#president hoover

[deadpresidents]

In 1919, his work in Europe done, [Herbert] Hoover returned permanently to the United States. He had lived abroad for twenty years and was something of a stranger in his own land, yet he was so revered that he was courted as a potential Presidential candidate by both political parties. It has often been written that Hoover had been away so long that he didn't know whether he was a Republican or a Democrat. That is not actually true. He had joined the Republican Party in 1909. But it is true that he wasn't terrifically political and had never voted in a Presidential election. In March 1921, he joined Warren G. Harding's Cabinet as Secretary of Commerce. After Harding died suddenly in 1923, he continued in the same post under Calvin Coolidge.

Hoover was a diligent and industrious presence in both administrations, but he was dazzlingly short on endearing qualities. His manner was cold, vain, prickly, and snappish. He never thanked subordinates or inquired about their health or happiness. He had no visible capacity for friendliness or warmth. He did not even like shaking hands. Although Coolidge's sense of humor was that of a slightly backward schoolboy -- one of his favorite japes was to ring all the White House servant bells at once, then hide behind the drapes to savor the confusion that followed -- he did at least have one. Hoover had none. One of his closest associates remarked that in thirty years he had never heard Hoover laugh out loud.

Coolidge kept an exceedingly light hand on the tiller of state. He presided over an administration that was, in the words of one observer, "dedicated to inactivity."...By 1927, Coolidge worked no more than about four and a half hours a day -- "a far lighter schedule than most other Presidents, indeed most other people, have followed," as the political scientist Robert E. Gilbert once observed -- and napped much of the rest of the time. "No other President in my time," recalled the White House usher, "ever slept so much." When not napping, he often sat with his feet in an open desk drawer (a lifelong habit) and counted cars passing on Pennsylvania Avenue.

All this left Herbert Hoover in an ideal position to exert himself outside his areas of formal responsibility, and nothing pleased Herbert Hoover more than conquering new administrative territories. He took a hand in everything -- labor disputes, the regulation of radio, the fixing of airline routes, the supervision of foreign loans, the relief of traffic congestion, the distribution of water rights along major rivers, the price of rubber, the implementation of child hygiene regulations, and much else that often seemed only tangentially related to matters of domestic commerce. He became known to his colleagues as the Secretary of Commerce and Undersecretary of Everything Else...

Coolidge didn't like most people, but he seemed especially not to like Hoover. "That man has offered me unsolicited advice for six years, all of it bad!" Coolidge once barked when the subject of Hoover came up. In April 1927, Coolidge puzzled the world by issuing a statement proclaiming that Hoover would never be appointed Secretary of State...Why Coolidge issued the statement at all, and why with such finality, was a matter that puzzled every political commentator in the country. As Hoover had indicated no desire for the role, and the incumbent, Frank B. Kellogg, no inclination to leave it, they were as bewildered as everyone else.

With withering disdain Coolidge referred to his tireless Commerce Secretary as Wonder Boy, but though he sneered, he was glad to have someone to do so much of his work for him....(W)hen the Mississippi flooded as it never had before, it was to Herbert Hoover that President Coolidge turned. One week after making his enigmatic promise not to promote Hoover to the role of Secretary of State, Coolidge appointed him to head the relief efforts to deal with the emergency. Apart from that one act, Coolidge did nothing. He declined to visit the flooded areas. He declined to make any federal funds available or to call a special session of Congress. He declined to make a national radio broadcast appealing for private donations. He declined to provide the humorist Will Rogers with a message of hope and goodwill that Rogers could read out as part of a national broadcast. He declined to supply twelve signed photographs to be auctioned off for the relief of flood victims.

-- The weird relationship between the equally weird Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover, via One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO), courtesy Anchor Books (2014).

[lonestarbattleship]

President Herbert Hoover (left) and Secretary of Navy Charles Adams walking on the aft deck of USS ARIZONA (BB-39).

Note: the Vought 03U Corsairs on catapult.

Date: March 1931

UAL: azu_517_b27_f26_84_26_2_image_m

[whentheycrypositivity]

*i start to transform*

n-nipahh..! *it's so painful but i smile through it...

a grimace of pain appears on my face as my shell cracks... revealing....*

hnghhh... it was a painful metamorphosis... but now i am in my true form..!!!

