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The Legacy of FDR

Your issue on FDR was a great reminder that the U.S. suffered through hardships, only to emerge stronger and more internationally established [July 6]. However, many of FDR’s proposals were enacted after the first 100 days. The jury remained out for quite some time before Roosevelt was dubbed one of the greatest Presidents. Maybe the lesson President Barack Obama should take from FDR is to work on what he thinks is necessary, even if it’s politics that the American people don’t fully appreciate or understand. Phil Graffis, REDWOOD CITY, CALIF.

You do your usual excellent job of reporting facts on history. But those of us who actually lived and tried to work and raise a family during those dark days know one extremely important fact: FDR did not resolve, diminish or end the Depression in any shape or form. It went on for 10 years! The Depression was ended, very effectively, when Hitler raised an iron fist and started our wartime factories humming. Thomas D. Endicott, OCALA, FLA.

I would make the case that the first 100 days of LBJ’s elected term are by far the most significant of the modern presidency. Without the Civil Rights Act, we would have no President Obama. Without Medicare, we wouldn’t even have a chance to attain universal health care. And while I’m glad Obama is channeling FDR’s charismatic confidence when it comes to providing a public, nonprofit option to the insurance industry, I hope he channels LBJ’s persuasive powers, especially among his fellow Democrats. David Caskey, UNIVERSITY PARK, MD.

Crying Uncle in Iran?

I was pleasantly surprised to read Joe Klein’s reference to Uncle Napoleons–elder Iranians who blame everything that happens in the world on Britain [July 6]. His comment that “the U.S. has supplanted Britain as the Great Satan,” however, missed the mark. One of the great achievements of Britain, according to Uncle Napoleons, is that it has fooled the world into believing it no longer wields that much power, while in fact the U.S. is nothing more than Britain’s attack dog. Try to convince them otherwise and they will treat you as the most naive individual. Hirbod Rashidi, LOS ANGELES

Generations of Michael Fans

Much is made of Michael Jackson’s effect on the MTV generation, but Jackson also changed the lives of boomers from the music-radio generation [Special Commemorative Edition, July 2009]. The opening chord of “I Want You Back” electrified our school playgrounds. Finally, after all the love songs aimed at teenyboppers, here was a boy our age singing directly to us. We’ll never forget the moment Michael Jackson became our music. Melissa Schelling, PAHOA, HAWAII

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