New Deal Critics Chapter 16 Section 2 Despite

New Deal Critics Chapter 16, Section 2

***Despite his critics, FDR was a hero to MILLIONS of Americans*** ***Even if his New Deal Policies did not perfectly help Americans economically, it gave hope to Americans. ***Hope & government aid for its citizens in time of need were the legacies of the New Deal.

Limitations of the New Deal • Women – Men received preferred hiring status in relief jobs – Many programs permitted lower pay for women – Social Security did not include domestic work.

Limitations of the New Deal • African Americans – Reinforced racial segregation – Excluded blacks from professional or “skilled” labor in large public works projects. – Did nothing to stop the rising tide of lynching

African Americans cont. • FDR didn’t want to alienate Southern Congressmen • Despite all this, FDR enjoyed wide support from blacks.

Critics of the New Deal The New Deal goes too far: – Many critics saw New Deal Programs as being socialistic – Critics called most New Deal Programs “un. American” because they “smacked of Bolshevism”, and limited personal freedom.

Critics of the New Deal • Conservative Republicans believed the Social Security System penalized Americans by forcing them to pay into a system that they might not need. • The rich HATED FDR!

The New Deal doesn’t go far enough: • Many New Deal critics (Socialists & Communists) said that New Deal programs should redistribute the personal wealth of the country & that the government should take even more control over the economy. • Progressive & liberal democrat critics complained that The New Deal did not eliminate poverty.

Huey Long • Champion of rural poor. • Political critic of FDR. • Argued for the redistribution of wealth

Father Coughlin • Catholic Priest who was a flipflopping critic of FDR. • Lost support because of Pro. Nazi sentiments • Both Coughlin and Long used half-truths and scare tactics, which lead them to become known as Demagogues

Modern Day Critics • Burdened the economy by creating “makework” jobs rather allowing the free market to determine the need for jobs and farm products.

• New Deal Programs were financed by heavier taxation that took money out of the pockets of consumers.

Deficit Spending • Spending more money than is in the annual budget.

The Court Packing Fiasco • Because the Supreme Court had struck down some of his programs, FDR wanted to put an additional six judges on the court that were friendly to his ideas.

• Critics from all sides condemned this action as an attack on separation of powers. (Most condemned FDR action of his presidency). American politicians & citizens believed this made FDR to powerful believing he was trying to take over the power of the Judicial Branch.

2 nd New Deal cutbacks – FDR eventually started to scale back New Deal spending because of rising nation debt