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.

New federal activities only when legalized by constitutional amendment -- 'the horse and buggy method' — Frank Knox, 1936

Similar by rationale solution · rationale

Score	Cycle	Candidate	Issue	Position
0.33	1932	Herbert Hoover	National Prohibition	Resubmit the Eighteenth Amendment so each state may decide, with constitutional guarantees against the saloon and against interference with dry states; enforce the law meanwhile
0.24	1932	Herbert Hoover	Tariff levels	Preserve the bipartisan Tariff Commission's flexible power to adjust rates without congressional log-rolling
0.21	1932	Franklin D. Roosevelt	Overall role and scale of the federal government	"A new deal for the American people" — work and security through liberal, planned government action
0.19	1932	Herbert Hoover	Veterans' bonus and benefits	Oppose cash prepayment of the veterans' bonus, especially by fiat money
0.18	1932	Franklin D. Roosevelt	National economic planning	National economic planning on the model of the 1917 war mobilization
0.18	1932	Norman Thomas	National Prohibition	Repeal the Eighteenth Amendment — the candidate preferring a binding national referendum
0.18	1932	Franklin D. Roosevelt	Farm prices and agricultural surplus	Raise staple farm prices by a tariff-equivalent benefit plus voluntary production control, at no cost to the Treasury
0.17	1932	Herbert Hoover	Independence of the Supreme Court	Preserve the independence of the Supreme Court from party control
0.16	1932	Franklin D. Roosevelt	Reorganization of the executive branch	Reorganize the Department of Agriculture as the machinery for national agricultural planning
0.16	1932	Herbert Hoover	Philippine independence	Gradual Philippine independence — economic independence first, with duty-free sugar cut from 600,000 tons downward every year
0.16	1936	Alf Landon	Right to organize and bargain collectively	Government as umpire and mediator; develop conciliation instead of rushing disputes to the President's doorstep
0.15	1932	Herbert Hoover	Equal rights and opportunity for Black Americans	Maintain equal opportunity and rights for Negro citizens
0.15	1932	Franklin D. Roosevelt	National Prohibition	Repeal the Eighteenth Amendment by state conventions; legalize beer now; states control liquor and bar the saloon
0.15	1932	Herbert Hoover	Federal guarantee of bank deposits	Oppose a federal guarantee of bank deposits
0.15	1936	Alf Landon	Amending the Constitution to enlarge (or restrain) federal power	Wages, hours and child labor by State law and interstate compact -- and a constitutional amendment giving the States power if the courts forbid
0.15	1932	Norman Thomas	Child labor	Abolition of child labor
0.14	1936	Alf Landon	How to finance old-age and unemployment insurance (contributory reserve vs. pay-as-you-go)	Repeal the compulsory old-age insurance plan; pay every needy citizen over 65 a pension from a direct, widely distributed tax
0.14	1936	William Lemke	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
0.14	1932	Herbert Hoover	Public ownership of electric power	Federal regulation of interstate power; opposition to government operation of the power business
0.14	1932	Franklin D. Roosevelt	International economic and monetary conferences	Convene international monetary and economic conferences to stabilize currencies and restore trade
0.13	1936	Franklin D. Roosevelt	Income and inheritance tax progressivity	Defense of the undistributed-profits tax as a loophole-closer; correct imperfections if found
0.12	1932	Norman Thomas	Sickness and health insurance	National health insurance
0.12	1932	Franklin D. Roosevelt	Public employment offices	A federally coordinated system of state employment offices (the vetoed Wagner bill)
0.12	1932	Norman Thomas	European war debts and reparations	Cancel the war debts (against cancellation of reparations) and raze the tariff wall
0.11	1936	Norman Thomas	Public ownership of major industries	The New Deal 'has not worked'; build the cooperative commonwealth