

Hoover was in office just nine months when the market crashed. He can thank the inept policies of Coolidge for that

 

[LA RAM FAN]

someone farted in here.^

again this paid troll has no credibility.he believes in magic bullets and that 80% of americans are wrong and he's right as well as believing BELECHEAT is a good coach even though the proof is in the pudding that he was a miserable fail before that till tom brady saved his career from the toilet.

Him and Crusader Retard are both MR TRUTHFUL all the time,they never tell a lie,they never play dodgeball when they are cornered.

 

[norwegen]

the 30th President, John Calvin Coolidge, Jr., (1872–1933). If Americans remember anything about him, it’s for being a man of so few words that he was nicknamed Silent Cal. One story goes: a woman told him at a dinner, “Mr. Coolidge, I’ve made a bet against a fellow who said it was impossible to get more than two words out of you.” He replied, “You lose.” But he deserves to be known as one of our greatest presidents, helping to produce one of America’s most prosperous decades, the ‘Roaring 20s’.

Early career

Coolidge was born on Independence Day, 1872, in Vermont, but moved to Massachusetts as a young man. In 1905, he married a fellow Vermonter, Grace Anna Goodhue, a teacher of the deaf, in 1905, and they had two sons. He first trained as a lawyer, but became involved in politics slowly, gaining experience by climbing the political ladder.

In 1896 he campaigned for Republican presidential candidate William McKinley, then being elected for Republican City Committee the next year. The year after that, he was elected to the City Council of Northampton.

In the first decade of the 20th century, he had times in the State House of Representatives, as well as two terms as mayor of Northampton. This experience was a first hint of his greatness, as he reduced both debt and tax rates in the city.

In 1912, he ran for the State Senate, and demolished his Democrat opponent. Two years later, he was elected Senate President. In his speech, “Have Faith in Massachusetts”, he presented his principles:


Do the day’s work. If it be to protect the rights of the weak, whoever objects, do it. If it be to help a powerful corporation better to serve the people, whatever the opposition, do that. … Expect to be called a demagogue, but don’t be a demagogue. … Don’t expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong. Don’t hurry to legislate. Give administration a chance to catch up with legislation.

He would thus be spinning in his grave at Obama’s class warfare demagoguery, knowing full well that you can’t give the poor a bigger slice of the economic pie if you punish the bakers.

Massachusetts governor

In 1915, Coolidge ran for lieutenant governor under Samuel McCall, greatly contributing to their victories and re-elections (which were yearly at the time). In 1918, McCall didn’t run again, so Coolidge ran for governor, and defeated Democrat Richard Long.

The most famous action was breaking the Boston police strike, which left the city defenceless against violence and rioters, and nine people killed. Coolidge was very firm, calling the strikers “deserters” and “traitors”, and told the AFL leader, “There is no right to strike against the public safety by anyone, anywhere, any time.” He brought in Massachusetts State Guard to keep order, and eventually replaced the striking police with new recruits. For this action, he won re-election by a huge reaction, and was praised even by Democrat President Woodrow Wilson. It was also an inspiration to Reagan’s breaking the Air Traffic Controllers’ strike, as well as a good precedent for dealing with government teachers unions in Wisconsin and New Jersey.

Coolidge also showed his worth by refusing to raise taxes, and instead reduced the state debt by cutting government expenses by $4 million. This included vetoing a bill to increase legislators’ pay by 50%. But he also showed that conservatives are not anti-worker, by reducing the working week for women and children from 56 to 48 hours, saying, “We must humanize the industry, or the system will break down.”

And in an action that might seem quaint by today’s standards, he supported the Constitution even when it went against his own beliefs. He was an opponent of Prohibition, but still vetoed a bill that allowed liquor sales since by that time, the Constitution prohibited alcohol sales because of the 18th Amendment. Instead of using liberal judges to invent a new interpretation of the Constitution, he wrote: “Opinions and instructions do not outmatch the Constitution. Against it, they are void.” I.e. if we don’t like what it says, then amend it by the proper procedures (as happened in 1933 by ratification of the 21st Amendment).

Presidency

For the 1920 Presidential election, Coolidge was surprisingly nominated for Republican Vice Presidential candidate, under Warren Harding, because another delegate read his “Have Faith in Massachusetts” speech. They faced off against the Democratic Presidential Candidate, and his running mate, someone called Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and won in a landslide, winning 60.3% to 34.1% of the vote (still a record) and 37 of the 48 States.

