Remembering FDR

Remembering FDR

Depression

It was during the Depression.  America was still trying to recover.  The depression had spread to Europe, as payment of debts to America for WWI could not be met. Germany (Hitler) was getting active in Europe.  It was 1932.  The sitting President was Herbert Hoover, running for reelection against Franklin Delano Roosevelt.   38,583,702 votes were cast.  FDR received over 59% to become the 32nd President of the United States. More than 13 million were out of work. FDR sought to restore the spirit of our Nation and a hope for a better future.  Hoover’s term began with American prosperity at an all time high, and ended at just the opposite.  FDR was elected because the population wanted more from the Federal Government. Improved social conditions and improved job and business opportunities was a campaign pledge, with the Federal Government doing more. Hoover valued individualism and minimal government involvement in the affairs of business, a respected position, but at that time FDR saw a need to get America back to work, back on track, and in the process revive that individual zeal to learn and achieve. It was to be the New Deal.

First 100 Days

The first 100 days were active, with Bank reform, a Federal Reserve, a reduction in government employee pay that went to relief functions ($500 million), and jobs provided in large scale infrastructure and works projects. The Federal worker pay cut was 15%.  He restored confidence in the Federal Government. He worked with Republicans and Democrats appointing them to various positions, established a minimum wage and a work week. He expanded the executive powers of the office and communicated well using fireside chats (radio), many speeches and frequent press conferences.  

WWII

It was not until 1941 that we entered WWII.  Leading up to that point FDR was aware of the need, at the same time the reluctance of the American people, providing alternative means of support for Great Britain until the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and Germany declared war on us.  FDR was an excellent deal maker, as well as communicator.  He was able to bridge party lines in times of crises. However, once improvements became obvious his intent was not to make the Federal Government the piggy bank, or the control center, for all areas of the government. He recognized an independent person, properly incentivized, was critical to America’s overall prosperity.  He saw a stalled engine of progress, sought to give it a push downhill, until restarted, and then it was to be on its way.  

After FDR

What happened to FDR’s ideas after WWII and after his death, besides Truman, then Eisenhower, and the subsequent Presidents?  America did come alive. The New Deal ended when WWII began and our industry was effectively nationalized for the war effort.  Employment boomed, bringing with it women in droves into the work force. An Act was passed that prevented discrimination in defense plants. Truman ended the war when two atomic bombs were dropped over Japan. With the war over, soldiers with reserves of cash anxious to spend, and bank accounts growing, industry returned to making decisions for themselves and goods to satisfy demand. Battleships, tanks and jeeps, become washing machines, typewriters, automobiles, and other home luxuries. The broad authority FDR assumed was needed then, to combat the depression and the axis of evil in the world. Confidence in the American economic system was invigorated and made even better. But are the powers of government to be used at all times, now, to address our country’s problems?  What has happened to States Rights?  It has become a policy of the Democrats to control, in the spirit of FDR, while ignoring the concept of small and efficient government and independent free people from all corners of our nation.  

Welfare once a purview of States, under FDR, became an instrument of the Federal Government.  I believe his intent was to eventually return such oversight to governors.  Certainly the Great Society President 36, LBJ, did not see it that way.  Ignoring the progress minorities, especially blacks, were making in our Nation, as family units, as strong religious factions, LBJ created a welfare system that since its inauguration has done less to lift the poor, the minority poor, out of poverty and more to destroy the family unit and a love for God. Trillions have been spent.  We have become a nation seeking, under the banner of progressivism, more entitlements, less independence, more children born out of wedlock, and fewer two parent (and two biological parent) homes.  In the 60’s 90% of babies were born to married couples.  Today 40% of children are born to unwed mothers. 52% of children today live with their birth parents. Children raised in a cohesive two biological parent home are 25% healthier,  and more likely to graduate high school and college. The chance of such children living in poverty is reduced by 82%. Ronald Reagan on the Great Society called it, “a bundle of expensive and failed initiatives that contributed to rather than alleviated, suffering.”

