Calvin Coolidge – Friend of Common Sense

Today’s episode of Glenn Beck’s “Founder’s Friday” looked deeper into the presidency of Calvin Coolidge. ‘Silent Cal’ was Ronald Reagan’s favorite president. Historian Amy Shlaes, author of “The Forgotten Man”, was a guest and referred to Coolidge not as a ‘reformer’ but as a ‘refrainer’. Coolidge knew when not to act, which is usually better than acting and doing the wrong thing.

Which, of course, is what our current president, Barack ‘Hoover’ Obama, is doing. Each and every decision Obama has made since taking office has been an error, except perhaps allowing the Navy SEALs to do their job to rescue an American ship captain from Somali pirates.

Along with Amy Shlaes, Glenn also had another guest, historian David Pietrusza who authored “Silent Cal’s Almanack”. First, the basics. Calvin Coolidge became our 30th president when Warren Harding died suddenly during a trip to California. The Secret Service tracked Coolidge down at a cabin in Vermont where he was vacationing with his father. Coolidge’s father, who was a notary public, swore his son into office by light of a kerosene lamp (the home had no electricity, nor a telephone). Coolidge was sworn in again once he returned to Washington.

His State of the Union Addresses were real 'state' of the union messages. The last president to give congress information on the state of the country, not a campaign speech, not just a list of promises. Coolidge delivered them as an accountant would. The state of our debt, how the mines, ports and manufacturing were doing. Wonderful stuff. But he did mix in general themes. They quote better today so an example from 1926:

Nothing is easier than the expenditure of public money. It does not appear to belong to anybody. The temptation is overwhelming to bestow it on somebody. But the results of extravagance are ruinous.
The property of the country, like the freedom of the country, belongs to the people of the country. They have not empowered their Government to take a dollar of it except for a necessary public purpose.
But if the Constitution conferred such right, sound economics would forbid it.
Nothing is more, destructive of the progress of the Nation than government extravagance. It means an increase in the burden of taxation, dissipation of the returns from enterprise, a decrease in the real value of wages, with ultimate stagnation and decay.
The whole theory of our institutions is based on the liberty and independence of the individual. He is dependent on himself for support and therefore entitled to the rewards of his own industry. He is not to be deprived of what he earns that others may be benefited by what they do not earn. What lie saves through his private effort is not to be wasted by Government extravagance . . .
While I favor a speedy reduction of the debt as already required by law and in accordance with the promises made to the holders of our Liberty bonds when they were issued, there is no reason why a balanced portion of surplus revenue should not be applied to a reduction of taxation.
It can not be repeated too often that the enormous revenues of this Nation could not be collected without becoming a charge on all the people whether or not they directly pay taxes. Everyone who is paying for the bare necessities of fool and shelter and clothing, without considering the better things of life, is indirectly paying a national tax.
Whenever the state of the Treasury will permit, I believe in a reduction of taxation. I think the taxpayers are entitled to it. But I am not advocating tax reduction merely for the benefit of the taxpayer; I am advocating it for the benefit of the country . . .

Full text:
Fourth Annual Message
December 7, 1926

In my house growing up “Silent Cal Coolidge” was a favorite. There are 2 very good stories re: Coolidge.

During a state dinner a young lady, knowing of Coolidge’s reputation for few words said, “President Coolidge, I bet my husband that I could get you to say more than 2 words”

Coolidge’s reply - “You Loose”.

The other story has Mrs. Coolidge not feeling well, so President Coolidge went to church without her. When he came back, Mrs. Coolidge tried to find out what happened at the service.

“Did you enjoy the service?”.

“Yes”

“What was the sermon about?”

“Sin”

“For heaven’s sake Cal, what did the preacher say about sin?”

“He was against it”

AG
http://www.foundingideals.com

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