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The Plots Against the President: FDR, A Nation in Crisis, and the Rise of the American Right
An anarchist assassin, demagogues, and a plotted coup d’état—the forgotten history of the forces that lashed out against FDR as he took the helm of a country on the brink.In March 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt finally became the nation's thirty-second president. The man swept in by a landslide four months earlier now took charge of a country in the grip of panic brought on by economic catastrophe. Though no one yet knew it-not even Roosevelt-it was a radical moment in America. And with all of its unmistakable resonance with events of today, it is a cautionary tale.The Plots Against the President follows Roosevelt as he struggled to right the teetering nation, armed with little more than indomitable optimism and the courage to try anything. His bold New Deal experiments provoked a backlash from both extremes of the political spectrum. Wall Street bankers threatened by FDR's policies made common cause with populist demagogues like Huey Long and Charles Coughlin. But just how far FDR's enemies were willing to go to thwart him has never been fully explored.Two startling events that have been largely ignored by historians frame Sally Denton's swift, tense narrative of a year of anarchist Giuseppe Zangara's assassination attempt on Roosevelt, and a plutocrats' plot to overthrow the government that would come to be known as the Wall Street Putsch. The Plots Against the President throws light on the darkest chapter of the Depression and the moments when the fate of the American republic hung in the balance.
306 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
May 21, 2012
I'm just in the first third of this book but, so far, the parallel between FDR in the 30s and Obama today is eerily similar. Inheriting impossible situations from their Republican predecessors, both faced a kind of vitriol from the "loyal opposition' that was anything but civil. Both attempted to tackle the challenges they faced with bold anf agressive intelligence and both were rewarded with labels like "socialist", "fascist" and "communist" (never mind the disparity of charges here) and were reviled by a Right-Wing that wanted nothing less than to destroy their administrations and wouldn't mind if the man himself were "removed" as well. You know what they say about history and if we don't learn from it, we're doomed to repeat it... well, I don't think we've learned that much since FDR's day... maybe the book will take a happier tirn. I hope so... I'll let you know.
March 28, 2012
A well written account of the development of Franklin Delano Roosevelt as a presidential politician and the First Hundred Days of the New Deal. Ms. Denton weaves both the physical assault against FDR in Miami shortly after his election and the verbal assaults of Huey Long and Father Coughlin - along with some other extreme voices - into an interesting tapestry of America in the 1930s. Made me think of today's Fox Network and Rush Limbaugh.
Great on detail with telling portraits of the people around Roosevelt and those in the more truculent left and right wings of political life back then. I was amazed to learn how quickly the shooter in Miami - Giusieppe Zangara - was tried, convicted and executed. But that's Florida for ya.
Worth the time to read. I was very satisfied.
Great on detail with telling portraits of the people around Roosevelt and those in the more truculent left and right wings of political life back then. I was amazed to learn how quickly the shooter in Miami - Giusieppe Zangara - was tried, convicted and executed. But that's Florida for ya.
Worth the time to read. I was very satisfied.
March 11, 2020
This book gave me some eyes wide open into some things. Intriguing...yes, but not feel like very convinced to expect anything bangs about this book. I’m not saying that this book sucks or anything...it just felt like a side note on a bigger picture. I can imagine this author would write a good book about FDR’s ascending from the beginning to the end!
May 27, 2021
I read this book because it's the most recent account of the story of the famous "business plot" or "Wall Street Putsch" when according to retired general Smedley Butler, a group of wealthy executives tried to get him to lead the American Legion in a coup against FDR. Unfortunately, the book is full of errors and the author doesn't critically evaluate sources. it's too bad because the entire episode is wild, and there isn't a good academic study of it, as far as I know. The notes and bibliography are decent and provide enough info to check into some of the sources more, so that's useful at least.
September 8, 2012
It's been six months since I've read this book, and I've wanted to write a review for some time. I'm not sure why I've been unable to write some concise comments. Now, I'll make a small effort.
Published in 2012, I came across this under 'New Books' when I was making a list of possible reads on the FDR presidency. While reading about four Supreme Court justices appointed by FDR, I was amazed to read about domestic terrorists of the time. One man blew himself up in front of the home of a WW I government official who was a neighbor of FDR (himself working in Washington at the time.) That influenced my choice of this book.
With the title of the book referencing "plots," I expected there to be more than TWO plots examined. (first disappointment)
That being said, there was much detailed, well cited information of the times. This was helpful in educating me because when I was in high school, we ended our US history with WW II, basically war history. We had very little domestic history of the twentieth century as we would be rushing toward the end of the school year. In college, I studied world and Asian history. I've since asked my mother about the depression and war years and she doesn't really say much. She didn't follow politics when she was in high school, and while growing up on a farm, she was used to years of plenty followed by years of belt-tightening.
back to the book: As regards the two incidents that were plotted, I felt the writing lacking. Maybe there just isn't enough precise information to draw upon, but I think the narrative could have been written more smoothly. I was appalled to learn that an attempt was made on the life of FDR before he was even inaugurated and saddened to learn that the mayor of Chicago was shot and lingered between life and death for weeks. This happened in Florida! The other incident sounds more contemporary and seems to have been more of a conspiracy, yet I was unsatisfied with the details given. (following disappointments)
In summation, I liked the research and background story and based my rating on them.
Published in 2012, I came across this under 'New Books' when I was making a list of possible reads on the FDR presidency. While reading about four Supreme Court justices appointed by FDR, I was amazed to read about domestic terrorists of the time. One man blew himself up in front of the home of a WW I government official who was a neighbor of FDR (himself working in Washington at the time.) That influenced my choice of this book.
