Franklin Delano Roosevelt, or FDR, is the 32nd President of the United States, and also, in my personal belief, one of the best there was.
In 1921, FDR was made paralyzed from the waist down by what was believed at the time to be polio.
Franklin refused to acknowledge the notion that he could be fully paralyzed, and tried many therapies throughout his life.
In 1926, Roosevelt purchased what is now Roosevelt Warm Springs for Rehabilitation, and helped found what is now called "The March of Dimes." To me, this shows audacity, and an overwhelming faith in himself and the universe. He refused to be seen publicly in his wheelchair and was normally photographed standing upright with the support of one of his sons. It was as if it didn't matter what kind of pain he was in, as long as the nation kept a strong image of him.
He conducted his presidential election campaign under the heavy weight of the Great Depression, and succeeded to pull the economy out of treacherous debt by means of the Great Deal, which he and his adversaries had crafted during his presidential election.
Franklin also kept his promise in repealing the prohibition of the 1930s, which increased alcohol percentage to a maximum 3.2%. Not only do I favor a man in favor of alcohol but I find it rare to find a politician who keeps his promises, yet he did.
When FDR brought about the Second New Deal in 1935 he established the Social Security Act which was designed to create retirement plans for the poverty stricken, the elderly, and the ailing.
The Second New Deal also brought about many plans for the unemployed, which, while the economy had drastically improved, were still many at the time it was put forth.
Following in his second term, FDR passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, which created the minimum wage.
During the dictatorship of Adolph Hitler in Nazi Germany, FDR held private meetings with Winston Churchill to devise means of helping supply France and Britain with military equipment to defend them against an aggressive Germany, and did so.
In 1941 "Rainbow Five" a underground plan of an invasion on Europe surfaced from U.S. press, shortly after a message from Japan was interception and a call to war was issued. On December 7th Japan placed an attack on Pearl Harbor, killing many U.S. military men. Roosevelt became even more determined to put an end to the push of Nazi Germany, and lead the U.S. through victory with the help of the allied alliances.
By this time FDR's health had dropped dramatically, with complications such as chronic high blood pressure and heart disease, and on March 30th 1945 he died of a cerebral hemorrhage.
Roosevelt lead congress to approve of more plans than any other president in the U.S. history, and was also the only president to be elected to four terms in office. He pulled the economy out of debt and aided the Alliance to defeat Nazi Germany. He died fighting for his nation, and he never gave up that fight. Roosevelt won the love of the nation and is rewarded with an everlastingly adoring public image to this day as his name graces "best presidents" lists throughout the media; I firmly believe that a president as strong willed as FDR was, does not deserve to be forgotten.