President Coolidge

I had to write a paper on who I thought the Best President of the United States was (President Reagan and Abraham Lincoln were not acceptable answers). I thought I would share.

In the history of our country, many men have been hallowed with the honor of serving their country in one of the most important and extraordinary way; to protect and serve as the President of the United States. While all men who hold this most prestigious office are historically of good character, one man in my mind stands out as the best President in the history of the office; that man is Calvin Coolidge, the thirtieth President of the United States.
John Calvin Coolidge Jr. became President August 3, 1923, the day after President Warren G. Harding had died. Coolidge was sworn in by his father, a notary public, with his right hand on his family’s own Bible. While in office finishing Harding’s term, Coolidge pledged to carry on President Harding’s policies and cabinet members, even though Harding’s administration was scandal ridden and very ineffective. However, Calvin Coolidge was not a man who acted without reason or cause and thought it best to serve the rest of Harding’s term and seek his own election to the office afterward, because the people had elected Harding not him.
In 1924, President Coolidge won an overwhelming victory over his democratic opponent John W. Davis. It was during this term that President Coolidge, in my mind, became the best President of the United States. Coolidge cut taxes and refused to intervene in the affairs of the economy (This is known as a “laissez-faire” economic policy that would later become famous during the Reagan Administration), a decision that resulted in the prosperity that we now know as the “Roaring 20’s”. Not only did Coolidge decrease the tax burden on the American People, he also reduced the size of government dramatically. As President, Coolidge was a man who did not react to situations, he calmly responded to those which he thought required his attention. Because of this, people have accused him of not caring when he did not visit the damaged areas of Mississippi Flood, because he viewed a potential visit as not helping anyone and would only be political pandering, which is not what the people needed at that time.
On this note, I am reminded of the one specific thing that draws me to propose that Calvin Coolidge was the best President of the United States. Calvin Coolidge did only what was best for the country at the time. President Coolidge bolstered the post war economy by reducing taxes when it should have been suffering, He allowed america to recuperate from the first World War by not being as involved in foreign affairs, and he did nothing when action was not necessary. Instead of trying to fix a country that was not broken and secure his name in the history books as the man who
did this or that, President Coolidge was secure in his place in history as the man who was one of the least active Presidents and as a result, the country progressed into the future safe and sound. Below are some of my favorite Coolidge quotes that will show how a man of few words made those few words mean as much as possible.
“Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery” 
“Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong.”
“Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil. Our great hope lies in developing what is good.”
“No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.”
“Perhaps one of the most important accomplishments of my administration has been minding my own business. “
“The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten”

The Vietnam War

The past month I have watched several interesting movies set during the Vietnam War. One of them is "We Were Soldiers" staring Mel Gibson. The other is "Good Morning Vietnam" staring Robin Williams. Having watched these movies, I believe I have stumbled onto something that has disturbed me deeply and has also inspired me.
The Vietnam War has been distorted by the media and in the minds of the people is the darkest time of our country. We were so close to defeating the Communists in Vietnam and yet surrendered right when we were close to victory.
I am not going to pretend that I know all the facts behind the Vietnam war just from watching two movies, but what those movies depicted is a great injustice that I would never EVER want to see happen again. However, I see on the horizon another "unpopular" war in Iraq today. Trust me, losing should not be an option to the United States, because if you open the door even a crack to evil, they will charge into your house and tie you up before you know what happened.
Because of the surrender in Vietnam, it took another 20 years to defeat communism. It took a Reagan to defeat communism. I know for certain that unless the hand of God moves upon our election, that the next Reagan is not going to be in the White House for at least another 4-8 years. We have to win in Iraq and we have to remember history. Vietnam was ours and Iraq is also ours, the troops believe in what they can do now just as another generation of freedom fighters did back in Saigon.
Don't let darkness fall on our country again...

To keep you posted...

I'm not overly zealous
maybe thats my problem
i am overly jealous
but that isn't enough to bother him

"I never meant to cause you trouble
I never meant to do you harm"
my little world is lost inside a bubble
blown by the winds, billowing and warm

thats right, you've figured me out
the key to unlocking me is not that far
we are currently remodeling, so do watch out
the world looks different when its upside down

Ever wonder what it all meant?
the answer is not what you think
though it is heaven sent
it will be gone within a blink

enjoy dinner, it won't be here long
and please drive safely, we hope you enjoyed your stay
everything isn't entirely long gone
but it is being blown that way

what can and could have been
are almost as important as what never will
but the difference in the end
is what winds up on your bill...