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== FDR, the New Deal, and Preparing for War ==

== FDR, the New Deal, and Preparing for War ==

We have learned that failures in the economy often determine the outcome in the presidential election, as in 2008.  The presidential election in 1932 was no different:  the Great Depression resulted in a transfer from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party, and Democratic Party candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt won the election.  The Democratic Party also won a huge number of seats in Congress:  90 seats in the House and 13 seats in the Senate (which ws smaller then).  FDR took his victory as a "mandate" to enact sweeping new legislation, ostensibly to try to lift the country out of the depression.  In a nutshell, President Roosevelt (who is often called simply "FDR") started massive federal works and relief programs, and refused to retire from the presidency after two terms as every other president had done since George Washington.

We have learned that failures in the economy often determine the outcome in the presidential election, as happens now also.  The presidential election in 1932 was no different:  the Great Depression resulted in a transfer from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party, and Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt won the election.  The Democratic Party also won a huge number of seats in Congress:  90 seats in the House and 13 seats in the Senate.  FDR took his victory as a "mandate" to enact sweeping new legislation, ostensibly to try to lift the country out of the depression.  In a nutshell, President Roosevelt (who is often called simply "FDR") started massive federal works and relief programs, and refused to retire from the presidency after two terms as every other president had done since George Washington.

President Roosevelt had been previously paralyzed as an adult by contracting polio (probably while swimming), but his physical handicap was hidden from the public.  The media heavily promoted President Roosevelt and boosted his popularity above what it would have been otherwise during the hard times.  The media also praised FDR's liberal wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, who played an aggressive political role much as Hillary Clinton did when her husband Bill Clinton was president in the 1990s.

President Roosevelt had been previously paralyzed as an adult by contracting polio (probably while swimming), but his physical handicap was hidden from the public.  The media heavily promoted President Roosevelt and boosted his popularity above what it would have been otherwise during the hard times.  The media also praised FDR's liberal wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, who played an aggressive political role much as Hillary Clinton did when her husband Bill Clinton was president in the 1990s.

As you can see above, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a few key aspects of the New Deal, and this infuriated President Roosevelt.  We'll mention this again later.  Conservatives opposed the New Deal, and many others were vocal critics of it.  Charismatic Louisiana Governor Huey Long, also known as "Kingfish", supported FDR in 1932 but began opposing him in 1933 as a U.S. Senator, and planned to run for president himself until he was assassinated in 1935 at the peak of his popularity.

As you can see above, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a few key aspects of the New Deal, and this infuriated President Roosevelt.  We'll mention this again later.  Conservatives opposed the New Deal, and many others were vocal critics of it.  Charismatic Louisiana Governor Huey Long, also known as "Kingfish", supported FDR in 1932 but began opposing him in 1933 as a U.S. Senator, and planned to run for president himself until he was assassinated in 1935 at the peak of his popularity.

More big things happened in 1933.  The Democrats quickly ratified the 21st Amendment in order to repeal Prohibition and return to the States the power to regulate, allow or prohibit alcohol.  This amendment was the only one to use ratifying conventions (rather than votes by the State legislatures) in each State ''after Congress passed the proposed amendment'', in order to obtain the necessary 3/4 number of States for it to become part of the Constitution.  Note that this process is different from holding a ''national'' constitutional convention to amend the Constitution, which has never occurred and would likely rewrite the Constitution in an undesirable manner, and is also different from state conventions proposing constitutional amendments.

More big things happened in 1933.  The Democrats quickly ratified the 21st Amendment in order to repeal Prohibition and return to the States the power to regulate, allow or prohibit alcohol.  This amendment was the only one to use ratifying conventions (rather than votes by the State legislatures) in each State ''after Congress passed the proposed amendment'', in order to obtain the necessary 3/4 number of States for it to become part of the Constitution.  Note that this process is different from holding a ''national'' constitutional convention to amend the Constitution (a "Con Con"), which has never occurred and would likely rewrite the Constitution in an undesirable manner.

President Roosevelt changed foreign policy towards Latin America.  In 1933 he implemented the "Good Neighbor Policy," which was more permissive towards Latin America and was in contrast with Teddy Roosevelt's "Big Stick" and Taft's "Dollar Diplomacy."  Instead, FDR reduced the United States' involvement in Latin America.

