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Quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Any Government, like any family, can for a year spend a little more than it earns. But you and I know that a continuation of that habit means the poorhouse.”

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: F.D. Roosevelt, 1937, Volume 6

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Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: F.D. Roosevelt, 1937, Volume 6

The collection includes speeches, correspondence, and other documents reflecting the President's efforts to address economic recovery, social welfare, and international relations during the Great Depression era. more

Author

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the 32nd President of the United States, serving for 12 years, the longest tenure in U.S. history. He led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II, implementing a series of reform measures known as the New Deal. more

“If the Nation is living within its income, its credit is good. If, in some crises, it lives beyond its income for a year or two, it can usually borrow temporarily at reasonable rates. But if, like a spendthrift, it throws discretion to the winds, and is willing to make no sacrifice at all in spending; if it extends its taxing to the limit of the peoples power to pay and continues to pile up deficits, then it is on the road to bankruptcy.”

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: F.D. Roosevelt, 1928-1932, Volume 1

“History proves that dictatorships do not grow out of strong and successful governments, but out of weak and helpless ones. If by democratic methods people get a government strong enough to protect them from fear and starvation, their democracy succeeds; but if they do not, they grow impatient. Therefore, the only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over its government.”

Source: Fireside chats of Franklin Delano Roosevelt: radio addresses to the American people about the Depression, the New Deal, and the Second World War, 1933-1944

“The first theory is that if we make the rich richer, somehow they will let a part of their prosperity trickle down to the rest of us. The second theory was the theory that if we make the average of mankind comfortable and secure, their prosperity will rise upward through the ranks.”

Ifs Firsts Rich Mankind Theory Comfortable Average Prosperity Secure Trickle Down

Author:Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Our national debt after all is an internal debt owed not only by the Nation but to the Nation. If our children have to pay interest on it they will pay that interest to themselves. A reasonable internal debt will not impoverish our children or put the Nation into bankruptcy.”

Ifs Children Nations Interest Pay Our Children Debt Reasonable Internals Bankruptcy National Debt

Book:Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: F.D. Roosevelt, 1939, Volume 8

Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: F.D. Roosevelt, 1939, Volume 8

“Let me make it clear that I do not assert that a President and the Congress must on all points agree with each other at all times. Many times in history there has been complete disagreement between the two branches of the Government, and in these disagreements sometimes the Congress has won and sometimes the President has won. But during the Administration of the present President we have had neither agreement nor a clear-cut battle.”