Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Good President, Average president, or bad president?

If you've been paying attention to the blogosphere (regarding economics and politics), There's been quite a controversy over the merit of FDR as a president, partly (at least IMO) because Barack Obama's policies share an eerie resemblance with FDR's policies.

I think FDR was a terrible president, but I would like to know your thoughts on the matter

Great President. The stuff he did may of been controversial, but it worked, and he lead the USA through some of the hardest times in American history, and he did so with great success.

I say he was a good president/man, but far from flawless and the best.

He was a good president. Did what had to be done during tough times. Sure he did create some programs which are grossly abused now but at the time they were what we needed. I've seen first hand how welfare actually works and changed someone's life for the better.

He was a great leader and a good president who sometimes made bad or morally wrong decisions. He is human so this can be expected (though interning Japanese-Americans during WWII is difficult to dismiss), however, and, in the end, the good outweighs the bad.

I think the man himself was an average to above-average president. He was a very good leader, but during the war he did a lot of controversial things, and during the great depression he did a lot of controversial things. But I think that his creation of the welfare state was one of the greatest achievements of any U.S. president to date (I know you are going to strongly disagree with that statement, dan), and FDR deserves a lot of credit for creating it. -Sun_Tzu-

At the time he was a great president who came up with a lot of (at the time) good policies that helped us out. He was always a great leader as well. Since his policies, which were supposed to last until we got out of the depression, are still around today and don't seem to be helping our people, I'd say by today's standards he's merely below average.

What he did was a great temporary fix, but I believe that welfare has gotten out of control now.

Great. For those who disagree, I would love to see who you consider great...

Great. For those who disagree, I would love to see who you consider great...

Mr47fitter

[QUOTE="Mr47fitter"]

Great. For those who disagree, I would love to see who you consider great...

LJS9502_basic

Jefferson was a great philosopher, but as a president, he pursued some disasterous economic policies and didn't actually practice what he preached. As for Lincoln, he had his share of morally questionable policies. I don't see why FDR shouldn't be on equal footing, at least with Jefferson.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"][QUOTE="Mr47fitter"]

Great. For those who disagree, I would love to see who you consider great...

HomicidalCherry

Jefferson was a great philosopher, but as a president, he pursued some disasterous economic policies and didn't actually practice what he preached. As for Lincoln, he had his share of morally questionable policies. I don't see why FDR shouldn't be on equal footing, at least with Jefferson.

FDR

Got The USA involved in WW2

and

Controlled the depression

I would say he did a fairly good job.

He managed to revitalize the country through his optimism. He was a great president during the time of war, however, he prolonged the depression through his government programs. I don't really mind that he served for four terms though.

[QUOTE="HomicidalCherry"]

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"] Jefferson and LIncoln....Jfisch93

Jefferson was a great philosopher, but as a president, he pursued some disasterous economic policies and didn't actually practice what he preached. As for Lincoln, he had his share of morally questionable policies. I don't see why FDR shouldn't be on equal footing, at least with Jefferson.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"][QUOTE="Mr47fitter"]

Great. For those who disagree, I would love to see who you consider great...

HomicidalCherry

Jefferson was a great philosopher, but as a president, he pursued some disasterous economic policies and didn't actually practice what he preached. As for Lincoln, he had his share of morally questionable policies. I don't see why FDR shouldn't be on equal footing, at least with Jefferson.

As for FDR...I'm not a fan of what happened with his welfare system. While a short term fix was needed it's became abused and not a system that helps people achieve independent living.

[QUOTE="HomicidalCherry"]

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"] Jefferson and LIncoln....Jfisch93

Jefferson was a great philosopher, but as a president, he pursued some disasterous economic policies and didn't actually practice what he preached. As for Lincoln, he had his share of morally questionable policies. I don't see why FDR shouldn't be on equal footing, at least with Jefferson.

He used his extra war time powers to snuff some things/people out of public light to keep the nation together. One of the most famous was to break the constitution to allow West Virgina as part of the Union as a state (when it was still part of the Confederate Virgina).

Not that I am saying what he did was not good or necessary.

Great. For those who disagree, I would love to see who you consider great...

Mr47fitter

[QUOTE="Mr47fitter"]

Great. For those who disagree, I would love to see who you consider great...

danwallacefan

[QUOTE="HomicidalCherry"]

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"] Jefferson and LIncoln....Jfisch93

Jefferson was a great philosopher, but as a president, he pursued some disasterous economic policies and didn't actually practice what he preached. As for Lincoln, he had his share of morally questionable policies. I don't see why FDR shouldn't be on equal footing, at least with Jefferson.

