Transcript Domestic Politics and Policy

Domestic Politics and Policy
Angela Brown
Chapter 27 Section 3
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Truman’s Domestic Policies
• Truman wanted to follow in FDR’s
footsteps but often seem illprepared.
• offered a new batch of proposals in
every speech
• people wondered about focus
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Moving to a Peacetime Economy
• First priority was reconversion.
• Got most soldiers home by 1946 “no
boats, no votes”.
• Lifting economic controls difficult –
people wanted goods right away
• control eased = 25% inflation people
still could not enjoy fruits of sacrifice
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• 1946 - 4.6 million workers on strike
demanded wage increases they had
forgone for the sake of war.
• Truman thought demands
inflationary and feared it would
destroy economy.
• 1946 railroad strikes
• Truman ask Congress for right to
draft strikers into the army.
• He could then order them back on
the job as soldiers – rejected by
Senate.
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• John L. Lewis United Mine Workers defied a
court order against a strike = contempt of
court.
• Fined Lewis “$10,000 and Union $3.5
million
• 1947 Taft-Hartley Act allowed President to
declare a 80-day cooling-off period when
industry strikes affected national.
• Workers had to return to work while
government conducted a study of the
situation.
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• Required Union officials to sign noncommunist Oaths .
• Congress passed over president veto.
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Truman’s Fair Deal
• Fair Deal extended the New Deal’s
goals- agreed government needed to
play an active role in securing
economic justice for all.
• 21 point program to promote full
employment, higher minimum wage,
unemployment compensation,
housing assistance an more, national
health insurance program.
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• Tremendous political opposition in
Congress – only passed Employment
Act of 1946 creating a council of
economic advisors to advise the
President.
• Midterm elections republicans won a
majority in both houses.
• Comments: “To err is Truman” –
“You just sort of forget about Harry
until he makes another mistake.”
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The Election of 1948
• Had no reason to expect victory
• Dixicrats broke with democratic party and
nominated Strom Thurmond
• Liberal wing followed Henry Wallace –
Progressive
• Wallace had been FDR’s second VP –
Truman’s Sec. of Commerce – had
resigned, did not support Truman’s cold
war policies
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• Ran against republican Thomas Dewey –
Gov of New York
• Truman campaigned against “do nothing”
republican Congress
• electrifying off-the-cuff speeches
• people yelled “Give em hell, Harry”
• Upset win- papers already printing
Dewey’s win
• out of FDR’s shadow – President in own
right – pushed to further legislation goals
with only occasional successes
• Instances of corruption among fed
officials further hurt Truman’s image.
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Don’t Believe Everything You Read!!
http://www.eagleton.rutgers.edu/e-gov/archive/truman.gif
11
Dwight Eisenhower and the Republican
Approach
• 1952 Democratic Candidate against
Governor of Illinois, Adlai Stevenson
against Rep. Dwight D. Eisenhower, former
Commander in Chief of Allied forces,
President of Columbia University, head of
NATO
• Truman a scrappy fighter
• Ike a talented diplomat, easy going charm
gave Americans a sense of security
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Dwight D. Eisenhower
http://zfacts.com/metaPage/lib/Eisenhower-L.jpg
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• Chant, “I like Ike” – Republican
formula for victory, “K1C2 “ – end
Korean War, communism, corruption
• Running mate – Richard Nixon
http://magazine.lib.duke.edu/issue19/notes4.jpg
http://www.medaloffreedom.com/DwightEisenhower_RichardNixon.jpg
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The Checkers Speech
• Snag – Sept 1952 – newspaper accused
Richard Nixon of having a special fund set
up by rich republican supporters-Nixon
innocent – many called for him to be
removed from the ticket
• Sept 23, Nixon on TV and explained
situation in own words, gave detailed
account of personal finances
• Admitted one gift – Cocker Spaniel – kids
like the dog and we’re keeping it
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• Requested people contact Ike’s
campaign to register opinion whether
he should stay on ticket – People
demanded Nixon continue on ticket
• Eisenhower won with 55% of vote and
a republican Congress
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/images/nixonandcheckers.jpeg
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Eisenhower as President
• Eisenhower style was to work behind
scene.
• misinterpreted as lack of leadership
• Eisenhower responded to critics that
leadership is patience etc.
• People approved of Ike.
• 1956 election against Stevenson
again = won 58% of vote
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Modern Republicanism
• Modern republicanism – slow growth of
federal government. Limit Presidential
power, increase authority of Congress and
courts, cut spending, reducing, taxes,
balancing budget – favored big business
• Spoke out against welfare state by
continued New Deal policies
• Cabinet “eight millionaires and a plumber”
(union leader)
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• Attempt to balance budget backfired
– spending cuts = economy slump =
tax revenue dropped = deficit larger
• Country suffered three economic
recession during Eisenhower’s
presidency.
• Helped maintain a mood of stability –
ensure economic security of all
Americans
• 1956 Social Security extended to
make eligible 10 million additional
workers.
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Meeting the Technology Challenge
• In response to Sputnik in 1957 Eisenhower
signed National Defense Education Act of
1958 to improve science and math education
and to meet scientific and technology
challenge for Soviets
• Low cost loans to college students;
reduction in payments if became teachers
• granted millions to state schools to build
science and foreign language facilities.
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