Expansion & Reduction

Two presidents. Two eras. Two visions. Two parties. One America.

Slinky is a research paper comparing the presidencies of James K. Polk (1845-1849) and Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929). Both men were very much of their time and able to perform effectively as Commanders-in-Chief. Their personalities, policies, and day-to-day lives were vastly different. So, how were these American presidents, so different from each other—in temperament, disposition, and chronology—both able to succeed in the White House? This paper seeks to answer this question and more.