With the title of the book referencing "plots," I expected there to be more than TWO plots examined. (first disappointment)
That being said, there was much detailed, well cited information of the times. This was helpful in educating me because when I was in high school, we ended our US history with WW II, basically war history. We had very little domestic history of the twentieth century as we would be rushing toward the end of the school year. In college, I studied world and Asian history. I've since asked my mother about the depression and war years and she doesn't really say much. She didn't follow politics when she was in high school, and while growing up on a farm, she was used to years of plenty followed by years of belt-tightening.
back to the book: As regards the two incidents that were plotted, I felt the writing lacking. Maybe there just isn't enough precise information to draw upon, but I think the narrative could have been written more smoothly. I was appalled to learn that an attempt was made on the life of FDR before he was even inaugurated and saddened to learn that the mayor of Chicago was shot and lingered between life and death for weeks. This happened in Florida! The other incident sounds more contemporary and seems to have been more of a conspiracy, yet I was unsatisfied with the details given. (following disappointments)
In summation, I liked the research and background story and based my rating on them.
August 5, 2012
A very engrossing book, it captures the sentiment of a nation in distress, following a very poor recovery from the depression, with Europe on the verge of a world war. The impact of the rise of fascism and nazism and its impact here in America, the many misgivings about FDR, being in direct opposition to hoover and his failed policies at governance, and FDRs own thoughts on the New Deal and how it shaped his thinking in the early days of his presidency are interesting. Zangarra and his assassination attempts on the physical body of FDR, and the wall street plots to establish fascism through a bloodless coup are at the same time riveting and somewhat scary in the thought process of the executioners.
The eerie parallels to modern day politics between the right and left wings are another aspect of the book. Something that was brought out, but not in as much depth is the interplay with Eleanor Roosevelt, her role in his success, and her own shpaing of her destiny as the first lady....A truly remarkable women, way ahead of her time.
The last thing to note is how nothing about the wall street scum has changed over the 100 years, and how regrettable it is that Glass Steagel has been removed, how much of the work that was done then has been undermined in the last 30 years...
The eerie parallels to modern day politics between the right and left wings are another aspect of the book. Something that was brought out, but not in as much depth is the interplay with Eleanor Roosevelt, her role in his success, and her own shpaing of her destiny as the first lady....A truly remarkable women, way ahead of her time.
The last thing to note is how nothing about the wall street scum has changed over the 100 years, and how regrettable it is that Glass Steagel has been removed, how much of the work that was done then has been undermined in the last 30 years...
March 16, 2012
This was an interesting book that discussed an alledged plot by bankers and others to overthrow FDR in 1933 due to concerns over his monetary policies. The plot was going to put General Smedley Butler in charge of a Facist regime. Mr. Butler exposed the plot and it went nowhere. He was a strong Roosevelt supporter.
July 28, 2013
Excellent "reads like a thriller" history about the attempted assassination on Pres elect Roosevelt, and the little known and unreported attempted coup d'état by Wall St financiers and right wing extremists during the first two years of FDR's first term. A good reminder of how FDR made Wall St trading transparent through the creation of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
January 14, 2024
F.D.R. The Bernie Sanders of my generation.
A wonderful, very well written, enlightening, informative and engaging read about not only F.D.R, but the great depression, the political extremism of the time, what Americans generally thought at the time and saw the new deal, and even the Hoover administration.
The book does feel a bit disjointed towards the end though. The coup attempt seems a bit more liked an afterthought, stops being about F.D.R, and feels like it just abruptly ends. Still, widely enjoyable, a fantastic read.
"Times are a changin..." But are they really? The more I learn about history and so forth, it seems like history is forever changing in the sense of "evolving" with the times and shifting.
The great depression is so very similar to our time period of 2024 in so many ways.
F.D.R is my all time favorite U.S presidents and personal heroes. I love and admire F.D.R regardless of all his faults and learning more and more about the 1920's and now F.D.R. and the great depression and thinking about it today in 2024's politics and climate...it really does put a lot into perspective.
Because here is the thing...Woodrow Wilson a democrat came in the 1910's. Which was a time of inflation, the spanish flu, and WW1. This spawned a backlash. Seeing so many soldiers die in a senseless war, a lot of Americans felt "Life is too short".
X files Christmas episode.
Mulder: Christmas, 1917. It was a time of dark, dark despair. American soldiers were dying at an ungodly rate in a war-torn Europe while at home, a deadly strain of the flu virus attacked young and old alike. Tragedy was a visitor on every doorstep while a creeping hopelessness set in with every man, woman and child. It was a time of dark, dark despair.
Scully: You said that.
Mulder: But here at 1501 Larkspur Lane for a pair of star-crossed lovers tragedy came not from war or pestilence - not by the boot heel or the bombardier - but by their own innocent hand.
So what happened? Well, we all know. The roaring 20's as it was called.
They voted for 3 republicans in a row. Harding who was corrupt and incompetent and got caught in what became known as the Tea pot dome scandal. Then came Calvin Cooldige who brought what we would later saw in the 80's and 2000's known as "Reagonomics" which created what is known as a "Boom then bust cycle." Hoover inherited this boom then bust cycle aka the great depression and due to his insane and extreme and continuation of "Reagonomics" made the great depression even worse, far far worse. In the 80's, it created "The great recession" and then Bush Sr. had to bail us out. Going against their "republican orthodoxy" UNLIKE Hoover who refused. In the 2000's we had another "Great recession" which was even worse, equal to the great depression. Bush Jr like his father had to abandon their stupid "republican orthodoxy" and bail out the corporations, which was better then nothing and oh ya, Bush Jr CAUSED it in the f**king first place. Just like his father who was vice president in the Reagan administration. Wonderful, both Bush presidents literally helped cause a recession and then had to semi abandon their laise faire captialism to try and make the recession LESS worse. Unlike Hoover who absolutely refused to change his laise faire capitalist views. Then Obama got in there and really got us out of the great recession. Notice a pattern here?!
