> He imprisoned citizens without trial. There were actual laws on the books long before FDR (some repealed and some not) that gave such authority to arrest and

> He imprisoned citizens without trial. There were actual laws on the books long before FDR (some repealed and some not) that gave such authority to arrest and detain US citizens without trial or for controversial reasons. The first time in 1798[1] and the second in 1917[2] and the third and 1918[3]. If we're just talking about imprisoning without trial and not the rationale behind it, then even Abraham Lincoln is guilty of that[4]. Not that FDR is my favorite president, but the US Government has had a long history of abusing* power and bending the rules when it was considered critical by certain powers that be (regardless of political party and historical popularity of the politician). I just don't think one can single out FDR when it was already a precedent in times of war (and near war) to do so before him. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_and_Sedition_Acts http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_and_Sedition_Acts [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espionage_Act_of_1917 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espionage_Act_of_1917 [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedition_Act_of_1918 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedition_Act_of_1918 [4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habeas_corpus_in_the_United_States#Suspension_during_the_Civil_War http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habeas_corpus_in_the_United_Sta... *Obviously open to interpretation and subjective