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There were many critics of the New Deal, both
Republican and Democrat
Arguments were made that New Deal programs were destroying the Constitution and free enterprise
Some proposed changes:
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Francis Townsend- $200.00 a month to every citizen over
60, boost economy
Charles Coughlin- Nationalize all banks and return to silver standard
Huey Long- Over-tax rich and give to poor: “Share-Our-
Wealth”
 Long threatened to run against FDR in the 1936 election, but was assassinated

THE WORKS PROGRESS
ADMINISTRATIONS
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WPA was created after the
Civil Workers Admin.(CWA) ended
Help find Americans work
5 billion to WPA job creation project
After that direct relief was returned to state and local governments
1935-1943: WPA created 8.5 million jobs
Built 350 airports,
100,000 public buildings
78,000 bridges
500,000 miles of road
NATIONAL YOUTH
ADMINISTRATION
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WPA tried to help people between
16-25
“Junior WPA”
Provided part-time jobs to high school and college students so they could stay in school
Provided aid to over 500,000
Eleanor Roosevelt appointed Mary
McLeod Bethune to Director of
Negro Affairs in the NYA
Bethune attended Moody Bible
Institute
Desire to help AA children get education
Became a large civil rights activist

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• 1- Unemployment insurance for those who had lost their jobs; funds came from payroll taxes
2- Pensions for retirees, 65 and older; funds came from employers payroll tax and employee wage tax
3- Shared federal-state program, payments to those w/ disabilities, the elderly, and mother and children whose father had died

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Rural Electrification
Admin. (REA)- provided electricity to underdeveloped, rural areas
Regulation of interstate production, transmission and gas and electricity
This kept utility costs low
Revenue Tax Act/Wealth
Tax Act- raised taxes for the nation’s most wealthy

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FDR was re-nominated by Democrats
Landslide win
African Americans,
Democrats, rich, poor, and Republicans supported him
Democrats also increased their majority in both the
House and the Senate

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Roosevelt was angered that many of his New Deal programs had been deemed unconstitutional
Made motion to add a new justice for every justice that was 70 years old
This caused an uproar; FDR accused of “court packing” and disrespecting balance of power
Many decisions had been reversed concerning
New Deal programs
Several justices died while in office
FDR replaced them, by 1945 8 of the 9 justices had been appointed by him

LABOR
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AFL leader John Lewis organized the Congress of
Industrial Workers which united all union workers both skilled and unskilled
Collaboration between AFL and
CIO started strikes → GM Strike
1936-7
Sit-down strike, workers refused to leave plant premises until demands were met
Management finally gave in
Strike lasted six weeks
Union membership in the United
Automobile Workers (UAW) rose from 4 to 9 million
FARMERS
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FDR got ride of the AAA
Implemented new plan like
AAA, but linked it to the CCC
Passed a new revised edition of the AAA that would keep crop rotation low and prices high for farmers
Passed Farm Security Admin.
To protect tenant farmers, sharecroppers, and migrant workers
Established camps for medical care and shelter

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1936- Begin reducing government aid programs because of over-the-top spending
Private industry wasn’t strong enough yet
Unemployment was rising again
Appropriated 3 billion to federal aid in 1937