Verbose; recalls the dinner party bet “I bet I can get you to say three words tonight.” Coolidge’s response would have made a better billboard: “You lose.” We lose indeed.
Our family had a running joke based on another of Coolidge’s quips. At least according to the story he came back from church one Sunday and his wife asked him what the minister talked about. “Sin,” he replied. What, she asked, did he have to say about it? “Against it.”
So “the rabbi was against sin” was a Saturday lunch staple.
Churchill was seated next to Lady Astor during a dinner party.
Lady Astor leans over to Chuchill and says, “Winston, if you were my husband I would poison your tea.” Churchill replied, “Madamn, if you were my wife, I would drink it.”
Sure beats the pseudo-intellectual crap we’re bombarded with these days.
Isn’t Silent Cal Glenn Beck’s new hero? I think it was Coolidge who cut govt spending in half and dramatically reduced taxes, thus spurring an economic boom.
Amity Schales is currently writing a book on Calvin Coolidge. She is one who wrote the fantastic, The Forgotten Man. Coolidge is among my favorite presidents.
Lots of Coolidge stories. My grandfather was a chauffeur in Boston who occasionally drove him in the 30′s. Not that Cal ever said a word to him, or appeared to recognise him even after being driven a dozen times.
Coolidge saw a depression coming and said “Let’s see how Wonderboy (Hoover) handles that.”
As President, Coolidge presided over what was one of the strongest periods of economic growth the United States ever experienced. During his administration the Great Powers signed a comprehensive disarmament treaty. He is much under-appreciated.
It is no part of the functions of the National Government to find employment for the people, and if we were to appropriate a hundred millions for his purpose, we should only be taxing 40 millions of people to keep a few thousand employed.
To B.A. Hinsdale (1867-01-02)
The chief duty of government is to keep the peace and stand out of the sunshine of the people.
To H.N. Eldridge (1869-12-14) as quoted in Garfield (1978) by Allen Peskin, Ch. 13
Poverty is uncomfortable, as I can testify; but nine times out of ten the best thing that can happen to a young man is to be tossed overboard and compelled to sink or swim for himself.
“Elements of Success”, Hinsdale, p. 331
The next part of that same Churchill story is even better. Upon being told that he would drink the (soup), Lady Astor said “Sir, you’re drunk!”. Churchill replied, “Madam, you’re ugly! And in the morning, I’ll be sober.”
“After all, the chief business of the American people is business. They are profoundly concerned with producing, buying, selling, investing and prospering in the world.”
–Calvin Coolidge
“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself, because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.”
[Or, shorter; truthier:]
“At a certain point you’ve made enough money.”
–Barack Obama
Miss him yet? If Coolidge materialized from out of an Iowa corn field, I would proudly don the accounting visor of yore and help him straighten out the business of America, ahem, on the double. Then again, Cal could get his own coffee and certainly he could figure quite nicely with his very own No. 2 pencil, thank you very much, Lightnin’. “However, on your way back to the private sector could you have Chris Christie give me a call? We have an enormous budget to slash, and heroism is not only in the man, but in the occasion.”
Calvin & his wife were at a World’s Fair, attending the agricultural exhibits. Mrs. Coolidge went through the fowl exhibit first, and paused at the stand of a prize rooster. The rooster’s owner boasted that the rooster could perform his duty up to a dozen times a day. “Oh, my” she replied, “Would you please inform Mr. Coolidge of that fact.”
Then, when Calvin stopped at the exhibit, the owner said “And Mrs. Coolidge wants if pointed out that this rooster can perform up to a dozen times a day.”
Calvin: “Is it the same hen each time?”
Owner: “Gosh, no.”
Calivn: “Then see to it that Mrs. Coolidge is informed of that fact.”
Try using the ctrl key while pressing the + key. A couple of times should get it to the right size for you. Best tool for those middle aging guys like us.
Folks crediting Coolidge with dropping tax rates spawning the roaring 20s boom, and with the arms treaty: these were actually started under his much maligned predecessor Warren G. Harding. Coolidge was his VP and recipient of the presidency when Harding died suddenly toward the end of his first term. A few scandals and womanizing have tarnished his name (can anyone say Bill Clinton? JFK?) but his administration should properly be credited with the peace and prosperity of the 1920s. Like Clinton to Reagan, Coolidge was a good caretaker of a solid foundation created by a predecessor.
Hey, he’s received at least some acclaim! In Arizona, we’ve got a dam named after him. It’s kind of cool looking too, with an unusual domed shape and nice decorative sculptures.
Of course, since that dam is on a federally (mis)-managaged Indian Reservation, it is a woeful state of repair. That should tell you something, too.
Dunno ’bout Coolidge, but I miss Ripken.
Heh.
Verbose; recalls the dinner party bet “I bet I can get you to say three words tonight.” Coolidge’s response would have made a better billboard: “You lose.” We lose indeed.
Good concept.
I believe Will Rogers once said, “mr.Coolidge, he didn’t do nothin’, but that’s what we wanted done”.
we need a Churchill.
Shaw once sent two tickets to his play to Churchill with a note “come on opening night and bring a friend.. if you have one”
Churchill wrote back “can’t make it opening night. I’ll come the second night.. if there is one”
Our family had a running joke based on another of Coolidge’s quips. At least according to the story he came back from church one Sunday and his wife asked him what the minister talked about. “Sin,” he replied. What, she asked, did he have to say about it? “Against it.”
