The Presidents: Aside from Reagan, what other "right" men have been in the White House?

Opinion Journal ^ | 03/03/03 | Michael Barone

[Pokey78]

Liberals have their pantheon of presidents, established by the New Deal historians. "Great presidents," in their view, are those who expand the size and scope of the federal government in the interest of the masses against the interests of the classes. By this criterion Franklin Roosevelt is one of the greatest presidents, in a line that includes Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Wilson.

[patriciaruth]

Eisenhower was the quintessential liberal Republican.

"I like Ike" was the mantra of my childhood, so do you have any idea what Mr. Barone meant with this blanket and, to my mind, unfair remark.

[I Am Not A Mod]

Free Republic Highlights 3/03/03 (doesn't that date look cool?)

[fporretto]

Eisenhower, though he is considered a nominal conservative, was quite friendly to the expansion of the federal government. Though not as quickly as under Nixon, the federal bureaucracy grew at a substantial rate during his tenure. (I'm at work, without my references, so I can't give exact figures.) He was not averse to government activism in a number of areas that conservatives are expected to deplore.

Probably the most effective conservative president of the 20th Century was the completely unappreciated Warren Harding, who reduced the federal payroll by 40% in his term in office. Harding almost succeeded in entirely undoing the federal expansion presided over by Woodrow Wilson. Calvin Coolidge, whom history remembers with more approval (though not much), was quite effective at restraining new growth in the federal government.

Paul Johnson makes some illuminating observations about the Harding and Coolidge presidencies in his book Modern Times.

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason:
http://palaceofreason.com

[speedy]

Grover Cleveland -- probably the most libertarian President we ever had. A lot of the anonymous late 19th century guys were fine -- Hayes, Arthur, McKinley -- they just kind of let prosperity and progress happen without screwing it up. You never get much credit for just knowing when to keep quiet.

[speedy]

Yes for Calvin. And all good Freepers should make the pilgrimage to his wonderfully preserved home in Plymouth Notch, Vermont. From back when Vermont didn't model itself after Cuba. The fashionable types used to mock him in his day, too. Like with W, they frequently referred to his supposed stupdity, this man who was something of a classical scholar and could read his Virgil in Latin. Silent Cal bump.

[fporretto]

No argument, Speedy. But I deliberately restricted myself to the 20th Century, because in the 19th Century it was the Democrats who were more in favor of restraining the State.

There was a huge turnover of positions when the Cleveland Democrats were ousted from control of the Democratic Party by the Jennings Bryan Progressives. It makes fascinating reading.

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason:
http://palaceofreason.com

[pittsburgh gop guy]

AMERICAN CONSERVATISM series bump.

[Stefan Stackhouse]

I think that some credit could go to William Henry Harrison and James Garfield for HAVING DONE LESS DAMAGE than any other presidents.

;-)

[speedy]

Wow -- great site. Thanks!!

[Valin]

Wasn't it Coolidge who said "The business of America is business."?