Opinion of Calvin Coolidge

[Rooney]

I also fail to understand why libertarians admire Coolidge (and especially Harding). While he is definitely one of the least Constitutionally destructive presidents this nation has had (especially when compared to his immediate successors) he is by no means a "libertarian president." His administration supported American entry into the World Court, backed the fairly useless Kellogg-Briand Act, intervened in European affairs in terms of the Dawes Act, failed to curb the excessive lending of the Federal Reserves and supported a high tariff which greatly undermined trade with Europe.

I contend that Coolidge was one of the reasons why the Great Depression occurred, unlike most libertarian minded thinkers, but I contend that it is because his administration was far too engaged in the economy, not lacking in engagement. The Dawes Plan established an artificial inflationary boom in Europe, his Fed policies sustained an artificial Bull Market on Wall Street and his tariff rates isolated Europe and led to high prices. Additionally, he ignored Commerce Secretary Hoover when he called on him to not send more marines to Nicaragua and that continued misadventure brings forward shades of Iran-Contra..when a man who placed Coolidge's portrait in the Oval Office would be at the helm of state.

All of this said, Coolidge still ranks in my own top ten presidents list. He vetoed the WWI Veteran Bonus Bill and farm relief, repealed WWI Era excise taxes and gutted the power of the Federal Trade Commission (established by Grover Cleveland, another bizarre libertarian hero). The fact that someone with such a checkered history must be placed in the top ten of presidents reflects the low caliber of men who have attained the highest office in the Land of the "Free."     

[Rooney]

You're confusing Coolidge and FDR bro.  (Coolidge repeatedly asked Congress to pass an anti-lynching bill, FDR the principled strict constructionist was adamantly against such legislation on the grounds of being "unconstitutional").

I will be honest, sir, that pwnage was quite epic. I applaud your efforts.