Summary

The author, disenchanted with the 2016 presidential candidates and the current state of U.S. politics, advocates for the leadership qualities of the late Calvin Coolidge, the 30th U.S. President, as an ideal for the modern era.

Abstract

The author expresses dissatisfaction with both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the 2016 U.S. presidential candidates, and criticizes the current administration as a chaotic spectacle. Reflecting on their high school days, the author identifies Calvin Coolidge as a preferred presidential candidate, despite his being deceased. Coolidge is remembered for his integrity, laissez-faire approach, and successful economic management during the Roaring Twenties. The author, referencing Amity Shlaes' biography of Coolidge, highlights Coolidge's achievements, including reducing national debt, implementing tax cuts, and fostering economic growth while shrinking the federal government. The author suggests that Coolidge's policies on individual rights and race relations were progressive for his time and laments the lack of such leadership in contemporary politics.

Opinions

The author views the 2016 U.S. presidential candidates as subpar and the subsequent administration as a poorly managed "clown show."
Calvin Coolidge is idealized by the author as a principled leader with a strong track record of fiscal responsibility, limited government intervention, and economic prosperity.
The author admires Coolidge's laissez-faire economic policies, which included significant federal debt reduction, budget surpluses, and income tax cuts.
Coolidge's presidency is associated with a period of economic growth, increased patent activity, and technological advancements such as electrification and telephony.
The author appreciates Coolidge's stance on individual rights and his support for initiatives aimed at improving race relations, noting a decline in lynchings and Ku Klux Klan membership during his tenure.
The author is impressed with Amity Shlaes' in-depth research on Coolidge and plans to share further insights upon completing the biography.
The author believes that Coolidge's approach to governance, which balanced economic growth with social progress, is sorely missed in current U.S. politics.

Here’s Who I’d Prefer For U.S. President: Unfortunately, He’s Dead

I’m among many Americans who believe that the 2016 Presidential candidates Hilary Clinton, and Donald Trump, were less than impressive. And now with the latter having been elected, our federal system has, in my opinion, evolved into a clown show of epic proportions.

Back in the eighties at the Catholic Jesuit high school I attended, every student had to recite the U.S. Presidents and their terms in office as a condition for graduation. In recalling this list the other day at the ripe old age of 55, I began to ponder who I’d rather have as POTUS.

Here’s who I came up with. Drum roll please. ……………

Calvin Coolidge, who was our 30th U.S. President

Referencing a book I’m currently reading as well some other backgrounder, I’ll make the argument as to why Calvin Coolidge would be an ideal president for our times.

I do, however, caution you about getting too excited about my Coolidge for President in 2020.

Why? Because he’s DEAD.

Why I’m Hot On Coolidge, Cool On Trump

As the 30th U.S. President, Coolidge was a principled, high integrity man — arguably the last true laissez-faire, political leader to see the Oval Office.

Libertarian in his orientation, he was a huge advocate of limited government, which he backed up with an impressive track record over the course of his presidency. He was a pivotal player in the Roaring Twenties, a period of unprecedented economic prosperity for the U.S. He reduced the national debt, had budget surpluses, and even achieved massive income tax cuts. He was deeply reticent about government regulation, offering proposals to minimize it at every turn.

Amity Shlaes author of Coolidge: a full-length biography on our 30th president, offers these great insights in her book:

Coolidge served for sixty-seven months, finishing out Harding’s term after Harding died in early August 1923 and remaining until early March 1929. Under Coolidge, the federal debt fell.

Under Coolidge, the top income tax rate came down by half, to 25 percent. Under Coolidge, the federal budget was always in surplus.

Under Coolidge, unemployment was 5 percent or even 3 percent. Under Coolidge, Americans wired their homes for electricity and bought their first cars or household appliances on credit.

Under Coolidge, the economy grew strongly, even as the federal government shrank.

Under Coolidge, the rates of patent applications and patents granted increased dramatically.

Under Coolidge, there came no federal antilynching law, but lynchings themselves became less frequent and Ku Klux Klan membership dropped by millions.

Under Coolidge, a man from a town without a railroad station, Americans moved from the road into the air.

Under Coolidge, religious faith found its modern context: the first great White House Christmas tree was lit, an ingenious use for the new technology, electricity.

Under Coolidge, the number of local telephone calls went up by a quarter. In Silent Cal’s time, Americans learned to chatter. Under Coolidge, wages rose and interest rates came down so that the poor might borrow more easily.

Under Coolidge, the rich came to pay a greater share of the income tax.

Perhaps most impressive is that Coolidge and his predecessor Warren Harding played pivotal roles in reducing federal spending by a remarkable 43% from $5.1 billion to $2.4 billion. Even more impressive is that he reduced the national debt by nearly a third, from $24 billion to $16.9 billion.

Coolidge’s efforts to bring the country together was quite noteworthy. He was a huge advocate of individual rights and had some surprisingly enlightened views about race. Coolidge also championed support for outreach efforts to bridge the racial divide in the country at that time.

I’m a third of the way through Shlaes book and am impressed with her deep research about Coolidge. I’ll update you as I get further into it.