Harding and Coolidge inherited a far worse mess than Obama did. After the devastation of World War 1 and the Spanish Flu, America had 11.7% unemployment and a top marginal tax rate of 73% (for income over a million dollars). Liberals wanted some public works programs, which would now be called “Stimulus packages”. But Harding and Coolidge rejected those, first because they were unconstitutional (as shown above, Coolidge actually believed it), and second, because they would suck money from the private sector so would not help the economy overall (see also Spendulus Spin).

Instead, they cut the top rate to 25%, eliminating all income taxation for some two million people—and revenue went up not down! They also cut federal spending by 50%. So instead of budget deficits, America ran surpluses, American debt was reduced by 25%, and American credit was the most sought after in the world. And by 1923, unemployment had plummeted to 2.4%. And this was not just fake “make-work” stimulus jobs; allowing entrepreneurs to keep most of their money made this an incredibly fruitful time for new inventions. They developed Kleenex, scotch tape, the zipper, sliced bread, and especially the radio.

In August 2, 1923, President Harding died in office, and Coolidge succeeded him. He was visiting his family in Vermont at the time, and upon receiving this news, he said a prayer, and his father, a notary public, swore him into office after midnight. The next day, he was re-sworn by the Chief Justice of the Washington DC Supreme Court.

In the 1924 election, Coolidge was able to stand on the Harding–Coolidge record. It was so overwhelmingly obvious that even his Democrat opponent John Davis, likewise promoted limited government and lower taxes and regulation. The lefties fled to a third party candidate, Robert LaFollette (the silliness of third parties is explained in Why conservatives should hold their nose and vote Republican). This time, the spoiler effect was irrelevant, because Coolidge won convincingly with an absolute majority of 54.0% of the votes and 35 states, but it contributed to an almost 2:1 margin over his main opponent who gained only 28.8%. This was despite a family tragedy: the death of his younger son.

Later years

Coolidge declined to run in 1928, explaining, “If I take another term, I will be in the White House till 1933 … Ten years in Washington is longer than any other man has had it—too long!” His Republican successor, Herbert Hoover, Coolidge’s Commerce Secretary, ran on continuing Coolidge’s economic boom, and crushed the Democrat Al Smith by 40 states to 8 (58.2% to 40.8%).

As we now know, he did anything but that (despite textbook mendacity that he was a “do-nothing President). While Hoover had previously been a great humanitarian and businessmen, as President he was a control freak, who increased spending, taxes, regulation and tariffs, starting the Great Depression. Coolidge had presciently criticised Hoover’s nomination, saying “for six years that man has given me unsolicited advice—all of it bad.” FDR easily defeated Hoover, sharply criticising Hoover’s big spending, but we now know that FDR was just Hoover writ large, and prolonged the Depression [update: see my later Patriot column Hoover and FDR: big government Presidents who prolonged the Depression].

Coolidge was not interested in running for President again, even when Hoover was headed for crushing defeat (FDR demolished him with 42 states to 6, and 57.4% to 39.7% of the vote). Instead, he was semi-retired, and was honorary president of the American Foundation for the Blind. He died suddenly of a heart attack on January 5, 1933, aged only 60.



Coolidge’s tax cut lesson was learned by President Kennedy, of all people, who likewise cut tax rates and increased revenues.

Its no wonder JFK was our last GREAT demo president we had.

Nice OP, but I don't think Coolidge was silent so much as he was silenced. After all, Harding tried to roll back some of the destructive progressive policies in an era of sentiment that was in opposition to our constitutional founding, and Coolidge manned the helm in that wake.

Coolidge wrote and published three collections of speeches, an autobiography, hundreds of letters, and, after completing his public service, a syndicated column. Coolidge lived, worked, published, and carried on day to day without spectacle. He was a conservative and did not seek attention, and he unabashedly admired the Declaration of Independence and our founding principles By the Progressive Era, simple, rustic Americanism had lost much of its luster, and so he was not heard.

 

[whitehall]

Native American activists should love this one. According to the NY Times #1 best seller "Flags of Our Fathers (page 61) the Pima Indians of Arizona (Ira Hayes"s tribe) welcomed former president Coolidge in 1930. Coolidge smoked a peace pipe for the cameras even though the Pima had no peace pipe tradition and grandly declared that the new "Coolidge dam" would save the tribe from poverty (even though the Tribe was doing quite well) . The Coolidge dam stopped the Gila river and not a drop went to the Pima's who depended on the river for a thousand years. The Coolidge dam put the Pima into poverty.

 

[Agit8r]

he deserves to be known as one of our greatest presidents, helping to produce one of America’s most prosperous decades, the ‘Roaring 20s’.

