Word: tafts
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When Theodore Roosevelt challenged William Howard Taft for the Republican presidential nomination in 1912, few cheered. Enemies accused him of monumental egotism, and most admirers, foreseeing his defeat, were worried that posterity would frown on his quest for an unprecedented third term. But as Roosevelt saw it, he had to involve himself. He had left the White House in 1909 with the expectation that Taft, his good friend and chosen successor, would continue on the progressive course set by the Roosevelt Administration. Instead, Taft had filled his Cabinet with corporate lawyers, bungled a chance to overhaul an antiquated tariff that...
Then came the midterm elections of 1910. The G.O.P. lost control of the House, and Roosevelt began criticizing Taft's policies in print. The final rupture occurred a year later when Taft's Attorney General filed an antitrust suit against the U.S. Steel Corp. because of a 1907 acquisition that Roosevelt had personally approved. T.R. was outraged. The decision to challenge Taft soon followed. T.R.'s campaign would not succeed, but the ideals that he and his Bull Moose Party enunciated in 1912 would resonate in American political life for decades. They still do. They shaped much of Franklin Roosevelt...
...handful of bosses and rubber-stamped at state party caucuses. In 1912 a dozen states were letting voters do the choosing in primaries, a political innovation just beginning to catch on. If T.R. could win big in the primaries, he could present himself as the people's choice and Taft as the creature of the bosses...
...surprised and disheartened to read TIME's criticism of Ohio Governor Bob Taft ["The Worst Governors in America," Nov. 21]. While taking potshots at the Governor, you failed to mention his many accomplishments in education. Thanks to his planning, the state is spending $2 million a day to ensure that all students have a safe and modern learning environment. He has championed the development of strict new academic standards and demanded accountability in the schools. Governor Taft is a friend and a national leader in education. I encourage TIME to take a broader look before printing such unfair attacks...
...chairman of the Ohio Manufacturers' Association, I can assure you that there is another side to the story of Ohio Governor Bob Taft. In 2005 he signed into law the most sweeping reform of Ohio's tax structure in 60 years. He eliminated the burdensome tax on business inventory and the state's corporate franchise tax. Whole sections of Ohio's tax code were written out of existence. How many Governors can claim that accomplishment? In addition, Governor Taft reduced the state's income-tax rate 21%. His tax-reform package is geared to encourage capital investment and create...