HERE is an editorial from 1943 that was written by Republican Senator Robert Taft (1889 – 1953). In his column, Taft explained in the most clinical terms that FDR’s loyal opposition on Capitol Hill can be relied upon for support only in matters involving his roll as Commander-in-Chief. However, Taft implied, any further efforts to go gallivanting about the Capitol with the hope of creating any more of those agencies with the New Deal trademark names like FSA, WPA, NYA, REA, TVA etc. etc. etc will be met with the stiffest opposition by the Republicans, who were well outnumbered, anyway. Taft’s column was answered by his opposite number in the Democratic Party: New York Senator Robert F. Wagner (1877 – 1953); his column can also be read here.
In reality, there was only one man who truly tried to kill the New Deal…