And the resulting depression when the house of cards known as "The Roaring 20's" collapsed just months after he left office.

 

[norwegen]

Native American activists should love this one. According to the NY Times #1 best seller "Flags of Our Fathers (page 61) the Pima Indians of Arizona (Ira Hayes"s tribe) welcomed former president Coolidge in 1930. Coolidge smoked a peace pipe for the cameras even though the Pima had no peace pipe tradition and grandly declared that the new "Coolidge dam" would save the tribe from poverty (even though the Tribe was doing quite well) . The Coolidge dam stopped the Gila river and not a drop went to the Pima's who depended on the river for a thousand years. The Coolidge dam put the Pima into poverty.

He also joined the Smoki tribe. He ended up being a member of several tribes, actually. He signed the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, helping to fulfill Thomas Jefferson's hope that the Indians would embrace republican government.

They tell us you are the thirtieth President of this great country, but to us you are our first President.

~ Sioux chieftain to President Coolidge in 1927

link
​

 

[norwegen]

he deserves to be known as one of our greatest presidents, helping to produce one of America’s most prosperous decades, the ‘Roaring 20s’.

And the resulting depression when the house of cards known as "The Roaring 20's" collapsed just months after he left office.

What Republican or Coolidge Administration policies resulted in the Great Depression?

 

[Agit8r]

Coolidge dumped the Great Depression on Hoover

says the troll who believes in magic bullets and has the arrogant attitude the majority of americans are wrong and I rightwinger am right.

Hoover was in office just nine months when the market crashed. He can thank the inept policies of Coolidge for that

Actually, Hoover was inaugurated on the 4th of March 1929, and the market crashed on September 3, which is fewer than 6 months.

 

[whitehall]

Native American activists should love this one. According to the NY Times #1 best seller "Flags of Our Fathers (page 61) the Pima Indians of Arizona (Ira Hayes"s tribe) welcomed former president Coolidge in 1930. Coolidge smoked a peace pipe for the cameras even though the Pima had no peace pipe tradition and grandly declared that the new "Coolidge dam" would save the tribe from poverty (even though the Tribe was doing quite well) . The Coolidge dam stopped the Gila river and not a drop went to the Pima's who depended on the river for a thousand years. The Coolidge dam put the Pima into poverty.

He also joined the Smoki tribe. He ended up being a member of several tribes, actually. He signed the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, helping to fulfill Thomas Jefferson's hope that the Indians would embrace republican government.

They tell us you are the thirtieth President of this great country, but to us you are our first President.

~ Sioux chieftain to President Coolidge in 1927

link
​

The bottom line is that Coolidge wasn't much more than a local "community activist" and relatively unprepared for the critical duties of "commander-in-chief". Sound familiar?

 

[norwegen]

Native American activists should love this one. According to the NY Times #1 best seller "Flags of Our Fathers (page 61) the Pima Indians of Arizona (Ira Hayes"s tribe) welcomed former president Coolidge in 1930. Coolidge smoked a peace pipe for the cameras even though the Pima had no peace pipe tradition and grandly declared that the new "Coolidge dam" would save the tribe from poverty (even though the Tribe was doing quite well) . The Coolidge dam stopped the Gila river and not a drop went to the Pima's who depended on the river for a thousand years. The Coolidge dam put the Pima into poverty.

He also joined the Smoki tribe. He ended up being a member of several tribes, actually. He signed the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, helping to fulfill Thomas Jefferson's hope that the Indians would embrace republican government.

They tell us you are the thirtieth President of this great country, but to us you are our first President.

~ Sioux chieftain to President Coolidge in 1927

link
​

The bottom line is that Coolidge wasn't much more than a local "community activist" and relatively unprepared for the critical duties of "commander-in-chief". Sound familiar?

I disagree. Coolidge was entirely republican in an immodest era of progressivism. The 1920s was a peaceful and prosperous decade, not really necessitating any need for achievement or greatness among our elected. But I think he would have been very capable. He loathed the policies of the Hoover Administration, but yet is somehow blamed by some for the Great Depression. He was pro business (hence the prosperity), and lived very modestly. He thought ambitious solutions were unnecessary and would only serve to build a complex, unconstitutional bureaucracy.

As a firm believer in the natural law and our founding principles, Coolidge signed legislation equalizing stations for blacks, Indians, Japanese, immigrants, and women with their white counterparts. And in those days, that was all the greatness that was needed. He was in no way any sort of activist. In fact, he would not stoop to being an activist politician.

 

[MDiver]

Personally, I favor Theodore Roosevelt (a progressive republican).