Work in progress — cycles are added one at a time. Every quote is machine-verified against an archived source; follow the links to read it.
William Lemke vs William E. Borah
| Issue | William Lemke | William E. Borah |
|---|---|---|
| Antitrust and concentration of economic power | — | Drive monopoly and price fixing out of the system or face governmental regimentation directional_stancenot_applicable Break the 'monopoly ridden, price-fixing system' that gives 'a scanty meagre living for the vast majority and almost Incalculable wealth for the few'; wrest the party from the utilities, the du Ponts and the eastern organization that defend it. |
| Public control of the central bank and money creation | 'Drive the money changers out of the temple': public control of money and credit, further inflation of the currency vague_gesturenot_applicable The Union Party's founding program as Coughlin stated it -- take money creation from private banks; go 'much further in the inflationists' direction' than the Thomas amendment and silver purchase. |
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| Federal anti-lynching legislation | — | Oppose the Wagner-Costigan federal anti-lynching bill as unconstitutional; attack party leaders who promise it specific_pledgenot_applicable Reject federal anti-lynching legislation on States'-rights grounds and denounce the leaders promising it to colored voters as 'hypocritical and Intellectually dishonest.' |
| Minimum wages | A 'living annual wage' -- $1,800 for a family of five -- by federal law and a constitutional amendment if necessary specific_pledgenot_applicable Coughlin's plank for the Union candidate: amend the Constitution so 'free unbridled competition must submit to reasonable Federal laws' guaranteeing a fair annual wage to every willing worker. |
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| Farm and home mortgage relief | Refinance farm mortgages through the Frazier-Lemke plan (government-issued credit at low interest) specific_pledgenot_applicable The 'inflationary farm mortgage bill' Lemke authored: federal refinancing of farm debt with currency issued for the purpose, blocked by the administration and the House in 1936. |
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| Old-age pensions and social insurance | The Townsend $200-a-month pension as a plank of the Union coalition vague_gesturenot_applicable Absorb the Townsend clubs into the Union ticket; Dr. Townsend endorsed Lemke at Cleveland in August. |
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