[whitesinhistory]

War Department Forces Black Veterans' Families to Travel Separately to Visit Loved Ones' Graves

On May 29, 1930, the U.S. Department of War—which had invited the families of veterans killed during World War I to visit their graves in Europe—denied a petition by Black mothers and spouses to travel on the same ship as white families and instead forced them to travel on segregated boats.

With the support of the NAACP, a group of 55 Black mothers and widows, known as Gold Star women, from 21 different states petitioned President Hoover, asking him to allow all of the grieving women to travel together.

“When the call to arms came from our government in 1917,” they wrote, “mothers, sisters and wives, regardless of race, color or creed, were asked to give their loved ones to the end that the world might be saved for democracy. This call we answered freely and willingly. In the years which have passed since death took our loved ones our anguish and sorrow have been assuaged by the realization that our loved ones who rest in the soil of France gave their lives to the end that the world might be a better place in which to live for all men, of all races and all colors.” 

“Twelve years after the Armistice, the high principles of 1918 seem to have been forgotten. We who gave and who are colored are insulted by the implication that we are not fit persons to travel with other bereaved ones. Instead of making up parties of Gold Star Mothers on the basis of geographical location we are set aside in a separate group, Jim Crowed, separated and insulted.”

The petition was referred from President Hoover to the War Department, which ultimately declined the Black families’ request on May 29, 1930.

Though Black veterans bravely fought for democracy and freedom during World War I, many returned home to find their own freedom denied. It was not uncommon for family members of veterans to also be mistreated and subjected to racism and abuse, as was the case here.

Rather than being honored for their service, Black veterans and their families were often the targets of horrible discrimination, mistreatment, and even murder, at the hands of white Americans determined to reinforce white supremacy and to prevent the veterans from fighting for racial equality at home.

To learn more about the culture of targeted physical violence and social humiliation that Black veterans and their families were subjected to, read EJI’s report Lynching in America: Targeting Black Veterans.

[living400lbs]

OUR PURITAN ANCESTORS took it as an article of faith that the idle were unworthy of charity, a sentiment famously captured by the Calvinist preacher Cotton Mather: “For those who indulge themselves in idleness, the express command of God unto us is, that we should let them starve.” Long after Mather departed this world, his spirit lived on, embodied in the nation’s poor laws. Statutes that outlined government’s responsibility to the destitute, the poor laws combined guarded concern for needy Americans with suspicions that they were complicit in their own misfortune. Under the poor laws, the chronically jobless were removed from society and dispatched to county poorhouses, catchall institutions that were also home to the old, infirm, and mentally ill. Those who could ordinarily shift for themselves but were temporarily jobless applied to public officials, men with no special welfare training, for what was known as outdoor or home relief, assistance generally given in the form of food and coal. To discourage idlers, the welfare experience was made as unpleasant as possible. Before applying for help, the poor were made to wait until utterly penniless, and then declare it publicly. When granting relief, officers followed the old rule of thumb that families living “on the town” must never reach the comfort level of the poorest independent family. The weekly food allowance was a meager four dollars a week—and less in some areas—regardless of how many people it was supposed to feed. Finally, it was customary to give food and coal on alternate weeks, providing minimal nourishment and warmth, but never both at the same time.

By custom and by law, public relief in the United States had always been a local concern, the responsibility of towns, cities, and counties. By the summer of 1931, however, in communities across the United States the money raised for the jobless had evaporated, while the numbers of people applying for it continued to climb. Still, Hoover remained confident that between private charity and local government, America would find its way out of the job crisis. An announcement from the White House in August made it official: the president was against a federal dole and was not about to support one.

From A Square Meal by Jane Ziegelman and Andrew Coe

[pranklinfierce]

Since like 11* people on Instagram either commented or SU'd when I posted this in a story, this image proved compelling enough to share elsewhere.

This is a real video that you can watch here

I immediately had too many thoughts to keep to myself so these are my notes:

*it used to say 9 but then more people SU'd

[angelkeitai]

you. presidential artist. right here. in the dash. draw a first lady im begging you. draw a first lady PLEASE

[fictionadventurer]

Traits that make me more likely to be interested in a president's story:

Did not want to be president

Career path before the presidency was something other than becoming a lawyer and going into politics

Faithful to his wife (bare minimum), has a good relationship with his wife (gets them many points on the favorites list)

Personally a nice, humble, otherwise good guy

Did something interesting after leaving the presidency

It's not a foolproof list, but most of my favorites do hit most of these points.

