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.
Issues › Federal–State Relations
Amending the Constitution to enlarge (or restrain) federal power
| Cycle | Candidate | Position | Solution | Strength | Attribution | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Alf Landon (Republican) | Wages, hours and child labor by State law and interstate compact -- and a constitutional amendment giving the States power if the courts forbid | Support State laws and compacts against sweatshops and child labor 'within the Constitution as it now stands'; if working conditions cannot be regulated by the States, favor an amendment giving the States the necessary p… | specific_pledge | candidate_direct | not_applicable |
| 1936 | Frank Knox (Republican) | New federal activities only when legalized by constitutional amendment -- 'the horse and buggy method' | Accept that changing conditions call for increased federal activity, but insist every new activity be authorized by amendment, not by laws that 'flout the Constitution.' | specific_pledge | candidate_direct | not_applicable |
| 1936 | Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic) | Meet constitutional obstacles by 'clarifying amendment' -- and say nothing about the Supreme Court | Seek legislation within the Constitution; if problems like wages, hours and child labor cannot be solved that way, seek a clarifying amendment giving Congress and the States the needed power. The candidate never said how… | directional_stance | party_platform | broken? |