Comprehensive Study Guide on the Presidency and Policies of Calvin Coolidge

Before serving as vice president under Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge worked as a lawyer and served as the Governor of Massachusetts.
Characterized as a man who was not very sociable or juvenile.
Earned the nickname "Silent Cal" due to his exceptionally quiet nature; when he did speak, it was delivered in a high, nasal voice.
Claimed that running for office was his only hobby, though he was also an avid fisherman.
Possessed a sharp, dry New England wit.
State Dinner Anecdote:
- At a formal state dinner, a woman sitting next to President Coolidge attempted to engage him by stating: "I'll upset you, mister president, but I can get you to say more than two words in the course of this evening."
- Coolidge turned to her briefly and replied: "You lose."
Novel Exercise Routine:
- Exercised by riding a mechanical horse set up in his White House bedroom.
- Rode the mechanical horse in the evening prior to dinner, working up a heavy sweat before dismounting to eat.
- Historical records do not indicate whether he preferred to gallop or trot.
Willingness for Public Relations:
- Although normally stoic in demeanor, he was always willing to play dress-up for photo opportunities.

Election of 1924:
- Less than a year into his presidency following Harding's death, voters chose to "keep cool with Coolidge" by electing him to a full term of his own.
Historic Swearing-In Ceremony:
- Sworn into office on 03/04/1925 by Chief Justice William Howard Taft.
- Marked the first time in United States history that a former president administered the oath of office to an incoming president.
Budgetary Restraint:
- Maintained a strict, tight rein on the federal budget throughout his administration.
- Disliked spending government money and frequently used executive power to halt legislation that required public expenditure.
Specific Legislative Vetoes:
- Vetoed a bill passed by Congress to increase postal workers' wages.
- Vetoed legislation passed by Congress to grant financial bonuses to World War I veterans.

Fiscal Policies:
- Successfully lowered taxes twice during his presidency.
- Maintained a central goal of keeping the federal government small while allowing private business to boom.
View on American Business:
- Considered American business to be the dominant, defining force of American life.
- Stated regarding industrial enterprise: "He once said that he who builds a factory builds a tent."
Economic Prosperity and Future Oversights:
- Presided over a period of substantial national prosperity.
- His economic policies failed to anticipate future economic instability and the eventual calamity of the Great Depression.
- Actions reflected what the era seemed to demand; his primary error lay in the contemporary economic understanding, which was poorly understood by him and most people of his generation.

Cabinet Reliance:
- Coolidge's management style relied heavily on his cabinet officers, causing him to overlook mounting signs of broad economic instability.
Profile of Andrew Mellon:
- Served as the Secretary of the Treasury in the cabinet.
- Ranked as the third richest man in the United States, possessing personal wealth so vast that no recession or depression could impact him.
- Strongly pro-business and focused strictly on the economy rather than humanitarian or social relief.
Policy Contributions:
- Responsible for key economic legislation, including the Revenue Act (frequently referred to as the "Mellon tax").
Consequences of Unbalanced Policy Making:
- Placing policy decisions in the hands of extremely wealthy individuals in the 1920s resulted in an unbalanced system, allowing conditions to slip out of control.
Long-term Impact on the Great Depression:
- Mellon later provided poor economic advice to Coolidge's successor, Herbert Hoover.
- Hoover implemented Mellon's advice during the economic crisis, significantly worsening the severity of the Great Depression.

Decision of 1928:
- In 1928, Calvin Coolidge decided not to run for a second full term as president.
Successor:
- Coolidge's Secretary of Commerce, Herbert Hoover, won the 1928 presidential election to take over the White House.
Historical Reputation:
- Highly popular among the public during his time in office.
- Presently viewed as a largely forgotten historical figure—remembered as the quiet president who presided over a roaring era.
Antecedent Anecdote on Warren G. Harding:
- President Warren G. Harding routinely hosted poker games inside the White House.
- During one poker game, Harding gambled away a full set of official presidential China that had belonged to President Benjamin Harrison's administration.

Spending Habits and Congressional Vetoes:
- Prompt: Congress passed a bill to increase postal workers' wages and passed bonuses for World War I veterans. What did Calvin Coolidge do to these bills, and what does it reveal about his spending habits?
- Response: Coolidge vetoed both the postal workers' pay raise and the World War I veterans' bonuses. This demonstrates that he strongly opposed government spending and refused to allow federal funds to be disbursed for these purposes.
Target Audience of Mellon's Policies:
- Prompt: Andrew Mellon, the Secretary of the Treasury and third richest man in America, designed policies such as the Revenue Act (Mellon tax). Who were these economic policies primarily designed to help—poor people or the rich?
- Response: The policies were designed to help the rich. Mellon was a pro-business figure focused strictly on economic mechanics rather than humanitarian concerns, creating an unbalanced policy environment during the 1920s.