Ronald Reagan and Franklin Roosevelt Both Ronald

Ronald Reagan and Franklin Roosevelt Both Ronald Reagan and Franklin Roosevelt were influential presidents in American history. Although they oftentimes had different views on politics, the function of government in general, and economics they did share similarities. Franklin Roosevelt was the third second president of our country and served from 1933 to 1945. He assumed the presidency at the pinnacle of the Great Depression. Ronald Reagan, the "Prime Time President," was the fortieth president of the United States and served from 1981 to 1989.

During his Inaugural Address, FDR said one of the most famous lines in history: "They only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He was a Democrat and first held the elected office of New York Senator in 1910. He also was Assistant Secretary of the Navy during Wilson's administration, and was a nominee for president in 1920. When Roosevelt was 39 he came down with polio, and has been crippled ever since.

His strength to overcome his disability earned him the nickname "The Happy Warrior." After serving as governor of New York in 1928, he was elected to the first of his four presidential terms in 1932. When he was elected, the Great Depression was at its height with thirteen million people unemployed and closed banks everywhere you looked. His revolutionary first 100 days program helped jumpstart America's failing economy.

He developed a program through the development of the Tennessee Valley Authority that would help those who were at risk for losing their farm or home. Despite the fact that the nation was in better shape in 1935 than it had been in 1932, many businessmen and bankers resented his New Deal program. They thought it was too risky to allow deficits in the budget and take America off its previous gold standard. Regardless of the criticism he would often receive, FDR established the most revolutionary of his reform movements: Social Security.

The basic components of this welfare policy was that the wealthy would be taxed more than the poor, the government would have control over both banks and public utilities, and there would be a welfare program for unemployed citizens. In the field of foreign policy, FDR initiated the "good neighbor" policy which made the Monroe Doctrine an agreement for collective action against aggressors of our nation. He believed that the best way for the United States to stay out of war was to have a neutral legislation.

Although he was not shy when it came to helping out others. When France invaded Great Britain in 1940, he sent Britain all sorts of aid (basically everything except his actual military) to help it recover. The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 serves as a catalyst for FDR to develop even more revolutionary programs. He planned the United Nations which he hoped would ease relations between the United States and Russia.

Ronald Reagan made a great campaign pledge in 1980 " to restore the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism." Unlike FDR who has almost always been involved in politics, Reagan was an actor who was in over 53 films and served as president of the Screen Actors Guild. Beginning in 1966, he served two terms as governor of California. On January 20, 1981, Reagan began his two-year term as President of the United States.

He worked well with Congress, and proposed legislation that would stimulate the economy, curtail the high inflation rates, and strengthen the nation defense. He cut taxes left and right and began giving more money to the defense forces. As a result of these actions, our country faced a large budget deficit.