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1936 › Alf Landon (Republican) › Overall role and scale of the federal government

Restore confidence by 'unshackling initiative': steady, open, non-partisan administration that stops 'fumbling with recovery'

pledge_forwardvague_gesturecandidate_directevidence A Economy & Fiscal PolicyIndustry, Business & Regulation similar solutions · similar reasoning

Solution

Replace uncertainty with a steady hand: make policies public, use the best talent irrespective of party, stop 'spending for spending's sake' and government competition with private payrolls.

Rationale

The small business man 'lacks confidence in the soundness of Federal policy; he is afraid of what may come next'; 'there can be no confidence while this administration remains In power.'

Statements (3)

1936-06-11 · Republican National Convention, Cleveland (platform) · conventionparty_platform ✓ verified

Withdrawal of government from competition with private payrolls.

Source: Republican Party Platform of 1936 (1936-06-09)

1936-07-23 · Acceptance address, Topeka · conventioncandidate_direct ✓ verified

The time has come to stop this fumbling with recovery. American initiative is not a commodity to be delivered in pound packages through a Governmental bureau. It is a vital force in the life of our nation and it must be freed!

Source: Address Accepting the Republican Presidential Nomination in Topeka, Kansas (1936-07-23)

1936-10-29 · Madison Square Garden, New York (Evening Star text) · generalcandidate_direct ✓ verified

As Chief Executive I Intend to follow a course that will restore confidence. I intend to be open and above board on the policies of my administration.

Source: Texts of Landon's New York Addresses (Evening Star, Oct. 30, 1936, p. 41) (1936-10-30)

Follow-through

not_applicable

Not testable; the 1937-38 recession became the Republican exhibit for the 'confidence' thesis.

Reception (2)

straw_polldistortedsalience high Literary Digest poll, first returns (G. Gould Lincoln, Evening Star) 1936-09-04

Early Digest returns from four states ran 2 to 1 for Landon and were read as showing he 'has a chance to defeat President Roosevelt.'

the first fragment of the presidential poll taken by the Literary Digest indicates that Landon, the Republican nominee, has a chance to defeat President Roosevelt.

Source: Landon leading in Digest poll (Evening Star, Sept. 4, 1936, p. 2)

straw_pollinvertedsalience high Literary Digest final poll (Washington Times report) 1936-10-30

The Digest's final count gave Landon 370 electoral votes to 161 and 1,293,669 straws to 972,897 -- 'overwhelming Landon victory'.

Governor Landon elected with 370 electoral votes to Roosevelt's 161. This will be the trend of elec tion headlines if the Nation's voters line up as indicated by the final report of the Literary Digest Poll

Source: Overwhelming Landon victory shown in Digest poll (Washington Times, Oct. 30, 1936, p. 3)

Other positions on this issue

War on any candidate who makes 'demagogic appeals to the masses' setting class against class — Alfred E. Smith, 1932 directional_stance
An "economic declaration of rights" — the right to make a living and the right to safe savings — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 directional_stance
Government as a check on concentrated economic power — "individualism" redefined as equality of opportunity — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 directional_stance
Remove government from private enterprise except public works and natural resources — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 directional_stance
"A new deal for the American people" — work and security through liberal, planned government action — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 vague_gesture
Preserve 'ordered freedom' and equality of opportunity; reject a state-controlled or state-directed economy as 'tyranny' — Herbert Hoover, 1932 directional_stance
Fair, honest, economical and efficient government; preserve free enterprise against 'amateur economic planners' — Frank Knox, 1936 vague_gesture

1936-landon-restore-confidence-unshackle-initiative · created by claude-fable-5-1 · review: unreviewed