The Greatest Forgotten President

Americans yearning for the leadership of former presidents is quite the common occurrence in today’s tumultuous political times. “If only we had another Abraham Lincoln or George Washington,” people wistfully say. While this is certainly an admirable wish, there is another president they should look to. Perhaps the kind of man really needed to lead the country today is neither Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, nor even Roosevelt. Perhaps the ideal president for this era of crippling debt, absurdly complex regulations and miles of red tape, tense international relations, and endless partisan bickering is a man perhaps most known for his propensity to say as little as possible. In a time when politicians rant, rave, and constantly make wild accusations on national television (or Twitter), perhaps what is needed is a president who once said, “The words of a President have an enormous weight and ought not to be used indiscriminately.”

By now it has become abundantly clear to whom this refers. Indeed, what average American would not have instantly guessed that the above refers to the 30th, and last genuinely fiscally conservative president, John Calvin Coolidge Jr.?

Now, before you laugh, hear me out.

It is true that the average person likely knows very little about Calvin Coolidge, and that is undoubtedly just how he would have wanted it. However, the general lack of familiarity with the Coolidge presidency is certainly no indicator that his accomplishments were few. In fact, quite to the contrary, Calvin Coolidge, though he said very little, acted slowly, and with much deliberation, did a great deal of good during his six years as president. And the best part about Coolidge is that both sides of the aisle could probably find something to appreciate in his policies.

Limited government conservatives of today would adore President Coolidge. It was noted that Coolidge's propensity for doing nothing was exactly what made him so popular. The Father of Modern Journalism, Walter Lippmann, once said of Coolidge, “This active inactivity suits the mood and certain of the needs of the country admirably. It suits all the business interests which want to be let alone.... And it suits all those who have become convinced that government in this country has become dangerously complicated and top-heavy...” Coolidge firmly believed that the best government was a small government, and governed as such, perhaps even to a fault. Coolidge famously vetoed the McNary–Haugen Farm Relief Bill not only because of its high cost, but also because he believed that agriculture should exist “on an independent business basis,” rather than being propped up by the government. Unsurprisingly, the size of government actually shrunk during Coolidge's time in office. This fiscal restraint allowed the United States to pay off one fourth of its national debt. Imagine for a minute, policies today that would allow the United States government to pay off $5 trillion of its debt!

In President Coolidge, the “taxation is theft” crowd would find a true champion. Silent Cal took office in 1923 and by 1927 he had completely eliminated income tax for all but 2% of the population. How is that for tax cuts?

Many conservatives question the power and influence of the United Nations. Coolidge would have as well. As president, he blocked the United States from entering into the League of Nations because he believed that it did not serve American interests. He also helped enact tariffs to protect American businesses from predatory foreign influences.

Coolidge favored a non-interventionist approach to foreign policy. While he was not an isolationist, it was clear that he preferred for America to keep to itself unless absolutely necessary. America ratified the Kellogg-Briand Pact during the Coolidge presidency, which, while it ultimately failed in its purpose of preventing another war, ended up serving as a basis for post-World War II international law.

“Silent Cal” is perhaps most recognized for his advancement of civil rights in America. In a time when African-Americans were subject to widespread and often violent discrimination, Coolidge was a champion of civil rights. In his first State of the Union address he said, “Numbered among our population are some 12,000,000 colored people. Under our Constitution their rights are just as sacred as those of any other citizen. It is both a public and a private duty to protect those rights. The Congress ought to exercise all its powers of prevention and punishment against the hideous crime of lynching […].” What a stark contrast to a few years prior when Woodrow Wilson publicly advocated for segregation. During Coolidge’s presidency the Ku Klux Klan gradually faded into obscurity. In 1924, he signed the Indian Citizenship Act, giving United States citizenship to all Native Americans, further cementing his status as one of the earliest supporters of civil rights.

If all these arguments are still unpersuasive, consider the fact that Calvin Coolidge is still the only president to have been born on Independence Day. He was clearly destined for greatness. (Note: reportedly, sources close to the family have said that there were indeed fireworks and multiple bald eagles present for his birth. This claim is being further investigated, but the author has found no reason of yet to doubt its veracity.) On a non-political note, Calvin Coolidge was a noted animal lover and once said, “Any man that does not like dogs and want them about does not deserve to be in the White House.” On top of all that, his taciturn and mysterious ways earned him what is assuredly the greatest nickname of any president: The Sphinx of the Potomac.

Over the last several decades Republicans and Democrats alike, anxious to advance their respective agendas, have drastically increased the size and influence of government. Even Lincoln and Reagan, men who are very nearly worshiped by conservatives, had a hand in this; Reagan increased government spending and Lincoln increased government influence. Maybe it is time to look to a new example of conservative ideals. Conservatives wax eloquent about the benefits of small government, so perhaps it is time to look to the example of a president who actually shrunk government, practiced true fiscal restraint, and believed that the best government was a limited one. Calvin Coolidge got government out of Americans’ way, and as a result the country enjoyed one of its most prosperous decades to date. Calvin Coolidge is exactly the president this country needs today.