FDR

November 17, 2022

I visited the FDR Library in Hyde Park, NY the morning after Donald Trump declared his candidacy for the presidency…again. FDR actually declared his candidacy four times, and won each time. In his monologue, Trump once again claimed that he accomplished more than almost any President in history save for maybe Abraham Lincoln.

In the face of an economy that had expanded every year for the previous eight years, Trump succeeded in not screwing it up until COVID came along. In contrast, FDR had to deal with this thing called the Great Depression. FDR created programs for the poorest among us. Trump cut taxes for the wealthiest among us. Trump took over at a perilous time in our history when the world was at peace. FDR had to deal with this thing called WW II. FDR had to deal with homegrown Nazi sympathizers known as the America First movement. Trump encouraged Nazi sympathizers with his Make America Great Again movement. FDR had to deal with polio. Trump suffered from bone spurs. FDR had fireside chats. Trump had chopper talk.

It looks like Trump is only the third best President of all time, and not second, which is still an historic achievement.