The Economist The Republican Presidents: Good or Bad?
Caleb Kwok, Katelyn Sharp, Rudy Nahra, Tommy Stevens
Table of Contents: ❖ Letter To the Editor……………..………….…….Pg 1
❖ Will America “Return to Normalcy”?..........Pg 2
❖ Should America be Isolated?.......................Pg 3
❖ The Red Scare: The Republicans’ Disaster..Pg 7
❖ Is Deregulation Deregulating Society?….….Pg 9
❖ Sources………………………………………………...Pg 12
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Dear Editor,
What is your opinion on the Republican Presidents and their effectiveness in running the nation?
-Daniel Higgs
During the presidency of Coolidge, the economy did grow. But because of the Republicans’ approach, it allowed monopolies and a differentiation of the social classes to grow. To the extent that the
Daniel,
The Republican presidents that we’ve had have not been as effective as they could’ve been. While they did allow the economy to grow, they also allowed monopolies to grow, abused the Red Scare, and did not isolate our country like the general public wanted.
During the presidency of Harding his plan was to bring America back to “Normalcy” and have the government stay away from the society. He wanted to create a federal agency to assist the veterans back to a normal life after World War one. Harding put a tight limit on immigration to the U.S. Lastly, he wanted to take away wartime taxes after the war was over.
27,000 families with the highest income earned as much as the 11 million families with the lowest income. Because of the Republican party’s approach to the economy, many companies were able to commit fraud without punishment and brought disasters like the Teapot Dome Scandal and the Red Scare.
Along with scandals, which have angered the people, the failure to isolate our country has also angered our people. Not only that, but the anger against other countries and foreigners has sparked a sense of nativism that has created groups like the Ku Klux Klan.
The Republicans’ handling of the Red Scare turned a bad situation into a disaster.
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Under the Republican presidents during the Red Scare,thousands were arrested without a warrant or fair trial. Hundreds were deported not because of actions, but political views. The Republicans also abused the Red Scare to take down unrelated organizations. All of these are reasons why the Republican presidents we’ve had are not effective. In conclusion, the Republican presidents we’ve had have not been effective because they allowed monopolies to grow, allowed nativism to spark, and allowed the Red Scare to get out of hand.
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Will America “Return to Normalcy” Katelyn Sharp All president Harding wants for America
Most people like Harding's idea of bringing
is to “Return to Normalcy”. Now, you are
America back to normalcy. They say that it will
probably wondering what that means. Well, what
bring them away from wartime stress because
Harding thinks to make America return back to
they need it and love his ideas about it. If you
normal is for the government to get away from
have a country like ours then you won't want
society and to get peace for the country.
financial issues if we bring America back to
However, Coolidge has a different definition of
normalcy. Having a government away society
normalcy. He thinks it means the government
may be a good and also a bad thing because
did little to interfere with business or economic
some people like to know how the government is
life in the country.
doing and they can create jobs and people help
To bring a country back to normalcy is a lot of
out with the government and protect our
work according to Harding. But he knows he can
freedom. The community thinks we need the
do it. His approach on this is to withdraw from
government to stay with society but that's my
world affairs because they just came out of
opinion because they protect us and can create
World War I and wants nothing to do with the
jobs.
rest of the world. Harding wants to take away
Finally, this plan to assist America back to a
wartime taxes because it is expensive. Things are
normalcy is good for America because we will
so expensive and unavailable during the war that
have no wartime stress and financial issues and
the president wants things to change. He hopes
will have a government away from society. In
that people will be happy and content once they
conclusion, Harding has a good point of view to
are no longer affected by the war. He cut taxes
what he is thinking and everyone says it will
and governmental spending. Credit became
work. I think America should return back to
available, and people can now purchase more
normalcy.
than they ever have before. How about creating a federal agency to assist the veterans? Harding believes it is a good idea to assist the veterans in the right way and return to a normal life; and also have everyone in the community return to a better and peaceful life. There will be tight limits on immigration into the U.S. because they don't want to deal with anyone or anything since they're just getting out of World War I and also have to deal with the presidential election. All that the veterans want is a peaceful and a clean environment.
