FDR AS PRESIDENT

PHILOSOPHY OF FDR Mix of Hamilton and Jefferson Increased power of the Presidency President as a “broker” between competing interests Increased role of government Liberalism-pro labor Federal Government is morally bound to help citizens Use of a “Brain Trust” cabinet to help Pragmatism—not an idealist like Wilson Use of media to get to everyday citizens

FIRST 100 DAYS FDR called for a special session of Congress Proposes many bills President becomes a “Legislative Leader” not Congress “Alphabet soup” of programs 1 st New Deal—Relief of Unemployment nd New Deal—Reform Focus on 3 R’s—Relief, Recovery & Reform

NEW DEAL PROGRAMS See chart PEOPLE OF THE NEW DEAL Francis Perkins Harry Hopkins Harold Ickes Robert Wagner *Eleanor Roosevelt

CRITICS OF THE NEW DEAL Huey Long—”Share the Wealth” program Dr. Francis Townsend—”Seniors Program” Father Charles Coughlin-”Social Justice” Hoover

OTHER CONCERNS DURING NEW DEAL Dust Bowl—Arkansas/Oklahoma Many migrate to California Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 Labor Changes Increased Unionization John L. Lewis forms CIO for car & steel industry 4 mil members by 1940

1936 Election FDR vs. Rep. Alf Landon Landon fight the “Socialism of the New Deal” with American Liberty League FDR—Remembers the “Forgotten Man” 20 th Amendment Changes Inauguration to January Gets rid of Lame Duck period FDR wins big

1937 Court Packing Scheme Add a new Justice for every one over 70 yrs. Old dislike court declaring NIRA & AAA unconstitutional “A switch in time saves nine” Justice Roberts starts to vote for liberal New Deal policies FDR-power hungry Makes 9 appointments without changing SC

FDR AS AUTOCRAT FDR—wants to reorganize gov’t 1937 Defeated 1939—Reorganization Act—limited reform Creates Executive Office in the White House 1940—Hatch Act- Federal employees can’t actively campaign or get $$ later—limited campaign contributions & expenses 1938—Congressional elections—Republicans win seats

ROOSEVELT RECESSION % Unemployment Cut government spending, increased taxes Decrease of disposable income Creates a Recession “managed currency with a balanced budget” Impossible to balance the budget

RESULTS OF THE NEW DEAL National debt from $19.5 bill in 1932 to 40.4 bill in 1939 ($258 in 1945) Critics argue—too much “socialism”, too many “handouts” New Deal was a “band-aid” FDR-helped the starving people of US Bold reform without bloody revolution Increased Pres. power