Why Franklin Roosevelt is generally considered a great President and why Jimmy Carter is usually considered a bad one

Running Head : The Tale of Two Presidents

Franklin Roosevelt and Jimmy Carter

The Tale of Two Presidents

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Franklin Roosevelt and Jimmy Carter : The Tale of Two Presidents

What makes a good president ? Consequently , what makes an great president ? How does one measure the greatness of a political leader In the history of the United States , Franklin Roosevelt is revered as a great American president . On the other hand , Jimmy Carter is not perceived the same way . This essay aims to discuss the differences

between the two presidents and discover how these differences result in the people 's perception of their presidency

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is considered as one of the great presidents of the United States . If the longevity of one 's presidential term is used to measure a president 's greatness , then Roosevelt is indeed a great president . Roosevelt was the 32nd American president his term lasted from 1933 to 1945 (Rosen , 1992 . His is the longest term in the history of the American presidency he was the only president who exceeded two terms in office (Roosevelt Impact ' 2008 Franklin n .d . However , it is more important to note that what he did during his presidency is more significant than the actual length of service

During the time of Roosevelt , the United States was still suffering from the Great Depression , a period marked by the most severe economic situation the country had ever faced (Rosen , 1992 . Between his election and inauguration , the economic state continued to worsen more and more people were unemployed , while banks continued to suffer as people in panic withdrew all their savings (Roosevelt Domestic 2008 . As president , it became his task to save his country from the economic slump it was facing

It was his character that truly made him an exceptional president Roosevelt was optimistic and confident , despite the dire economic conditions he had to deal with (Roosevelt Domestic ' 2008 . It was his self-confidence that was the source of assurance for the American people , who were losing hope in such problematic times . He also was a pragmatic and flexible president . He said that he will try to do something about the depression if his plan works , he will proceed in solving the next problem . If his plan does not work , he will figure out what went wrong and try another option . He also connected with the public with his fireside chats ' which were broadcast on the radio (Rosen , 1992 ,

. 308 . It is these qualities that made him an epitome of great leadership (Roosevelt Domestic ' 2008

Roosevelt was a great president because he modified the role the federal government played in the economic and corporate aspects of American life (Roosevelt Domestic ' 2008 . He was able to do so through the New Deal , his plan in solving the economic problems of the country (Rosen , 1992 . As part of the New Deal , there was a period called Hundred Days ' which was characterized by the passage of many bills that sought...