Domestic Policy in Post War America Truman and Eisenhower

GI BILL: the Most Significant Piece of Social Legislation in the 20 th Century College Education Federal Loans Better Jobs More Money Increased Leisure Time Suburbs Auto Culture

GI Bill “More than any other law passed by Congress, it shaped American society in the postwar period…it allowed millions of Americans to achieve a standard of living that was generally better than that enjoyed by their parents” Suburban Lifestyle Buying your dream house…moving out of cramped urban apartments ConsumerismAuto Culture Leisure Time Pop Culture

President Harry Truman and the Post War Demobilization Took office after Roosevelt’s death in April 1945 Challenges… –Inflation (rising prices) –Labor strikes –Minorities & women workers lost jobs

Election of 1948 Democratic Party Candidate: Harry Truman (incumbent) - Supported Civil Rights Dixicrats (State’s Rights Party) Candidate: Strom Thurmond - Broke with DP because didn’t agree with Truman’s stance on Civil Rights Progressive Party Candidate: Henry Wallace - Wanted to improve relations with U.S.S.R. Republican Party Candidate: Thomas Dewey

Look at the picture on your 1948 Election Packet…

1948 Election – Electoral Map

Give ‘em hell, Harry

Truman’s Domestic Agenda: Fair Deal “Every segment of our population… has a right to expect from our government a fair deal” Goals -Reform programs to aid the transition from a wartime to peacetime economy –Full employment –Higher Minimum wage –National Health insurance –Affordable Housing –Increased aid to farmers –Expansion of Welfare benefits

Truman’s Domestic Agenda: Fair Deal “Every segment of our population… has a right to expect from our government a fair deal” Accomplishments -Extension of the New Deal: -Increase in minimum wage -Increase in aid to agriculture and education -Expansion of Social Security benefits Agenda frustrated (not much passed) by Congress

Food for Thought… Why didn’t Truman run for re-election in the 1952 Election? Hint: consider what was going on at this time (at home and abroad).

The Election of 1952 The first use of political advertising

1952 Election The election of 1952 was the first election where presidential commercials ever aired, at a time when Americans were not used to seeing candidates on television.

The Affluent Society What are the differences between liberals and conservatives?

Eisenhower’s Domestic Policy: Dynamic Conservatism “Conservative when it comes to money and liberal when it comes to people” Liberal Agenda “Expanding the Government” -Expanded social security and unemployment benefits -Increased minimum wage -Established Department of Health, Education and Welfare -Supported largest increase in educational funding Liberal Agenda “Expanding the Government” -Expanded social security and unemployment benefits -Increased minimum wage -Established Department of Health, Education and Welfare -Supported largest increase in educational funding Conservative Agenda “Reducing the Government” -Eliminated government jobs -Cut federal budget -Cut farm subsidies -Turned over federal land to the States Conservative Agenda “Reducing the Government” -Eliminated government jobs -Cut federal budget -Cut farm subsidies -Turned over federal land to the States

Modern Republicanism was Eisenhower’s Policy that stated he would be conservative with money and liberal with human beings; because the policy addressed liberal and conservative agendas, it was popular with many Americans.

Truman Eisenhower Fair Deal Desegregated Military Proposed National Health Care Insurance Liberal National Housing Act “Dynamic Conservative” Abolished RFC Cut funding to TVA Federal Highway Act Cut Taxes Ended government price & rent controls Min. Wage SSA benefits Accepted New Deal GI Bill