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Theodore Roosevelt's Controversial Politics

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Esmé Hassell-Thean Mr. Blenner AP United States History 12th of March 2016 The controversial politics of Theodore Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt is one of America’s most famous Presidents and today his legacy lives on, admired by both liberals and conservatives alike. However, in his day Roosevelt would have been considered left wing and the conservatives of the early 1900s would have frowned upon his policies. It has been said that Theodore Roosevelt “stood close to the center and bared his teeth at the conservatives of the right and the liberals of the extreme left,” but this is an inaccurate judgement of his politics, a common misconception. His most significant achievements went against traditionalist ideals- his Square Deal based domestic …show more content…

He wanted to pass laws in order to protect and conserve America’s vast, but quickly depleting natural resources; He wanted to provide care for the less fortunate and protect the poor; He wanted to regulate the monopolistic corporations that took advantage of the American people. To achieve these goals and implement the acts that he passed Roosevelt needed to expand federal power. This was strongly opposed by States Rightists so, as a liberal, Teddy often clashed with the more conservative half of …show more content…

Though it has been said he “stood close to the center and bared his teeth at the conservatives of the right and the liberals of the extreme left” he was not in fact anti left wing. Roosevelt, for the most part, fought only with those to the right. Executing his Square Deal by implementing clauses such as the Antiquities Act of 1906, the Meat Inspection Act, the Pure Drug and Food Act, creating the United States Forestry Service and busting the Northern Securities Company TR greatly expanded federal power. In addition to this crime against conservatism, he also allowed for America to abandon its history of isolation. Both at home and abroad Roosevelt irked the traditionalists, making the theory of him baring his teeth at both sides inaccurate; for the most part TR fought only the

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