Was Franklin Delano Roosevelt the last great Democrat President?

Question

I am typically libertarian minded because I have ideas that both political parties hold and there are not too many great politicians in either party, nowadays. Plus, the Democrat Party is too far left nowadays and it was infiltrated by anti-American Marxists around the 1950's. The Republican Party was infiltrated in recent times by corporations and religious fundamentalists. However, if I lived in the time of FDR, I would have been a dedicated Democrat and I would have voted for him every time he ran for President. Roosevelt set this country back on track after the Great Depression and his excellent leadership during WWII set him on the track to being one of the greatest US Presidents in history. He was stricken by Polio as a younger adult, yet, you would not notice it when he appeared in public, and he was a very, very strong leader who helped make this country the superpower it is today. I wish we would have another President with the same great leadership skills that Roosevelt had.

Answer 1

I would say JFK, as limited as his term was, would also be considered a great Democrat President. So that would make him the last one.

As for Steve's comment about Lincoln being the last great Republican President, I have two more for you - Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.

Answer 2

I would say FDR was easily the greatest President of the 20th century with Reagan and Kennedy 2 and 3 respectively. Reagan because he understood the new deal and did things to further it. Kennedy for being the visionary to put us on the moon first.

Here's what sets them apart, regardless of how you feel about their politics. All three of these people didn't take crap from anybody, something that our current leaders in either party have not been able to say in at least 20 years now. They walked in, told us what they were going to do and nothing, not Polio (FDR), not an assassin's bullet (JFK) or cancer (Reagan) was going to stop them from getting there.

Answer 3

How can you say that you would have voted for FDR and that you're libertarian minded in the same breath? FDR is almost entirely responsible for the government being as big, bloated, and oppressive as it is today. His policies actually prolonged the Great Depression in the United States because he operated under the Marxist belief that overproduction was responsible for the collapse of the economy. He tried to SLOW DOWN the economy as a result. What brought the economy out of the craphole was overproduction during World War II. He created a number of completely unconstitutional programs that the Supreme Court had the courage to strike down. World War II is one of his more honorable accomplishments, but if Bush or any other modern American president used the same war tactics that FDR did, he'd be rightly labeled a war criminal.

FDR overstepped the power of the presidency in a way that had no president before him had and I blame him for authoring the modern American presidency. Truman, too, but don't get me started on Truman.

Answer 4

No, Lincoln was. You forgot to mention how FDR refused to allow a boatful of Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany to disembark on, not only American soil, but gave notice to the Cubans that they'd better not allow those Jews to disembark there, either, or Cuba's American business might have some serious trouble. Those Jews ended up back where they came from because FDR was the example to the world and all of those Jews ended up in Auschwitz and gassed, which is exactly what Hitler predicted would happen. FDR did a lot of good things, but he isn't the "Great American" so many think.

Answer 5

For most main stream Democrats, probably. JFK might have eclipsed him had he been given the time. My mom and those of the Greatest Generation dearly loved FDR. What a change from the feelings people seem to have today.

Answer 6

FDR was a great president. The Republicans and big business fought him at every turn on his economic ideas. He is still today vilified along with his wife by conservatives. Barbara Bush has said the name Elenore Roosevelt is a curse word in her house. Of course her and her family were stinking rich during the depression.

Answer 7

A lot of people don't realize that Reagan was a die hard FDR Democrat before he was a moderately conservative republican. FDR began many socialist oriented programs that began the movement toward big government that we see today. Many critics of FDr thought he was a communist, though he wasn't. He was hoever a traditional big government democrat who raised taxes to pay for the many depression era programs, quite of few of which became permanent. People didn't mind because they needed help from those program and felt the price paid in taxes was worth the return. He was and is considered one of the more liberal democrats ever. Truman, who seceded him was far more conservative. FDR was elected four times but only served weeks into his third term before his body, ravaged by excess, polio and a chain smoking habit gave out. He died of a brain hemmorage in Warm Springs GA with his mistress at his side. She was swiftly wisked away so Mrs. Roosevelt wouldn't have to see her when she arrived in GA. (Mrs. R knew of his relationship). He was the rightman for the time, just as Lincoln was.

Clinton, in my view was a very good president who left us with a balanced budget and out of debt (not so anymore). By standard within the party he is considered a moderate to conservative democrat. Hillary is more liberal , but not as liberal as Pelosi, Obama or many others you can name.

Answer 8

LOL..Do you live under a rock.FDR's cabinet was chock full of communists and even his first VP Wallace was a communist who was dubs with Stalin and sold out America at every opportunity.
Not to mention prolonging the Great depression an extra 8 years due to Stalinist style price controls.
This back stabbing ,manipulative opportunist made Nixon look like a saint.
Just google FDR and communist...LMAO...you need a strong dose of a truth syrum/laxative kiddo.

Answer 9

I’m bias - I did much better while President Clinton held office. I made “okay” money; I was not in fear for my life EVERY fricking day of his term and America prospered.

I voted for Ronny twice and was let down with a great THUD.
I bet the people that voted for Shrub are feeling much the same about now…

Answer 10

Well, maybe we'll elect that person- NEXT year. There's ALWAYS hope... In Our lifetime to-date, however, Bill Clinton's been our best Dem. President. He might've been a great "lightning rod" for controversy, but he was a Leader whose "fortunes" smiled upon this Country for two terms- and that certainly wasn't the case before- or since.