TRUMANS FAIR DEAL THE STORY OF HARRYS DOMESTIC

TRUMAN’S FAIR DEAL THE STORY OF HARRY’S DOMESTIC POLICY CHAPTER 26 Pages 960 -970 & 975 -978

CONVERTING TO A PEACETIME ECONOMY “Peace is hell…” • Challenges in post war period • Crises abroad • Strikes, inflation, shortages, anti-Communist hysteria, etc. • Can we maintain high standard of living from war years? • Jobs for returning veterans? ? • Truman found more success in foreign policy

CONVERTING TO A PEACETIME ECONOMY The Fair Deal • “EVERY {AMERICAN} HAS THE RIGHT TO EXPECT FROM…GOVERNMENT A FAIR DEAL” • Maintained previous domestic agenda • Series of initiatives: – Civil rights – Housing – Education – Health care

CONVERTING TO A PEACETIME ECONOMY Truman’s 21 -Point Program • • Social/economic reforms Civil rights legislation Expansion/continuation of New Deal Maintain gov’t power to regulate economy Gov’t provide housing/healthcare Accused of asking for too much…. Congress approved one program – Full employment legislation – Employment Act of 1946

CONVERTING TO A PEACETIME ECONOMY Conversion is slow… • Industry retooled slowly • Shortages were common • Consumers have $30 B waiting to be spent • Inflation = biggest post war economic issue • Housing shortage • Wartime price/rent controls not renewed Postwar housing shortage, New York City, 1946.

CONVERTING TO A PEACETIME ECONOMY Labor Relations • Unions strong after war • Members fear loss of wartime gains • Women’s earnings drop – “The kitchen…women’s big post-war goal” – Woman-friendly bills stagnate • Strikes – 1946— 5 M workers strike

CONVERTING TO A PEACETIME ECONOMY Serviceman’s Readjustment Act • Benefits for 16 M veterans – vocational training, education – Unemployment while job hunting – Low interest loans • Largest welfare measure since New Deal • Economic boost for country • Black and Hispanic vets face problems trying to access benefits

CONVERTING TO A PEACETIME ECONOMY America Avoids a Post War Depression Four reasons: 1) Wartime profits reinvested – New facilities = more available goods 2) Increased defense spending 3) Increased birth rate – Sustained consumer demand 4) Foreign aid allows war ravaged countries to buy American goods

Civil Rights in the Truman Era Black vets pursue change • Don’t want to return to US filled w/discrimination • Political influence grew (voting) • Color-barrier breakers – Jackie Robinson – Ralph Bunche – Popular writers and musicians

Civil Rights in the Truman Era Problems in the South • Attempt to assert rights meets with violence – Medgar Evers – Vernon Dahmer • Potential voters threatened – KKK – Governors, local politicians, police – US senators

Civil Rights in the Truman Era The Soviets Take Notice (…. . of racial injustice) • …. and use it against us • “Race relations are our Achilles heel before the world. ” ---Henry Cabot Lodge • We promote democracy, but do we practice it?

Civil Rights in the Truman Era Truman Reacts • Shocked at violence on returning Black veterans (when he witnesses it firsthand) • Amps up pressure to act on civil rights • 1946: creates President’s Committee on Civil Rights • 1948: issues Executive Order 9981

Civil Rights in the Truman Era Mexican Americans and Civil Rights • “Proven mettle…. ”; deserve fair treatment • LULAC—League of United Latin American Citizens – 1929 to combat Jim Crow in SW • 1948: American GI Forum – Formed to help Mexican Amer. GIs get their benefits – “Education is our Freedom” – Mendez v. Westminster (1947) (replaces featherbedding on terms sheet)

The Fair Deal Flounders The “Do Nothing Congress” • Election of 1946 puts Republicans in control of Congress • Oppose New Deal programming • Stymies civil rights (Republicans and Southern Democrats) • Truman attacks “D-NC” in election of 1948 • Did approve much of Truman’s foreign policy

The Fair Deal Flounders Taft-Hartley Act • 1947—passed over Truman’s veto • Reduced power of organized labor – Felt it would erase gains of 1930’s • Allowed states to pass “right to work” laws – Companies relocate to S & W • Did maintain collective bargaining rights

The Fair Deal Flounders The Election of 1948 • • Democrats---Truman Republicans---Thomas E. Dewey New Progressive party---Henry Wallace States’ Rights Party – Formed by disgruntled Southern Democrats – Nominate Strom Thurmond – “Dixiecrats”

The Fair Deal Flounders • “Give ‘em hell, Harry!” • Whistle stop campaign • I’m just wild about Harry… Election of 1948

The Fair Deal Flounders Harry gave ‘em hell…

The Fair Deal Flounders Congress gives Harry hell… • Truman struggles to get his platform accepted • Congress rejects most of the Fair Deal • REJECTED: – Civil rights measures – National healthcare – Some ag programs

The Fair Deal Flounders Congress gives Harry hell… Fair Deal’s Hard-Won Successes • Increase minimum wage to. 75/hr • Increase social security rolls and benefits • Housing Act of 1949 – 810, 000 units of low income housing – Long-term rent subsidies – Construction slow, projects often displaced poor

The Fair Deal Flounders Congress gives Harry hell… Fair Deal mixed success: • Mc. Carran-Walter Act 1952 – Ended ban on immigration/citizenship for Japanese and other Asians (this is good) – Maintained discriminatory quota system from 20 s – Allowed gov’t to bar suspected Communists and homosexuals – Truman vetoed last 2 provisions as “un-American” – Congress overrode veto

The Fair Deal ends… • Represents the continuation of FDR’s New Deal • Puts US behind other European countries in terms of social welfare legislation in post-war era • 22 nd Amendment (1951): limits the president to 2 terms, or a total of 10 years

Election of 1952 • Truman doesn’t run again • Dwight Eisenhower/Richard Nixon--Republicans – “Korea, Communism, & Corruption” • Adlai Stevenson—Democrats • “Checkers Speech”