--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Franklin Roosevelt ran on a balanced…" description: "\"Franklin Roosevelt ran on a balanced budget in 1932, and the greatest president, certainly, of the 20th century. So the idea that you lay out a predica..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/mark-shields-1572_20th-century_franklin-roosevelt-ran-on-a-balanced-bud_2204700.png" --- # Franklin Roosevelt ran on a balanced budget in 1932, and… ![“Franklin Roosevelt ran on a balanced budget in 1932, and the greatest president, certainly, of the 20th century. So the idea that you lay out a predicate right now, Donald Trump has recreated the Republican Party in his image.” quote by Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/mark-shields-1572_20th-century_franklin-roosevelt-ran-on-a-balanced-bud_2204700.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/mark-shields-1572_20th-century_franklin-roosevelt-ran-on-a-balanced-bud_2204700.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/mark-shields-1572_20th-century_franklin-roosevelt-ran-on-a-balanced-bud_2204700.png) > “Franklin Roosevelt ran on a balanced budget in 1932, and the greatest president, certainly, of the 20th century. So the idea that you lay out a predicate right now, Donald Trump has recreated the Republican Party in his image.” [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement claims Roosevelt balanced the budget and was a great 20th‑century president, then compares current political shifts to past leadership. **In simple terms:** Roosevelt was fiscally responsible and highly regarded; current politics echo past changes. Key Takeaway Consider historical context in political judgments. Themes politics history leadership economics comparisons Mood analytical critical Type historical political When to use this quote - Budget analysis - historical research - political commentary Key Concepts Fiscal policy presidential legacy party evolution Questions to Reflect On - What criteria define a "great" president? - How do modern leaders compare to past ones? A Different Perspective Potential factual inaccuracies about Roosevelt's budget. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [20th century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/20th-century/) [Balanced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balanced/) [Balanced budget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balanced-budget/) [Budgets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/budgets/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/franklin/) [Franklin roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/franklin-roosevelt/) [Greatest President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-president-1402303/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Lays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lays/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Ran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ran/) [Recreated Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recreated-republican-4857054/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Republican party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican-party/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Roosevelt Ran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roosevelt-ran-4857055/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [Franklin Roosevelt had a pretty clear line. Ronald Reagan had a pretty clear line, people who rescue parties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/franklin-roosevelt-had-a-pretty-clear-line-ronald-reagan-had-a-pretty/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [I was born during the Depression in a little community just outside Waco, and I grew up listening to Franklin Roosevelt on the radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/i-was-born-during-the-depression-in-a-little-community-just-outside/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) > [Franklin Roosevelt had to govern at a time of crisis. If you're going to make changes in the way a nation thinks, you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-du-pont/franklin-roosevelt-had-to-govern-at-a-time-of-crisis-if-you-re-going/) [Pete du Pont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-du-pont/) > [In this country kings or dukes don't amount to nothing. The greatest man around then was Franklin D. Roosevelt, and he was the President;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/in-this-country-kings-or-dukes-don-t-amount-to-nothing-the-greatest/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [I am a huge admirer of Franklin Roosevelt's, and I believe social security has done untold good in alleviating the once-widespread issue of poverty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/i-am-a-huge-admirer-of-franklin-roosevelt-s-and-i-believe-social/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [You have never seen greatness in a Presidency; I have. It was a rich kid who you would think had every reason to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-have-never-seen-greatness-in-a-presidency-i-have-it-was-a-rich/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [In his State of the Union speech in January 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt declared America's commitment to Four Freedoms in the struggle against Nazi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/in-his-state-of-the-union-speech-in-january-1941-president-franklin/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Well, Mr Obama inherited probably the biggest inventory of problems, certainly foreign policy problems, than any American president ever has. I think the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/well-mr-obama-inherited-probably-the-biggest-inventory-of-problems/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [Capitalism can be alright, I mean Karl Marx didn't live to see what Roosevelt did with that Depression. He pulled everybody out of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/capitalism-can-be-alright-i-mean-karl-marx-didn-t-live-to-see-what/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [George Washington sets the nation on its democratic path. Abraham Lincoln preserves it. Franklin Roosevelt sees the nation through depression and war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/george-washington-sets-the-nation-on-its-democratic-path-abraham/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them." - Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/those-who-have-long-enjoyed-such-privileges-as-we-enjoy-forget-in/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Few expected very much of Franklin Roosevelt on Inauguration Day in 1933. Like Barack Obama seventy-six years later, he was succeeding a failed Republican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/few-expected-very-much-of-franklin-roosevelt-on-inauguration-day-in/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [I think Franklin Roosevelt was a lousy president. What he did- which is to impose this great nanny state on America- was a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-crane/i-think-franklin-roosevelt-was-a-lousy-president-what-he-did-which-is/) [Ed Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-crane/) > [You know who was a hero? Franklin Roosevelt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-know-who-was-a-hero-franklin-roosevelt/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Franklin Roosevelt was very concerned about environmental issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-nelson/franklin-roosevelt-was-very-concerned-about-environmental-issues/) [Gaylord Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-nelson/) ## More by Mark Shields > [I'm not sure Betsy DeVos has ever spent a day in a public school. And I don't - I'm pretty sure Donald Trump hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-m-not-sure-betsy-devos-has-ever-spent-a-day-in-a-public-school-and/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Donald Trump is sounding the same theme he has sounded since May or June of 2015.