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Opposition to First New Deal - Coggle Diagram
Opposition to First New Deal
American Liberty League
Those who financially back the American Liberty League were a 'whos who' business - Du Pont
Alfred Sloan of General Motors and Nathan Miller of US steel also financially backed the American Liberty League
Old enemies within the democratic party such as 1928 presidential candidate Al Smith joined
Liberty League believed FDR was planning to change USA in way that was alien to the business culture
League was a mix of FDR's enemies and those who opposed the new, active role of the federal government
Liberty League tended to support Republican candidate Alfred Landon in the 1936 election but received 16m votes which was 11m less than FDR
Foster the right to work, earn, save and acquire property
Formed in the summer of 1934 and pledged to uphold the constitution
Father Coughlin
Coughlin wanted monetary reform - more silver coinage encouraging inflation to wipe out national debt
attacked Jewish members of the FDR adminstration
By 1934 he formed the National Union of Social Justice as an alternative of the New Deal
Initially backed aims of the New Deal and blamed bankers of the economic catastrophe
1930 Coughlin had 35 listeners nationwide for his radio show The Golden Hour of the Little Flower
Francis Townsend
Over 500,000 joined Townsend Clubs across the USA by 1935
In the 1936 election Coughlin and Townsend backed William Lemke in the 1936 election for the Union Party
Everyone over 60 would receive a federal pensions of $200/month in his plan
Polled only 892,000 votes compared to FDR's 27.8m
Supported the idea of federal-funded old age pensions to stimulate demand in the economy
Retired doctor from California
Huey P. Long
By early 1935 Long created 27k Share our Wealth clubs
Clubs acted as pressure groups supporting his campaign
Cost of this scheme would be raised by increasing taxes on the rich (income and inheritence)
Seen as a serious contender for the Democratic nomination for president in 1936 - assassinated in Sept 1935
Believed economic recovery would be stimulated if every American received annual income of $2k and homestead allowance of $5k
Feb 1934 launched share our wealth campaign against the first new deal
Governor of Louisiana
Serious threat to FDR within his own party
Supreme Court
Court declared federal government exceeded its power by regulating commerce within a state
Jan 1936 SC declared AAA illegal in US v Butler
National Industrial Recovery Act (created NRA and PWA) was declared unconstitutional in May 1935
Court ruled the federal government levied a tax on farm products - power which was reserved to the states under 10th amendment
1935 SC declared various key parts of the First New Deal unconstitutional
SC declared 11 First laws illegal - deemed contrary to the US constitution
Had the power to declare Acts of Congress or state laws unconstitutional
Made a large part of FDR's New Deal unworkable
Chief Justice Charles Evans was the republican candidate in the 1918 election
Supreme Court wrecked the First New Deal by early 1936
9 justices were political appointments by Republican presidents