No, Lincoln declaring martial law in four states and suspending Habeus Corpus was morally questionable.

hes in the top 5

[QUOTE="Jfisch93"]

[QUOTE="HomicidalCherry"]

Jefferson was a great philosopher, but as a president, he pursued some disasterous economic policies and didn't actually practice what he preached. As for Lincoln, he had his share of morally questionable policies. I don't see why FDR shouldn't be on equal footing, at least with Jefferson.

HomicidalCherry

No, Lincoln declaring martial law in four states and suspending Habeus Corpus was morally questionable.

A very good president.

If you've been paying attention to the blogosphere (regarding economics and politics), There's been quite a controversy over the merit of FDR as a president, partly (at least IMO) because Barack Obama's policies share an eerie resemblance with FDR's policies.

I think FDR was a terrible president, but I would like to know your thoughts on the matter

danwallacefan

He was a great president, definitly top 5 although he did have his own mistakes. For the second part, no Obama's policies are not comparible ot those of FDR's, FDR appealed to main street, so to speak, creating jobs for example. Obama on the other hand has worked so far only for wall street.

Morally questionable? You can't base the presidency in the past by today's standards for one thing.

LJS9502_basic

Yes I can. We should honor men who rise above the biases and prejudices of their time and similarly, we shouldn't excuse wrongdoing just because it was socially acceptable at the time.

Lincoln did hold the union together and he did start the steps to abolishing slavery. Two very good policies. Whatever the reason. As for Jefferson he signed a bill making slave importation illegal. He repealed federal taxes and the Judiciary Acts of Adams which he deemed unconstitutional. His embargo act was a bit disastrous but no one is perfect and it was repealed. Plus, he gets props for the Declaration.

LJS9502_basic

I agree completely. My post was not to say that either man was anything but great, but to point out that in spite of the great things they both did, they had flaws, just like FDR.

*cough* Ethically questionable. It would depend on who's morals.

smc91352

I thought the fact that it was my post implied that I was judging based upon my morals.

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"]I think the man himself was an average to above-average president. He was a very good leader, but during the war he did a lot of controversial things, and during the great depression he did a lot of controversial things. But I think that his creation of the welfare state was one of the greatest achievements of any U.S. president to date (I know you are going to strongly disagree with that statement, dan), and FDR deserves a lot of credit for creating it. danwallacefan

Well thanks to deevolution, the federal welfare is effectively dead, now its all run on a state by state basis.

Hes a good president in my opinion.

Yes I can. We should honor men who rise above the biases and prejudices of their time and similarly, we shouldn't excuse wrongdoing just because it was socially acceptable at the time.

I agree completely. My post was not to say that either man was anything but great, but to point out that in spite of the great things they both did, they had flaws, just like FDR.

I thought the fact that it was my post implied that I was judging based upon my morals.

HomicidalCherry

1. Well that wasn't the point. In both cases they did take steps to stop it. However, given the times one can't expect an overnight solution.

2. You haven't given any indication as to why FDR was great though.

3. Your morals aren't the judgment on others though.

At the time he was a great president who came up with a lot of (at the time) good policies that helped us out. He was always a great leader as well. Since his policies, which were supposed to last until we got out of the depression, are still around today and don't seem to be helping our people, I'd say by today's standards he's merely below average.

Saturos3091

Many of the policies passed during his time(glass-steagall) have been removed in an effort to deregulate the markets, which i find as a major factor as to why the recession happened.

A horrible communist who did more to put the US on its current path than any other President. Ignored merchant marines being killed trying to get supplies to Britain before the US's involvement in the war, ignored warnings of a pending attack on Pearl Harbor, created a welfare state in order to sieze power.

A horrible communist who did more to put the US on its current path than any other President. Ignored merchant marines being killed trying to get supplies to Britain before the US's involvement in the war, ignored warnings of a pending attack on Pearl Harbor, created a welfare state in order to sieze power.

