Attacks on the New Attacks on the New DealDeal

• Three Prominent Attackers– Father Charles E. Coughlin –

“Radio Priest”•Attacked FDR

– Huey Long – Sen. Louisiana•Take from wealthy, give to poor

– Dr. Francis Townsend•Give pensions to all over 60

• President announced a Second New Deal in response

Work Relief and Social Work Relief and Social SecuritySecurity

• Works Progress Administration (WPA) – 1935 – Employed writers, musicians, artists,

teachers– Other agencies increase employment as

well• Social Security Act – 1935

– Unemployment insurance– Retirement benefits– Did not protect all groups

Business and LaborBusiness and Labor• The Wagner Act – 1935

– NIRA was declared unconstitutional– Established a National Labor Relations

Board•Arbitrate, reinstate workers, promote unions

• The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)– Industrial union– Made gains for steel

workers and those in the auto industry

The 1936 ElectionThe 1936 Election•Democrats: FDR

–Endorsed the New Deal•Republicans: Alf Landon (Kansan)

–Attacked FDR for so much govt spending

•Many still supported the New Deal–FDR won in a landslide

The New Deal and the The New Deal and the Supreme CourtSupreme Court

•Court struck down many New Deal programs

•Roosevelt considered his landslide election a mandate–Rejuvenate the court

•Roosevelt would add 6 more justices

•Both parties opposed, and he was unable to carry through

Later New Deal Later New Deal MeasuresMeasures

•By 1937 the economy was back to 1929 levels–Quickly slumped into a recession

•President said businesses failed to re-invest

•Expanded the WPA and increased military spending

Later New Deal Later New Deal MeasuresMeasures•Fair Labor Standards Act – 1938

–Abolished child labor–Floor on wages, ceiling on hours

•New Farm Security Administration–Coped with surpluses

•Food stamps to distribute crops•Election of 1938 added more

Republican seats in Congress–Roosevelt took this as a message to

stop the New Deal