"Underrated" Americans

Overrated Americans: John Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson..... But we have some underrated ones, too. Several immediately come to mind. Like the overratings, the underratings are likely products of bias, of promotion (self- and otherwise), and ignorance. One of the most underrated of US Presidents is Dwight Eisenhower. He was not all about "me," like some of our most recent Presidents. In fact, one of his aides termed Eisenhower's administrations "The Hidden Hand Presidency." For quite a while, as President and after, he was seen as a nice guy, but no great shakes as President. The term that always comes to mind (at least mine) in describing him is "avuncular." Eisenhower reminded people of their favorite uncles, perhaps always joking, supplying with candy, etc. But as far as doing anything of significance? Nah, he didn't do much. What a shallow and narrow view of Dwight Eisenhower the President! One biographer noted that Ike "kept the peace." And the splended biography, Ike's Bluff by Evan Thomas, convincingly claims that he held off potential nuclear war. The Interstate Highway System and St. Lawrrence Seaway? Eisenhower projects. And he slowly, but surely defused the dangerous Joseph McCarthy, especially after "Tail Gunner Joe" went after Ike's beloved US Army. Our current leaders would do well to study how he quietly, but effectively did this. Eisenhower may not have agreed with court decisions regardng civil rights, but he felt compelled to enforce them in places such as Little Rock Central HS. It was his duty and he took and oath. He did far more for civil rights than, say, JFK. Another underrated American President is Calvin Coolidge. I have seen some historians who blamed him for the Depression! Huh? Cool Cal significantly reduced both the federal buget and taxes on Americans, still sky high after the First World War. He was very fiscally conservative, too frugal say some (but not I). He resisted attempts to expand the scope and reach of the federal government; he fought for limited government. He knew that government involvement in our lives, in the economy, etc. is not benign. Under his administration, as hard as it is to believe since they were here first, American Indians were granted US citizenship. Coolidge's speech on the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is well worth reading. (If I recall, Coolidge is the only President to have been born on July 4th.) He claarly articulates how those twin "charters of freedom and justice," the Declaration and Constitution, guarantee and protect the rights of the individual while also providing the opportunity to pursue happiness as well as require that government power come from "the consent of the governed" (Locke). Amity Shlaes offers far more balanced biography of Coolidge than has generally appeared. Among two of the Founders, I think James Madison and James Wilson have been underrated. Although there have been a couple of recent biographies of Madison painting him in a far more important light, most people don't rank him with Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, and even Franklin. OK, I don't think his Presidency was great shakes, but his role in the development of the Constitution was very significant. Originally he was not sold on this new document, which threatened to create what the Americans had just fought a war to eliminate, that is a strong central government. He was astute enough to realize the Constitution was going to happen and he determined to jump aboard so he could steer the direction of it. And steer he did! Not only are his personal notes as close to minutes of the Constitutional Convention that we have (Secrecy was voted.), but he was one of the three authors of The Federalist Papers. (They are often misrepresented. They were written to explain the Constitution, in hopes of drumming up support from skeptical Americans. But many of them were published too late, after ratification votes. Still, The Federalist remains the best single source of the meaning of the Consitution.) Mostly, though, he took the lead in debates, sitting on committees, etc. that determined the foundation of the Constitution. James Madison's portrait on the $5000 bill is deserved. (Ha Ha Ha) Another Founder who is often not just underrated, but underlooked, is James Wilson. After Madison, he might well be the second most influential of the Framers of the Constitution. As much as anyone, he formed the intellectual theory, the underpinning of the document. Specifically, it was his ideas in the Preamble that led to the adoption of the principle of popular sovereignty, that all authority from government stems from the people. (I know, I know.....) "We the People" is a significant phrase, especially considering the times, the late 18th Century. Wilson also created the framework for the modern Presidency in Article II, including the Electrical College (sic). It was a unique office, far different from the previous eight presidents under the Articles of Confederation (and more if we include the presidents of the Continental Congresses). James Wilson, a forgotten Founder, shouldn't be forgotten. There are many more who have been underrated.....