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1936 › William E. Borah (Republican) › Antitrust and concentration of economic power
Drive monopoly and price fixing out of the system or face governmental regimentation
pledge_forwarddirectional_stancereportedevidence B Industry, Business & Regulation similar solutions · similar reasoning
Solution
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.
Rationale
Under either 'the reign of monopoly or the reign of governmental regimentation, the free American citizens ... will disappear as certainly as the free citizens disappeared in Germany and Italy.'
Statements (2)
"We will either drive monopoly and price fixing out of our system and re store to the disinherited millions their rightful opportunity in the economic world, or we will move to absolute governmental regimentation.
If we are traveling bafek on the road of so-called prosperity ulti mately to arrive at the destination of 1928-29, there will be no recovery for half the population of the United States.
Follow-through
not_applicable
Borah remained in the Senate until his death in January 1940; the monopoly inquiry he demanded came through the TNEC in 1938.
Enacted by others
| 1938-06-16 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | statute Temporary National Economic Committee | The study of concentration Borah had urged. source |
Reception (2)
The Ohio primary 'wrote finis' to Borah's hopes; his crusade to liberalize the party 'fizzled' because he waited too long.
his fail ure to rouse the rank and file in Ohio seems to demonstrate finally that the prize is not within his reach
Borah bore no rancor, but doubted Landon's campaign would reach Western progressives unless he 'reveals him self as a progressive.'
If Landon senses this problem and, by his addresses, reveals him self as a progressive, then the task of men like Senator Borah in appeal ing to Western audiences will be rel atively easy.
Other positions on this issue
- Strengthen and impartially enforce the antitrust laws — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 directional_stance
- Use the full power of the federal government to break up private monopolies and enforce the antitrust laws 'without fear or favor' — Alf Landon, 1936 directional_stance
- Vigorously enforce the antitrust laws and restore their efficacy against new corporate devices — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1936 directional_stance
1936-borah-drive-out-monopoly-and-price-fixing · created by claude-fable-5-1 · review: unreviewed