FDR vs Clinton
Uploaded by Admin on Mar 25, 2000
The domestic policies and administrations of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and William Jefferson Clinton are in some ways similar, but in other ways very different. The two men were very domestic-oriented presidents, focusing largely on America, and not the outside world. Both Democrats, they supported Federal Government programs to aid the American People. These programs were not necessary, but the presidents felt that they would aid Americans. Roosevelt created many jobs for the unemployed. He did this with such acts as the Unemployment Relief Act, which created the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Civil Works Administration gave temporary jobs to the unemployed during an especially harsh winter, and the Works Progress Administration spent about $11 billion employing people to work on government projects. Roosevelt also provided for money to be given to states to help increase employment. This includes the Federal Relief Administration, that gave $3 million to states to pay wages for work projects as well as direct dole payments. The Tennessee Valley Act dammed up the Tennessee river and created jobs, inexpensive hydroelectric power, cheap nitrates, improved navigation of the river, low cost housing, reforestation, and the restoration of eroded soil.
Clinton has also worked for lower unemployment rates. During the first two years of Clinton’s administration, 6 million jobs were created; 7.7 million during the first 34 months. Americorps, formed to help people pay for college and job training, helped to tutor students, immunize children, and restore urban parks. Clinton’s Northwest Forest Plan was contrived to provide jobs in the Northwest and preserve ancient forests at the same time. Since Clinton became president, the unemployment rate has decreased from 7% to 5.6% and the United States currently has its lowest combined rate of inflation and unemployment since the beginning of Nixon’s Administration in 1968. Clinton has also continued several programs that were pioneered by Roosevelt, such as Social Security and Bank Security. Clinton’s Social Security Independent Agency Act, Interstate Banking Bill, and the Community Development Banking Financial Institutions Act’s roots can be traced back to Roosevelt’s Social Security Act of 1935 and Glass-Steagall Banking Reform Act. Both Clinton and Roosevelt also advocated the rights of workers. Roosevelt secured the unions’ right to form and to bargain with a representative of their choice with his National Labor Relations Act, and created a minimum wage, maximum hours, and limited the ages of young workers with his Fair Labor Standards Act. Clinton...