Friday, January 30, 2015

Describe Grover Cleveland's political views.

Grover Cleveland is known as a reformer. The first Democrat elected after the Civil War, Cleveland has the distinction of being the only President of the United States to serve two nonconsecutive terms. Cleveland was an experienced politician, first winning the election for Mayor of Buffalo and then the election for Governor of New York before being nominated to run for President.
Grover Cleveland's election was unusual. Although he ran for president as a Democrat, Cleveland won with the support of Republicans who covertly campaigned on his behalf. In an era of partisan politics and backroom horse trading, support from the competing party was highly irregular.
Not satisfied with the Republican candidate James Blaine, disaffected Republicans formed the Mugwump reform party and threw their support behind Cleveland. Blaine's political reputation had been tarnished by a railroad scandal in which it was alleged he accepted $64,000 from two railroads in exchange for some worthless railroad bonds. Blaine vigorously defended the accusations of bribery against him in the House—to no avail. The political tides turned against him and, without the backing and full support of Republicans, Blaine was narrowly defeated by Cleveland.
Cleveland's political views in his first term were guided by the end of Reconstruction ideas for reuniting the country. Cleveland vetoed several bills related to private pensions for Civil War veterans and rejected claims he considered fraudulent (rejecting fraud was consistent with his agenda of political reform in the government). Cleveland was in opposition to any bill that provided economic aid to groups that he believed reeked of favoritism or political graft. In general, Cleveland was opposed to just about any federal assistance being given to any organization (Democrats, in this period, were fiscally conservative).
Unlike many in his party, Cleveland had no problem with attacking powerful railroad business' interests. His attacks resulted in the railroads returning 81,000 acres of land to the federal government and achieved the first legislation that attempted to regulate the interstate activities of railroads. Consistent with his ideas about railroads monopolizing transportation, Cleveland was opposed to tariffs and supported reducing or removing them on products entirely.
Cleveland's second term was similar to his first in policy and political outlook. Cleveland continued to promote conservative views regarding government fiscal policy. He did not deviate from his reform agenda, concentrating on political graft and corruption. Cleveland dealt with domestic and foreign issues with straight and blunt talk followed by action. Historians generally view his official fiscal policies unfavorably, as the United States found itself mired in an economic depression during his term (which his strict fiscal policies did little to alleviate).
Grover Cleveland's political views can be characterized by his rigid conservative fiscal policy. Cleveland believed the government should be free of graft and political corruption. His reform agenda for the government was aggressive for the time that he served as President of the United States.
https://millercenter.org/president/cleveland

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/grover-cleveland

https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/grover-cleveland/

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