[I should also point out that F.D.R, as a reaction to WW1 was against American imperialism and anti war and in his second year as president even tried to hold the war profiteers of not just WW1 but past "foreign entanglements" accountable and was largely non interventionist.
The book also mentions a key player in the coup attempt against F.D.R and that is Smedley Butler a famous military general who exposed the entire coup plot after plotters attempted to recruit him.
Smedley Butler through his long career in American wars and multiple coups in foreign countries became incredibly disillusioned and literally called him self a "racketeer for capitalism." So in this American coup plot to overthrow F.D.R and install a dictator - all for laise' faire capitalism; their insane greed the plotters went to see a military general who was famously speaking out nonstop against American imperialism, big business, laise'faire capitalism, and war profiteering, and asked him to help lead their coup attempt...how insane is that?! And I just love their twisted statements. Because we get some quotes during the secret meetings discussing the coup attempt. At one point the plotter literally said "F.D.R's policies are bad for the war veterans. Look at what Germany did. They solved homeless, hungry veterans over night. They put them into camps and made them do forced labor." .......WHAT.THE.F**K?!?! You know what F.D.R did for the homeless hungry veterans?! He gave them jobs through his many works programs. He paid them a wage, and he provided 3 meals a day and gave them a place to live while working at the site.....WHICH SOUNDS F**KING BETTER FOR THE VETERANS?! FORCED ENSLAVEMENT, OR AN ACTUAL F**KING JOB, WITH PAY, FREE FOOD, AND FREE HOUSING?! I f**king HATE these disgusting reprehensible people. "Oh it's good for them." GOOD FOR WHO?! ....YOU. IT'S GOOD FOR YOU, NOT ME. NOT ANYONE ELSE, YOU. IT'S GOOD FOR YOU, YOU SELFISH F**K.]
But it really does put it all in context in so many ways. I find it very fascinating that F.D.R was elected four times, then his vice president Harry Truman got into office as a result of F.D.R's death in the whitehouse. Harry Truman then won a second term. Then we got Eisenhower, who was basically a right wing conservative version of F.D.R. Then JFK was elected. Another democrat FDR type. then we got Lyndon B. Johnson, who was again another F.D.R, but due to Vietnam...what happened? Richard Nixon was elected. Seems to me like for 40 years we had FDR influence and I really can't help but blame Vietnam for that break. So I can't help but think of WW1 and Vietnam in that context and how that also relates to our modern times. Because now it's generally seen as "Republicans get us into all these stupid wars." The war in the middle east; that was Bush and that was worse then Vietnam.
And in terms of the 2008 recession that rivaled the Great depression. I can't help but compare the two situations in so many ways.
In the 1930's great depression, the view was "Republicans and democrats are all the same." "I'd vote for ANYONE but Hoover. If it was a shoe vs Hoover, I'd vote for the shoe!" Fascism and communism was on the rise. Lots and lots of social unrest. The public consciousness was "What a bunch of f**king idiots we were. Falling for that unrestrained capitalism crap!!! Capitalism is dead" Everyone felt hatred for Wall street and capitalist and capitalism. Another widely shared public sentiment was "We need a dictator!" "F.D.R needs to be a dictator." and actively saying he needs to not just rock the boat but TIP THE BOAT OVER. Even to "burn down the capital if he needs to."
When F.D.R promised to hold the oligarchs/bankers/wallstreet responsible for destroying the economy and betraying the public he got a massive applause.
At the time F.D.R was terrified that out of that social and political unrest and hatred and mistrust, demagogues from the extreme left and right would rise. So F.D.R absolutely saw his presidency as "Restoring trust"; grow the economy back up, create regulations and laws to rein in wallstreet and hold them accountable for their scams, re-distribute wealth; give everyone a fair shot at making it, safety nets, etc.
Quotes about the 2008 financial crisis that Bush helped cause. From CNN The 2000's episode about the crisis.
Co anchor of some show: I think the connection between Bernie Madoff and the financial crisis was one fundamentally about TRUST. It was about a lost of trust in the system. About a lost of trust in people you thought were worthy.
Economist: We all trusted the free enterprise system. We all trusted these DEREGULATED markets to foster our prosperity...ALL OF AMERICA FELT THEY HAD BEEN BETRAYED BY WALL STREET.
SOUND FAMILIAR?!
Journalist for the NYTs: It's been a continuous source of frustration that essentially no one at the big banks were ever prosecuted or held accountable for this.
In the 2008 and 2009 the sentiment around Barack Obama was "Change. We want change. We want a president who will rock the boat."
And I can't help but quote a song about Obama and his presidency.
"They wanted hope and change but got most of the same."
"The economy recovered BUT wealth disparity did not. POLITICAL UNREST GROWING and terrorism not subsiding. His words were different but institutions ALL THE SAME. He couldn't change. Barack Obama. They wanted hope and change but they got most of the same."
So Obama got two terms, but what happened in 2016? Bernie Sanders was on fire. Lots and lots of Bernie support, but because the DNC rigged the system against Bernie basically lost his campaign. So the democrats got Hilary Clinton who is and was considered "incredibly establishment" and we got Trump who promised he'd "empty" the swamp and change the system. Rock the boat, tip the boat over....and of course Trump was exactly what F.D.R feared in the 1930's; a demagoge. A fake populist and wanna be dictator.
Trump was a wild card. Then the wealth disparity and wallstreet, etc got even f**king worse. Trump deregulated even more. Covid hit; destroying the economy and political unrest increasing more and more. Bernie Sanders campaigned for president again for the second time, and got really really far this time. He was basically our F.D.R in the election. Most Bernie Sanders supporters saying "We need to tip the boat over. We need to completely dismantle the system. Burn it all down!!!!" but the media which is OWNED by the oligarches and DNC dishonestly attacked and smeared him. Blacklisted him, etc.
And so what happened? Well, Trump became Hoover basically, with a lot of people on the left and even on the right saying "If it was Trump vs a shoe, I'd vote for the shoe." Even non voters who had never voted in their life voted against Trump. Such as Snoop Dogg who said "I'm sick of this clown." But of course Trump had basically already developed a cult by then. So he still got a ton of votes and here we are now in 2024. With less and less regulations on literally everything. Oligarches not being held accountable. Monopolies run amok, wall street running amok. Biden is another Obama basically....and the general feeling around Americans and not just Americans but the rest of the world is basically very similar to the 1930s; we want a dictator. Fascism and communism on the rise. "capitalism is dead." "Democracy is dead" and a total lack of distrust in the government, corporations, etc.
SOUND FAMILIAR?!
Bernie Sanders was our F.D.R and he failed.
And in this political race in 2024 we got hardcore extremist on the right and on the DNC side we have Biden, and a few wild cards and F.D.Rs who are being completely blacklisted by the media, Biden, and DNC. Oh and Trump is openly running on a fascist and dictator campaign. Literally telling people "if you vote for me your voting for fascism and dictatorship." and according to multiple polls - TRUMP IS UP....
So what am I saying?
Hahaha, that we are living in a 1930's Great depression mentality and instead of getting our F.D.R's we are in total stagnation, and I have very very little hope for the future. In 2020 I was OUTRAGED AND DISGUSTED at the fact that Trump got so many votes. Instead of losing in a landslide, because what does that say about the country?! A pandemic was killing millions of people...and your gonna f**king vote for the mother f**ker who is making it worse?! Let alone the conspiracy theorist, racism, and everything else....but at this point I am just like "What the f**k ever...I'm sick and tired of this. F**k America. If the country goes fascist and turns into a f**king dictatorship then SO BE IT, I guess?! If it stays stagnet, then what comes after?! How long can this stagnation of "same old same old" go on and keep dodging the bullet of fascism and dictatorship?! I don't see us getting our new F.D.R any time soon.
And that was a sentiment during the depression, before F.D.R came in and changed everything.
This view of "Democracy is dead." and "It's gonna go to either the communist or the fascists. TAKE YOUR PICK."
So ya, i have even less hope for the future.
Over all, wish the book ended better, but still really really good.
A wonderful, very well written, enlightening, informative and engaging read about not only F.D.R, but the great depression, the political extremism of the time, what Americans generally thought at the time and saw the new deal, and even the Hoover administration.
The book does feel a bit disjointed towards the end though. The coup attempt seems a bit more liked an afterthought, stops being about F.D.R, and feels like it just abruptly ends. Still, widely enjoyable, a fantastic read.
"Times are a changin..." But are they really? The more I learn about history and so forth, it seems like history is forever changing in the sense of "evolving" with the times and shifting.
The great depression is so very similar to our time period of 2024 in so many ways.
F.D.R is my all time favorite U.S presidents and personal heroes. I love and admire F.D.R regardless of all his faults and learning more and more about the 1920's and now F.D.R. and the great depression and thinking about it today in 2024's politics and climate...it really does put a lot into perspective.
Because here is the thing...Woodrow Wilson a democrat came in the 1910's. Which was a time of inflation, the spanish flu, and WW1. This spawned a backlash. Seeing so many soldiers die in a senseless war, a lot of Americans felt "Life is too short".
X files Christmas episode.
Mulder: Christmas, 1917. It was a time of dark, dark despair. American soldiers were dying at an ungodly rate in a war-torn Europe while at home, a deadly strain of the flu virus attacked young and old alike. Tragedy was a visitor on every doorstep while a creeping hopelessness set in with every man, woman and child. It was a time of dark, dark despair.
Scully: You said that.
Mulder: But here at 1501 Larkspur Lane for a pair of star-crossed lovers tragedy came not from war or pestilence - not by the boot heel or the bombardier - but by their own innocent hand.
So what happened? Well, we all know. The roaring 20's as it was called.
They voted for 3 republicans in a row. Harding who was corrupt and incompetent and got caught in what became known as the Tea pot dome scandal. Then came Calvin Cooldige who brought what we would later saw in the 80's and 2000's known as "Reagonomics" which created what is known as a "Boom then bust cycle." Hoover inherited this boom then bust cycle aka the great depression and due to his insane and extreme and continuation of "Reagonomics" made the great depression even worse, far far worse. In the 80's, it created "The great recession" and then Bush Sr. had to bail us out. Going against their "republican orthodoxy" UNLIKE Hoover who refused. In the 2000's we had another "Great recession" which was even worse, equal to the great depression. Bush Jr like his father had to abandon their stupid "republican orthodoxy" and bail out the corporations, which was better then nothing and oh ya, Bush Jr CAUSED it in the f**king first place. Just like his father who was vice president in the Reagan administration. Wonderful, both Bush presidents literally helped cause a recession and then had to semi abandon their laise faire captialism to try and make the recession LESS worse. Unlike Hoover who absolutely refused to change his laise faire capitalist views. Then Obama got in there and really got us out of the great recession. Notice a pattern here?!
