Conservative coalition
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The Conservative coalition, in the United States of America, was an unofficial Congressional coalition in American politics bringing together the conservative majority of the Republican Party and the conservative, mostly Southern, minority of the Democratic Party. It controlled congress from 1937 to 1949 and in 1951 to 1961. It remained a potent force until the mid-1980s.
In its heyday, the coalition's most important Republican leader was Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio, and the chief Democrats were Senator Richard Russell, Jr. of Georgia and Congressmen Howard W. Smith of Virginia and Carl Vinson of Georgia.
U.S. Senator Josiah Bailey (D-NC), a leader of the coalition, released a "Conservative Manifesto" in December 1937.[1] "Give enterprise a chance, and I will give you the guarantees of a happy and prosperous America," Bailey said. The document called for a balanced federal budget, state's rights, and an end to labor union violence and coercion.[1] Over 100,000 copies were distributed and it marked a turning point in terms of congressional support for New Deal legislaion.[1] Between 1937 and 1961, the coalition was able to exercise a virtual veto over domestic legislation. Truman's Fair Deal was passed during a brief period of liberal control in 1949-51.
Under President Lyndon Johnson, liberals broke a southern filibuster led by Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) and passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a decisive defeat for the coalition. Conservatives lost many seats in the 1964 election, but regained strength in the congressional elections of 1966. After the "Republican Revolution" in 1994, the Republicans took control of most of the conservative southern districts, so the Southern Democratic part of the coalition evaporated.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Kicker, Troy, "Taking on FDR: Senator Josiah Bailey and the 1937 Conservative Manifesto"
[edit] Further Reading
- Caro, Robert A. The Years of Lyndon Johnson: vol 3: Master of the Senate (2002).
- Fite, Gilbert. Richard B. Russell, Jr, Senator from Georgia (2002)
- Goldsmith, John A. Colleagues: Richard B. Russell and His Apprentice, Lyndon B. Johnson. (1993)
- MacNeil, Neil. Forge of Democracy: The House of Representatives (1963)
- Malsberger, John W. From Obstruction to Moderation: The Transformation of Senate Conservatism, 1938-1952 2000
- Moore, John Robert. "The Conservative Coalition in the United States Senate, 1942-45." Journal of Southern History 1967 33(3): 369-376. ISSN 0022-4642 Fulltext: Jstor, uses roll calls
- James T. Patterson. "A Conservative Coalition Forms in Congress, 1933-1939," The Journal of American History, Vol. 52, No. 4. (Mar., 1966), pp. 757-772. in JSTOR
- Patterson, James. Congressional Conservatism and the New Deal: The Growth of the Conservative Coalition in Congress, 1933-39 (1967)
- Patterson, James T. Mr. Republican: A Biography of Robert A. Taft (1972)
- Schickler, Eric. Disjointed Pluralism: Institutional Innovation and the Development of the U.S. Congress (2001)
- Shelley II, Mack C. The Permanent Majority: The Conservative Coalition in the United States Congress (1983)
- Rohde, David W. Parties and Leaders in the Postreform House (1991)