Posted on 11/19/2023 7:29:31 PM PST by RandFan
Someone commented that Milei in Argentina is perhaps the MOST libertarian elected figure in the WORLD since Calvin Coolidge was elected president.
Can any FR historians tell me about Mr. Coolidge and his administration?
I want to know where I can get an unbiased account as you know from the usual sources it's impossible.
Also, do you agree with this statement?
This is a significant moment I feel!
Can’t direct you any site for information, but Cal has always been one of my favorites. He was very much libertarian in the sense that he felt that the federal government should have minimal involvement in people’s daily lives. A real “Government that governs least, governs best.” Kind of guy.
Amity Schlaes wrote a good biography just a few years ago.
Coolidge was famous for doing and saying very little, and he had great success with this approach.
There was a financial crisis (in 1923?) and Coolidge did nothing. And things got better within the year. Then in 1929 there was another financial crisis. President Hoover sprang into action and tried to “fix it”. And that’s the Great Depression.
The biography by Amity Schlaes is probably the best source.
Coolidge did a fine job as President, but he followed in the footsteps of the much maligned Warren G Harding, who I think is probably America’s most underrated President. Teapot Dome notwithstanding, Harding accomplished great things during his brief Presidency.
And both Coolidge and Harding carefully followed the advice of Treasury Secretary Andrew W Mellon. Herbert Hoover did not, which led to economic disaster.
You want to know where you can get an ‘unbiased opinion’ of President Calvin Coolidge???
Wellllll, how about RIGHT here...in your own FR back yard .... ;-)
https://freerepublic.com/tag/calvincoolidge/index?tab=articles
Actually the financial crisis was in 1921, and it was Harding who took Mellon’s advice to do nothing. It was great advice!
Brilliant.
I will look at that up. Thanks!
Near- Great President.
Well, I also like Harding. I think he got a very bad rap. Oddly enough, I had a teacher, around 1972, when I was about 12, who HATED Harding and made a big deal out of it. Sort of like a Never Trumper, but Never Harding. And she wasn’t all that old. Weird.
Coolidge replaced Harding who died in August of 1923.
Coolidge was with his father in Vermont Coolidge from Massachusetts and his father was a judge (justice of the peace) administered the oath of office.
That’s what I recall about Mr. Coolidge.
-PJ
A proper bio is exactly what I wanted (indeed required) because you can’t rely on these skewed online sources.
Sad isn’t it.
Some good material there!
@PGR88 seems to agree with the statement he was the last truly libertarian elected figure
“Vote for Coolidge” - Aunt Clara
Coolidge was a conservative, not a libertarian.
Clavin Coolidge was truly the last Conservative that was President of this country. Certainly the last pure Capitalist President ever.
Good book on Coolidge is Coolidge by Amity Shlaes. I have that one.
From what I’ve read Harding did do something.
He cut spending, shrank the government.
The economy rebounded
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.