Answer:
“You lose.” These words, the punch line of one of the most famous anecdotes about President Coolidge, are often trotted out as evidence that our thirtieth president should be remembered for nothing more than how little he both said and did. This is a pity, for while “Silent Cal” certainly was terse and to-the-point, mostly eschewing small talk and idle remarks, it is clear from the treasure trove of speeches Coolidge wrote that he could be counted on to deliver stirring, important remarks when called upon to do so.
This has become clearer to me in recent weeks in a number of ways. Listening to home school students recite the President’s words in our Have Faith in Massachusetts speech competition was one. I’d read the speech before, but it wasn’t until I heard the words coming from those teenagers that I realized just how eloquent and striking President Coolidge could be in his writing. “Men do not make laws. They do but discover them,” the President said, as he began his term as Massachusetts Senate President. “Government cannot relieve from toil. It can provide no substitute for the rewards of service,” he continued. “Don’t expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong. Don’t hurry to legislate. Give administration a chance to catch up with legislation.”[i] I find myself wanting to shout “hooray!”
Explanation:
