Introduction
Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, was a transformative figure in American history, serving in office from 1933 until his death in 1945. Roosevelt was born into an affluent New York family in 1882 and attended Harvard University before joining politics. Before being elected President in 1932, he held several state and federal roles.
Roosevelt is most recognized for his leadership throughout the Great Depression and World War II, during which he implemented policies and programs that reshaped the federal government’s role in American life. Besides, he was also a staunch advocate for the concept of federalism. He believed that the federal government was responsible for assisting and supporting the states in times of crisis and helping them address vital issues such as economic disparity and social welfare. Roosevelt’s commitment to federalism and his relations with Congress enabled him to pass significant legislation, and this approach is relevant to the debate surrounding the “For the People Act of 2021” aimed at reforming elections.
Roosevelt’s Views and Actions on Federalism and Relationship with Congress
His experiences profoundly influenced Roosevelt’s views and actions on federalism during the Great Depression. As the country plunged into an economic crisis, many Americans desperately needed support and assistance, but the government seemed powerless to act (Attewell 17). Roosevelt saw this as a failure of state and federal authority and believed the only way to address the crisis was through a new approach to federal-state relations.
Central to Roosevelt’s view of federalism was the idea that the federal government had a duty to support states in difficulty. This was evident in the range of policies and programs he implemented during his office. For example, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a federal program providing jobs and assistance to millions of Americans, many of whom struggled to survive the Depression (Attewell 24).
By providing federal support to states and municipalities, Attewell states that the WPA helped to create jobs and stimulate economic growth at the local level (24). Furthermore, implementing the National Youth Administration (NYA), a federal program, provided job training and education to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds (Attewell 33). Thus, the NYA provided services and support to young people in communities nationwide.
In addition to his commitment to federal-state cooperation, Roosevelt’s commitment to federalism was evident in his management of relations with Congress. Roosevelt understood that to achieve his policy objectives, he needed to build strong relationships with members of Congress, regardless of party affiliation. One key aspect was his willingness to compromise and work across party lines. Although he was a Democrat, he understood that he needed the support of Republicans to achieve his policy objectives. For example, the Social Security Act, one of the most significant pieces of legislation in American history, was passed with strong bipartisan support (Curry and Frances 9).
Thus, by working with members of both parties, Roosevelt could build broad-based support for his policies and push through legislation that would have been impossible to pass on a strictly partisan basis. At the same time, Roosevelt was fearless in using the powers of his office to push his agenda forward. For example, he famously threatened to pack the Supreme Court with additional justices to secure the passage of his New Deal legislation (Braver 32). Although this proved unnecessary, it demonstrated Roosevelt’s willingness to use the full range of powers to achieve his policy objectives.
For the People Act
Another recent effort to address some of the challenges facing American democracy is the ‘For the People Act of 2021’ (H.R. 1). The act was a comprehensive bill introduced in the 117th Congress in January 2021, aimed at expanding voting rights, reforming campaign finance laws, and strengthening ethics rules for public officials. The bill’s proponents argued that it would address critical issues in the U.S. democracy, including voter suppression, gerrymandering, and the influence of big money in politics. However, the bill also faced significant opposition from Republicans, who saw it as a partisan attempt to gain a political advantage in elections.
One of the main pros of the bill was its aim to increase access to voting. The bill proposed establishing automatic voter registration, expanding early voting and mail-in voting, and making Election Day a federal holiday (Marcum and Jonathan 1). Proponents of the bill argued that these measures would help address voter suppression and encourage greater participation in the electoral process.
Another advantage of the bill was its provisions on campaign finance reform. The bill aimed to strengthen disclosure requirements for political spending, establish a public financing system for federal campaigns, and increase transparency for political ads on social media (Marcum and Jonathan 1). Supporters of the bill believed that these provisions would help reduce the influence of big money in politics and make campaigns more accessible to candidates who do not have access to deep-pocketed donors.
On the other hand, opponents of the bill argued that it was a partisan power grab to cement Democratic government control. Republicans took issue with many aspects of the bill, including its redistricting and campaign finance provisions. Furthermore, they also objected to the bill’s proposal to create automatic voter registration, which they argued could lead to voter fraud and undermine the integrity of elections.
The bill was debated in Congress for several months, with Democrats pushing for its passage and Republicans working to block it. The bill passed the House of Representatives in March 2021 but faced opposition in the Senate, where Republicans had enough votes to filibuster it (Marcum and Jonathan 1). The bill eventually failed to pass the Senate in June 2021 after facing united Republican opposition.
Several factors contributed to the failure of the bill, including the opposition of Republicans, who saw the bill as an attempt by Democrats to gain an advantage in elections (Marcum and Jonathan 1). Republicans argued that the bill would undermine the integrity of the electoral process and make it easier for people to cheat. Additionally, the bill faced opposition from some moderate Democrats who were concerned about some of its provisions, such as the proposal to establish a public financing system for federal campaigns.
Ultimately, the bill’s failure was a blow to Democrats’ efforts to expand voting rights and reform campaign finance laws. However, some provisions of the bill have gained traction in individual states, with some states adopting measures to expand access to voting and reduce the influence of big money in politics. While it had some critical provisions aimed at expanding voting rights and reducing the influence of money in politics, it ultimately failed to pass due to the united opposition of Republicans and the concerns of some moderate Democrats.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Roosevelt’s leadership during the Great Depression and World War II resulted in implementing policies and programs that transformed the federal government’s role in American society. His belief in federalism led him to establish federal-state cooperation and assist struggling states, which was evident in the implementation of the Works Progress Administration and National Youth Administration. Furthermore, his willingness to compromise and work across party lines helped him to achieve his policy objectives. The For the People Act of 2021 was a recent initiative to tackle issues in American democracy, such as voter suppression and the impact of significant political donations.
Works Cited
Attewell, Steven. People must live by work: direct job creation in America, from FDR to Reagan. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018.
Braver, Joshua. “Court-Packing: An American Tradition?.” BCL Rev. 61 (2020): 2747.
Curry, James M., and Frances E. Lee. “Non-party government: Bipartisan lawmaking and party power in congress.” Perspectives on Politics 17.1 (2019): 1–19.
Marcum, Anthony, and Jonathan Bydlak. “A primer on H.R. 1, the “for the people act of 2021”.” (2021).