Okla-homey
1/20/2006, 07:21 AM
January 20, 1945 FDR inaugurated to fourth term
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/5650/zzzzpresrooseveltfranklin1xb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
On this day, 61 years ago, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the only president to be elected to three terms in office, is inaugurated to his fourth term.
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/8919/zzzz19138hg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
For his fourth inauguration on this cold winter day in 1945, FDR broke with tradition, probably said to himself "oh, to hell with it!" and decided to be inaugurated from outside his bedroom window at the White House. It was a small, intimate little inauguration with no parades, fancy balls or gala parties.
At the height of the Great Depression, Roosevelt, then governor of New York, was elected to his first term as the 32nd president of the United States. Perhaps interestingly, since the beginning of the twentieth century, a governor's office or the vice-presidency has been the most common stepping stone to the American presidency. In a hundred years, only JFK got to the White House straight out of the Senate.
Roosevelt graduated from Harvard University in 1904, and from Columbia Law School with a J.D. in 1908 before taking a job with a prestigious Wall Street firm. On Friday, Saint Patrick's Day, 1905, he married Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, a distant cousin, who was the favorite niece of Theodore Roosevelt, his fifth cousin. They had six children, five of whom survived into adulthood.
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/6393/zzzz0000016a8du.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The wheelchair bound FDR, his Scottish Terrier "Fala" and an unidentified little girl. Interestingly, most Americans had no idea FDR was so crippled by polio he was unable to walk. The press honored his wish to keep it on the down low.
In his first inaugural address in 1933, Roosevelt promised Americans that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" and outlined his "New Deal"--an expansion of the federal government as an instrument of employment opportunity and welfare. Although criticized by the business community, Roosevelt's progressive legislation improved America's economic climate, and in 1936 he swept to re-election.
Of the various reform programs initiated by the Roosevelt administration, the most far-reaching and influential was the institution of the Social Security system, a form of welfare that was meant to provide support for low-income and elderly citizens.
During his second term, he became increasingly concerned with German and Japanese aggression and began a long campaign to awaken America from its isolationist slumber. In 1940, with World War II raging in Europe and the Pacific, Roosevelt agreed to run for an unprecedented third term. Reelected by Americans who valued his strong leadership, he proved a highly effective commander in chief during World War II. Under his guidance, America became, in his own words, the "great arsenal of democracy" and succeeded in shifting the balance of power in World War II firmly in the Allies' favor.
In 1944, with the war not yet won, Roosevelt was reelected to a fourth term. Even many people who disagreed with many of FDR's domestic and economic policies voted for him, remembering the old American adage "You shouldn't switch horses in mid-stream."
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/7979/zzzz300pxfdr02161zg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
No TV yet. FDR making a radio address to the nation.
Also interestingly, during FDR's unprecedented and unrepeated time in office, Supreme Court vacancies allowed Roosevelt to eventually fill all nine seats with his appointments–the most of any presidency except George Washington's.
Three months after his fourth inauguration, FDR died. Roosevelt's unparalleled 13 years as president led to the 1947 passing of the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which limits future presidents to a maximum of two elected terms in office, or only one elected term if the president already served more than two years of another president's elected term.
Here's the text of the 22d Amendment to the most precious and important secular document ever written by humans:
The 22nd Amendment
Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
Section. 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.
Ratification was completed on February 27, 1951. Ratification required 36 states out of the then 48 (three fourths.) Today ratification would require 38 states. Perhaps interestingly, Oklahoma was not among the states to ratify the 22d.
Not sure why, might be an interesting historical enquiry or even the subject of a history masters thesis. Just speculation, but it might have had something to do with the almost complete and total reverence an overwhelming number of rural Okies felt for FDR.
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/84/zzzzfranklinroosevelt1cm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
FDR Memorial on the Mall in D.C.
Your correspondent's sainted grandmother for example, would give anyone a cussin' who bad-mouthed FDR. Having lost just about everything in the Depression and her and grandpa having endured the whole "Grapes of Wrath" dealio, they thought FDR was the shiz.
Here's the list of ratifying states and the date they did the deed:
1. Maine March 31, 1947
2. Michigan March 31, 1947
3. Iowa April 1, 1947
4. Kansas April 1, 1947
5. New Hampshire April 1, 1947
6. Delaware April 2, 1947
7. Illinois April 3, 1947
8. Oregon April 3, 1947
9. Colorado April 12, 1947
10. California April 15, 1947
11. New Jersey April 15, 1947
12. Vermont April 15, 1947
13. Ohio April 16, 1947
14. Wisconsin April 16, 1947
15. Pennsylvania April 29, 1947
16. Connecticut May 21, 1947
17. Missouri May 22, 1947
18. Nebraska May 23, 1947
19. Virginia January 28, 1948
20. Mississippi February 12, 1948
21. New York March 9, 1948
22. South Dakota January 21, 1949
23. North Dakota February 25, 1949
24. Louisiana May 17, 1950
25. Montana January 25, 1951
26. Indiana January 29, 1951
27. Idaho January 30, 1951
28. New Mexico February 12, 1951
29. Wyoming February 12, 1951
30. Arkansas February 15, 1951
31. Georgia February 17, 1951
32. Tennessee February 20, 1951
33. Texas February 22, 1951
34. Utah February 26, 1951
35. Nevada February 26, 1951
36. Minnesota February 27, 1951 * Resulted in ratification
37. North Carolina February 28, 1951
38. South Carolina March 13, 1951
39. Maryland March 14, 1951
40. Florida April 16, 1951
41. Alabama May 4, 1951
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1992/zzzztruman8lb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
FDR's former Vice President, now President Harry S. Truman signing the 22d Amendment
http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/2899/insane7zo8ms.jpg
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/5650/zzzzpresrooseveltfranklin1xb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
On this day, 61 years ago, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the only president to be elected to three terms in office, is inaugurated to his fourth term.
