Dez Prez Rankings: Rounding Out the Depressing Bottom Quartile, #'s 32-31

#32 of 39:
Martin Van Buren (8th president)
Term: 1837-41
Party: Democrat


ABOVE: Martin Van Buren is probably most notable for his impressive sideburns.

After a series of mostly extraordinary men at the helm of our young nation, we finally hit some mediocrity with our 8th president. Martin Van Buren took a pro-southern position on slavery in order to placate an increasingly belligerent South. The country was hit with a fairly severe depression for which Van Buren had no effective ideas to combat. He felt constrained by his view of the Constitution, which he believed did not give him the authority to authorize internal improvements, which would have stimulated the economy, improved the young nation’s infrastructure, and given a boost for employment. He continued Andrew Jackson’s cruel and illegal wars against and relocation of the Indian tribes in the Eastern United States. He refused to allow Texas admission into the Union, fearing that it would stir up the slavery debate once again.

Pros:
• Van Buren orders a ten hour work day for Federal employees. One of the earliest moves towards more humane work conditions in this country
• Settles the Maine/Canada border dispute relatively peacefully

Cons:
* Pro-slavery
* Has no response to the depression that occurred during his administration
* Does not adequately respond to a growing nation's needs
* Continues Jackson's heinous treatment of Indians
* Won't let Texas in!

#31 of 39:
Herbert Hoover (31st president)
Term: 1929-33
Party: Republican



Poor Herbert Hoover. He takes office and about six months later the Great Depression hits. That is really unfortunate, because Hoover had a brilliant pre-presidential career and might have had a successful administration in different times. But so much of this is timing. Hoover will forever be judged based on how he reacted to the Depression once it hit. He continually downplayed the Depression in the early months, saying that the economy was “sound and prosperous” even as one million Americans were out of work by that point (before the end of Hoover’s term, the unemployment rate in this country would reach close to 25%). I guess optimism is good, but so is realism. He steadfastly stood against “government handouts,” which he thought would undermine American individualism and the capitalist, entrepreneurial spirit. "Handouts" meaning almost any government aid at all. He continued to insist that recovery was “just around the corner” even as shantytowns sprouted up across the country (derisively called "Hoovervilles" by their residents). When a large group of World War I veterans marched on Washington D.C. to demand early payment of their promised war bonuses, Hoover called out Douglas MacArthur and the U.S. Army to kick them out of town. Images of MacArthur’s tanks rolling down the streets of D.C. and WWI vets being gassed sealed Hoover’s fate in the ’32 election.


ABOVE: Hoover was honored throughout his term by having many new shantytowns, such as the one above outside of Seattle, named after him (Hoovervilles). There were also the popular Hoover Blanket (a newspaper) and the Hoover Flag (empty, inside out pockets).

It is not quite fair to say that Hoover did nothing to try and fix the Depression. This is why he is not ranked lower, because he actually did more than most of his immediate predecessors probably would have. He tried to increase loans through federal reserve banks and to stimulate the economy and increase employment through government spending on improvement projects like highways and, most notably, the Boulder (later Hoover) Dam (you know, the one you can see when you fly into Vegas). He also pushed the Reconstruction Finance Corp. through Congress. Although these were impressive when compared to what the government had done in years past, it wasn’t near enough and he left office very unpopular.

Pros:
• Contrary to popular belief, Hoover did try some limited government stimulus to battle the Great Depression

Cons:
• Hoover signs the Smoot-Hawley Tariff, the highest tariff in our history. This causes reciprocal tariffs worldwide and global trade grinds to a halt, contributing to the Great Depression
• Hoover does not do enough to battle the Depression or its effects
• Hoover orders Gen. MacArthur to attack and remove the World War I vets from Washington D.C. in the infamous Bonus March
• Hoover does not have a response to early Japanese aggression in Manchuria, sending them the message that they will have a free hand in Asia (until Pearl Harbor)