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Showing posts from May, 2021

F*** It

After years of calculative thinking and cautiousness, in 2020, I started living a little more in accordance to the f*** it mantra. Quite obviously, senior year is the year of worry, and the pandemic has not been of help; but recently I've taken the mindset of not caring so much and not doting on what I can't control. (It could also be because of my avoidant personality type, but for now, I'll take it as a good thing.) It's easy to be positive when things go your way, and I've had the privilege of being able to be positive for my whole life. Amidst aspects of my life that suddenly went wrong this year, I have deviated slightly from my typical upbeat self at times; but more and more, I see how beneficial it is to think f*** it  (with consciousness, of course). As much as everyone suggests looking on the bright side of things, when you don't want to, it really sucks. And while I can't say I actively tried to look on the bright side everyone spoke of, I did seek

The War

Despite the countless pieces of legislation passed under Roosevelt, what got America out of the depression was World War II. After World War I, America was actually very Isolationist. So as Roosevelt approached the war, he gradually promoted an Interventionist mindset. I mean, if Germany's going to intervene with everyone, why can't the U.S.?  So Roosevelt started getting involved with revising neutrality acts to allow for a cash-and-carry policy and later the Lend-Lease act so that the U.S. could provide arms and aid to the French and UK. And then, Pearl Harbor happened, so we all know what came next. Actual war. He was pretty much priming the U.S. for war so that when war actually happened, everyone wouldn't be in shock. Although FDR didn't live to see the end of the war he brought his country into, according to my AP Gov breakout rooms, he was deemed the most worthy of all the remaining Presidents to be carved into Mt. Rushmore. Both for the democratic party and demo

Finally, the Presidency

"My fellow Americans..." This is how FDR started his Fireside Chats immediately after his inauguration. This became one of his most famous programs--his connection to the American common people through the radio. Think about Biden on Instagram Live... In fact, Biden actually had a campaign called #TeamJoeTalks where celebrities endorsed him. Needless to say, FDR was a trendsetter. FDR's version vs Biden's Roosevelt is also known for his Hundred Days and the First New Deal, in which he preserved the banks with the bank holiday and created the Public Works Administration (PWA), Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) to stimulate the economy. I could go on and on about the legislation FDR passed (which, trust me, was not easy to memorize sophomore year) but you get the gist.