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/8919/zzzz19138hg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
For his fourth inauguration on this cold winter day in 1945, FDR broke with tradition, probably said to himself "oh, to hell with it!" and decided to be inaugurated from outside his bedroom window at the White House. It was a small, intimate little inauguration with no parades, fancy balls or gala parties.
At the height of the Great Depression, Roosevelt, then governor of New York, was elected to his first term as the 32nd president of the United States. Perhaps interestingly, since the beginning of the twentieth century, a governor's office or the vice-presidency has been the most common stepping stone to the American presidency. In a hundred years, only JFK got to the White House straight out of the Senate.
Roosevelt graduated from Harvard University in 1904, and from Columbia Law School with a J.D. in 1908 before taking a job with a prestigious Wall Street firm. On Friday, Saint Patrick's Day, 1905, he married Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, a distant cousin, who was the favorite niece of Theodore Roosevelt, his fifth cousin. They had six children, five of whom survived into adulthood.
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/6393/zzzz0000016a8du.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The wheelchair bound FDR, his Scottish Terrier "Fala" and an unidentified little girl. Interestingly, most Americans had no idea FDR was so crippled by polio he was unable to walk. The press honored his wish to keep it on the down low.
In his first inaugural address in 1933, Roosevelt promised Americans that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" and outlined his "New Deal"--an expansion of the federal government as an instrument of employment opportunity and welfare. Although criticized by the business community, Roosevelt's progressive legislation improved America's economic climate, and in 1936 he swept to re-election.
Of the various reform programs initiated by the Roosevelt administration, the most far-reaching and influential was the institution of the Social Security system, a form of welfare that was meant to provide support for low-income and elderly citizens.
During his second term, he became increasingly concerned with German and Japanese aggression and began a long campaign to awaken America from its isolationist slumber. In 1940, with World War II raging in Europe and the Pacific, Roosevelt agreed to run for an unprecedented third term. Reelected by Americans who valued his strong leadership, he proved a highly effective commander in chief during World War II. Under his guidance, America became, in his own words, the "great arsenal of democracy" and succeeded in shifting the balance of power in World War II firmly in the Allies' favor.
In 1944, with the war not yet won, Roosevelt was reelected to a fourth term. Even many people who disagreed with many of FDR's domestic and economic policies voted for him, remembering the old American adage "You shouldn't switch horses in mid-stream."
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/7979/zzzz300pxfdr02161zg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
No TV yet. FDR making a radio address to the nation.
Also interestingly, during FDR's unprecedented and unrepeated time in office, Supreme Court vacancies allowed Roosevelt to eventually fill all nine seats with his appointments–the most of any presidency except George Washington's.
Three months after his fourth inauguration, FDR died. Roosevelt's unparalleled 13 years as president led to the 1947 passing of the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which limits future presidents to a maximum of two elected terms in office, or only one elected term if the president already served more than two years of another president's elected term.
Here's the text of the 22d Amendment to the most precious and important secular document ever written by humans:
The 22nd Amendment
Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
Section. 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.
Ratification was completed on February 27, 1951. Ratification required 36 states out of the then 48 (three fourths.) Today ratification would require 38 states. Perhaps interestingly, Oklahoma was not among the states to ratify the 22d.
Not sure why, might be an interesting historical enquiry or even the subject of a history masters thesis. Just speculation, but it might have had something to do with the almost complete and total reverence an overwhelming number of rural Okies felt for FDR.
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/84/zzzzfranklinroosevelt1cm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
FDR Memorial on the Mall in D.C.
Your correspondent's sainted grandmother for example, would give anyone a cussin' who bad-mouthed FDR. Having lost just about everything in the Depression and her and grandpa having endured the whole "Grapes of Wrath" dealio, they thought FDR was the shiz.
Here's the list of ratifying states and the date they did the deed:
1. Maine March 31, 1947
2. Michigan March 31, 1947
3. Iowa April 1, 1947
4. Kansas April 1, 1947
5. New Hampshire April 1, 1947
6. Delaware April 2, 1947
7. Illinois April 3, 1947
8. Oregon April 3, 1947
9. Colorado April 12, 1947
10. California April 15, 1947
11. New Jersey April 15, 1947
12. Vermont April 15, 1947
13. Ohio April 16, 1947
14. Wisconsin April 16, 1947
15. Pennsylvania April 29, 1947
16. Connecticut May 21, 1947
17. Missouri May 22, 1947
18. Nebraska May 23, 1947
19. Virginia January 28, 1948
20. Mississippi February 12, 1948
21. New York March 9, 1948
22. South Dakota January 21, 1949
23. North Dakota February 25, 1949
24. Louisiana May 17, 1950
25. Montana January 25, 1951
26. Indiana January 29, 1951
27. Idaho January 30, 1951
28. New Mexico February 12, 1951
29. Wyoming February 12, 1951
30. Arkansas February 15, 1951
31. Georgia February 17, 1951
32. Tennessee February 20, 1951
33. Texas February 22, 1951
34. Utah February 26, 1951
35. Nevada February 26, 1951
36. Minnesota February 27, 1951 * Resulted in ratification
37. North Carolina February 28, 1951
38. South Carolina March 13, 1951
39. Maryland March 14, 1951
40. Florida April 16, 1951
41. Alabama May 4, 1951
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1992/zzzztruman8lb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
FDR's former Vice President, now President Harry S. Truman signing the 22d Amendment
http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/2899/insane7zo8ms.jpg