I_am_george

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a great president, and definitly in the top three that the United States have ever seen. FDR was by nature and by character a true leader and a very charismatic icon, although he made mistakes he by-in-large had a positive effect on his country, the mistakes will not be remembered in history as much as his triumphs, after all he was like the rest of us, only human. However,I will be more then willing to agree that much of FDR's legacy as one of the potentially "Greatest Presidents in US History" was strictly dependant on the time period in which he was in office. FDR lead the country through the Great Depression, was part of the victorious "Big 3" Allied powers of WW2, and although wasn't there to see the end of it, had a great part in why we defeated the Third Reich and ended the dangerous fashism and imperialism going on at the time. Whatever you personal opinion on FDR's profile was there is one thing that cannot be denied, he had a huge impact on modern history and that alone, nevermind good or bad, is merit enough that he is seen as a major player and an American Legend.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a great president, and definitly in the top three that the United States have ever seen. FDR was by nature and by character a true leader and a very charismatic icon, although he made mistakes he by-in-large had a positive effect on his country, the mistakes will not be remembered in history as much as his triumphs, after all he was like the rest of us, only human. However,I will be more then willing to agree that much of FDR's legacy as one of the potentially "Greatest Presidents in US History" was strictly dependant on the time period in which he was in office. FDR lead the country through the Great Depression, was part of the victorious "Big 3" Allied powers of WW2, and although wasn't there to see the end of it, had a great part in why we defeated the Third Reich and ended the dangerous fashism and imperialism going on at the time. Whatever you personal opinion on FDR's profile was there is one thing that cannot be denied, he had a huge impact on modern history and that alone, nevermind good or bad, is merit enough that he is seen as a major player and an American Legend.

Scarbridge

1. Well that wasn't the point. In both cases they did take steps to stop it. However, given the times one can't expect an overnight solution.

2. You haven't given any indication as to why FDR was great though.

3. Your morals aren't the judgment on others though.

LJS9502_basic

2. He helped us through the Great Depression, created Medicare, gave people hope, defeated Nazi Germany and Imperialist Japan, and was so popular that the democrats dominated Capitol Hill for the next twenty years, due in large part because of him and the programs he enacted. That's a pretty impressive resume.

3. So what other completely arbitrary moral system do you suggest I use to judge these people? My morals are no more or less applicable than any others in this situation.

2. He helped us through the Great Depression, created Medicare, gave people hope, defeated Nazi Germany and Imperialist Japan, and was so popular that the democrats dominated Capitol Hill for the next twenty years, due in large part because of him and the programs he enacted. That's a pretty impressive resume.

3. So what other completely arbitrary moral system do you suggest I use to judge these people? My morals are no more or less applicable than any others in this situation.

HomicidalCherry

You have to adjust for the time period.

[QUOTE="I_am_george"]

A horrible communist who did more to put the US on its current path than any other President. Ignored merchant marines being killed trying to get supplies to Britain before the US's involvement in the war, ignored warnings of a pending attack on Pearl Harbor, created a welfare state in order to sieze power.

gamesock

Perhaps that is your problem. Try finding out what he was really like.

Horrible President. There was only 3 good presidents.. They were as followed Jackson, Jefferson, and of course Theodore Roosevelt. Everyone else was horrible.

[QUOTE="HomicidalCherry"]

2. He helped us through the Great Depression, created Medicare, gave people hope, defeated Nazi Germany and Imperialist Japan, and was so popular that the democrats dominated Capitol Hill for the next twenty years, due in large part because of him and the programs he enacted. That's a pretty impressive resume.

3. So what other completely arbitrary moral system do you suggest I use to judge these people? My morals are no more or less applicable than any others in this situation.

LJS9502_basic

You have to adjust for the time period.

That is, as you said, a technicality. He was president for all but the last couple months of the war so if any president deserves credit for the U.S.'s victory over Japan and Germany in WWII, it is clearly him.

As for welfare, FDR cannot be blamed for the out of control growth of the program that happened after his death. When FDR implemented it, the welfare program was entirely necessary and apporpriate to deal with the failing economy.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]

[QUOTE="HomicidalCherry"]

2. He helped us through the Great Depression, created Medicare, gave people hope, defeated Nazi Germany and Imperialist Japan, and was so popular that the democrats dominated Capitol Hill for the next twenty years, due in large part because of him and the programs he enacted. That's a pretty impressive resume.

3. So what other completely arbitrary moral system do you suggest I use to judge these people? My morals are no more or less applicable than any others in this situation.

HomicidalCherry

You have to adjust for the time period.

That is, as you said, a technicality. He was president for all but the last couple months of the war so if any president deserves credit for the U.S.'s victory over Japan and Germany in WWII, it is clearly him.

As for welfare, FDR cannot be blamed for the out of control growth of the program that happened after his death. When FDR implemented it, the welfare program was entirely necessary and apporpriate to deal with the failing economy.

He also rejected any help ending the depression from world powers. So was welfare the only means to end the depression? No. But it gave him complete economic reign.