John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. (July 4, 1872 – January 5, 1933) was the 30th President of the United States (1923–1929). A Republican lawyer from
Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of
Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state. His conduct during the
Boston Police Strike of 1919 thrust him into the national spotlight and gave him a reputation as a man of decisive action. Soon after, he was elected as the 29th
Vice President in 1920 and succeeded to the
Presidency upon the sudden death of
Warren G. Harding in 1923. Elected in his own right in 1924, he gained a reputation as a
small-government conservative, and also as a man who said very little.
Coolidge restored public confidence in the
White House after the scandals of his predecessor's administration, and left office with considerable popularity.[1] As a Coolidge biographer 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."[2] Some later criticized Coolidge as part of a general criticism of laissez-faire government.[3] His reputation underwent a renaissance during the
Ronald Reagan Administration,[4] but the ultimate assessment of his presidency is still divided between those who approve of his reduction of the size of government programs and those who believe the federal government should be more involved in regulating and controlling the economy.[5]
Image via Wikipedia
