- This blog is OPTIONAL.
- Potential bonus points for those who show evidence of research, going beyond the packet, following the blog faithfully, insightfully commenting, and displaying high level thinking.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Bonus Blog: FDR
Use this blog to comment/discuss aspects of Franklin D. Roosevelt that you found interesting. You may write about any period of his life. Keep the information interesting and fresh!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
"It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something."
ReplyDeleteI've decided to start off this bonus blog with a quote. FDR here is talking bout the Great depression obviously, but more importantly he is describing how you can't be the president of the United States of America and just watch the great depression and sit around waiting for it to get better. You have to try different methods to get out of this terrible depression.
I think the FDR is in a sense... ripping on Hoover for just kinda trying to see if it would get better on it's own. Yet on the other hand he is talking to the Citizens of the United States,, and telling them they can trust in him because he will do everything in his power to get us out of the great depression.
Lastly, i have to say that i think FDR did a wonderful job with the new deal, and that f he did something that didn't work, he tried something else. He kept trying new things until he got something that really worked.
I agree with Andrew, that F.D.R did try new ideas until something finally worked. He really showed his perseverance.
ReplyDeleteRoosevelt had to learn his perseverance from somewhere. As a stereotype, you would think someone from a wealthy family, and student of Harvard wouldn't need to learn such a skill. But during the summer of 1921, at 39, he was struck with polio. It was about 2 weeks until he saw a doctor and was diagnosed with poliomyelitis.
But, Roosevelt always had his perseverance. He had steel braces attached to his legs to aid him with walking, and swam often to build muscule in his upper body. F.D.R was a frequent visitor of the spa, where he would ease his pain. Above all, he kept his positive attitude.
The 32nd President had several obstacles in his life, but gave each one with full effort. Nothing he did was without perseverance.
I think that Franklin Delano Roosevelt is comparable in many ways to President Barack Obama. F.D.R. was noted for being an eloquent public speaker who was able to convey his identity of an ordinary American, much like Obama has been known to do in his candidacy and presidential speeches. Also, F.D.R. was championed as the President who would lead the nation out of crisis and into economic prosperity, much like Obama has been portrayed as being in his presidency. Similarly, in the 1930s, the scapegoat people blamed for the Great Depression was Republican Herbert Hoover, much like how Republican President George W. Bush has been blamed for the recession. This comparison is not totally reliable, as the Great Depression was much more severe than the modern recession, but there are many undeniable similarities between F.D.R. and Barack H. Obama.
ReplyDeleteDid you realize that FDR had a severe disability from a polio attack he suffered in 1921? I hope you realized he had to use braces or a wheelchair, but, in the words of Curtis Roosevelt,relative of FDR, "Oddly enough the public today may be less aware of FDR's disability than the public was when he was alive." So many people today overlook the physical limitaions on the four time president of the USA. Not only where the physical limitaions a huge obstacle to overcome, but the limitaions that other people set on him, specifically his political opponents, was crippling alone. He did not, however, let his limitaions effect what he could do. When he re-entered New York politics shortly after the polio attack, many were worried that his disability would keep him from winning. The disability seemed to have no effect on the constituents as FDR easily won. FDR would accept no special treatment or pity based on his percieved limitations. FDR called such pity, "Sob stuff," according to Curtis Roosevelt. FDR did, however, limit the amount the public would see him in his wheel chair by presenting from behind desks or podiums. His main rational, according to Curtis Roosevelt, was so that his own image would not mar the confidence and hope he was attempting to embody.
ReplyDeleteIn a wheel chair and in the White House for four terms. I guess I dont have many excuses.
How inspiring! FDR did not let what he couldnt do get in the way of what he could do.
Ps. The previous qoutes are from------------ http://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/05/opinion/05iht-edcurl.t.html---------which is a great site to get more firsthand information about FDR's disability.
ReplyDeleteI really see the resemblance between Roosevelt and Obama, Wesley! Maybe another reason they received so much attention was because they were both different from the majority, Obama being African American and Roosevelt in a wheelchair.
