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Essay on Hoover vs. Roosevelt

Satisfactory Essays

Matt Stefanko
APUS – Period 7
8 April 2010

Hoover vs. Roosevelt

Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt were both presidents during one of the most difficult times in American history, the Great Depression. To try and ease the hardships that many Americans were facing, each President developed many different programs. The different actions that each took to lessen the blow of the depression classified them as either a liberal or conservative. If their actions focused on helping the economy, they would be considered a conservative. If they were more focused on helping the lives of the American people, they would be classified as a liberal. Neither President can be labeled as strictly one. Although Franklin Roosevelt was …show more content…

E). He also mentions his firm stance on not raising taxes. These statements show his firm stance on helping the American people, and therefore liberalism. The United States Government finances between 1929 and 1941 also proves Roosevelt’s liberal attitude. When Roosevelt became president in 1932 the expenditures went up, the deficits increased, and the total public debt grew at an incredible rate (Doc. F). This makes it seem like Roosevelt does not care about the economy. In his speech at Syracuse New York four years later, he admits to being both a liberal and conservative. He stated that “I am that kind of conservative because I am that kind of liberal (Doc. G). Roosevelt saw the advantages of each side but he mainly stays toward liberalism throughout his presidency. This is seen especially in his speech at Washington D.C. He takes a strong liberal stance and speaks the needs of the people and how it is the government’s job to help them (Doc. H). Roosevelt felt very strongly about liberalism. Herbert Hoover was more conservative and Franklin Roosevelt was more liberal, but they both also expressed views that crossed onto the other side. Therefore they cannot be strictly labeled as either. Hoover started out as a strong conservative, but it is easy to

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