Changes

When the Republicans took control of Congress, that enabled them to assume control of key congressional committees and thereby hold public hearings as investigations into key issues.  One of the key congressional committees was the House Committee on Un-American Activities, featuring California Congressman (and future president) Richard Nixon.  With the Republican Nixon in control, he called hearings into whether Alger Hiss was a communist, and required attendance by Hiss to answer questions.  For years Whittaker Chambers had complained about Hiss, but the Democrats refused to do anything.  J. Edgar Hoover, who built up and ran the FBI for decades, had worked to force Hiss out of high-level government positions.  But it was Nixon's committee that really exposed Hiss as a communist, and the Democrats never forgave Nixon's combative tactics.  Eventually the Democrats and the media caught Nixon doing something illegal: the Watergate scandal forced Nixon to become the only president ever to resign (in 1973).   

When the Republicans took control of Congress, that enabled them to assume control of key congressional committees and thereby hold public hearings as investigations into key issues.  One of the key congressional committees was the House Committee on Un-American Activities, featuring California Congressman (and future president) Richard Nixon.  With the Republican Nixon in control, he called hearings into whether Alger Hiss was a communist, and required attendance by Hiss to answer questions.  For years Whittaker Chambers had complained about Hiss, but the Democrats refused to do anything.  J. Edgar Hoover, who built up and ran the FBI for decades, had worked to force Hiss out of high-level government positions.  But it was Nixon's committee that really exposed Hiss as a communist, and the Democrats never forgave Nixon's combative tactics.  Eventually the Democrats and the media caught Nixon doing something illegal: the Watergate scandal forced Nixon to become the only president ever to resign (in 1973).   

There were other important achievements of the 80th Congress.  The Republicans passed, over President Truman's veto, the Taft-Hartley Act to limit the power of unions.  This was one of the most important pieces of legislation in the entire century of the 1900s, and by far the most significant labor legislation in our history.  It was written by the brilliant conservative Senator Robert Taft, who had graduated first in his class from Yale Law School and nearly defeated Eisenhower for the Republican nomination for president in 1952.  By 1947 unions had risen to the zenith of their power, having membership of nearly 10.5 million nationwide.

There were other important achievements of the 80th Congress.  '''The Republicans passed, over President Truman's veto, the Taft-Hartley Act to limit the power of unions'''.  This was one of the most important pieces of legislation in the entire century of the 1900s, and by far the most significant labor legislation in our nation's history.  It was written by the brilliant conservative Senator Robert Taft, who had graduated first in his class from Yale Law School and nearly defeated Eisenhower for the Republican nomination for president in 1952.  By 1947 unions had risen to the zenith of their power, having membership of nearly 10.5 million nationwide.

The Taft-Hartley Act, which was derisively called the "slave-labor bill" by unions, did the following:

The Taft-Hartley Act, which was derisively called the "slave-labor bill" by unions, did the following:

*a later amendment in 1959 prohibited "secondary boycotts," which were devastating "sympathy strikes" against additional companies to increase pressure on the target company (Landum-Griffin Act)

*a later amendment in 1959 prohibited "secondary boycotts," which were devastating "sympathy strikes" against additional companies to increase pressure on the target company (Landum-Griffin Act)

For the purposes of this course, remember that the Taft-Hartley Act finally ended the unions' enormous power.  And not a moment too soon, because there were many crippling strikes that badly hurt the country's economy in 1946 after the end of World War II.  Ever since the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act, Democrats have tried to repeal the Taft-Hartley Act, without success.  It remains essential today to protect the right of workers not to join a union, and the Obama Administration and Democratic Congress may try to weaken it in 2009.

For the purposes of this course, remember that the Taft-Hartley Act finally ended the unions' enormous power.  And not a moment too soon, because there were many crippling strikes that badly hurt the country's economy in 1946 after the end of World War II.  Ever since the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act, Democrats have tried to repeal it, without success.  It remains essential today to protect the right of workers not to join a union, and the Obama Administration and Democratic Congress may try to weaken it in 2009.

