A Jeffersonian Approach

      In my most recent post, I drew attention to the manner in which Thomas Jefferson approached his economic policy. Jefferson, an avid farmer, was extremely interested in promoting an the agricultural sector of the young American economy. This approach was most likely the effect of the successes and joys that Jefferson gained while gardening. This connection between his personal life and decisions as president sparked my interest in determining if this connection existed in other presidents also.

  
     One of the more sizable pieces of legislation that have been signed in American history was the New Deal. The act attempted to "the use of government to stabilize the economy and promote growth, to provide economic benefits and security for ordinary Americans, to make an alliance with organized labor, to advocate fairness for racial and ethnic minorities, and take an adversarial stance toward corporate business and finance (Bloomberg)." This act, although controversial, was F.D.R's signature piece of legislation. The case can be made that Roosevelt was influenced from an early age, which could can of had an effect on the implementation of the New Deal. FDR was reportedly heavily influenced during his childhood by a reverend at his school. The reverend, Endicott Peabody, taught his students that it was the duty of Christians to help the less fortunate. Roosevelt thought very highly of Peabody, and this influence could have, to some degree, played a role in the progressive nature of the New Deal.

 
     Lyndon Johnson's Great Society program attempted to further the effects of the New Deal. Johnson, was heavily influenced by the policies of the New Deal, and the Great society legislation attempted to eliminate poverty and racial injustice. Johnson was raised in rural Texas, and he witnessed widespread poverty during the Great Depression. Johnson also briefly served as a teacher for the Welhausen School, where he taught Mexican-American students. This had a large amount of influence on Johnson. Johnson was quoted as saying, "I shall never forget the faces of the boys and the girls in that little Welhausen Mexican School, and I remember even yet the pain of realizing and knowing then that college was closed to practically every one of those children because they were too poor. And I think it was then that I made up my mind that this nation could never rest while the door to knowledge remained closed to any American." This experience clearly had an influence on the way Johnson help shape the country, during his years in public service. 

    More recent examples include the likes of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Although George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind Act is controversial and the policy is not widely embraced, Bush's commitment to education reform should not be dismissed. Bush wanted to enforce a national-funding system that would allow for funding to be tied to results on standardized tests. Bush's commitment to education reform could have been tied to his extensive education. Bush attended Yale University and the Harvard Business School. Bush is the only U.S. president to have obtained an M.B.A.

   
     The Affordable Care Act is another controversial piece of legislation that involves the government attempting to increase the quality and affordability of health insurance. The legislation has received widespread criticism. However, I am concerned with the motivation behind the legislation rather than the legislation's content. Before attending Harvard Law School, Obama was a community organizer in Chicago. This position allowed for Obama to come into contact with a diverse group of people and also opened his eyes to the dramatic cost of health insurance. Therefore, this piece of legislation could have been affected by his past experiences.