[I should also point out that F.D.R, as a reaction to WW1 was against American imperialism and anti war and in his second year as president even tried to hold the war profiteers of not just WW1 but past "foreign entanglements" accountable and was largely non interventionist.
The book also mentions a key player in the coup attempt against F.D.R and that is Smedley Butler a famous military general who exposed the entire coup plot after plotters attempted to recruit him.
Smedley Butler through his long career in American wars and multiple coups in foreign countries became incredibly disillusioned and literally called him self a "racketeer for capitalism." So in this American coup plot to overthrow F.D.R and install a dictator - all for laise' faire capitalism; their insane greed the plotters went to see a military general who was famously speaking out nonstop against American imperialism, big business, laise'faire capitalism, and war profiteering, and asked him to help lead their coup attempt...how insane is that?! And I just love their twisted statements. Because we get some quotes during the secret meetings discussing the coup attempt. At one point the plotter literally said "F.D.R's policies are bad for the war veterans. Look at what Germany did. They solved homeless, hungry veterans over night. They put them into camps and made them do forced labor." .......WHAT.THE.F**K?!?! You know what F.D.R did for the homeless hungry veterans?! He gave them jobs through his many works programs. He paid them a wage, and he provided 3 meals a day and gave them a place to live while working at the site.....WHICH SOUNDS F**KING BETTER FOR THE VETERANS?! FORCED ENSLAVEMENT, OR AN ACTUAL F**KING JOB, WITH PAY, FREE FOOD, AND FREE HOUSING?! I f**king HATE these disgusting reprehensible people. "Oh it's good for them." GOOD FOR WHO?! ....YOU. IT'S GOOD FOR YOU, NOT ME. NOT ANYONE ELSE, YOU. IT'S GOOD FOR YOU, YOU SELFISH F**K.]
But it really does put it all in context in so many ways. I find it very fascinating that F.D.R was elected four times, then his vice president Harry Truman got into office as a result of F.D.R's death in the whitehouse. Harry Truman then won a second term. Then we got Eisenhower, who was basically a right wing conservative version of F.D.R. Then JFK was elected. Another democrat FDR type. then we got Lyndon B. Johnson, who was again another F.D.R, but due to Vietnam...what happened? Richard Nixon was elected. Seems to me like for 40 years we had FDR influence and I really can't help but blame Vietnam for that break. So I can't help but think of WW1 and Vietnam in that context and how that also relates to our modern times. Because now it's generally seen as "Republicans get us into all these stupid wars." The war in the middle east; that was Bush and that was worse then Vietnam.
And in terms of the 2008 recession that rivaled the Great depression. I can't help but compare the two situations in so many ways.
In the 1930's great depression, the view was "Republicans and democrats are all the same." "I'd vote for ANYONE but Hoover. If it was a shoe vs Hoover, I'd vote for the shoe!" Fascism and communism was on the rise. Lots and lots of social unrest. The public consciousness was "What a bunch of f**king idiots we were. Falling for that unrestrained capitalism crap!!! Capitalism is dead" Everyone felt hatred for Wall street and capitalist and capitalism. Another widely shared public sentiment was "We need a dictator!" "F.D.R needs to be a dictator." and actively saying he needs to not just rock the boat but TIP THE BOAT OVER. Even to "burn down the capital if he needs to."
When F.D.R promised to hold the oligarchs/bankers/wallstreet responsible for destroying the economy and betraying the public he got a massive applause.
At the time F.D.R was terrified that out of that social and political unrest and hatred and mistrust, demagogues from the extreme left and right would rise. So F.D.R absolutely saw his presidency as "Restoring trust"; grow the economy back up, create regulations and laws to rein in wallstreet and hold them accountable for their scams, re-distribute wealth; give everyone a fair shot at making it, safety nets, etc.
Quotes about the 2008 financial crisis that Bush helped cause. From CNN The 2000's episode about the crisis.
Co anchor of some show: I think the connection between Bernie Madoff and the financial crisis was one fundamentally about TRUST. It was about a lost of trust in the system. About a lost of trust in people you thought were worthy.
Economist: We all trusted the free enterprise system. We all trusted these DEREGULATED markets to foster our prosperity...ALL OF AMERICA FELT THEY HAD BEEN BETRAYED BY WALL STREET.
SOUND FAMILIAR?!
Journalist for the NYTs: It's been a continuous source of frustration that essentially no one at the big banks were ever prosecuted or held accountable for this.
In the 2008 and 2009 the sentiment around Barack Obama was "Change. We want change. We want a president who will rock the boat."
And I can't help but quote a song about Obama and his presidency.
"They wanted hope and change but got most of the same."
"The economy recovered BUT wealth disparity did not. POLITICAL UNREST GROWING and terrorism not subsiding. His words were different but institutions ALL THE SAME. He couldn't change. Barack Obama. They wanted hope and change but they got most of the same."
So Obama got two terms, but what happened in 2016? Bernie Sanders was on fire. Lots and lots of Bernie support, but because the DNC rigged the system against Bernie basically lost his campaign. So the democrats got Hilary Clinton who is and was considered "incredibly establishment" and we got Trump who promised he'd "empty" the swamp and change the system. Rock the boat, tip the boat over....and of course Trump was exactly what F.D.R feared in the 1930's; a demagoge. A fake populist and wanna be dictator.
Trump was a wild card. Then the wealth disparity and wallstreet, etc got even f**king worse. Trump deregulated even more. Covid hit; destroying the economy and political unrest increasing more and more. Bernie Sanders campaigned for president again for the second time, and got really really far this time. He was basically our F.D.R in the election. Most Bernie Sanders supporters saying "We need to tip the boat over. We need to completely dismantle the system. Burn it all down!!!!" but the media which is OWNED by the oligarches and DNC dishonestly attacked and smeared him. Blacklisted him, etc.