Realities

The realities for Presidents after FDR, after the war ended, were never as grave or dark as during FDR’s tenure.  Yet they seemed to continue to preach as if that was not the case.  Power and control became their objective, not We The People.  Reagan was alone in his effort to reduce spending and restore sanity, especially after Jimmy Carter continued bringing State departments into the Federal chambers, such as Education and Energy in 1979.  The Federal Education bureaucracy now consumes over $80 billion of tax revenues to cover their annual operations.  From a recent article to be published on this site soon (The Office of the Commander in Chief is Too Big for Any Britches), “Reagan saw the problem, with a focus on government officials, both parties, when Departments are instituted, agencies formed and Czars created, the government gets larger, remarked, ‘They have forgotten that when you create a government bureaucracy, no matter how well intended it is, almost instantly its top priority becomes preservation of the bureaucracy.’”  

Parsing FDR’s 1933 inaugural speech, he noted, “Only an optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment….Our greatest primary task is to put people to work….It can be helped by insistence that the Federal, State and local governments act forthwith on the demand that their cost be dramatically reduced….Our international trade relations … (are) secondary to … a sound national economy….(We are) a stricken nation in the midst of a stricken world….” FDR sought from Congress, and received, “broad Executive power to wage war against the emergency….”  But in order of magnitude since WWII there has been no similar emergency, stricken nation in a stricken world, dark reality, or need for jobs.  The government could indeed be smaller, less costly today and less invasive.  More can be delegated to State governors, such as health, education, energy, even welfare.  Executive power need not be as great, either. However, take the power ball out of the hands of the President, Congress too, and as noted by RR there will be great resistance, as, “preservation of the bureaucracy” becomes paramount.  This needs to stop!  When did Biden ever propose during Covid, or Trump for that matter, “that the Federal, State and local governments act…that their cost be dramatically reduced.” They were never asked to suffer as were the non-public service employed citizens.  Where was the shared focus? 

Time and Purpose

Greatly admired and capable FDR was the right President for his time, and our times.  Since then the importance of the position, the reason for intervention by the government has been ignored.  It is to help Americans keep our nation great, productive, safe, and prosperous.  Tax and spend was not a goal. The government was never intended to be a burden on the people. The government is not our parent.  

The Federal Government is not to control our schools and industry to indoctrinate children and employees to honor a political code; the basics are to take precedence, reading, math, writing, and history.  I refer to actual history, not recreated or politicized history (such as 1619 or CRT).  History has leaders on both sides to be understood. 

The family unit is essential to being prosperous, healthy and having a less needy society. A dependent element less likely to care for children is not worthy.  A less needy society is less costly to every tax payor. 

We do need to trust in God. 

Remember FDR

Remember FDR.  Do not forget the challenges he faced.  Not necessary today are the programs and the powers he assumed during this dark time, a critical emergency in our history.  Government has become too large and can be made smaller.  A supersized American Federal Government was never FDR’s intent.  We are healthy; we are robust, and we are capable.  We are today what FDR desired; he helped us to achieve.  

Since FDR our Presidents have lost the meaning and purpose of their Office.  And Congress has fallen in love with an excessive overburdened and unneeded bureaucratic empire.  

We, as Americans, are the ones that need to strike back against this empire by voting for the change that is needed.  Make your vote count.  Even Republicans liked FDR, but we can never forget.  “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” rings so true, and that fear is too often trumped up by those seeking power and making promises they cannot keep.  What we do need to fear is a government that is too, too big, with too many departments.  More responsibility can be delegated to States, where it once was, to better serve us all.  

And no matter how hard he tries Joe Biden will never be an FDR, nor should he attempt to position himself as FDR.  The only crisis we have today is that of the fear being instilled in most Americans of the threat of socialism, and the indoctrination of our children by the left, and the incompetence demonstrated to date by President Joe Biden, his Vice President Harris and far too many members of his Administration.

by

Thomas W. Balderston

Author and Blogger