Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)

Calvin CoolidgeA Republican lawyer from Vermont, John Calvin Coolidge (July 4, 1872 - January 5, 1933) worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state. His actions during the Boston Police Strike of 1919 thrust him into the national spotlight. Soon after, he was elected as the twenty-ninth Vice President in 1920 and succeeded to the Presidency upon the death of Warren G. Harding. Elected in his own right in 1924, he gained a reputation as a small-government conservative.

In many ways Coolidge's style of governance was a throwback to the passive presidency of the nineteenth century. He restored public confidence in the White House after the scandals of his predecessor's administration, and left office with considerable popularity. As his biographer later put it, "he embodied the spirit and hopes of the middle class, could interpret their longings and express their opinions. That he did represent the genius of the average is the most convincing proof of his strength."

Many later criticized Coolidge as part of a general criticism of laissez-faire government.His reputation underwent a renaissance during the Reagan administration,but the ultimate assessment of his presidency is still divided between those who approve of his reduction of the size of government and those who believe the federal government should be more involved in regulating the economy.¹

Quotes

"Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong."
"Never go out to meet trouble. If you just sit still, nine cases out of ten, someone will intercept it before it reaches you."

"Perhaps one of the most important accomplishments of my administration has been minding my own business."

"You know, I have found out in the course of a long public life that the things I did not say never hurt me."

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