Day 11 Agenda
Enduring Understanding
• The GI Bill created
opportunity for millions of
Americans and laid the
groundwork for future
economic prosperity
•
• Eisenhower’s victory in the
1952 election and his
subsequent actions as
President represented the
triumph of the “Vital
Center”
• Read a speech by President
Obama about the GI Bill and
identify his historical references
• Read the original GI Bill and
compare the results of the GI Bill
to the initial provisions.
• Identify the positions and beliefs
of the candidates in the 1952
election
• View the “Checkers” speech and
evaluate its effectiveness
• Form conclusions about the
impact of television in the
political realm
• Compare and Contrast Dynamic
Conservatism with the “Vital
Center”
• Provide an example of the conflict between
Individualism and Organization
Obama GI Bill Speech
1. What historical references does Obama
make?
2. What long term effects did the 1944 GI Bill
have?
3. What do you know about the GI Bill that
Obama does not talk about?
• 1. Veterans after previous wars were left with
nothing, FDR made it an obligation, approved
after D-Day
• 2. 8 million Americans educated; created
largest middle class; scientists, presidents,
doctors etc., provided opportunity for
education that many never had, made college
an expectation
Original Text of the GI Bill
3b. Compare the original provisions of the GI Bill
to the results that Pres. Obama described.
What should have Obama mentioned as
well?
4. Did the GI Bill accomplish its goals?
• 3. Mentioned only education, whereas GI Bill
contained provisions for:
– Housing
– Unemployment
– Loans
-Health Care
-Job resources
-Strengthened V.A.
• 4. It provided these resources for veterans and
helped pave the way for American prosperity in
the 1950’s, improved standard of living and
growth of middle class can be tied to this
measure.
Dwight Eisenhower
1952 Election
Adlai Stevenson
Candidates were both relatively similar in their political views
Both moved more towards the center than on the far left or far right
Eisenhower: Former General and Commander of NATO
Stevenson: Governor of Illinois
1952 Presidential Election
Candidate Info
Republican – Dwight David
“Ike” Eisenhower
Democrat – Adlai
Stevenson
Campaign
Style
Comfortable w/ TV, calm,
reassuring, smiling and vague
terms
Uncomfortable with TV,
eloquent, erudite, somewhat
bluntly honest
Personal style
Serene and confident
Intellectual, aristocratic,
practical and realistic as to costs
of Korea and Cold War
Issue Civil
Rights
Non-committal – believed in
limited federal power
Strong promoter of Civil Rights
but practical politically re: south
Issue – Cold
War
Strong anti-communist (chose
Nixon of HUAC and Alger Hiss
fame as v-p running mate)
Anti-communist but more in
mold of George Kennan
Issue Red
Scare
Publicly promoted idea that
Truman was soft on communism
Opposed to red-baiting and
McCarthyism
Issue – Fair
Deal
Wanted to lower taxes, but
understood that New Deal
programs like Social Security
were the third rail of American
politics
Rejected public housing and
National Health plan – lukewarm
on Fair Deal
Why was Eisenhower favored by the
Public?
•
•
•
•
•
Truman was highly unpopular at the end
Former General could handle Korea
Nation becoming more conservative
Citizens no longer needed New Deal programs
Moderate Eisenhower balanced by very
conservative Nixon.
“Checkers Speech”
• http://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/speech
es/detail/4638
• Make observations during video: Why do you
think it was so successful?
Dynamic Conservatism
• Liberal when it comes to people and conservative when it comes to money.
• Expanded social security, minimum wage, housing assistance and used loads of
federal money to build the National Highway system BUT…
• Wanted to control federal spending and deregulate business activity, cut the TVA
and other government projects related to electricity generation
Immediate goals and beliefs of
Dynamic conservatism – go slow to review
the situation Ike inherited
Shrink power of president and fed. Gov’t
Believed gov’t regulations were hurting
business
Reverse deficits, balance budget, cut
defense $
Don’t use fed taxes to reward friends
Immediate actions after inauguration
Selected pro-business cabinet
Submerged Lands Act to transfer oil lands
to state control
Cut TVA expansion
Cut 200,000 federal jobs
Cut 10% of budget
Cut planned hydro plant
Conservative action – cut taxes, Cut
federal jobs, toughened FELP, FBI wiretaps
and supported Communist Control Act
Liberal actions – increased spending in
54 and 58 recessions, expanded S.S., $1.3
billion for housing and slum clearing,
created Dept of Housing , education and
Welfare, social spending increase 50% in 8
years, federal money for ed. & highways
Dynamic conservatism cont.
Economic results – GNP goes up
during a period of unprecedented
widespread prosperity for most
Americans, with top marginal tax rate
still at 90%
The political results were that
Democrats win Congress in 1954 but
Ike retains presidency and leaves
office as the third most popular
president in the entire 20th century
behind only FDR and Bill Clinton
Dynamic Conservatism is based on the underlying
vital center theory and the resultant paradoxes.
Tough on communism but cuts in defense $.
Smaller gov’t and taxes but expansions of social
programs.