So “the rabbi was against sin” was a Saturday lunch staple.
Another Churchill story.
Churchill was seated next to Lady Astor during a dinner party.
Lady Astor leans over to Chuchill and says, “Winston, if you were my husband I would poison your tea.” Churchill replied, “Madamn, if you were my wife, I would drink it.”
Sure beats the pseudo-intellectual crap we’re bombarded with these days.
Isn’t Silent Cal Glenn Beck’s new hero? I think it was Coolidge who cut govt spending in half and dramatically reduced taxes, thus spurring an economic boom.
Amity Schales is currently writing a book on Calvin Coolidge. She is one who wrote the fantastic, The Forgotten Man. Coolidge is among my favorite presidents.
There is now a billboard on I45 south of Dallas that says “Miss Me Yet?” but it’s got a picture of Jimmah Carter. Now THAT is a sense of humor.
Lots of Coolidge stories. My grandfather was a chauffeur in Boston who occasionally drove him in the 30′s. Not that Cal ever said a word to him, or appeared to recognise him even after being driven a dozen times.
Coolidge saw a depression coming and said “Let’s see how Wonderboy (Hoover) handles that.”
As President, Coolidge presided over what was one of the strongest periods of economic growth the United States ever experienced. During his administration the Great Powers signed a comprehensive disarmament treaty. He is much under-appreciated.
How about Garfield?
It is no part of the functions of the National Government to find employment for the people, and if we were to appropriate a hundred millions for his purpose, we should only be taxing 40 millions of people to keep a few thousand employed.
To B.A. Hinsdale (1867-01-02)
The chief duty of government is to keep the peace and stand out of the sunshine of the people.
To H.N. Eldridge (1869-12-14) as quoted in Garfield (1978) by Allen Peskin, Ch. 13
Poverty is uncomfortable, as I can testify; but nine times out of ten the best thing that can happen to a young man is to be tossed overboard and compelled to sink or swim for himself.
“Elements of Success”, Hinsdale, p. 331
10. TexasMark:
Even funnier would be a second board a mile down the road with the caption:
“ow about now?”
7. MAJ Mike:
The next part of that same Churchill story is even better. Upon being told that he would drink the (soup), Lady Astor said “Sir, you’re drunk!”. Churchill replied, “Madam, you’re ugly! And in the morning, I’ll be sober.”
“After all, the chief business of the American people is business. They are profoundly concerned with producing, buying, selling, investing and prospering in the world.”
–Calvin Coolidge
“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself, because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.”
[Or, shorter; truthier:]
“At a certain point you’ve made enough money.”
–Barack Obama
Miss him yet? If Coolidge materialized from out of an Iowa corn field, I would proudly don the accounting visor of yore and help him straighten out the business of America, ahem, on the double. Then again, Cal could get his own coffee and certainly he could figure quite nicely with his very own No. 2 pencil, thank you very much, Lightnin’. “However, on your way back to the private sector could you have Chris Christie give me a call? We have an enormous budget to slash, and heroism is not only in the man, but in the occasion.”
Sir, yes sir!
Mr Coolidge is no longer available but Mr Daniels is.
“Mr Coolidge is no longer available” — nor is Lady Liberty, so it’s Mr Daniels by default. Everybody drink up; there’s a hard rain coming.
Another Coolidge story:
Calvin & his wife were at a World’s Fair, attending the agricultural exhibits. Mrs. Coolidge went through the fowl exhibit first, and paused at the stand of a prize rooster. The rooster’s owner boasted that the rooster could perform his duty up to a dozen times a day. “Oh, my” she replied, “Would you please inform Mr. Coolidge of that fact.”
Then, when Calvin stopped at the exhibit, the owner said “And Mrs. Coolidge wants if pointed out that this rooster can perform up to a dozen times a day.”
Calvin: “Is it the same hen each time?”
Owner: “Gosh, no.”
Calivn: “Then see to it that Mrs. Coolidge is informed of that fact.”
how about putting a click to enlarge the type
pass the word to others whohave tiny type
thanks
holdinga mag glass is causing me to move on
Try using the ctrl key while pressing the + key. A couple of times should get it to the right size for you. Best tool for those middle aging guys like us.
Folks crediting Coolidge with dropping tax rates spawning the roaring 20s boom, and with the arms treaty: these were actually started under his much maligned predecessor Warren G. Harding. Coolidge was his VP and recipient of the presidency when Harding died suddenly toward the end of his first term. A few scandals and womanizing have tarnished his name (can anyone say Bill Clinton? JFK?) but his administration should properly be credited with the peace and prosperity of the 1920s. Like Clinton to Reagan, Coolidge was a good caretaker of a solid foundation created by a predecessor.
Hey, he’s received at least some acclaim! In Arizona, we’ve got a dam named after him. It’s kind of cool looking too, with an unusual domed shape and nice decorative sculptures.
Of course, since that dam is on a federally (mis)-managaged Indian Reservation, it is a woeful state of repair. That should tell you something, too.
Amen! Coolidge was the last president who truly respected the limits the Constitution placed on the office.