And so what happened? Well, Trump became Hoover basically, with a lot of people on the left and even on the right saying "If it was Trump vs a shoe, I'd vote for the shoe." Even non voters who had never voted in their life voted against Trump. Such as Snoop Dogg who said "I'm sick of this clown." But of course Trump had basically already developed a cult by then. So he still got a ton of votes and here we are now in 2024. With less and less regulations on literally everything. Oligarches not being held accountable. Monopolies run amok, wall street running amok. Biden is another Obama basically....and the general feeling around Americans and not just Americans but the rest of the world is basically very similar to the 1930s; we want a dictator. Fascism and communism on the rise. "capitalism is dead." "Democracy is dead" and a total lack of distrust in the government, corporations, etc.
SOUND FAMILIAR?!
Bernie Sanders was our F.D.R and he failed.
And in this political race in 2024 we got hardcore extremist on the right and on the DNC side we have Biden, and a few wild cards and F.D.Rs who are being completely blacklisted by the media, Biden, and DNC. Oh and Trump is openly running on a fascist and dictator campaign. Literally telling people "if you vote for me your voting for fascism and dictatorship." and according to multiple polls - TRUMP IS UP....
So what am I saying?
Hahaha, that we are living in a 1930's Great depression mentality and instead of getting our F.D.R's we are in total stagnation, and I have very very little hope for the future. In 2020 I was OUTRAGED AND DISGUSTED at the fact that Trump got so many votes. Instead of losing in a landslide, because what does that say about the country?! A pandemic was killing millions of people...and your gonna f**king vote for the mother f**ker who is making it worse?! Let alone the conspiracy theorist, racism, and everything else....but at this point I am just like "What the f**k ever...I'm sick and tired of this. F**k America. If the country goes fascist and turns into a f**king dictatorship then SO BE IT, I guess?! If it stays stagnet, then what comes after?! How long can this stagnation of "same old same old" go on and keep dodging the bullet of fascism and dictatorship?! I don't see us getting our new F.D.R any time soon.
And that was a sentiment during the depression, before F.D.R came in and changed everything.
This view of "Democracy is dead." and "It's gonna go to either the communist or the fascists. TAKE YOUR PICK."
So ya, i have even less hope for the future.
Over all, wish the book ended better, but still really really good.
March 20, 2017
In this book Denton does a good job of bringing to light previously seldom covered event that impacted FDR’s early presidency. Much has rightly been made of FDR’s struggles with the isolationists in later years, the most prominent of which was famed pilot Lindbergh, yet little has been written in depth about rumors of an attempted coup by Wall Street bankers angered by FDR’s New Deal policies as well as an assassination attempt by embittered anarchist Guiseppe Zangara. As was to occur throughout his presidency, we see that very early on FDR was attacked by both the far left and far right. Denton provides a useful background to these and other events that would shape later policy of the FDR administration towards radicals, subversives and seditionists. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of FDR and his time early years as president.
October 17, 2013
As I was reading this book I couldn't help but think of our recent confrontation with economic disaster. It seems to me the Wall Street financiers learned much from the implementation of the New Deal and vowed to never allow anything like it to happen again. It is also curious how often many of our presidents have been considered both fascist and communist simultaneously by the same group of people.
November 3, 2013
Well researched and fascinating (especially the parallels to the current politics and Obama hating). I would've like a bit more commentary and conclusions and less of the details which, although fascinating, are not that relevant (who really cares about the height and weight of the assassin who missed FDR and shot five others standing nearby?). Still, a good overview of the politics of the day; lots of things I never knew.
December 4, 2012
I enjoyed this book. Interesting parallels in Wall Street's behavior prior to the Great Depression and prior to the Great Recession. Ditto for Wall Street's reaction to regulation. While I enjoyed the history, I'm not sure the plots mentioned in the title ply a major role in the book.
March 15, 2012
Interesting!
April 13, 2012
I would've preferred a better explanation about the consequences of leaving the gold standard, otherwise I would've given it 5 stars.
July 29, 2012
Didn't know Sally Denton but glad I do now. This is a very well written history of events I knew nothing about.
April 17, 2024
Not to be confused by a book of the same name by Lee Smith about Trump, this book by Sally Denton follows a few political plots against Franklin Roosevelt at the beginning of his first term as President. In a word, it’s “Mid”. There isn’t anything too bad about the book, but nothing great either.
It was interesting enough, but seemed to lack focus and purpose at times. It seemed to take a good amount of time getting to the first “plot” against FDR and then kind of hovered around that plot and its aftermath for no apparent reason. When it did move on it describes other plots against him, none of which felt like high stakes, nor that their chances of success were terribly high. So in a way I just kind of shrugged and said “Ok. So why is this important to understanding FDR, his leadership style, or his Presidency? How do these plots actually show the state of the Union during his presidency or how it developed?”
The best parts of the book weren’t even about FDR they were about his wife Eleanor. For years I have been telling myself to get a few good books about her and read them, and I think now I really need to do that. My favorite part of the whole book, and the part that resonated the most in its truth, was when FDR won the Presidency, Eleanor was quoted saying, “Now I have lost my individuality.” If that doesn’t hit you then you either aren’t a woman, or you haven’t had to experience your wife feeling this way because of some title you have obtained. And yet, it’s that very comment, and that very emotion, that gives insight into a possible reason as to why she became such a powerful figurehead for the feminist movement. She would rightly be a head on the Mt. Rushmore of feminism.
