Editing Calvin Coolidge (section)

==Legacy==
[[File:President Ronald Reagan-Former President Coolidge portrait.jpg|thumb|President [[Ronald Reagan]] in the [[Cabinet Room (White House)|White House Cabinet Room]] with a portrait of Coolidge in the background.]]
Despite being one of the most popular U.S. presidents while in office, Coolidge is generally rated below average by modern historians. [[David Greenberg (historian)|David Greenberg]], a scholar from [[Rutgers University]], said, "although the public liked and admired Calvin Coolidge during his tenure, the Great Depression that began in 1929 seriously eroded his reputation and changed public opinion about his policies".<ref name="r3fvv4">Greenberg, David. [https://millercenter.org/president/coolidge/impact-and-legacy Calvin Coolidge: Impact and Legacy]. ''[[Miller Center of Public Affairs]]''. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref> 

Historians have criticized Coolidge for his lack of assertiveness and have called him a "do nothing president" who enjoyed high public approval only because he was in office when things were going well around the world.<ref>Alsop, Joseph (July 28, 1966). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-calgary-albertan-assaying-the-presid/160035434/ Assaying the Presidents]. ''[[Calgary Sun|The Calgary Albertan]]''. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref><ref>Schmid, Randolph (August 6, 2000). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/calgary-herald-rating-the-presidents/160035911/ Rating the presidents]. ''[[Calgary Sun|The Calgary Albertan]]''. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref> Some historians have scrutinized Coolidge for signing laws that broadened federal regulatory authority and say it paved the way for corruption in future presidential administrations.<ref>Gerhardt, Michael J. (April 2013). [https://academic.oup.com/book/8743/chapter-abstract/154807714?redirectedFrom=fulltext Calvin Coolidge, 1923–1929]. ''[[University of Oxford]]''. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref> 

In a 1982 ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' survey of 49 historians, Coolidge was ranked the eighth-worst U.S. president.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-world-presidents-rated-truman-ike/156226892/ Presidents rated: Truman, Ike near the top]. [[Chicago Tribune]]. ''The World''. February 4, 1982. Retrieved September 29, 2024.</ref> In 2006, British journalist [[William Shawcross]] said he believed Coolidge was the worst president of the 20th century.<ref>Shawcross, William (November 11, 2006). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-calvin-coolidge-william/160034720/ Calvin Coolidge]. ''[[The Independent]]''. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref> In a 2021 [[C-SPAN]] survey, historians ranked Coolidge 24th out of 44 presidents. They gave him high ratings for "moral authority" and "administrative skills" but poor ratings for "setting an agenda" and "pursuing equal justice".<ref>[https://www.c-span.org/presidentsurvey2021/?personid=39815 Historians Survey Results: Calvin Coolidge]. [[C-SPAN]]. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref>

Although historians generally view Coolidge unfavorably, his hands-off government approach continues to resonate with modern conservatives and Republican politicians.<ref>Gold, Michael (December 6, 2023). [https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/us/desantis-calvin-coolidge.html With One Vote for Calvin Coolidge, G.O.P. Hopefuls Name Their Favorite Presidents]. ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref> In 1981, President [[Ronald Reagan]] publicly praised Coolidge's laissez-faire policy.<ref name="r3fvv4"/> Later, Reagan had a portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] in the [[Cabinet Room (White House)|White House Cabinet Room]] replaced by one of Coolidge.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-cool-cal-coolidge-back/160062131/ 'Cool Cal' Coolidge back in White House]. ''[[The Miami News]]''. February 4, 1981. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref><ref>Johnson, Haynes (June 14, 1981). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-dusting-off-calvin-coo/160061915/ Dusting Off Calvin Coolidge]. ''[[The Tampa Tribune]]''. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-observer-white-house-pedlar-of-an-ag/160056349/ White House pedlar of an ageless dream]. ''[[The Observer]]''. January 29, 1984. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref><ref>Smith, Joseph B. (November 29, 1986). [https://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/29/opinion/is-coolidges-picture-coming-down.html Is Coolidge's Picture Coming Down?]. ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved November 30, 2024.</ref>