FDR vs JFK

The one that at least was reasonable enough not to start WWIII. 

Considering JFK served less than four years and FDR twelve, it's not quite a fair comparison.   I like them both, very similar in many ways;  terrible health problems, wary of war, highly ambitious and forward thinking, put the people first, understood the fragility of life.

Kennedy because he cut taxes and no president has ever been worse than FDR.

Can't wait to see the current economic mess we're in stretch out for fifteen years and people call it a triumph, Rob.


Edited by thellama73 - November 12 2012 at 19:36

FDR kind of threw the Constitution away and did as he pleased, but it didn't necessarily harm our country.

Originally posted by SolarLuna96 JFK prevented the Cuban Missile Crisis, though I'm unsure of his amount of involvement. But Kennedy also gave us Lyndon which is unforgivable.

Interesting, you're unsure of Kennedy's involvement in a potential nuclear showdown?  Meaning he was drugged-up?  Entertaining 'lady friends'?  Kept out of the loop by a renegade CIA?  I'm just asking.

Originally posted by SolarLuna96 FDR kind of threw the Constitution away and did as he pleased, but it didn't necessarily harm our country. JFK prevented the Cuban Missile Crisis, though I'm unsure of his amount of involvement. But Kennedy also gave us Lyndon which is unforgivable.

If he had prevented the Cuban Missile Crisis, that implies that there was no Cuban Missile Crisis, because JFK prevented it.  Just sayin. 

As for the Constitution, sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few to cling to a 150 year old piece of paper (it was only 150 years old in 1939 before anyone says it's older than 150). 


Edited by The Doctor - November 12 2012 at 19:47

Originally posted by SolarLuna96 Originally posted by The Doctor Originally posted by SolarLuna96 FDR kind of threw the Constitution away and did as he pleased, but it didn't necessarily harm our country. JFK prevented the Cuban Missile Crisis, though I'm unsure of his amount of involvement. But Kennedy also gave us Lyndon which is unforgivable. If he had prevented the Cuban Missile Crisis, that implies that there was no Cuban Missile Crisis, because JFK prevented it.  Just sayin.  I see I've ventured into the world of politics where the meaning of what you are saying is understood, but your phrasing is berated, therefore rendering what you have said worthless. He prevented nuclear war.

Sense of humor dude.  Check into it.  I was just screwing with you. 

Hoover WAS big government, and while it seems impossible to know for sure....in my book it seems like the Great Depression was heading for another, albeit bad, recession, the kind that always happens (and always will).
Various policies made it worse/prolonged it.


Anyyyyyyywho: This is impossible to answer because JFK had such a short presidency, and when you get into it The New Deal legacy is kinda messy. Did it prolong a depression, or steadily fix one? Was the 1937 backslide proof we needed the New Deal or proof that it was a bust? Was the New Deal even enough to be effective??? Keynes wanted much more government spending.
Regardless of overall belief the New Deal did accomplish a few things like helping a housing crisis (with a program that ended up with a small profit) and started Social Security. That in itself was good but it spiraled out of control.
Just some stuff to research and ponder if you havn't.

As for JFK he just wasn't able to accomplish much in his time but he did push for tax cuts which later got passed, he spoke in favor of the Civil Rights Act which later got passed.
The real biggie is what would he have done with Vietnam? Sadly we'll never know. He increased our presence there at first, but later ordered the removal of 1000 troops, and he took a less militaristic tone overall. I want to say he would've pulled out of 'Nam but we just can't know.

After being a young, naive, easily dominated kid JFK really could've grown into a helluva figure. Shame he was iced by (insert 1 of 9001 possible people).
Ya know I never like to answer anything, just throw out my crap and hope to cause more thought


Edited by JJLehto - November 12 2012 at 20:02

Originally posted by SolarLuna96 But to play devil's advocate, would it matter how he solved it more than simply whether it was solved or not?

Well yes certainly problem solving is important in the presidency;  further, there is no doubt the Soviets putting missile launchers in Cuba was utterly stupid, provocative and unnecessary, and something had to be done.  You  simply can't have that kind of threat hanging over an entire coast.   It's just that the deals that were bartered could as easily been made before two naval fleets nearly nuked each other.  

Originally posted by The Doctor FDR by far.  He did a lot to get this country back on track again after the era of laissez faire economics led to the depression.  FDR restored economic order and helped ease the suffering of many and returned this country to greatness, until the era of Ronald Reagan brought it all crashing down.  And before you start Rob , my parents lived through the depression.  They were there.  And I'm not really interested in right-wing rewrites of history.

"Back on track" means you are operating on the assumption that the country was "on track" prior to the Great Depression.

Care to elaborate?