Christopher Keith. Harry S. Truman- Thomas E. Dewey-

Christopher Keith

The Election of 1948 vs. The Election of 1980

Harry S. Truman-

Thomas E. Dewey-

The Election of 1948

People thought

that Truman

was making to strong of a grasp for power…

Ronald Reagan-

Jimmy Carter-

The Election of 1980

Reagan was always the talk of the town…

Many People’s Opinion Describes Carter as the worst President ever…

Electoral Map of 1948

The Electoral Map of 1980

Harry Truman’s election highlights… good or badTimidity on domestic agenda

Stern Treatment of the Soviet Union

Delivered hundreds of off the cut speeches about difficult topics; figured he had nothing to lose; was contrary to Dewey’s strategy.

Major Issues of the 1948 Election:

Spoke of civil rights legislation

Helped to revive the New Deal Policy of Southern Blacks

Continued

Ronald Reagan’s elections highlights- good or bad Reagan said he no longer opposed the

Civil Rights Act of 1964. (stated that it had actually worked quite well)

Called for the banning of abortions

Developed a strong economic plan (later would be referred to as Reaganomics)

Major Issues of 1980 Election:

Left the controversial issues such as sex education in school and homosexual rights alone.

Was considered to be anti-labor (which is a reason for his problems with the labor unions)

Continued

After workers left their worksites Reagan gave them 48 hours to which he proceeded to fire each one who did not return without even considering giving in to their demands.

Most of the workers were from PATCO.

PATCO and the FFA would later engage in a legally binding agreement as to how to organize and manage the problems with labor.

Ronald Reagan and the Air Traffic Control Union

30 % of Americans were in a Union

The New Deal Coalition was critical to the campaign because it could bring forth millions of votes.

Truman Acted aggressively towards the railroad strike and seized control of the railroads.

Truman issued an order that the government would control the railroads and use the government to keep the strikes at bay.

Harry Truman and the Unions

Jimmy CarterSpoke that Reagan was a racist. But quickly denied making this charge to prevent trouble.

Reagan had actually provoked this comment by suggesting that Carter was associated with the KKK.

Reagan's Competition

Both Reagan and Carter ignored issues regarding relations between men and women.

Carter believed Reagan was too unpredictable and was likely to start a war.

First since Herbert Hoover to fail a bid for reelection

Continued

The similar course of events regarding the Railroad Strike of 1946 and the Air Traffic Control Strike.

Both Presidents reacted to the strikes with a seizure of the unruly companies along with harsh punishment.

Similarities in 1948 and 1980

Reagan fired over 1100 workers from PATCO

Truman seized the railroading company; under the control of the government those who attempted to continue the strike or similar behavior was removed from the problem…

Continued

Ronald Reagan was elected as a Republican Candidate

Harry Truman was elected as a Democratic Candidate

In the election of 1948 Democrats had been in power whereas in the 1980 election Republican power was starting to emerge.

Differences in 1948 and 1980

The Democratic Party was focused on beating Truman…

Works Cited

“The Air Traffic Conroller’s Strike.” The Eighties Club. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.

<http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/ id296.htm>.

“The American Franchise.” Miller Center of Public Affairs. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.

<http://millercenter.org/ academic/ americanpresident/ truman/ essays/ biography/ 8>.

“Campaigns and Elections.” Miller Center of Public Affairs. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.

<http://millercenter.org/ academic/ americanpresident/ truman/ essays/ biography/ 3>.

“Election of 1980.” Travel and History. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010. <http://www.u-s-

history.com/ pages/ h911.html>.

Works Cited

“Jimmy Carter - Election of 1980 .” Profiles of U.S. Presidents. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb.

2010. <http://www.presidentprofiles.com/ Kennedy-Bush/ Jimmy-Carter-Election-of-

1980.html>.

“Presidential Election of 1980.” United States Presidential Elections. N.p., n.d. Web. 1

Feb. 2010. <http://www.historycentral.com/ elections/ 1980.html>.

“Reaganomics.” Investor Words. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.investorwords.com/ 4052/ Reaganomics.html>.

“Reagan’s presidency pivotal for unions.” Las Angeles Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.latimes.com/ bal-bz.unions08jun08,0,7475352.story>.

Works Cited

Schwartz, Fredric D. “Dewey defeats Dewey; 1948: fifty years ago. (inaccurate prediction that New

York Gov. Thomas E. Dewey would defeat Pres. Harry S. Truman in the presidential election)(The

Time Machine: November)(Brief Article) .” History Resource Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.

<http://galenet.galegroup.com/ servlet/ HistRC/

hits;jsessionid=F1D138ABC720F32DA9ECE709910A4477?

docNum=A21280974&tab=2&locID=scschools&origSearch=true&hdb=ALL&t=RK&s=1&r=d&i

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t=iac&SU=Harry+Truman%27s+Election&finalAuth=true>.

““Word Has Just Been Received”: Truman Speaks on the Railroad Strike.” History Matters. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010. <http://historymatters.gmu.edu/ d/ 5137/>.

Works Cited

“The Election of 1980 and the Reagan Era.” SocyBerty. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb.

2010. <http://socyberty.com/ politics/ the-election-of-1980-and-the-reagan-era/>.

“Election of 1948.” Travel and History. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2010.

<http://www.u-s-history.com/ pages/ h898.html>.

“Election of 1948.” United States Presidential Elections. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb.

2010. <http://www.historycentral.com/ elections/ 1948.html>.

“Harry Truman and Civil Rights.” History Learning Sites. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb.

2010. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ Harry_Truman_civil_rights.htm>.

Works Cited

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