President Roosevelt changed foreign policy towards Latin America.  In 1933 he implemented the "Good Neighbor Policy," which was more permissive towards Latin America and was in contrast with Teddy Roosevelt's "Big Stick" and Taft's "Dollar Diplomacy."  Instead, FDR reduced the United States' involvement in Latin America.

Historically, the president's own political party almost always loses seats in Congress in the "midterm" election two years after the presidential election.  This is because the public grows tired and disgruntled with the performance of the president, and the voters express their discontent by voting for the opposite party.  But in 1934, thanks to glowing media support, FDR's Democratic Party was a rare exception in that it gained seats in Congress:  9 in the House and 9 in the Senate.<ref>http://hnn.us/articles/1094.html</ref>

Historically, the president's own political party almost always loses seats in Congress in the "midterm" election two years after the presidential election.  This is because the public grows tired and disgruntled with the performance of the president, and the voters express their discontent by voting for the opposite party.  But in 1934, thanks to glowing media support, FDR's Democratic Party was a rare exception in that it gained seats in Congress:  9 in the House and 9 in the Senate.<ref>http://hnn.us/articles/1094.html</ref>

The midterm election victory by FDR and the Democrats encouraged them to continue their New Deal in 1935.  They established the Works Progress Administration, which employed 8.5 million persons between 1935 and 1943, building public works.  They also passed the Wagner Act in 1935.  It gave unions greater rights and promoted their growth.  The Wagner Act also prohibited employer efforts to prevent unionization.  It established the National Labor Relations Board to handle disputes between unions and employers.

The midterm election victory by FDR and the Democrats encouraged them to continue their New Deal in 1935.  They established the Works Progress Administration, which employed 8.5 million persons between 1935 and 1943, building public works.  They also passed the Wagner Act in 1935.  It gave unions greater rights and promoted their growth, limited what companies could do to stop unionization.  The Wagner Act established the National Labor Relations Board to handle disputes between unions and employers.

At the same time, a fiery labor organizer named John Lewis started the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), which focused on combining garment trade unions (workers unions) and later included auto and steelworkers.  Eventually it merged with the AFL in order to become the "AFL-CIO" that is often heard today.

At the same time, a fiery labor organizer named John Lewis started the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), which focused on combining garment trade unions (workers unions) and later included auto and steelworkers.  Eventually it merged with the AFL in order to become the "AFL-CIO" that is often heard today.

The New Deal did '''not''' help lift the nation out of the Great Depression.  The economy improved a little from 1933 to 1940, but the depression never really ended.  FDR became furious with the Supreme Court's invalidation of his New Deal programs (e.g., in ''Schecter Poultry v. U.S.'' (1935), the Supreme Court declared the National Industrial Recovery Act unconstitutional because it delegated too much power to an administrative agency).  By 1937 FDR was so angry at the Supreme Court that he proposed a "court-packing" scheme to appoint new Justices to the Supreme Court who would be favorable to him.  This shocked even FDR's own Democratic Party, which then opposed FDR's flagrant violation of the checks and balances in the Constitution, and as a result FDR lost much of his credibility.  He weakened himself with this proposal, which never passed, and FDR himself could not persuade Congress to pass much more of his program.

The New Deal did '''not''' help lift the nation out of the Great Depression.  The economy improved a little from 1933 to 1940, but the depression never really ended.  FDR became furious with the Supreme Court's invalidation of his New Deal programs (e.g., in ''Schecter Poultry v. U.S.'' (1935), the Supreme Court declared the National Industrial Recovery Act unconstitutional because it delegated too much power to an administrative agency).  By 1937 FDR was so angry at the Supreme Court that he proposed a "court-packing" scheme to appoint new Justices to the Supreme Court who would be favorable to him.  This shocked even FDR's own Democratic Party, which then opposed FDR's flagrant violation of the checks and balances in the Constitution, and as a result FDR lost much of his credibility.  He weakened himself with this proposal, which never passed, and FDR himself could not persuade Congress to pass much more of his program.

The final piece of New Deal-style legislation to pass in 1938 was the Fair Labor Standards Act, which abolished child labor and set the national minimum wage at $.40 per hour, and established the 40-hour work week.

The final piece of New Deal-style legislation to pass in 1938 was the Fair Labor Standards Act, which abolished child labor and set the national minimum wage at $0.40 per hour (40 cents per hour, which was worth more then than it is today), and established the 40-hour work week.

The only real end to the Great Depression came when we entered into a new war:  World War II.

The only real end to the Great Depression came when we entered into a new war:  World War II.