A SHORT HISTORY OF RIGHT WING DESTRUCTION PART 6

As the world entered the 1920's, Republican Warren G. Harding was president of the United States.

Harding's administration is well known for its scandals, particularly the Teapot Dome scandal.  He, like so many other politicians, had at least one mistress.

Harding actually did or attempted to do some good things.  Harding signed the first federal child welfare law.  He supported an eight hour day for mining and railroad workers.  He advocated for an anti-lynching bill to protect African-Americans.

Like several other presidents, Harding died in office.

Harding was succeeded by "Silent Cal" Coolidge.  Coolidge was the Ronald Reagan of his day.  He believed in a laissez-faire form of government.  The economy boomed in the 1920's, although there was still rampant inequality.  The policies of the Coolidge administration also paved the way for the Great Depression when the bubble burst in 1929.

Just as in the 1980's, the United States went from a creditor to a debtor nation.  Policies of the Coolidge administration made it almost impossible for defeated Germany to make reparations payments and that helped create the environment that brought Adolf Hitler into power and finally another world war.

More to come