Sunday, February 24, 2013

Calvin Coolidge

"Silent Cal" was the President most admired by Ronald Reagan for his attitude of as little government as possible.  A new bio by Amity Shlaes calls Coolidge "our great refrainer" for his "aptitude of brevity".  He allegedly gave all his bureaucrats one pencil each (to write policy) and expected the stub to be returned.  With Andrew Mellon (Treasury Sec) he advocated "scientific taxation" which was an early effort at supply side economics; tax less and gov't revenue would increase.  Which it seems it did during the years of his admin.  The source for this article states the following:  "During the 67 months of his presidency, the national debt, the national government, the federal budget, unemployment (3.6%)and even consumer prices shrank.  The GDP expanded 13.4 %"
This source also offers the following anecdote:  "When Pres and Mrs Coolidge were being given simultaneous but separate tours of a chicken farm, Grace (his wife) asked her guide whether the rooster copulated more than once a day.  'Dozens of times' she was told.  'Tell that to the president' she said.  When told, Coolidge asked, 'same hen every time?'  When the guide said, 'A different one each time', the president said: 'Tell that to Mrs Coolidge"
(Source:  "Remembering the wisdom of 'Silent Cal' Coolidge" by George Will of the Washington Post.  In The Record on 2/19/13).