President Franklin D. Roosevelt is commonly thought of as a liberal and President Herbert C. Hoover as a conservative. The validity of these accusations, however, is uncertain. Before classifying each president in the categories of "liberal" and "conservative," it must first be understood what is meant by each term. During the time of the Great Depression, a liberal was usually associated with "political equality, free speech, free assembly, free press, and equality of opportunity." It was directly derived from the word "liberty" which meant freedom. Today, the definition changes drastically. A liberal is someone who thinks government can solve problems, and someone who trus