Why did the leaders criticize Roosevelt's policies?

Answer 1

First, it should be noted that while today, many people think in terms of conservatives (who are assumed to be Republicans) versus liberals (assumed to be Democrats), back then, there were some liberal Republicans and some conservative Democrats; the press in the 1930s rarely framed the political debates as "liberals versus conservatives." And a look at the newspapers of that era will also show that a majority of the debates that occurred over the New Deal took place in a partisan context, with Republicans generally opposing it, and Democrats generally supporting it.

For decades, Republicans and Democrats have debated the role of government in solving problems, and the 1930s were no exception. As America sank deeper into the Great Depression, the Republican candidate, incumbent president Herbert Hoover, was defeated by the Democratic candidate, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Where Hoover had championed policies his critics believed were too laissez-faire, Roosevelt would soon champion policies his critics believed were too focused on government intervention.

While Roosevelt was personally very popular with a large percentage of the American people, his "New Deal" was controversial. It expanded the size of government and required considerable government spending. His supporters believed it was necessary, as America was in a desperate situation and the private sector alone was unable to bring the country out of the crisis it was in. But his detractors believed he was making a bad situation worse by spending too much and creating a welfare state. Throughout the 1930s, as the economy gradually recovered, the debate continued, with conservative Republicans (and even a few conservative Democrats) worrying about the deficit and fearing too much dependency on government, and liberals from both parties believing the president was giving Americans back their confidence by getting them back to work, even if to do so meant expanding the government and creating a large number of federal jobs. Roosevelt believed this was not the time for austerity, a view with which his detractors vehemently disagreed.

As for why some Democrats (not all of whom would have been liberals) were critical of Roosevelt, his plan to consolidate power by packing the Supreme Court with judges who supported the New Deal was viewed with alarm by civil libertarians. Also, some liberal Democrats believed the New Deal did not go far enough in addressing some of the causes of poverty and income inequality. Republicans, on the other hand, accused the president of using the government to stifle dissenting views: Roosevelt was well known as a "radio president," and his frequent radio addresses ("Fireside Chats") were seen by Republicans as nothing more than Propaganda. While Republicans could and did use radio, Roosevelt was so popular and so effective with this medium that his Republican opponents had a difficult time competing in the "message wars."

Answer 2

Leaders criticized Roosevelt's policies for a variety of reasons. Some felt that his New Deal programs expanded the federal government too much and infringed on states' rights. Others believed that his policies, such as his regulation of business and implementation of social welfare programs, were too interventionist and hindered economic growth. Additionally, many conservatives criticized Roosevelt for what they perceived as his concentration of power in the executive branch.