Changes

During the presidency of [[Calvin Coolidge]], a proposal was made by fellow Republican senator Reed Smoot of [[Utah]] to reduce the top income tax rate to 32%.<ref name=taxcuts1920s>FascinatingPolitics (July 25, 2018). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/07/25/racism-and-tax-cutsare-they-really-peas-in-a-pod/ Racism and Tax Cuts…Are They Really Peas in a Pod?]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 19, 2021.</ref> Although the majority of the GOP including Hale supported the measure, it was defeated in a 36–47 vote.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/68-1/s117 TO AMEND, IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE, H.R. 6715, BY MAKING THE MAXIMUM SURTAX RATE 32 PER CENT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 19, 2021.</ref> Hale also voted against an amendment introduced by the bigoted, racist [[North Carolina]] insurrectionist Furnifold Simmons<ref name=taxcuts1920s/> to raise the maximum income tax rate by 2.5%.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/68-1/s118 TO AGREE TO THE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 6715, WHICH AMENDMENT PROVIDES THAT THE MAXIMUM RATE ON INCOMES BE 40 PER CENT INSTEAD OF 37 1/2 PER CENT. (P. 8195-2).]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 19, 2021.</ref>

During the presidency of [[Calvin Coolidge]], a proposal was made by fellow Republican senator Reed Smoot of [[Utah]] to reduce the top income tax rate to 32%.<ref name=taxcuts1920s>FascinatingPolitics (July 25, 2018). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/07/25/racism-and-tax-cutsare-they-really-peas-in-a-pod/ Racism and Tax Cuts…Are They Really Peas in a Pod?]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 19, 2021.</ref> Although the majority of the GOP including Hale supported the measure, it was defeated in a 36–47 vote.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/68-1/s117 TO AMEND, IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE, H.R. 6715, BY MAKING THE MAXIMUM SURTAX RATE 32 PER CENT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 19, 2021.</ref> Hale also voted against an amendment introduced by the bigoted, racist [[North Carolina]] insurrectionist Furnifold Simmons<ref name=taxcuts1920s/> to raise the maximum income tax rate by 2.5%.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/68-1/s118 TO AGREE TO THE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 6715, WHICH AMENDMENT PROVIDES THAT THE MAXIMUM RATE ON INCOMES BE 40 PER CENT INSTEAD OF 37 1/2 PER CENT. (P. 8195-2).]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 19, 2021.</ref>

A fierce opponent of the [[liberal]] agenda during the presidency of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], Hale resisted [[New Deal]] programs<ref name=nytimes/> at an even greater frequency than his Maine senatorial colleague [[Wallace H. White]],<ref>FascinatingPolitics (September 23, 2018). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/09/23/how-the-northeast-became-democratic-part-iv-maine-sort-of/ How the Northeast Became Democratic, Part IV: Maine (Sort of)]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> such as his vote against the National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act).<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/74-1/s66 TO PASS S. 1958, A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR SETTLEMENT OF LABOR DISPUTES.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> Along with White in 1937, he was one of sixteen senators to vote against the confirmation of [[Klansman]] [[Hugo Black]] to the [[United States Supreme Court]].<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/75-1/s71 TO CONFIRM THE NOMINATION OF HUGO BLACK TO BE ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>

A fierce opponent of the [[liberal]] agenda during the presidency of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], Hale resisted [[New Deal]] programs<ref name=nytimes/> at an even greater frequency than his Maine senatorial colleague [[Wallace H. White]].<ref>FascinatingPolitics (September 23, 2018). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/09/23/how-the-northeast-became-democratic-part-iv-maine-sort-of/ How the Northeast Became Democratic, Part IV: Maine (Sort of)]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> This includes his vote against the National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act), which White supported.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/74-1/s66 TO PASS S. 1958, A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR SETTLEMENT OF LABOR DISPUTES.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> Along with White in 1937, he was one of sixteen senators to vote against the confirmation of [[Klansman]] [[Hugo Black]] to the [[United States Supreme Court]].<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/75-1/s71 TO CONFIRM THE NOMINATION OF HUGO BLACK TO BE ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>

Hale faced a strong challenge in the [[1934 Midterm Elections]]; even though Maine was a strongly Republican state during the era, the [[Great Depression]] and resulting heavy backlash against the [[GOP]] proved to be formidable. He was only re-elected over [[Democrat]] opponent F. Harold Dubord by a margin of 0.43 percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30550 ME US Senate Race - Sep 10, 1934]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>

Hale faced a strong challenge in the [[1934 Midterm Elections]]; even though Maine was a strongly Republican state during the era, the [[Great Depression]] and resulting heavy backlash against the [[GOP]] proved to be formidable. He was only re-elected over [[Democrat]] opponent F. Harold Dubord by a margin of 0.43 percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30550 ME US Senate Race - Sep 10, 1934]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>