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Should America be Isolated? Caleb Kwok In these times after the Great War, do
First of all, are we trying to isolate ourselves,
we honestly need to get into more conflict,
or are we trying to help the world? We have
more troubles, or even worse, war? The
removed our troops from Latin America, and
answer should be no! These two presidents
we have not joined the League of Nations,
have not been protecting us as much as we,
those are steps towards isolation, but
the people, would like for them to. We are
President Harding has tried to make amends
trying to isolate ourselves from the world,
with Mexico, after their betrayal in the war.
trying to care less about our foreign policy
We have not joined The League of Nations,
and affairs, but at the same time, trying to
so why is it that we occasionally have
stop another war from happening. This is
representatives attending their meetings?
not how our country should be. Our country
Along with that, if we’re not a member of the
must decide: do we stay isolated? Or do we
League, should we support the World Court,
try to act as a peacekeeper in the world? We
or should we just stay out? It seems as
also must also decide if we really are going to
though we are taking steps towards
have foreign affairs, would discrimination
isolation, but then we drag ourselves back
towards immigrants affect our relations with
into the world. If we can stay isolated and
another country?
neutral in a war, the best will happen for our country and for the American people.
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If we are isolated, why are we involving
Should we continue to leave the
ourselves in war? The problem is, our country
countries of Europe in debt to us, or should
is not isolated and is not working toward being
we help them? President Harding and his
isolated, so war is still a concern to our people.
budget director had a plan to help the
Our leaders, if they are not working toward
European countries to pay off their war
isolation, should join the World Court, along
debts. In this plan, we would loan Germany
with other means of preventing of war. The
the money they need in order for them to
Kellogg-Briand pact has done that, we have
pay back war reparations to both France and
successfully outlawed wars and many nations
England. This is a way to get France and
now agree that the declaration of war is illegal,
England out of debt, but not Germany. Even
but that is just a formality, it cannot be
if Germany is in debt to us, what gain do we
enforced, a country can still claim
get? A chance of peace and good relations
“Self-defense” and have war. We have signed a
between European countries? Though we
treaty with Germany, officially ending the war.
don’t know if this would work. On the
Oh my
AH !!!!!
contrary, President Coolidge has said that because these countries got themselves into their troubles, it is their problem and we are not obligated to help. We have been successful in compromising with other countries to disarm militaries across the world, but this mainly for large naval ships. What’s the point in reducing the number of
The Kellogg-Briand pact outlaws war, but it cannot be enforced, in other words, it is useless
large ships when countries can just produce smaller ships that are just as dangerous and allowed? The U.S. should not get into wars if we can stay isolated and neutral, but if our leaders are not going to isolate us, let us hope that world peace will be achieved.
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Our foreign affairs are
The Ku Klux Klan now comprises of
beginning to fall apart, beginning with
these people who have a strong sense of
our immigration, the immigrants are
nativism and think that their voices,
causing sever nativism among our
and only their voice should be heard. In
people. President Harding established
quite a few states they have a vice like
a quota system to regulate immigrants
grip on the government and have
and President Coolidge really pressed
routinely held marches in our nation’s
for it to be tighter thus the amount of
Capitol. The KKK, is not the patriotic
immigrants allowed from each nation
group it claims to be. Is it patriotic to
to enter our country has been reduced
discriminate against people who are
from 3% to 2% and amounts of total
different from us? Are these ideals not
immigrants have been capped off at a
contrary to the ideals our country was
maximum of 164,000 instead of the
founded on? Our country is not about
375,000 that was previously
one group against another, it is about
established. This is just ridiculous
being one unified country who fights
nonsense! How can we have a country
for the common goal, just like our
where people can have the products
forefathers fought for freedom from
they want, if there are no people that
England. We cannot reduce the amount
are willing to do the manual labor?
of immigration into our country, what
Yes, some immigrants are taking jobs
would that look like to other countries?
from workers, but employers don’t
Would a country be ready to engage in
have to employ them. Some large
foreign affairs with the U.S. if we are
businesses have done precisely that.
not acceptant to their people? We need
They are no longer hiring immigrants.
to accept their differences, so other
That may seem unfair to some, but to
countries will see that we are willing to
those people who lost their jobs, and
accept differences.
others, feel that immigrants are ruining America.
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In short, if our country is to be led into the next generation, we must decide whether we should isolate ourselves, and solve our domestic problems first, or to step out into the world. If we try to have good relations with countries, should the situation with immigrants be changed? Either way, our leaders have decisions to make; decisions that will hopefully lead to world peace.
