Franklin Delano

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, or FDR as almost the entirety of the United States knows him, is one of the best known figures in American politics and history. He has the distinct honor of being the only American president to ever be elected four separate times by the people - not only because of his almost unmatched ability to lead a country in times of crisis, but his also for his charisma and transformation of the presidential office. His New Deal plan jump started a country badly in need of a leader and helped make it what it is today.
With our country today barely on its way out of an economic downturn, to say the least, I feel it’s important to honor those who have helped get us out of the most serious of positions in the past, and FDR is near the very top of that list. Obama is often compared the FDR in terms of how he is trying to help the country, but to fully understand that comparison it’s important to recognize exactly how much Roosevelt did for the country to bring it out of the depression. Presidents before and since have faced difficult situations but for times of economic crisis, FDR is the measuring stick against which all presidents since have been and will be measured.
Imagine, for a moment, living in the great depression. The unemployment rate is 25%. Millions are without money, food, or homes. Jobs are scarce, difficult, and low paying. It’s easy to see times now and say they’re bad, but they’re nothing compared to waiting in lines through the winters for weak soup.
Roosevelt’s first election in 1932 was based almost completely around the idea of a “New Deal”, economic programs specifically drafted to heal the badly damaged economy. People were so desperate and hopeful during his first election that he won 42 states of the possible 48. Their trust in him was well placed. Roosevelt’s New Deal brought about a new era. Programs such as the Works Progress Administration, the Federal Housing Administration, and the Federal Deposit Insurance...