Presidential Election of 1932

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Presidential Election of 1932

• The US economy was failing as the Depression
  entered its 4th year
• In 1932, A desperate US turned away from
  conservatism voted for the Demo candidate- FDR.
  The election was a blowout. FDRs optimism
  promise of a New Deal for Ams echoed with the
  common people
• However, his optimism could not hide the fact
  that the US was in crisis
• ¼ of Ams were out of jobs (up from 3.2 in 1929)
• The stock market had fallen from 224 to 58-
  proving our econ. Was unhealthy
• 1000s of banks had collapsed while others seized
  farms homes in a desperate bid to stay afloat.
• Am farmers were in worst position of all- Dust
  Bowl, famine, lost farms, no technical skills to
  work in cities so many move west (in a huge
  migration)
• In cities, workers lost their jobs began
  striking- resulting in deaths injuries (in
  Detroit, workers chanted Ford gave bullets for
  bread when police fired on unemployed workers
  protesting/begging for jobs )
• Even schools closed as teachers went unpaid
  students moved away

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The Rise of FDR

• FDRs upbringing was in stark contrast to the
  lives of most Ams.
• He grew up in a mansion, took trips to Europe,
  ate in private clubs
• However, his parents instilled the values of
  simplicity, hard work, compassion for the poor
• After he graduated from Harvard, FDR became a
  lawyer, later a NY state senator, ended up
  serving as Asst. Sec of the Navy
• Just when things were beginning to burgeon w/ his
  career- he developed polio was paralyzed
• During his rehabilitation, spokesmen gave out
  only glowing reports, but the truth was he never
  walked again w/out 10 lb braces.
• Afterward he helped restructure the Demo Party
  served 2 terms as gov of NY
• His commitment to govt taking a part in the
  recovery of the Depression swayed many voters in
  the 1932 election (vs. Hoovers rugged
  individualism)

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Beginning of The New Deal

• From his 1st day in office, FDR initiated series
  of fed programs designed to rescue US from G.D.
• 1st he declared a bank holiday- shutting down
  every bank in the nation to prevent the public
  from continuing to w/draw funds
• After this he launched a special session of
  Congress resulting in a huge of laws
  programs- it came to be known as the 100 Days
• W/in 1 week, Congress passed both the Emergency
  Banking relief Act the Econ Act to balance the
  budget (they debated over them only 40 minutes
  b/4 passing them)- both were Hoover left-overs
• By summer of 1933, 75 of nations banks back in
  business 1 billion had been deposited back in
  banks
• Besides helping businesses, Congress passed laws
  aimed at the poor
• The Federal Emergency Relief Act (FERA) provided
  500 mill in grants to the unemployed (short-term
  jobs) in cities
• The Agricultural Adjustment Act was passed to
  help farmers- raised market prices on livestock
  crops- also paid subsidies
• The 100 Days also saw the creation of the TVA-
  used to build dams in rural TN
• Several factors why New Deal programs successful
• Both Demos Repubs worked together in Congress
• FDR sought advice from wide range of
  intellectuals- he called Brain Trust-in creating
  ND programs
• Finally FDR won support from common Ams w/ his
  fireside chats on the radio- instilling
  confidence where before there had been despair
  and fear.

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Work Programs

• One of FDRs most popular programs was the
  Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) a work program
  estd to relieve unemployment poverty among
  young men.
• In 33, the govt hired over 250,000 men b/t ages
  of 17-24 to work in natl parks forests
  planting trees, repairing facilities, building
  trails, stocking fish in lakes rivers
• By 39, the CCC had provided work for 2.5 million
  Americans improved Americas wilderness areas.
• Like the CCC, the Works Progress Administration
  was a fed prog aimed at ending unemployment.
• Targeted mainly blue-collar workers by funding
  construction projects across the country-
• 650,000 miles of roads, 78,000 bridges, 125,000
  bldgs, 700 miles of airport runways
• It also attempted to aid artists by funding Fed.
  Writers Project, Fed. Artists Project-
• 225,000 concerts given to 150 million people
  475,000 works of art were created
• _at_ same time, labor made gains from Natl Indus.
  Recovery Act (NIRA)-
• Called for govt monitoring of big business to
  protect workers rights
• Govt also supported workers by passing Fair Labor
  Standards Act
• This eliminated child labor, estd minimum wage,
  called for higher OT wages
• Yet, women minorities contd to be underpaid
  were often barred from union membership- So some
  felt the ND only paid lip service to labor
  struggles

