3.4 Opposition to the New Deals

Question 1

What was the reaction of left-wing critics to Roosevelt’s New Deal?

Answer 1

They felt he didn’t do enough and wanted more radical measures.

Question 2

What was Roosevelt’s response to left-wing criticism after his reelection?

Answer 2

He became more radical and further to the left in his second term.

Question 3

What was the risk Roosevelt faced from left-wing groups?

Answer 3

The risk of left-wing groups forming a third party to challenge him in the next presidential election.

Question 4

Who advocated for the ‘Old Age Revolving Pensions Incorporated’?

Answer 4

Francis Townsend from the Left

Question 5

What was the main proposal of Francis Townsend’s plan?

Answer 5

To give everyone over 60 not in paid employment $200 per month to promote consumption.

Question 6

What was the impracticality of Townsend’s proposal?

Answer 6

Payments would have constituted 50% of national income.

Question 7

Who was Huey Long?

Answer 7

A left leading leader who organised public works programs and proposed a third party to oppose Roosevelt.

Question 8

What was the ‘Share Our Wealth’ program?

Answer 8

A proposal by Huey Long to confiscate all private fortunes over $3 million and provide every family money for essentials.

Question 9

What happened to Huey Long in 1935?

Answer 9

He was assassinated.

Question 10

Who was Father Charles Coughlin?

Answer 10

A left leaning priest who had a radio program and was influential during the early 1930s.

Question 11

What organization did Coughlin found in 1934?

Answer 11

The National Union for Social Justice.

Question 12

What was the aim of the National Union for Social Justice?

Answer 12

Monetary reform and redistribution of wealth.

Question 13

What controversial views did Coughlin express?

Answer 13

He became increasingly anti-Semitic, blaming Jews for the New Deal and Wall Street control.

Question 14

What characterized Roosevelt’s Second New Deal?

Answer 14

A more radical approach with several public works schemes.

Question 15

What were some major public works initiatives under Roosevelt?

Answer 15

The Lincoln Tunnel and the construction of 8000 schools and hospitals.

Question 16

What was a claim against the New Deal regarding economic recovery?

Answer 16

That it did not bring about real economic recovery, which was attributed to WWII.

Question 17

What economic challenges did Roosevelt face in 1937-38?

Answer 17

The Roosevelt Recession, which slowed economic growth and increased unemployment.

Question 18

What was the unemployment rate in 1940?

Answer 18

Nearly 8 million.

Question 19

What was one major success of Roosevelt’s New Deal?

Answer 19

The establishment and reform of the banking system.

Question 20

How did the Works Programme Administration contribute during the New Deal?

Answer 20

It funded the construction or renovation of thousands of hospitals and schools.

Question 21

What was the right-wing criticism of Roosevelt?

Answer 21

Dislike of the changing role of the president and increased government involvement in the economy such as tax increases.

Question 22

What was the opposition faced by Roosevelt from the Right wing Liberty League?

Answer 22

Republicans and Democrats promoted private property and unregulated private enterprise.

Question 23

What was the membership trend of the Liberty League after Roosevelt’s reelection?

Answer 23

Membership dropped after his reelection from 125,000 in 1936

Question 24

True or False: Roosevelt was able to easily defeat the Republican campaign in 1940.

Answer 24

True.

Question 25

What was the Sick Chicken Case?

Answer 25

The Supreme Court found that the federal government did not have the jurisdiction to interfere with state issues and could only intervene with interstate commerce.

The case involved the Schechter Brothers, who were prosecuted by the NIRA for selling unfit chicks.

Question 26

What was the outcome of the Sick Chicken Case?

Answer 26

The poultry code was declared illegal and it was decided that the matter should be handled by New York courts, not the federal government.

This ruling implied that the federal government could not prosecute individual firms for breaking NRA codes.

Question 27

How did the Supreme Court’s stance change during Roosevelt’s first term?

Answer 27

The Supreme Court increasingly declared legislation unconstitutional, finding 11 federal laws unconstitutional in 18 months during 1935 and 1936.

Prior to this, in 140 years, only about 60 federal laws had been declared unconstitutional.

Question 28

What happened on Black Monday, May 27, 1935?

Answer 28

The Supreme Court attacked the New Deal in several ways, including declaring the Farm Mortgage Act unconstitutional.

This day marked significant judicial opposition to the New Deal.

Question 29

What was the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding the NRA?

Answer 29

The Supreme Court found the NRA to be unconstitutional through the ‘sick chicken’ case.

It argued that the executive had acted unconstitutionally in implementing the codes developed by the federal government.

Question 30

What was Roosevelt’s opinion about the Supreme Court justices?

Answer 30

Roosevelt believed the justices were out of touch, unelected, and had clashing ideas with him.

None of the justices were his appointments.

Question 31

What was the Judiciary Reform Bill?

Answer 31

The bill proposed that the president could appoint a new justice whenever an existing judge aged 70 failed to retire within 6 months, allowing for up to six new justices.

This would increase the possible total of justices to fifteen.

Question 32

Was Roosevelt successful in dealing with opposition to the New Deal?

Answer 32

No, the Senate rejected the Judiciary Reform Bill by 70 votes to 20.

Congressmen feared Roosevelt might start to retire judges at age 70 next.