Editorial: The optimism of Franklin Roosevelt
Few of us remember Franklin D. Roosevelt, and for those who do, he is a pale memory.
Such is the claim time inevitably makes on even the greatest who walk among us. Roosevelt belongs, as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton presumably once said of Lincoln, to the ages.
FDR, whose Jan. 30, 1882, birthday we celebrated Sunday, died almost 77 years ago, in the days of newsprint, radio and black-and-white newsreels.
He was by then a man of 63, enfeebled by more than the polio that had long afflicted him. He suffered also from arteriosclerosis, extreme high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and acute bronchitis, the fatal combination that killed him just as the allies were advancing on Berlin.
His conspicuous debilitation was in sharp contrast to the larger-than-life presence he brought to the world stage and certainly to America.
There is little debate that Roosevelt was the most influential 20th century figure in United States politics.
Those of us living today cannot appreciate what a dominating personality he was. Despite his infirmities, his death in 1945 was met with disbelief. Roosevelt dead? Could that really be?
For good or bad - and mostly for good - the changes he wrought about were dramatic and far-reaching.
Roosevelt led the country out of its last great economic depression, introduced the welfare state, altered the definition of Democratic liberalism, introduced a more personal relationship between the White House and the public, established the minimum wage, instituted at least the beginnings of banking reforms, launched the first federal protections against employment discrimination and rallied the nation to win a great world war on two fronts.
If it weren't for Roosevelt - and his power, not just his vision - our senior population would not be fortified by Social Security today.
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today," Roosevelt said. "Let us move forward with strong and active faith."
Yet, for those of us living in the cancel culture, it is well worth remembering that Roosevelt was far from a perfect public servant.
Under his watch, the presidency seized more authoritative power and began the relentless diminution of Congressional jurisdiction, Japanese Americans were relocated to internment camps during World War II, Olympic goal-medal winner Jesse Owens was snubbed by a White House that welcomed white athletes, and America turned away refugees from the Jewish Holocaust.
He was not a perfect man or a perfect public servant.
But beyond the substantial contributions Roosevelt offered, he was an example of tenacity and perseverance and overriding optimism that enabled him to overcome daunting impairments that would have vanquished those of lesser confidence.
Roosevelt taught the country to believe in itself.
He did so by believing in himself.
That is his greatest legacy.