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Critics of the New Deal

• While most Ams praised the ND for saving the US,
  others raised questions about FDRs approach to
  ending the GD
• Some Af-Ams felt FDR was too concerned w/
  Southern white Democratic voters was not doing
  enough to support minorities economic gains
• Others complained that FDR was exploiting
  different groups neediness in order to advance
  his own ambitions (i.e.- creating new programs
  just to gain votes)
• Others complained b/c of the level of
  interference the ND took in Ams lives
• Francis Townsend was CA dr. called for an
  extensive old-age policy for elderly- 200/month,
  but it had to be spent EVERY month (no saving!)
• Huey Long said it wasnt enough called for the
  govt to take millionaires through taxation
  spread it more evenly among the poor -Share Our
  Wealth -serious contender in 36 election but
  killed by an assassins bullet
• Fr. Charles Coughlin- a Cath priest notorious
  anti-Semite complained that FDR was a tool of big
  business part of a Jewish conspiracy-joined w/
  Longs Townsend's successor Gerald Smith in
  Union Party but was trounced in election
• Am Liberty League (ALL) was a major opponent of
  FDR. Composed of members of big business (GM,
  General Foods, Ford, etc) conservative
  Democrats (yes they have those!!) who were
  alarmed _at_ FDRs socialist leanings.
• They complained that he was trying to Sovietize
  the Stock Exchange, railroads, radios, electrical
  power, esp. labor.
• Even as 1.5 million workers went on strike in 34
  protesting unfair labor practices bad
  conditions, they formed a Citizens Army which
  fought on behalf of employers

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2nd Critics New Deal Its Critics

• In spite of criticism, FDR Congress to
  experiment w/ ND progs policies b/t 34-35-
  beginning another set of progs dubbed the 2nd
  100 Days
• FDR a Demo-dominated Congress dumped 1 billion
  in dollars (nice alliteration, eh?) into the econ
  for
• Building public works granaries for storage
  during droughts
• Grants for writers artists
• Supported rural electrification projects,
• Estd the Social Security System
• However, FDRs successes making laws didnt
  always enjoy the same success with the Supreme
  Court (whose job it is to determine the
  constitutionality of laws)-
• In 35, the SC declared certain laws designed to
  stop farm foreclosures uncon, then they looked at
  NIRA (FDRs centerpiece for econ recovery) did
  the same thing.
• FDR grew increasingly frustrated- so he asked
  Congress for the power to appoint 6 new justices
  (claiming the current judges were too old slow
  to get things done)
• Congress (even a Demo Congress) was stunned _at_
  the idea of his Court-packing idea. He
  succeeded only in offending Congress, alienating
  the SC, the Demo Party, the Am public- who all
  thought it was sneaky

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Legacy of the New Deal

• Three Legacies of FDR New Deal
• FDR reshaped the presidency role of government
  than almost any other- assuming more power for
  the executive branch (in proposing laws type f
  laws passed)- the fed govt became more
  centralized
• Related to that the role of the government grew
  during this time- playing a larger more direct
  role in peoples lives. The welfare state was
  created during this presidency as government
  accepted that it had a duty to take care of the
  needy
• Third, Minorities became more involved in govt
  under the ND contd to become more involved in
  government as decades passed (just like concept
  of welfare state contd to present day)

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The Big Idea/Question

• Ultimately we have to ask these questions
• Did it work? Was he a good president?
• According to stats from 29-39 the ND was
  effective in restoring our econ health.
• Rate of unemployment dropped every year from 34
  to 37
• Overall of business failures decreased during
  30s
• Farmers benefited from subsidies (if not other
  progs like AAA)
• Public confidence in banks improved
• Overall millions of Ams were aided by ND progs
  policies
• However
• Unemployment was still high in 38 (19),
• The gross National Product (GNP grew at a slow
  pace
• Federal debt increased DRAMATICALLY
• Only WWII shifted the US econ from surviving to
  thriving
• War boosted GNP over 200 unemployment dropped
  to 1.9
• FDR attempted an uncon move w/ his court-packing
  scheme ( the consequences would have been
  disastrous) some of his progs did not work, but
  he was willing to try almost anything to help Ams
  break out of the GD