• New Deal or Raw Deal?

  • How FDR's Economic Legacy Has Damaged America
  • By: Burton Folsom Jr.
  • Narrated by: Alan Sklar
  • Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (345 ratings)

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New Deal or Raw Deal?  By  cover art

New Deal or Raw Deal?

By: Burton Folsom Jr.
Narrated by: Alan Sklar
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Publisher's summary

In this shocking and groundbreaking new book, economic historian Burton Folsom, Jr., exposes the idyllic legend of Franklin D. Roosevelt as a myth of epic proportions. With questionable moral character and a vendetta against the business elite, Roosevelt created New Deal programs marked by inconsistent planning, wasteful spending, and opportunity for political gain---ultimately elevating public opinion of his administration but falling flat in achieving the economic revitalization that America so desperately needed from the Great Depression. Folsom takes a critical, revisionist look at Roosevelt's presidency, his economic policies, and his personal life. Elected in 1932 on a buoyant tide of promises to balance the increasingly uncontrollable national budget and reduce the catastrophic unemployment rate, the charismatic thirty-second president not only neglected to pursue those goals, he made dramatic changes to federal programming that directly contradicted his campaign promises. Price fixing, court packing, regressive taxes, and patronism were all hidden inside the alphabet soup of his popular New Deal, putting a financial strain on the already suffering lower classes and discouraging the upper classes from taking business risks that potentially could have jostled national cash flow from dormancy. Many government programs that are widely used today have their seeds in the New Deal. Farm subsidies, minimum wage, and welfare, among others, all stifle economic growth---encouraging decreased productivity and exacerbating unemployment. Roosevelt's imperious approach to the presidency changed American politics forever, and as he manipulated public opinion, American citizens became unwitting accomplices to the stilted economic growth of the 1930s. More than sixty years after FDR died in office, we still struggle with the damaging repercussions of his legacy.
©2009 Burton Folson, Jr. (P)2009 Tantor

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A must listen!

This was one of the more interesting and well researched books I have listened to this year. As I was listening I was so surprised at some of the information in the book that I stopped listening so I could do some independent research before continuing to listen. Frankly, I just didn't believe some of the stuff could have gone on in this supposedly free country but it was easy enough to confirm the facts in the book. I'm shocked to find myself so uneducated about this time period, being a college grad and having taken US history in college, read numerous books about the depression era and even a bio or two of FDR. Everyone should read or listen to this book as it provides an excellent analysis of how FDR extended the depression with insane price controls that landed small business people in jail if they didn't follow them. Talk about micromanaging. The government told dry cleaners how much they could charge for cleaning a shirt. They told people who sold chickens how to sell chickens and that people were not allowed to select the chickens they wanted to buy. (They had to take the first one they happened to touch). Eventually, this policy and other policies of Roosevelt's administration went before the Supreme Court and was overturned. Roosevelt apparently got reelected because he managed to get so many citizens dependent upon the government that they couldn't risk not voting for him. This is a book I will listen to more than once. Narration is also very good.

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21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Biased book: Not about New Deal. Just against FDR

Don't get fooled by the title. This is not a book about the New Deal, or about how FDR's economic policies hurt America: it is a book 100% against FDR. I bought this audiobook because I wanted to have some background on the New Deal economic programs. I am not American and I don't have a political affiliation (even less with democrats or republicans in America), but my feeling is that the objective of this book is just to destroy FDR. The book does indeed provide data and facts about how the new deal damaged America, but it is also full of non-related stuff that has no reason to be there. For instance, I don't really care if FDR was not good at sports when he was young, or if he cheated on his wife: such stuff has nothing to do about the economic effects of the New Deal. I have no doubt that many of the New Deal programs hurt America's economy (I studied the effects of the NIRA when I was getting my PhD in economics), but IMHO, this book is way too biased.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

Not really bashing FDR...but uses facts to debunk the myths we have been force-fed since infancy. That is, the New Deal saved democracy. Far from it...it just about destroyed the free market system and left us with out of control government programs.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye Opening

I cannot believe how little I knew about the great depression. This book told me more about what is going on today than anything you will learn from the news.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Packed

I grew up thinking FDR saved the nation. In my twenties, I was shocked to find that, one after another, the things I thought about the 1930's were wrong, especially concerning the nature, character and honor of our government. This title is a compendium of what is wrong with politics, as relevant today as it was in the 1930's.

It leaves the reader thinking, "How did he get away with this?", and causes you to think, "How can we fix this?"

The issue is not how destructive FDR and the New Deal were, but rather, how this unfolded right under our noses. We hear politicians clammer today for a New New Deal today, and it leaves this listener thinking... are they FOOLS?

There are so many parallels between Hoover/FDR and Bush/Obama, it is baffling.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

enlightening but biased

Very interesting to hear details about the ridiculous programs started by FDR and their impact on the country during the depression. This sort of retrospection is vital to preventing similar debacles during the current economic slump.
I have very conservative views - but this book was a little too biased in my opinion. It's great to point out that FDR may have abused the IRS in targeting political opposition, but when someone was legitimately caught by such an investigation i think the author was unreasonable to say essentially ... so-and-so was found to owe X-million dollars in taxes and fines, and Roosevelt wouldn't even cut him a break.... Why would he? That sort of comment weakens the book and makes me wonder what else might be spun a bit too much.
The strong bias cost it a star, but it's a good listen with a great narrator.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow In One Book!

The Great Depression ended 60 years ago but we are still struggling with the effects of the New Deal. This books opens the blinders and gives you an education on what the New Deal was as well as a look at who and why it was created. You will understand the mindset of the people who tossed out the constitution and created the closest thing to a dictatorship we've ever had. When the separation of powers kicked in and other branches fought back they tried to take over those branches too. Civil Rights could have been passed 30 years earlier, the depression may have ended 10 years earlier and we may not be in the mess we are today if not for the New Deal. Once you read this book you will realize the the politics of today is a continuation of the politics of the last 100 years. A Must Read!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

History with PROOF to back it up!

The author handled this subject perfectly, sticking to facts without bias. The time to read this book is NOW as history is repeating itself word for word. The same playbook that originally made many strong Americans dependent upon government handouts is being employed yet again to finish the rest of us off.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

know your background first

This is a well-narrated, well-researched book that helped illuminate a period that took place well before I was born even though its shockwaves still resonate very profoundly today. Nonetheless, I struggled with the audiobook initially because I did not know enough about the New Deal beforehand. I first studied up on FDR and the New Deal itself and then this book complimented that knowledge, but I would not suggest this as a "New Deal for Dummies," sort of book.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Correction of History

The author corrects all the fallacies taught in the public schools (indoctrination mills) and proves with exhaustive evidence that FDR was a main cause for prolonging the great depression. I was in advanced US history in high school and the teacher did not discuss any of this. The book is great if you want to know the truth.

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4 people found this helpful