Opposition to the New Deal

Today’s Objective  After today’s lesson, students will be able to…  Discuss the opposing views of the New Deal and explain what the critics thought was wrong  Essential Skill  Explicitly assess information and draw conclusions

ReliefRecoveryReform National Recovery Act, 1933 Home Owners Loan Corp, 1933 Federal Housing Administration, 1934 Agricultural Adjustment Act, 1933 and 1937 Emergency Banking Act, 1933 Federal Emergency Relief Act, 1933 Public Works Administration, 1933 Works Progress Administration, 1935 Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933 Tennessee Valley Authority, 1933 Glass-Steagall Banking Act, 1933 Securities Exchange Act, 1934 Social Security Act, 1935 National Labor Relations Act, 1935 Fair Labor Standards Act, 1938

Free Response!  Please answer the following questions in full sentences. Explain your thoughts  As a whole, would you consider the New Deal to be a success?  What programs do you think were most important/longest lasting?  What role should the government have in our daily lives?

The New Deal Isn’t Doing Enough !  Many Americans still desperately poor  Worst hit were blacks & poor farmers  Key Figure: Dr. Francis Townsend  Old Age Revolving Pension Plan  Campaigned for $200/month pensions for 60 yrs, providing they spent it in same month, thus stimulating the economy

The New Deal Isn’t Doing Enough !  Key figure: Father Coughlin  National Union for Social Justice  Catholic priest  He was specific in calling for silver inflation  Used weekly radio address called “Golden Hour of the Little Flower “ to attack FDR  He increasingly voiced anti-semetic and pro-fascist views  Movement faded in early ’40s after Vatican instructed him to stop his attacks and with the outbreak of WWII

Huey Long: “Share the Wealth”  ‘Share the Wealth’  Personal fortunes 3 million  Yearly income 1 million  Gov’t taxes shared w/ all Americans  Pensions for all over 60 yrs.  Every family gets minimum yearly wage of $2000 and $5000 for house payment  Free washing machines & radios for everyone  FDR considered him one of two most dangerous men in America until Long was assassinated in 1935

Opposition from the Supreme Court  Supreme Court most powerful opponent  Dominated by anti-New Deal Republicans  Could overturn New Deal laws as unconstitutional  May 1935: Schechter Poultry Corporation found guilty of violating NIRA regulations  Sold diseased chickens for people to eat  Filed false sales claims to inflate value  Exploited workers  Supreme Court ruled in favor of Schechter on appeal  Found that NIRA was unconstitutional  Federal Government had no right to prosecute company

“Court Packing Scheme”  FDR Furious  Asked Congress to expand Supreme Court from 9 justices to 15 (new six would be pro-New Deal)  FDR misjudged mood of Americans  Alarmed at grab of power  Feared FDR attacking American system of government  A switch in time saves nine  Supreme Court less obstructionist from Fall ‘35 onward  7 justices retired allowing FDR to shape future  Most Second New Deal measures approved by Supreme Court in 1937