Phases of the New Deal 1933-1935 1936 – Referendum and Mandate 1937 100 Days Height of popularity Second New Deal – businesses had not really “helped” and NRA was ineffective so FDR focuses on workers 1936 – Referendum and Mandate 1937 Court Packing and “Roosevelt Recession” 1938 Re-emphasis End of the New Deal?

The Roosevelt Recession - 1937 FDR believes programs are effective and solving the GD Begins to cut back on funding and relief programs Economy is not as strong as he thought and there is a rise in unemployment and economic struggles

Resistance to the New Deal Limitations Critics Supreme Court Packing Plan

Limitations of the New Deal Women Men received preferred hiring status in relief jobs Many programs permitted lower pay for women Social Security did not include domestic work.

Limitations of the New Deal African Americans Reinforced racial segregation in programs Excluded blacks from professional or “skilled” labor. AAA hurt sharecroppers Did nothing to stop the rising tide of lynching or the poll tax FDR doesn’t want to anger white southern politicians A-A still supported him

Critics of the New Deal The New Deal goes too far: Many critics saw New Deal Programs as being socialistic TVA SSA – Rich don’t need it! Critics called most New Deal Programs “un-American” because they “smacked of Bolshevism”, and regulated capitalism.

The New Deal doesn’t go far enough: Many New Deal critics said that New Deal programs should redistribute the personal wealth of the country. – SOCIALISM! Progressive critics complained that The New Deal did not eliminate poverty.

Huey “Kingfish” Long Senator from Louisiana “Share the Wealth” income and inheritance taxes on wealthy Wanted to guarantee Americans: $2,500 a year A car and home College education All The Kings Men – News “All The Kings Men” Trailer

Father Coughlin Catholic Priest who was a flip-flopping critic of FDR. Lost support because of Pro-Nazi sentiments Both Coughlin and Long used half-truths and scare tactics

Father Charles Coughlin Union For Social Justice Weekly radio show: “The Radio Priest” Problem is banking: Supported Fascism (Hitler) and blamed Jews for problems Ordered off the air Both Coughlin and Long used half-truths and scare tactics

Dr. Francis Townsend Help for the elderly $ from Fed. Sales tax give retired person over 60 years old $200/mo. Must spend it all in the month open up jobs for younger workers Stimulate economy general basis for Social Security

THE SUPREME COURT Challenges to the New Deal 1935: Schechter v. US: struck down NRA “Sick chicken case” – Schechter brothers were accused of selling unhealthy chickens to buyers in violation of NRA Cods NRA codes were written by business leaders, but if Pres. agreed with codes they could be given power of “law” SC says Schechter was intra-state trade separation of powers – FDR had taken legislative powers of Congress and was regulating trade within a state 1935: U.S. v Butler: struck down AAA gov’t can’t tax one group (processors) to then give to farmers for not farming all of their land Can tax, but the tax was coercive and led to unconstitutional ends

ELECTION OF 1936 - FDR won easily (v Repub ELECTION OF 1936 - FDR won easily (v Repub. Alfred Landon - Kansas governor) this victory gave FDR a mandate to continue his New Deal policies first objective: to reorganize the Supreme Court - they disallowed some New Deal legislation FDR wants # of judges changed from 9 15 (to "pack the court") - great opposition, so FDR withdrew this proposal but judges retired & FDR got to appoint new ones  they approved all New Deal legislation

the late 1930's – new Qs arose… FDR concerned w/ int'l issues in 1939 he proposed no new major domestic reform measures (1st time in his pres.) ELECTION OF 1940 - FDR broke with tradition & ran a 3rd time FDR v. Wendell Wilkie - the big issue here was American support of the Allies (G.B.), now embroiled in WWII v. Nazi Ger. both U.S. pol. parties wanted to support G.B. but to remain neutral - in fact a CONSENSUS had developed b/n the Dems. and Repubs. both parties approved of (most) New Deal legislation & wanted an isolationist foreign policy FDR won in 1940 (and again in 1944)

Legacy of the New Deal

General Criticisms Some projects did not have lasting effects Gov’t was too involved in economy Heavier taxes = less money for consumers to spend Deficit Spending = spending more money then gov’t takes in, leads to heavy debt

***Despite his critics, FDR was a hero to MILLIONS of Americans***

IMPACT OF THE NEW DEAL a 3rd revolution in American culture and politics- more gov't involvement but w/in the context of traditional U.S. democracy (not socialist…) New Deal helped in stimulating the U.S. economy, but only WWII would solve any lingering problems  unemployed found jobs in munitions factories and the military as the U.S. became the ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY New Deal saw expansion of U.S. gov't in : 1) eco. - constant gov't intervention/deficit spending 2) social reform - welfare state - after this point the U.S. gov't was expected to play a role in any economic crisis

LEGACY OF NEW DEAL Government’s role changed: “Broker State” Fed. Gov’t assists groups who are able to organize and exercise power(voting) to demand government action Minorities: mixed results: women & blacks in FDR’s gov’t; discrimination from New Deal Continues the “reform tradition” populists, etc. Capitalism “saved”: Did NOT end the Great Depression

Political “Flip-Flop”: Democratic Party (during Progressive era & beyond): now more gov’t. involvement, more spending, actively help “little guy” (used to be: smaller gov’t, not intrusive, Jefferson’s vision) Republican Party: gov’t is now too big, interferes too much in people’s lives, need to cut spending (used to be associated w/stronger gov’t, support economic growth: Federalists, Whigs)