美国总统31 富兰克林·德拉诺·罗斯福 2.docx

美国总统31富兰克林德拉诺罗斯福2FranklinRoosevelt:Powerful(Part2)playstopmutemaxvolume00:00-14:02repeatByKellyJeanKelly08October,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutFranklinDelanoRoosevelt.Earlierwetoldabouthisrisetopower,andhishealthproblems.Whenhewas39yearsold,FDR-ashewasoftencalled-becameparalyzedfromthewaistdown.Hewasneverabletowalkindependentlyagain.Butthatdidnotpreventhimfrombecomingoneofthecountry'smostpowerfulpresidents.Presidency:TheGreatDepressionandtheNewDealWhenFDRtookoffice,theUnitedStateswasinasevereeconomicdepression.Manyfarmerswerenotabletoselltheircropsforprofit.Banksacrossthecountryhadfailed.AnumberofAmericanslosttheirsavingsandtheirhomes.Andmorethan25%oftheworkforcedidnothaveajob.YetwhenFDRtookofficein1933,hetoldpeople,"Theonlythingwehavetofearisfearitself."WhenAmericansthinkofFDR,theyoftenthinkofthatstatement.Itshowedhisspiritofhopeandconfidenceforwhichhebecameknown.AmericansalsorememberFDRforthewayhebeganhispresidency.Inhisfirst100days,hesignedmorethan70billsintolaw.Someledtomajorchangesinthecountry.Theyhelpedcalmthecountry'sbankingindustry,providedfederalaiddirectlytofarmersandtheunemployed,andcreatedpublicworksprograms.TheactsformedthebaseofwhatFDRandotherscalledtheNewDeal.SomeNewDealprograms-includingtheCivilianConservationCorpsandtheTennesseeValleyAuthority-createdgovernment-fundedjobs.Inadditiontoprovidingapaycheckforworkers,theprogramsweremeanttoimproveandcareforthecountry'snaturalresources.Forexample,workersplantedtrees,maderoads,andbuiltdamsandpowerplants.Americanscontinuetoexperiencetheeffectsoftheseprogramstoday.ThisphotowastakenmomentsbeforeU.S.PresidentFranklinD.RooseveltbeganhishistoricfiresidechattotheAmericanpeopleonMarch12,1933.FDRisalsorememberedforthewayhecommunicatedwiththepublic.Atthattime,asmanyas90%OfAmericansownedaradio.So,fromtimetotime,FDRspoketothepubliconradiobroadcaststhatbecameknownas"firesidechats."Thetermcreatedanimageofthepresidentsittingcomfortablynearafireplace,talkinginformallywithafewclosefriends.Infact,FDRgavethesetalksfromhisofficeintheWhiteHouse.Buthisvoicewaswarm,andhespokeinaneasy,conversationalwaytolisteners,whomhecalled"myfriends."ThecombinationofFDR'shope,energy,andaffectionateconcernforeverydayAmericansmadehimpopularwithmanyvoters.Hewasre-electedeasilyin1936.ButFDRhadcritics,too.Somepointedoutthatmanyofhisprogramsfailed.Theycostalotofmoneyorweresimplynoteffective.OtherssaidthatFDR'spolicyofmassivegovernmentinterventionwasnotAmerican.Itrestrictedcapitalismandthefreemarket.StillothersobservedthatFDR'sprogramsdidnothelpeveryoneequally.ManyNewDealprogramsaimedtoputyoung,whiteAmericanmentowork.Womenzracialminorities,andolderAmericanswereoftenoverlooked.CriticsandsupportersalikealsonotedthatFDRgreatlyexpandedthepowerofthepresidency.Headdedanumberoffull-timepositionstotheexecutivebranchofgovernment.AndhetookonthepowerofCongresstomakelaws.EventheSupremeCourtfoundthatFDRhad,insomecases,gonetoofar.Itruledthatsomeofhisactionswereillegal.FDRworriedthattheSupremeCourtwouldblockmanyofhisotherNewDealprograms,too.Soheproposedarule.Itwouldgivethepresidentpowertoappointsixnewmemberstothenine-membercourt.HisappointmentswouldalmostcertainlymakesurethathisNewDealprogramscouldcontinue.ManyhistorianspointtoFDR'seffortsat"court-packing"asoneofthemostextremeexamplesofhisattemptstoexpandpresidentialpower.ButCongressdidnotacceptFDR'sproposal.NinejusticesremainedontheSupremeCourt.However,thosejusticeswentontoapproveFDR'sactionsanyway.TheysupportedprogramssuchasSocialSecurity,whichwassetuptohelpolderadults,disabledpeople,andotherswhoneededsupport;andtheWagnerAct,whichpermittedworkerstoorganizeinatradeunion.WhiletheseeffortsandotherprogramswereimportantpartsofFDR'sreformefforts,theydidnotstoptheGreatDepression.NoneoftheNewDealprogramsreallydid.Theeconomycontinuedtostruggle.Presidency:DeclarationofwarForseveralyears,thepresidenthadbeenwarninglawmakersandotherAmericansaboutthepoliticalforcesinJapan,Germany,andItaly.Leadersinthosecountriessupportednationalistmovementsandhadalreadyinvadedortakencontrolofotherareas.By1941,morethan30countrieswereinvolvedintheconflict.ManyAmericanshadwantedtheU.S.toremainneutral.TheyregrettedbecominginvolvedinWorldWarI.Foryears,theyhadtakenstepstopreventanothermajorinternationalconflict.LawmakershadevenbannedtheU.S.governmentfromsellingorgivingweaponstowarringcountries.ButFDRbelievedWorldWarIIwasdifferent.HebelievedthatGermanywastheclearaggressorandneededtobestopped.So,inthe1930szFDRreceivedpermissionfromCongresstoprovideweaponstothecountriesopposingGermany.AfterGermanytookcontrolofFrance,FDRreceivedpermissiontogivedirectmilitaryaidtoBritain.Inaddition,FDRbeganpreparingtheU.S.militaryforwar.OnDecember7,1941zJapaneseforcesbombedAmericanshipsattheU.S.NavybaseinPearlHarbor,Hawaii.Morethan2z400AmericansdiedatPearlHarborzandmorethanlz700werewounded.ThedayafterPearlHarborwasattacked,CongressquicklyapprovedFDR'srequesttodeclarewaragainstJapan.Th