美国总统29 卡尔文·柯立芝.docx

美国总统29卡尔文柯立芝CalvinCoolidge:Silentplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-11:18repeatByKellyJeanKelly17September,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutCalvinCoolidge.HewasthevicepresidentunderWarrenHarding.WhenHardingdiedsuddenlyalittlemorethantwoyearsintohisterm,Coolidgebecamepresident.CalvinCoolidge's1924campaignsloganwas"KeepCoolwithCoolidge."Coolidgeislinkedtotwoopposingideas.Thefirstideaisquietrestraint.Thepresident'snicknamewas"SilentCal."Herarelytookpartincasualconversation.Andasaleader,heoftenthoughtthebestactionwasnottotakeanyaction.Manyvoterslikedhis"cool"style.Coolidgequicklyearnedapublicimageasaseriousmanwhodidnotspendmoneyorwordseasily.ButCoolidgeisalsolinkedtoaperiodinU.S.historyknownastheRoaringTwenties.Inthoseyears,the1920sztheAmericaneconomywasgenerallygood.Manypeoplespentmoneyonexcitingthings-suchasthestill-newautomobile-andonentertainment,includingalcoholicdrinksfcigarettes,anddancing.CreativeexpressionsuchasjazzandArtDecoarchitecturebecamepopular.CalvinCoolidgeisoftengivencreditforhelpingfueltheRoaringTwentieswithhispro-businesseconomicpolicies.ButsomehistorianscautionagainstrememberingCoolidge'sbusinessfreedompoliciestoofondly.Theysayhehelpedcreatetheconditionsforthesevereeconomicdepressionthatfollowedhispresidency.EarlylifeCalvinCoolidgeandhissisterwerebornandraisedonafarminthenortheaststateofVermont.Coolidgespokehighlyofbothhisparents.Hisfatherownedastore,andalsoheldlocalpoliticaloffices.Hehadapublicimageforhonesty,publicservice,andthrift.YoungCalvinCoolidgehelpedhisfatherinthestorezandhopedtobejustlikehim.Coolidgealsoadmiredhismother'sstrongcharacter.Hewas12yearsoldwhenshedied,andhewrotethatlosingherwas"thegreatestgriefthatcancometoaboy."Sixyearslater,hissisteralsodied.TheirdeathsmadeyoungCalvinCoolidgeevenmoreseriousthanhealreadywas.ButCoolidgewasalsoknownforhiswit-akindofhumorthatoftendependsonwordplayorintelligence.AsastudentatAmherstCollegeinMassachusetts,Coolidgebecameknownasanableandfunnypublicspeaker.Thatskillhelpedhimriseinpolitics.Hebeganwithlower-levelofficesinMassachusetts,andlaterservedasthatstate'sgovernor.PresidentCalvinCoolidgeandGraceCoolidgeAlongtheway,hemarriedGraceAnnaGoodhue,ateacherforthedeaf.Shewasknowntobewarmandsocialzandthecouplewerereportedtohavealovingmarriage.Theywentontohavetwosons.In1920ztheRepublicanPartynominatedCoolidgetobeitsvicepresidentialcandidate.Ingeneral,voterslikedtheRepublicanticket.TheywerereadyforachangeafterthereformpoliciesandinternationalengagementofDemocratWoodrowWilson.Sureenough,theRepublicanswontheelectioninalandslide.ButCoolidgedidnotenjoytheofficeofvicepresidentverymuch.Hehadlittlepowerinthegovernment.Duringmeetings,heoftenremainedsilent.OnesummernightheandhiswifewereonvacationinVermont.Hisfather,ColonelCoolidge,wokethemupinthemiddleofthenightwithsomedramaticnews:PresidentHardinghaddied.Reportersquicklygatheredatthesmallfarmhouse.ColonelCoolidgehadnotputelectricityinthehouse.Soeveryonewatchedbythelightofanoillamp.ColonelCoolidgewasapublicofficial.HeusedthefamilyBibleandacopyoftheConstitutiontoswearinhissonasthe30thU.S.president.Thenthecountry'snewleaderdidaverysensiblething:hewentbacktobed.PresidencyPresidentCoolidgebelievedinlimitedgovernment,especiallylimitedfederalgovernment.HepermittedstateandCabinetofficialstodecideasmanyissuesastheycould.Coolidgeusedhisauthoritytofocusmostlyonthecountry'seconomy.Atthetimehetookoffice,theU.S.wasatthestartofaneconomicboom.Coolidgetriedtomaintainthatprosperity.Hedidnotregulatebusinessestoomuch,andhesharplyreducedtaxeszespeciallyonthewealthy.Bynearlyeverymeasure,theeconomygrew.ButthepoliciesalsowidenedthedividebetweenrichandpoorAmericans,andputthecountry'seconomyinariskysituation.Moreandmorepeoplebegantoinvesttheirmoneyinthestockmarket.Someputtheirdollarsindangerousinvestments.Andbusinessownersproducedmoregoodsthanmostmembersofthepubliccouldreallyafford.Increasingly,peopleborrowedmoneyoncredittopayforluxurygoods.Atthesametime,theeconomicsituationofmanyAmericanfarmerswasgettingworse.Theweatherhadbeenunusuallydryinsomeplaces.Andthepriceoffoodwasfalling.Farmersaskedthefederalgovernmentforassistance.ButCoolidgerejectedseveralbillsthatmighthavehelpedthem.Thebillshadotherproblems,Coolidgereasoned,andhedidnotthinkthatthefederalgovernmentshouldinterveneinthesituation.Sothefarmerscontinuedtosuffer.ButmostvotersremainedsupportiveofCoolidge.Eventhoughthepresidentwasconsideredaquietperson,hespokeoftenontheradio,appearedinatalkingfilm,metwithreportersregularly,andposedinfunnycostumesforphotographers.Coolidgehadapublicimageasrespectableandresponsible.Buthecouldalsomakevoterslaugh.Heeasilywonelectedin1924.Historiansbelievehecouldhavewonanotherterm,too,in1928.ButCoolidgechosenottoseekoffice.Somebelievedhewastoosaddenedbythedeathofhisteenagedson.ShortlyafterCoolidgebecamepresident,theboyhadbeenplayingtennisandslightlywoundedhistoe.Thewoundbecameinfected.Theinfectionspreadtotheb