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1936 › Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic) › Level of federal spending

Reduce the expenses of government as relief needs decline

pledge_forwarddirectional_stanceparty_platformevidence A Federal Budget & Spending similar solutions · similar reasoning

Solution

Let expenditures fall with unemployment so an increasing share is met from current revenues.

Rationale

'We are being aided therein by the recession in unemployment.'

Statements (2)

1936-06-25 · Democratic National Convention, Philadelphia (platform) · conventionparty_platform ✓ verified

We are determined to reduce the expenses of government. We are being aided therein by the recession in unemployment. As the requirements of relief decline and national income advances, an increasing percentage of Federal expenditures can and will be met from current revenues

Source: 1936 Democratic Party Platform (1936-06-23)

1936-10-14 · Chicago · generalparty_platform ✓ verified

Government expenditures are coming down and Government income is going up. The opportunities for private enterprise will continue to expand.

Source: Address at Chicago, Ill. (1936-10-14)

Follow-through

brokencontested among sources

Expenses were cut in fiscal 1938 as relief fell, then rose sharply with the 1938 recovery program and rearmament; federal outlays never returned to 1937 levels.

Mechanisms

Date	Type	Name	Effect	Consistent?	Source
1937-04-13	message	Message on eliminating unnecessary expenditures charted on: Federal outlays as percent of GDP	1937 economy drive.	yes	Message to all Departments and Agencies on Eliminating Unnecessary Expenditures.
1938-04-14	message	Message on stimulating recovery charted on: Federal outlays as percent of GDP · Federal surplus or deficit (fiscal year)	Spending resumed.	no	Message to Congress on Stimulating Recovery.

Obstruction

economywar Recession of 1937-38; rearmament. source

Assessments

broken Franklin D. Roosevelt — Message to Congress on Stimulating Recovery.

The condition -- declining relief needs -- reversed in the recession, and the President chose spending.

Other positions on this issue

Cut the cost of the federal government by at least 25 percent — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 specific_pledge
Cut federal spending $1.5 billion below fiscal 1932 and reorganize the executive branch — Herbert Hoover, 1932 specific_pledge
Defense of the eight-billion-dollar deficit as an investment in America — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1936 directional_stance

1936-fdr-reduce-expenses-as-relief-declines · created by claude-fable-5-1 · review: unreviewed