Famous Political Leaders in USA
If the world of politics leaves you cold, perhaps reading up on some of America’s Famous Political Leaders could help shed some light.
These politicians made an impactful mark at both national and local levels, often representing states other than their home state – like Margaret Chase Smith who represented Maine in both House of Representatives and Senate and Patsy Mink who led Hawaii’s first all-woman congressional delegation.
John F. Kennedy Famous Political Leaders
Few politicians have enjoyed as wide and unqualified public support as Jack Kennedy did. According to public-opinion polls, he ranks alongside Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln as America’s favorite presidents, yet scholars and historians often take a less glowing view.
He has been widely credited with revitalizing America through his economic programs, as well as pushing through comprehensive civil rights legislation during his first term in office.
Joseph Kennedy had always advocated for the rights of America’s poor. Under his leadership, civil rights movements were initiated across America. Unfortunately, Joseph was assassinated in 1963 – his tragic demise inspired the 2008 movie Milk. Additionally, he is remembered as being elected President at a mere 33 years old – his photo even appears on the US 20 bill! Upon leaving office he was succeeded by Franklin D Roosevelt who died a few months later.
Dr. Ben Carson
Neurosurgeon David Weil became an instant folk hero in Baltimore, with some schools making his memoir Gifted Hands required reading. His account of rising from hardships as a child to become an internationally acclaimed surgeon touched many African Americans’ hearts, inspiring them to reach for greater goals.
He is best-known for separating conjoined twins joined at the back of their heads, pioneering an operation which saved hundreds of people, and refining hemispherectomy – which removes half of the brain to treat severe epilepsy – into practice. For these contributions he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom – America’s highest civilian award.
Carson has garnered great respect from those he once respected for his medical achievements; yet his political activism has earned him criticism from some of those same admirers. As secretary of housing and urban development under President Donald Trump, Carson has come under scrutiny due to his inexperience in government service.
Kathleen Sebelius|Famous Political Leaders
Kathleen Sebelius ascended the political ladder, serving as governor of Kansas and eventually becoming Secretary of Health and Human Services. She played an integral part in passing the Affordable Care Act while fighting to provide services for families.
Yet despite her impressive resume, her legacy will forever be connected with Obamacare’s botched rollout. Under her watch, sign-ups plummeted for this massive website; sign-up goals had to be adjusted downward and blame shifted elsewhere for what ultimately proved an abject failure. She spent months backtracking from original goals of 7 million enrollments while deflecting blame onto others involved.
Sebelius is an accomplished two-term Democratic governor in a red state and boasts vast experience working across party lines. She earned both her undergraduate degree at Trinity Washington University and graduate degree in public administration from University of Kansas; today, she runs Sebelius Resources LLC as CEO. Furthermore, FHSU awarded her an honorary doctorate degree.
Elizabeth Warren||Famous Political Leaders
Elizabeth Warren has become one of America’s foremost progressive voices with her bold proposals to end Washington corruption, strengthen democracy, combat systemic racism and restore the middle class. As one of Massachusetts’ senior senators, she has led changes that impact people directly–from sending student debt relief directly to President Obama’s desk to creating new tax rules for giant corporations and instituting wealth taxes for fortunes of $50 Million or higher.
She is renowned as an expert on predatory lenders and an outspoken critic of economic injustice, issues at the core of Democratic presidential politics. Her ideas, often released through blog posts or newspaper op-eds, have rendered many of her primary opponents appear weak by comparison. Furthermore, she founded the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as the first agency ever created to protect consumers against unfair practices by Wall Street firms and big banks.
Rand Paul
Paul Jr. is the son of libertarian congressman Ron Paul and an antitax crusader in Kentucky, known for holding 13-hour filibusters against White House drone policies last year. Recently he has also attempted to rebrand himself as more mainstream Republican and expand his appeal among black voters.
He tries to live up to his father’s legacy by advocating for smaller government and criticizing a criminal justice system that overincarcerates blacks. He has delivered talks at historically black institutions like Howard University in Washington D.C. and Simmons College in Kentucky as well as meeting with community leaders after unarmed black men were shot dead by police officers in Ferguson Missouri. Furthermore, S 162 supports one of his main campaign tenets of spending accountability.
William McKinley
Born in Niles, Ohio, McKinley was an individual with deep convictions. Beginning his military service during the American Civil War as an enlisted soldier with the Union Army – eventually rising to brevet major status by its end – McKinley then studied law and established his practice in Canton before becoming popular among labor and mining workers as a popular congressman with support from industrialist Mark Hanna in 1877.
McKinley achieved prominence during his congressional career for being an expert on protective tariffs. Additionally, he adopted an “Open Door” policy towards China that promoted American commercial interests there. Following the Spanish-American War, his popularity skyrocketed and he won the Republican presidential nomination against rival William Jennings Bryan (a Democrat campaigning on free silver issues).
Harry Truman
After failing in haberdashery business, Truman became county judge (similar to commissioner) in Jackson County Missouri in 1922 and eventually elected to serve in Senate from 1934 until Franklin Roosevelt selected him to be his fourth term running mate during World War II. Truman led committee that investigated wartime corruption and waste saving up to $15 billion during this time!
He desegregated the military and was the first President to address Congress for civil rights legislation. Truman also spearheaded containment of Soviet expansionism in Europe by creating his Truman Doctrine; domestic policy however was often uncertain and economic performance suffered; his approval ratings dipped below that of any president ever, yet he managed to remain President until 1952.
Andrew Jackson
While some may view Jackson as a political rebel, others see him as someone who put ordinary people first. As president, Jackson strengthened the presidency, acquired new territories, paid back debts, and gained international respect for America.
Born into a backwoods settlement in 1767, Jackson only received intermittent education but quickly rose to fame as a frontier general and won an impressive victory at the Battle of New Orleans. Jackson later rose to the presidency where he frequently clashed with established interests; for instance he opposed officeholders who seemed to enjoy life tenure and believed government duties should rotate among deserving individuals rather than corporations, fearing they could steal their liberties from everyday Americans and became known as the Father of Two-Party System before dying at age 67 in 1845 – an epic tale full of dramatic twists!
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was known both to his friends and foes as the “Little Magician” or the “Sly Fox”, an epithet that captured both sides of his political life. A lawyer, politician, and founder of the Democratic Party. After quickly ascending through New York state politics – winning a Senate seat in 1821 while founding an intricate political organization known as Albany Regency – Van Buren founded his party.
Van Buren honing his political skills by brokering New York state Democratic party and its various factions, trying to prevent internal strife while championing national policy of minimalism in government.
As President, Van Buren opposed Texas annexation in order to avoid costly conflict with Mexico and ease abolitionist concerns in the North. Unfortunately, he lost out to William Henry Harrison and decided to return to Lindenwald – his Kinderhook estate where he would reside until his death in 1862.
James K. Polk
James Polk won the 1844 presidential election with support from the Whig Party as an underdog candidate known as a “dark horse.” He has come to be revered as one of the greatest one-term presidents because he fulfilled key campaign promises and achieved important domestic and foreign policy goals during his one term in office.
Polk earned an unwavering supporter of Jacksonian principles during his membership of the House of Representatives from 1835-1839 and as Governor of Tennessee from 1839-1840, whereupon he rapidly settled a boundary dispute with Britain over Oregon Territory (today’s northwest states), reduced tariffs and established an independent Treasury system upon becoming president in 1845.
He widened the nation, adding Texas and Wisconsin to the union while also securing land that eventually formed most of today’s contiguous 48 states. Unfortunately, his expansion proved controversial because it deepened divisions between free states and slave states. Tags#Famous Political Leaders