[adaginy]

We have a robot vacuum named Herbert. Herbert has (had) a pair of googly eyes. Today the googly eyes fell off. This leaves behind two dark spots where dust/sun have not reached, and two circles of dried-up glue.

The effect is that of a robot vacuum skull/zombie bumping blindly around the kitchen. It is actually very unsettling and I can't watch.

We will pick up more googly eyes in town on Monday.

[bonnieura]

??? when did i make this

[tomorrowusa]

What's a MAGA zombie to do when the economy is not just good but is even improving beyond good?

The Department of Labor's stats for January, released on Friday, showed greater US job growth than expected AND a rise in hourly wages. The US economy added 353,000 jobs in January, almost twice as many as forecast, in “stunning” figures that led investors to slash expectations for interest rate cut in March. Economists had expected a 180,000 jobs increase for last month, according to an LSEG survey. Tom Simons, US economist at Jefferies, described the figures as “stunning numbers” that left him “near speechless”.

Not only were the January figures strong, but the November and December figures were revised upward based on data still being analyzed.

Friday’s jobs report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics also showed that US workers’ average hourly wages grew 0.6 per cent to $34.55 — up 4.5 per cent over the past 12 months. Revised figures in the report indicated that the US had added 333,000 jobs in December, up from a first estimate of 216,000. The figure for November was also upgraded, by a more moderate 9,000 to 182,000.

Donald Trump once claimed that he created "the greatest economy in the history of the world." Typical Trumpian bullshit from the guy who told over 30,000 documented lies during his term.

Trump was the first president since Herbert "Great Depression" Hoover to leave office with a net loss in the number of American jobs,

In terms of percentage of jobs, Trump looks yet worse. Even G.W. Bush had a tiny increase – being saved by the fact that he left office before most of the effects of his Great Recession kicked in.

This Washington Post chart was published in January 2021.

Some people bizarrely think Republicans are better for the economy - but stats simply don't support that. The Republican economy is probably better for billionaires who got enormous tax breaks from Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump.

A second Biden term would probably place him in the same territory as LBJ, Truman, and Bill Clinton for job growth.

[deadpresidents]

Are there any presidents that should have won or should not have won the nobel peace prize?

I think Herbert Hoover should have won a Nobel Peace Prize for the remarkable relief work he did fighting hunger in Europe during World War I and famine in the immediate aftermath of the war and the Bolshevik Revolution in the Soviet Union.

Anyone who has read my blog for more than a few minutes knows my loyalty and support for Barack Obama. I'm as big of a fan of Barack Obama as you will find anywhere. But it did not make sense when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, and it still doesn't make sense. Even Obama was stunned that he won it. It's always seemed that Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for not being George W. Bush, and I think there were probably a lot more worthy options for that year's award.

[lonestarbattleship]

The crew of USS ARIZONA (BB-39) pose for a photograph with President Hoover (center front).

Date: March, 1931

UAL: azu_517_b17_f19_77_3_303_image_m

[thepresidentsblog]

[super-oddity]

via wiki:

22/44 assassination plots were against republican presidents.

22/44 assassination plots were against democratic presidents.

Note: It was FDR’s 1932 campaign policies that caused a major shift in party ideologies. Prior to this election, Republican and Democratic conservatism was broadly flipped. Their parties are left black to reflect my inability to equate their affiliation to a modern party.

assassinated United States presidents.

1864– Abraham Lincoln. Republican.

1881– James A. Garfield. Republican.

1901– William McKinley. Republican.

1963– John F. Kennedy. Democrat.

attempts that caused injury.

1912– Theodore Roosevelt. Republican.

1981– Ronald Reagan. Republican.

2024– Donald Trump. Republican.

attempts or plots without injury or death.

1835– Andrew Jackson. Democrat.

1861– Abraham Lincoln. Republican.

1864– Abraham Lincoln. Republican.

1909– William Howard Taft. Republican.

1910– William Howard Taft. Republican.

1928– Herbert Hoover. Republican.

1933– Franklin D. Roosevelt. Democrat.

1943– Franklin D. Roosevelt. Democrat.

1947– Harry S. Truman. Democrat.

1950– Harry S. Truman. Democrat.

1960– John F. Kennedy. Democrat.

1972– Richard Nixon. Republican.

1974– Richard Nixon. Republican.

1974– Gerald Ford. Republican.

1975– Gerald Ford. Republican.

1975– Gerald Ford. Republican.

1979– Jimmy Carter. Democrat.

1993– George H. W. Bush. Republican.

1994– Bill Clinton. Democrat.

1994– Bill Clinton. Democrat.

1994– Bill Clinton. Democrat.

1996– Bill Clinton. Democrat.

2005– George W. Bush. Republican.

2008– Barack Obama. Democrat.

2009– Barack Obama. Democrat.

2011– Barack Obama. Democrat.

2011– Barack Obama. Democrat.

2012– Barack Obama. Democrat.

2013– Barack Obama. Democrat.

2013– Barack Obama. Democrat.

2016– Donald Trump. Republican.

2017– Donald Trump. Republican.

2017– Donald Trump. Republican.

2018– Barack Obama. Democrat.

2018– Bill Clinton. Democrat.

2022– George W. Bush. Republican.

2023– Joe Biden. Democrat.

[pranklinfierce]

you're having a party, which presidents are you inviting?

Good question, very fun. I'll invite all of the ones I like, and whichever ones I'd like to see in a party setting.

James Madison is chronologically the first that I would invite. I think it'd be funny to see him at a party. I think of "nearly gets trampled on the dance floor..." I, myself, will trample him unless he brings Dolley.

Jackson is invited and I hope he leaves cheese around the house in secret spots like he did at the end of his presidency.

Van Buren is invited unless @presidenttyler continues to insist that I have to marry him or he'll summon a deadly fog (please die, Mr. Tyler.)

I would invite William Henry Harrison, but tragically, as I'm sure we've all heard, he is no longer with us </3.

John Tyler is invited unless he tries to insist I marry Martin Van Buren lest a deadly fog be summoned. Also I swear to God he's not allowed to use my bathroom. I hope he and Jackson start fighting (no weapons allowed in my house) and I get to see their skinny bones fall out.

James K Polk is invited. I want him to bring his Lady Presidentress as well. Double invited if he is the presidentress.

Zachary Taylor is invited. His daughter can come too. His daughter's husband cannot come. His daughter's husband's dog, Bonin, can come. The murderer who shares a name with Zachary Taylor's daughter's husband's dog cannot come.

Millard Fillmore is invited. He can bring the whole boiler room with him. It wouldn't be a party without him.

Franklin Pierce is invited, of course. As an old @/deadpresidents posts that I can longer find clarifies, he would indeed be a welcome party guest, even if people on Reddit don't seem to think so (I have beef with 90% of reddit tier lists, save for any of them made by @starlight-tequila.) As I've come to understand, there're no less than 4 fictional interpretations of Pierce where he's being haunted. I request he keeps the haunting at home; I don't want the watchmojo demmons to mess up the vibe.

James Buchanan is invited. I want to see him in his worst outfit, behaving as he did at Dickinson before his expulsion. He needs to bring Harriet too. WRK too, unless I decide that he's also dead.

Andrew Johnson can come because I once saw an image of him smiling.

Ulysses Grant can come. He may play with the non dog animals (unfortunately, they're all just different Martin Van Buren government assigned rodentsonas in a pen.)

As can Hayes. Hayes can bring his wife, Lucy. She actually allowed drinking in the White House on special occasions, so she would not be a party pooper.

Garfield may come, but only as Lucretia's plus one. It's what he deserves. Since Guiteau did so much for Garfield's election (and was basically the president, let's be real, guys) he can come as an honorary president. So can David Rice Atchison, even though that story is complete bs. Dr. Doctor Bliss will be shot on sight by Boston Corbett.

Arthur is invited, but Julia Sand needs to pre-approve everything that he does. Conkling may come as a plus one, but he will go in the pen with the Martin Van Buren government assigned rodentsonas (it's okay, that's where Grant is anyway.)

On no other day would I ever allow Benjamin Harrison and his shortness within my sight, but I just found a song about him and it's stuck in my head, so I think it's only right that he attends 1 single time before my kind feelings toward him dry out.

McKinley is invited. He must sing to me.

Wilson is invited. But I will lock him in a room like a creature. You-know-who gets the key. The second female president, Edith Wilson, may attend.

Warren Harding gets to come. Gaston Means may, as well. Also Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover. That's about it. If Nixon were to show up I wouldn't turn him away.

I'd like the party to end by sending an anonymous tip to Carrie A. Nation, telling her there is alcohol. She can come in, destroy everything, and all's well because if everything is destroyed, there's nothing to clean. She and Guiteau can ride into the sunset, combining to be a person of a normal height. I hope they invite me to the wedding.