The allowed flow of immigration from Europe is being reduced
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The Red Scare: The Republicans’ disaster Rudy Nahra Have you or someone you know been
day and age are being arrested without a
affected by the federal government
proper warrant or fair trial. Even more
combating the Red Scare? The federal
sickening is the fact that the Republicans are
government has taken drastic measures over
allowing this to happen. Even with the threat
the last few years to rid of the Red Scare
of radicalism, arresting possibly innocent
across the country. The Republicans have
people without a proper warrant is way over
allowed the police to arrest alleged radicals
the line. The Republicans have gone too far
without a proper warrant. The government
to combat the Red Scare.
acted irresponsibly in the name of fighting
The government, on all levels,
the Red Scare. Lastly, the Republicans have
normally follows a very specific procedure
abused America’s fear of the Red Scare for
when prosecuting someone in order to be
unrelated causes. For these reasons, the
fair to all. During the Red Scare a few years
Republicans have gone too far with their
ago, the government acted irresponsibly and
excessive and non-functional ways of
did not follow these normal and fair
combating the Red Scare.
procedures. The government deported some
Over the past few years, people have
people only because of their beliefs. They
been arrested across the country for alleged
had not done anything wrong. Members
radicalism without a proper warrant. Pool
were also expelled from the New York State
halls, restaurants, and even private homes
Assembly only because of their political
were raided by police forces in 33 cities.
views. The Republicans have gone too far to
4000 alleged radicals were arrested without
combat the Red Scare by punishing people
a proper warrant. It is outrageous that
who did no wrong.
people in America in this
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In conclusion, the Republicans have People in America, until now, seemed gone too far to combat the Red Scare to want to take down anything to do with the because they started to ignore the rights of Red Scare. The Republicans not only have Americans in the name of fighting the Red been adding to the fear of the Red Scare, but Scare. They also spawned nativism as a they have been abusing it as well. The result, and also abused America’s fear by Republicans have been pushing their own attacking unrelated things that were ignored agenda in the name of ridding of the Red or supported only because of America’s fear. Scare, and not the agenda of the American people. An example of this was the arrest of most of the members of the Industrial Workers of the World, an organization that was targeted by the federal government for years before the rise of radicalism, even before WWI, after they were accused of radicalism. The Red Scare died down when Americans finally realized that radicalism was not even close to a problem compared to how much the federal government was trying to take away their rights. This event has made it very clear that the Republicans have not only gone too far to combat the Red Scare, but are also abusing it.
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Is Deregulation Deregulating society? Tommy Stevens The economy may be booming, but it’s
the Federal Trade Commission was corrupt?
not helping America as much as you think. The
Allowing businesses to commit Fraud. Obviously
Government's laissez-faire view of the economy
the government is not controlling the companies
has let some unlawful things slip through the
rather it is companies controlling the
cracks: scams, monopolies, fraud and more. You
government.
may like the deregulation under the Republican party, but it is not helping America. Unemployment may at an all time low,
The lack of control of the government over the economy has let people create scams. One example it the Florida Land Boom, where
but poverty is not. The living wage for the
companies would sell worthless land in florida to
average family is $2,500 annual salary, but half
prospects who would try to sell that land for
of tax paying families are earning an average of $
more once the stock went up. This left many
1,500 per year. And the majority of those
people with worthless land, sometimes
families are unskilled workers, who have the
underwater. Another is the Ponzi Scheme. This
hardest time finding jobs.
scam claimed to make everyone a lot of money.
Government is corrupt under the
But the mastermind, Ponzi himself, would just
Republican Party. Remember the Teapot Dome
take money he got from new investors to other
Scandal? When the Secretary of Interior, Albert
older investors. Laissez-faire let american
Fall, sold government oil reserves to oil
citizens lose millions of dollars.
companies for bribes. Or when the Attorney
Big businesses are only getting bigger
General, Harry Daugherty, retrieved $75,000
causing monopolies. For example, it is even
when he only had a salary of $12,000. Or how
more distraught in the car industry. Ninety
about when it was revealed to the public that
percent of the whole industry is controlled by
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But the mastermind, Ponzi himself, would just take money he got from new investors to other older investors. Laissez-faire let american citizens lose millions of dollars. Big businesses are only getting bigger causing monopolies. For example, it is even more distraught in the car industry. Ninety percent of the whole industry is controlled by three giant monopolies: Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors. This is greatly reducing the competition which allows them to increase their prices leaving you no choice to buy it. All in all, deregulation has benefits and drawbacks. The Republicans have increased employment, but they are horrible jobs that don’t pay living wage. Production is increasing, but that is because of big companies becoming monopolies. The cost is not worth the risk. The stock may be rising, but eventually it is going to fall. And when it falls it will fall hard.
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