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/donald-trump-is-sounding-the-same-theme-he-has-sounded-since-may-or/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [I do look upon the secretary of education's primary responsibility as the quality of education that - and improving the education that every child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-do-look-upon-the-secretary-of-education-s-primary-responsibility-as/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Dan Coats, retiring senator from Indiana, a mild-mannered man, a former United States ambassador to Germany, former congressman, said of Ted Cruz he's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/dan-coats-retiring-senator-from-indiana-a-mild-mannered-man-a-former/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [It's interesting how identity politics and Ann Coulter-style tactics have now blossomed. But they were always there in CPAC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/it-s-interesting-how-identity-politics-and-ann-coulter-style-tactics/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [When you run for president of the United States, everybody does the same thing in the campaign-they talk about veterans, how much they admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/when-you-run-for-president-of-the-united-states-everybody-does-the/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Americans don't like powerful figures who punch down, that is, who pick on someone less powerful and less able to speak for themselves than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/americans-don-t-like-powerful-figures-who-punch-down-that-is-who-pick/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Everyone has to take Donald Trump seriously, and I think that's what we're seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/everyone-has-to-take-donald-trump-seriously-and-i-think-that-s-what/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Donald Trump defies gravity. And so I guess he has to be Donald Trump. It's gotten him so far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/donald-trump-defies-gravity-and-so-i-guess-he-has-to-be-donald-trump/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [ My church \[Catholisism\] is hurting from arrogance and from its indifference to the suffering of children that were abused and the inclination of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/my-church-catholisism-is-hurting-from-arrogance-and-from-its/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [America is Republican until 5:00 or 6:00 at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/america-is-republican-until-5-00-or-6-00-at-night/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [John Kerry's biography was central to his campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/john-kerry-s-biography-was-central-to-his-campaign/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [I think Guantanamo, has been synonymous with the staining of American values and American legal tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-think-guantanamo-has-been-synonymous-with-the-staining-of-american/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Stronger together is, I think, a preposition and a comparative adjective, but it's not really an action verb or what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/stronger-together-is-i-think-a-preposition-and-a-comparative/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [If you only make fights that you're going to win, there would be no women's vote in America, there would be no civil rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/if-you-only-make-fights-that-you-re-going-to-win-there-would-be-no/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) [Explore all 227 Mark Shields quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) ## More 20th century quotes > [I think the inhabitants of the past are fighting hard to keep the rents they acquired in the 20th century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/i-think-the-inhabitants-of-the-past-are-fighting-hard-to-keep-the/) [Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/) > [Corporate America is a 20th-century dinosaur, trembling on the edge of extinction, and the only way for you to have a genuinely secure future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/corporate-america-is-a-20th-century-dinosaur-trembling-on-the-edge-of/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [America thrived in the 20th century because we made high school free. We sent a generation to college. We cultivated the most educated workforce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-thrived-in-the-20th-century-because-we-made-high-school-free/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The 20th century has been marked by cynicism, selfishness, greed, and the desire to please, all without changing the status quo. In the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-20th-century-has-been-marked-by-cynicism-selfishness-greed-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [I've studied the lives of the 20th century's great businessmen and concluded self-confidence was instrumental in all their success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-spanos/i-ve-studied-the-lives-of-the-20th-century-s-great-businessmen-and/) [Alex Spanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-spanos/) > [Universal literacy was a 20th-century goal. Before then, reading and writing were skills largely confined to a small, highly educated class of professional people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/universal-literacy-was-a-20th-century-goal-before-then-reading-and/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [The great wars of the 20th Century made it into the worst Century ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-ambrose/the-great-wars-of-the-20th-century-made-it-into-the-worst-century-ever/) [Stephen Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-ambrose/) > [That is very different from how it used to be in the 20th century. Media was very one way. There's a small little industry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/that-is-very-different-from-how-it-used-to-be-in-the-20th-century/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [If you look back on the history of the 20th century, the 19th century or even to the ancien régime of the 18th, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/if-you-look-back-on-the-history-of-the-20th-century-the-19th-century/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [Up to the 20th century, we can say that this whole period was an Earth epoch, 'Earth' meaning the riches of the earth, simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lech-walesa/up-to-the-20th-century-we-can-say-that-this-whole-period-was-an-earth/) [Lech Walesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lech-walesa/) > [I think this century more than any other really has seen the phenomenon of people being uprooted in such numbers, such a degree. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-think-this-century-more-than-any-other-really-has-seen-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [If you look at that incredible burst of fantastic characters that emerged in the late 19th century/early 20th century, you can see so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/if-you-look-at-that-incredible-burst-of-fantastic-characters-that/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [Cruel and paradoxical though it undoubtedly is, the record shows that yje most succesful 20th century monarchs have been those who were not actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cannadine/cruel-and-paradoxical-though-it-undoubtedly-is-the-record-shows-that/) [David Cannadine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cannadine/) > [An interesting thing about New Zealand, you know, literature is that it really didn't begin in any real sense until the 20th century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/an-interesting-thing-about-new-zealand-you-know-literature-is-that-it/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [The Warmth of Other Suns is a sweeping and yet deeply personal tale of America's hidden 20th century history - the long and difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/the-warmth-of-other-suns-is-a-sweeping-and-yet-deeply-personal-tale/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) [Browse all 672 20th century quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/20th-century/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Franklin Roosevelt ran on a balanced budget in 1932, and the greatest president, certainly, of the 20th century. 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