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New Deal or Raw Deal?: How FDR's Economic Legacy Has Damaged America
by Burton W. Folsom Jr.
by Burton W. Folsom Jr.
Some historians consider FDR the greatest president. Others have him rated in the top three. They must be smoking dope. A 20% unemployment rate after 8 years as president makes you a great one?
FDR was smart though, however he spent like a drunken sailor. He would funnel money into sectors of large areas of large states to democratic cronies. These guys would dole out jobs in exchange for votes for themselves and FDR. He employed this tactic just enough in various states to ensure that each particular state which received federal money voted for him in the next election. Then he would collect the benefit of their Electoral College vote at Election Day.
The uncontrollable Federal debt of the United States is one of FDR's greatest accomplishments.
In fact FDR’s Treasury Secretary and personal friend painstakingly admitted the following “We have tried spending money. We are spending more money than we have ever spent before and it does not work. And I have just none interest, and if I am wrong . . . somebody else can have my job. I want to see this country prosperous. I want to see people get a job; I want to see people get enough to eat. We have never made good on our promises. . . . I say after eight years of this administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started . . . . And an enormous debt to boot!”
He would also punish fellow democratic congressmen if they did not support his agenda. He would turn on them by supporting rivals for congressional leadership roles, by cajoling congressmen into supporting his choice for congressional leadership positions and various other means.
The 22nd Amendment (which limits the president's term to two) was established because of FDR's extreme use of power for personal accomplishment.
Just think about how many Presidents have lost elections after their first term because of a bad economy. Jimmie Carter and George Bush I (the first) come to mind. In fact, I would bet that if Herbert Hoover were reelected he would of ended the great depression quicker than FDR. This is because they couldn’t or wouldn’t use devious election tactics.
Just imagine what the country looked like after 8 years of FDR’s reign and imagine giving Jimmie Carter or George Bush 12 years to straighten out their bad economies.
FDR was smart though, however he spent like a drunken sailor. He would funnel money into sectors of large areas of large states to democratic cronies. These guys would dole out jobs in exchange for votes for themselves and FDR. He employed this tactic just enough in various states to ensure that each particular state which received federal money voted for him in the next election. Then he would collect the benefit of their Electoral College vote at Election Day.
The uncontrollable Federal debt of the United States is one of FDR's greatest accomplishments.
In fact FDR’s Treasury Secretary and personal friend painstakingly admitted the following “We have tried spending money. We are spending more money than we have ever spent before and it does not work. And I have just none interest, and if I am wrong . . . somebody else can have my job. I want to see this country prosperous. I want to see people get a job; I want to see people get enough to eat. We have never made good on our promises. . . . I say after eight years of this administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started . . . . And an enormous debt to boot!”
He would also punish fellow democratic congressmen if they did not support his agenda. He would turn on them by supporting rivals for congressional leadership roles, by cajoling congressmen into supporting his choice for congressional leadership positions and various other means.
The 22nd Amendment (which limits the president's term to two) was established because of FDR's extreme use of power for personal accomplishment.
Just think about how many Presidents have lost elections after their first term because of a bad economy. Jimmie Carter and George Bush I (the first) come to mind. In fact, I would bet that if Herbert Hoover were reelected he would of ended the great depression quicker than FDR. This is because they couldn’t or wouldn’t use devious election tactics.
Just imagine what the country looked like after 8 years of FDR’s reign and imagine giving Jimmie Carter or George Bush 12 years to straighten out their bad economies.
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