Overall I enjoyed it because I enjoy history and I enjoy books about FDR. I have always been amazed at his battle with Polio and his ability to get elected President 4 straight times, a feat that even if possible today would seem unlikely that anyone could manage to have that much favor in America today. But the book falters because the stakes never seem very high and the plots are a bit obscure in the grand scheme of American history. Some of them I had heard about but they had never been given this much attention and after reading the book I felt like they didn’t deserve this much attention.
If you like history you would probably enjoy the book enough to finish it. However, I would be surprised if any die hard reader found the writing more than competent, and I would be surprised if any history nut would find anything new or extraordinary in this book. So it really did leave me with a very indifferent feeling towards the book. I wouldn’t say it was terrible, but I am not looking to recommend it, nor would I be looking to read it again….. I am not upset about putting it on my bookshelf though! 😂😇. (Yes I have some books I don’t really want seen on my bookshelf. No I won’t get rid of them. Yes I know that’s dumb or weird, but it’s kind of my thing. 😂)
It was interesting enough, but seemed to lack focus and purpose at times. It seemed to take a good amount of time getting to the first “plot” against FDR and then kind of hovered around that plot and its aftermath for no apparent reason. When it did move on it describes other plots against him, none of which felt like high stakes, nor that their chances of success were terribly high. So in a way I just kind of shrugged and said “Ok. So why is this important to understanding FDR, his leadership style, or his Presidency? How do these plots actually show the state of the Union during his presidency or how it developed?”
The best parts of the book weren’t even about FDR they were about his wife Eleanor. For years I have been telling myself to get a few good books about her and read them, and I think now I really need to do that. My favorite part of the whole book, and the part that resonated the most in its truth, was when FDR won the Presidency, Eleanor was quoted saying, “Now I have lost my individuality.” If that doesn’t hit you then you either aren’t a woman, or you haven’t had to experience your wife feeling this way because of some title you have obtained. And yet, it’s that very comment, and that very emotion, that gives insight into a possible reason as to why she became such a powerful figurehead for the feminist movement. She would rightly be a head on the Mt. Rushmore of feminism.
Overall I enjoyed it because I enjoy history and I enjoy books about FDR. I have always been amazed at his battle with Polio and his ability to get elected President 4 straight times, a feat that even if possible today would seem unlikely that anyone could manage to have that much favor in America today. But the book falters because the stakes never seem very high and the plots are a bit obscure in the grand scheme of American history. Some of them I had heard about but they had never been given this much attention and after reading the book I felt like they didn’t deserve this much attention.
If you like history you would probably enjoy the book enough to finish it. However, I would be surprised if any die hard reader found the writing more than competent, and I would be surprised if any history nut would find anything new or extraordinary in this book. So it really did leave me with a very indifferent feeling towards the book. I wouldn’t say it was terrible, but I am not looking to recommend it, nor would I be looking to read it again….. I am not upset about putting it on my bookshelf though! 😂😇. (Yes I have some books I don’t really want seen on my bookshelf. No I won’t get rid of them. Yes I know that’s dumb or weird, but it’s kind of my thing. 😂)
March 3, 2025
As we move through a tectonic shift in administrations, this book popped off the shelf for me, fiercely relevant.
FDR's transition to power in the early 1930s came at a moment of particular peril for the Republic, and Denton chronicles some of the more dramatic moments of that time. As the United States struggled to drag itself out of economic collapse, the temptation to turn to fascism was a very real thing. Mussolini's "vigor" seemed a way out, and many Americans found it a seductive option.
Two events in particular serve as touchstones in the book: a failed assassination attempt and a peculiar oligarchic plot to overthrow the government. Both are described in granular detail, and the narrative is clearly well researched.
That narrative, though.
I appreciate the positive impact of FDR on our history, particularly now, as we collectively forget how unfettered capital drove us to the brink of starvation. He was a remarkable human being. But the book often drifts into what reads like hagiography. FDR is described in such glowing terms...so vital! so handsome! so noble!...that it gets to be a bit too Dear Leadery at times. Which, given that the temptation to descend into authoritarianism was precisely what we avoided with FDR, kinda cuts against the point of his long administration.
A three point four, and a painfully timely read.
FDR's transition to power in the early 1930s came at a moment of particular peril for the Republic, and Denton chronicles some of the more dramatic moments of that time. As the United States struggled to drag itself out of economic collapse, the temptation to turn to fascism was a very real thing. Mussolini's "vigor" seemed a way out, and many Americans found it a seductive option.
Two events in particular serve as touchstones in the book: a failed assassination attempt and a peculiar oligarchic plot to overthrow the government. Both are described in granular detail, and the narrative is clearly well researched.
That narrative, though.
I appreciate the positive impact of FDR on our history, particularly now, as we collectively forget how unfettered capital drove us to the brink of starvation. He was a remarkable human being. But the book often drifts into what reads like hagiography. FDR is described in such glowing terms...so vital! so handsome! so noble!...that it gets to be a bit too Dear Leadery at times. Which, given that the temptation to descend into authoritarianism was precisely what we avoided with FDR, kinda cuts against the point of his long administration.
A three point four, and a painfully timely read.
November 7, 2021
I think everyone should read this book if you are interested in lessons we can learn from history. The story line will sound familiar in terms of the political climate. FDR may have ended up as one of our most revered presidents and one who accomplished a revolutionary change in the American political structure but he didn't start out that way. He might not have been elected at all if Hoover hadn't been so ineffective at dealing with the Depression and also sent troops to harass veterans on a march to get money they had been promised. The country was in terrible shape and plenty angry when FDR was elected. The political parties were at each others' throats and lies were common currency. Not everyone was happy with Roosevelt's ideas and he had many political battles to get his policies enacted. Sound familiar? I'm not saying that Biden is an FDR but it is interesting how similar the zeitgeist was between that time and the current times.
