Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal was a response to a crisis in America’s economy.  Stock prices were crashing, businesses were failing, and unemployment was soaring.  FDR’s popularity was engendered by his ability to generate hope that there could be relief, recovery, and reform that could bring us out of our straitened circumstances, and keep us out.  His policies were aggressive and his uncanny paternalistic communication skills -- such as his fireside chats on the radio -- endeared him to the masses.  When he said “we have nothing to fear but fear itself,” he highlighted the deep-seated fear of tomorrow in the hearts of the citizenry.    FDR introduced “socialism-lite” into American politics and economics with the implementation of Keynesian or demand-side economics, as it is sometimes called. However, the economic theories created to justify increased governmental spending were advanced by John...(Read Full Article)