“Calvin Coolidge: A Silver Lining”

November 18, 2013November 18, 2013 / gouverneurmorris / 1 Comment

Brittany Baldwin of The Imaginative Conservative has produced a superb review of Dr. Thomas Silver’s enduring work, Coolidge and the Historians. While Dr. Silver is regrettably no longer with us, Ms. Baldwin has done well not only in assessing the value of recent studies on the thirtieth president (as in Coolidge by Amity Shlaes and Why Coolidge Matters by Charles Johnson), she looks back to the prime mover of restoration for Coolidge’s record and legacy.

It was Dr. Thomas Silver who returned honest standards of scholarship to the most underrated president of modern time. It was Dr. Silver’s work who laid the foundation for a renewed appreciation of Coolidge now. Ms. Baldwin has done a commendable job in reminding us of the indebtedness we all hold to this good and faithful scholar, Thomas B. Silver, the man who “started it all.” As Dr. Silver continues to exemplify the best of Claremont Institute so Ms. Baldwin is a great credit to Hillsdale College.

“Why Coolidge is Cool Again”

November 18, 2013November 18, 2013 / gouverneurmorris / Leave a comment

Portrait by Joseph Burgess from the Ercole Cartotto original of President Coolidge

“Why Coolidge is Cool Again”

The Federalist has published this welcome piece by the superbly talented author and Coolidge scholar, David Pietrusza. We are reminded not merely of Coolidge’s connection to Manhattan, where the CCMF hosted the First Annual New York Dinner on November 12, but especially of our thirtieth president’s solid accomplishments in office. Appreciation for his record is justifiably finding renewal and this time, as Mr. Pietrusza notes, not merely in academic circles, but also as a hero among regular Americans. He is fast becoming equally as admired and respected as Ronald Reagan, who himself aspired to Coolidge’s example for leadership. It is great to see why Coolidge is cool again.

“It isn’t”

November 17, 2013November 17, 2013 / gouverneurmorris / 10 Comments

The Massachusetts General Court was in the midst of debate on a bill that drew spirited support from one especially long-winded legislator. He elaborated each point of the legislation and detailed its merits. Having introduced each argument for it with the affirmation, “It is,” the legislator was sure he had thoroughly made his case to the House.

Then Representative Coolidge was given the floor. He stood up and, with the room absolutely quiet, replied, “Mr. Speaker: It isn’t,” immediately sitting back down. A relieved House went up with laughter.

Needless to say, for all the words spent on the bill by the previous legislator, Coolidge’s simple refutation illustrates how the true course to follow is often the most direct, forthright and obvious. It does not take an expert to discern truth for us, it is within everyone’s reach to see and understand it. The bill died upon call of the roll.