January 28, 2024
Finally got around to finishing this after weeks of distractions. Putting this on my American Fascists bookshelf. If you haven’t seen the
movie Amsterdam yet, I recommend it . It’s part fact, part fiction
I read Sally’s book about The Bluegrass Conspiracy, so I thought I’d read this. She wrote this during the Obama presidency & the resurgence of right wing extremism as a reminder that it’s happened before. And 4-5 years after she wrote this, J6 happened, and currently Election Day is 282 days away, Texas is saber rattling about its border crisis & there’s a new movie “Civil War” due out in April about a fictional Civil War , so here we are.
This book details incidents that were briefly mentioned in other books about American Fascists I’ve read. The last chapter about the aftermath was news to me. Really detailed information about Smedley Butler , and various other conspiracy theories
movie Amsterdam yet, I recommend it . It’s part fact, part fiction
I read Sally’s book about The Bluegrass Conspiracy, so I thought I’d read this. She wrote this during the Obama presidency & the resurgence of right wing extremism as a reminder that it’s happened before. And 4-5 years after she wrote this, J6 happened, and currently Election Day is 282 days away, Texas is saber rattling about its border crisis & there’s a new movie “Civil War” due out in April about a fictional Civil War , so here we are.
This book details incidents that were briefly mentioned in other books about American Fascists I’ve read. The last chapter about the aftermath was news to me. Really detailed information about Smedley Butler , and various other conspiracy theories
April 14, 2024
It’s amazing how every once in awhile, usually when they’ve lost an election, the far right decides to take matters into their own hands, often with violent intent.
I had heard of both the assassination attempt and the plotted coup; both are well explained here with Denton’s coverage of how things unfolded once FDR became the Democrats’ nominee. While FDR would get flak from both sides, It was from the right that the true threat came. They would denounce him both as a socialist and a fascist (how someone can be both, the right has never bothered to explain,) Unfortunately, while thoroughly covered, I could have wished for better structure in the writing.
The strange plot cooked up by a group of Republican donors and Wall Street bankers, though found to be true by a Congressional committee, has never been well advertised. Maybe it’s about time that it was.
I had heard of both the assassination attempt and the plotted coup; both are well explained here with Denton’s coverage of how things unfolded once FDR became the Democrats’ nominee. While FDR would get flak from both sides, It was from the right that the true threat came. They would denounce him both as a socialist and a fascist (how someone can be both, the right has never bothered to explain,) Unfortunately, while thoroughly covered, I could have wished for better structure in the writing.
The strange plot cooked up by a group of Republican donors and Wall Street bankers, though found to be true by a Congressional committee, has never been well advertised. Maybe it’s about time that it was.
February 14, 2023
Fasscinating.
There was an attempt on FDR's life of which we never hear, and an organization of the nation's elite that were, effectively, conspiring against his New Deal.
The details of the book are worthwhile because we never hear of them.
It fits in my mind up with "One Nation Under God," by Kevin Kruse, which describes in far, far more detail the depths to which America's elite went to dismantle and discredit the New Deal as some kind of vast Communist plot.
And today's GQP seems intent on overturning items like Social Security which were designed to preserve our system of government, not to dismantle it!
I'll be reading this one again too. Well worth it.
There was an attempt on FDR's life of which we never hear, and an organization of the nation's elite that were, effectively, conspiring against his New Deal.
The details of the book are worthwhile because we never hear of them.
It fits in my mind up with "One Nation Under God," by Kevin Kruse, which describes in far, far more detail the depths to which America's elite went to dismantle and discredit the New Deal as some kind of vast Communist plot.
And today's GQP seems intent on overturning items like Social Security which were designed to preserve our system of government, not to dismantle it!
I'll be reading this one again too. Well worth it.
December 28, 2017
An excellent and concise look at a sliver of history that has rarely been examined and at worst covered up, this book is an interesting look at a time in history when the American people wanted strong leadership and could have potentially had a fascist government installed. It also has some interesting parallels to today.
April 5, 2021
A little disappointing--the author seems to have had enough material for articles about two important plots against Franklin Roosevelt, but expanded them into a book by adding brief summaries of Roosevelt's life, the development of the Great Depression, and the beginning of the New Deal, rather than going into more depth about the title plots.
December 5, 2023
I enjoyed reading this but the title is kinda misleading. It really only goes into one specific plot against FDR and then only in the last 5 or so chapters of the book. I think a subject of that magnitude deserved an entire book. I had never heard of Smedley Butler before this and there MUST have been more to say about a literal coup than what is written here.
January 8, 2023
Excellent!
Very well-written and researched. Interestingly, the actual plot doesn't enter the narrative until 3/4 through, but I learned so much about FDR's First Hundred Days. Never a huge fan of his, I finished the book with administration and respect for President Roosevelt.
Very well-written and researched. Interestingly, the actual plot doesn't enter the narrative until 3/4 through, but I learned so much about FDR's First Hundred Days. Never a huge fan of his, I finished the book with administration and respect for President Roosevelt.
October 3, 2024
Two different plots to assassinate FDR, one by what was ruled as a 'lone gunman' & one from Wall Street colored his early years in the White House. An interesting read about a piece of American History I had not paid particular attention to.
October 4, 2018
This book was very slow at the beginning but ended up being very interesting.
June 12, 2019
Weak - sensational title with non-objective slant to story. Skip for historical relevance.
March 5, 2021
Interesting to see how much is the same with the Herbert Hoover republicans and the Trump Republicans. Some things stay the same the more things change.
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