In 1955, two large labor organizations merged into the AFL-CIO, and it remains a powerful part of the Democratic Party today.  But in 1959 Congress acted further to curb union power by passing the Landum-Griffin Act, which requires democracy in electing union officials, prohibits secondary boycotts (which is a boycott of additional companies to support a strike against a primary company), and places restrictions on picketing.  Unions remain powerful, particularly in the car industry and among public school teachers.

In 1955, two large labor organizations merged into the AFL-CIO, and it remains a powerful part of the Democratic Party today.  But in 1959 Congress acted further to curb union power by passing the Landum-Griffin Act, which requires democracy in electing union officials, prohibits secondary boycotts (which is a boycott of additional companies to support a strike against a primary company), and places restrictions on picketing.  Unions remain powerful, particularly in the car industry and among public school teachers.

Several years later, in 1952, another important law was enacted over President Truman's veto: The McCarran-Walter Act.  This Act limited immigration to one-sixth of one percent of the population of the continental United States in 1920.  This was similar to the national-origins quota system of 1924.

Several years later, in 1952, another important law was enacted over President Truman's veto: The McCarran-Walter Act.  This Act limited immigration to one-sixth of one percent of the population of the continental United States in 1920.  This was similar to the national-origins quota system of 1924.

The 80th Congress cut taxes, sparking an economic boom that would last through the 1950s.  It balanced the federal budget for the first time in years.  It also implemented the joint income tax return for married couples, which gives a financial benefit to a working man in sharing his income for tax purposes with a wife who is raising the children rather than earning an income.

The 80th Congress also cut taxes, sparking an economic boom that would last through the 1950s.  It balanced the federal budget for the first time in years.  It implemented the joint income tax return for married couples, which gives a financial benefit to a working man in sharing his income for tax purposes with a wife who is raising the children rather than earning an income.

Ironically, Truman ran for reelection in 1948 by campaigning against what he called a "do nothing Congress."  And Truman won in an upset!  But by 1952, Truman was the most unpopular president in history, and was unelectable.   

Ironically, Truman ran for reelection in 1948 by campaigning against what he called a "do nothing Congress."  And Truman won in an upset!  But by 1952, Truman was the most unpopular president in history, and he was utterly unelectable.   

Truman's mishandling of the Korean War (discussed below) hurt him the most, but he made one more impulsive mistake on April 9, 1952, when he seized 88 private steel mills around the country to avert a strike during the Korean War.  The American flag then flew over the mills as government property. Truman told his staff that "The president has the power to keep the country from going to hell."<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/12/20/the_truman_precedent_for_bushs_eavesdropping/</ref> As President he felt he had the power to take over private factories and keep them running for the good of the country, rather than be shut down in a threatened strike.  Within two months the Supreme Court, which included four Justices who had been appointed by Truman, ruled against Truman in ''Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer'': the President has to obey the law and respect private property too.  Control of the steel mills was returned to their owners.

Truman's mishandling of the Korean War (discussed below) hurt him the most, but he made another impulsive mistake on April 9, 1952, when he seized 88 private steel mills around the country to avert a strike during the Korean War.  The American flag then flew over the mills as government property.  As President he felt he had the power to take over private factories and keep them running for the good of the country, rather than be shut down in a threatened strike.  Within two months the Supreme Court, which included four Justices who had been appointed by Truman, ruled against Truman in ''Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer'': the President has to obey the law and respect private property too.  Control of the steel mills was returned to their owners.

World War II hero General Dwight D. Eisenhower, called "Ike", ran for president and won the White House in 1952, the first Republican presidential victory in 24 years.  President Eisenhower is best known for spending his time on the golf course.  Near the end of his two terms he warned against growth of a "military-industrial complex" in which government and the military would feed each other's growing power.  Coming from a General, this warning was often repeated in the press throughout the remainder of the Cold War.

World War II hero General Dwight D. Eisenhower, called "Ike", ran for president and won the White House in 1952, the first Republican presidential victory in 24 years.  President Eisenhower is best known for spending his time on the golf course.  Near the end of his two terms he warned against growth of a "military-industrial complex" in which government and the military would feed each other's growing power.  Coming from a General, this warning was often repeated by liberals who wanted to reduce our defenses during the remainder of the Cold War.

== The Korean War ==

== The Korean War ==