ReplyDeleteThe citizens of American usually form their opinions and feelings of appeal or dislike to their supreme leaders based upon the economy. When few are unemployed and income is high, we love our presidents. I find it quite interesting that the 32nd president of the United States finished his presidency in a stronger economy than when he began his presidency. The 42nd president of the United States also ended his time in the Oval Office facing a better economy than when he had first started the job. Both the 32nd and the 42nd presidents had "sexual relations" with a woman whom was not their wife during their presidency. In the case of the 32nd president, approval ratings did not plummet; however, ratings did drop for the 42nd president. Surprisingly, the 32nd president engaged in intercourse while the 42nd president stopped at oral sex. The poles correlate oppositely. Now I am now sure why there is a double standard for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Maybe people let it slide because of his polio stricken body, or perhaps his smooth talking on the radio did the trick. All I know is that people did not seem to care Roosevelt slept with Eleanor’s secretary, Lucy Mercer, and people despised Bill Clinton for accepting sexual favors from his staff member Monica Lewinsky. Does it bother me that two of our greatest presidents (financially concerned) cheated on their spouses? Even though I must admit it is slightly disheartening, I do not care. I would rather simply not know about either of their immoral deeds. All I care about is that these two democratic presidents fixed our economies. Unemployment dropped and income rose. So why should I care about their personal problems?
ReplyDeleteAndrew’s post left me thinking about what we will ignore in a president, what we will overlook to see the substantial improvements they’ve made. The previous post mentions Franklin D. Roosevelt’s extramarital affair, something that in a moderately stable economy compared to the depression era, we would scornfully frown upon in someone representing our entire country. Are we willing to look past affairs and crippling disease if our president can really deliver what they promise and what the country needs?
ReplyDeleteOn his last address to Congress, Roosevelt was so fatigued he couldn’t even stand. Even with the usual aid of leg braces, the pain was too great for the 32nd President of the United States. This event was rather unusual for Franklin Roosevelt for he was reported to go as far as to support himself with his arms on the podium to speak in public, to avoid using his wheelchair. This was in hopes of convincing the pubic that his illness was improving. I find it interesting and inspiring that Roosevelt went so far to make the public feel as if their president wasn’t permanently disabled from polio.
Franklin D. Roosevelt is often thought of as the president that led the country out of the Great Depression, it may be possible that people will ignore his illness and marital affairs on this reputation alone.
These are some excellent comments about and analysis of FDR! Keep up the good work:)
ReplyDeleteWhat i found really interesting is that FDR wanted a second bill of rights. So that americans were entitled to Employment, with a living wage, freedom from unfair competition and monopolies, housing, medical care, education, and, social security. Saddly he died before it could be enacted but why would'nt anyone else try to enact it once he died, no one really knows.
ReplyDeletethis sounds kind of unintelligent compared to all of your responses, but what i like about fdr was that he was a people person. he actually cared about the people , and he just seemed so positive and happy to me, if my country was struggling and my president was all p.o. ed i would feel very scared , but fdr was so positive and was so PROAMERICA i like it!~
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for loads of interesting comments:)
ReplyDeleteF.D.R. had made himself out to be a remarkable man Throughout the course of his life. Over the duration of his presidency he had made some very bold and valiant attributions to our nation. At the time many people were against his new deal, although at the same time many were all for it. But, the president went with the harder choice that would hopefully pull take our country from a flabby ball of cookie-dough and transform it into an elaborately carved block of wood and the country was ever so grateful. Further more his dicey maneuver created millions of jobs and saved many people from debt of even starvation.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I wanted to make an addition to my post...,
ReplyDeleteFranklin Delano Roosevelt suffered from a potentially life threatening ailment, Polio. This disease comprises of a bacteria that painfully eats away at your muscles. This disease took root in F.D.R.'s legs. But, the most amazing thing about this to me is that even through all of the pain and agony the President still would stand in front of an entire National congregation and speak or wave. I found this to be the most admirable trait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.