FDR made some amazing progress during his presidency. He made progress at a time when America was facing a crippling economic crisis. Today we again face a spiraling economy, with politicians that talk big yet do little. What if FDR was here today? How would he fare?

During FDR’s presidency he lowered the unemployment rate from 21.7 to 19.0, his lowest point was 16.9 in 1936 although it had shifted up slightly during the end of his presidency. Since FDR’s time in office, the unemployment rate has fluctuated up and down usually within 1 to 2 degrees. The last couple of years have strayed from this pattern, with a jump of 3.5 in 2009.

FDR’s highest point of 21.7 to his lowest point of 16.9 is a decrease of 4.8, not much more than the amount that it had raised between 2008 and 2009. So how exactly did he do it? To start with he took immediate action to put people back to work.

In 1933 he created the CWA and the CCC. The CWA (Civil Works Administration ) was created to promote construction based jobs. During the depression, construction work was considered as a high paying job category. The CCC ( Civilian Conservation Corps ) created jobs across the nation building structures, public works and trails within our national parks. Many Americans went back to work under these programs, ultimately reducing the unemployment rate and stimulating the economy.

He also took specific steps to get banks to give back home loans, this also helped the unemployment by providing people with a home so that they were able to work. Today people are being foreclosed on by banks that are unwilling to take any more chances. Personally I think part of that problem falls right into mortgage cost.

For an example the average 3 bedroom home today cost $100,000, give or take a little by age and location. Our current average income level is $40,000, which means if the average American gave half of their income to the bank for their house it would take 5 years to pay off their house that is without considering interest. In FDR’s time the average 3 Bedroom was $4750 with an average income of $4420. If the average American during FDR’s time gave half of their income to banks to buy their house they could have it paid off in just over two years, again this doesn’t include interest.

The one thing that maid FDR’s plan of attack work is regulation. He regulated banks and business to protect the American people. Today banks and business  work off of practices that favor them. This puts one American after another at risk and has been a large part of our current situation.