General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This is what a REAL Democrat sounds like. [View all]merrily
(45,251 posts)California's electoral votes were going to Republicans then. He knew Democrats would REALLY not be able to survive losing the South.
Truman did integrate the military--and only the military, and got a third party challenge for it, despite World War II. Hence, the famous photo of Truman holding up a newspaper with a "Dewey wins" photo. And, Truman might well have lost if he tried another run.
As far as the so called court packing plan, meh. He and Congress were both desperately trying to save the country before it went entirely down the tubes. Not only the stock market crash, but the Dust Bowl. Grapes of wrath indeed. Meanwhile Hitler was looming. The Constitution gave him that out and he said he'd take it. Was he bluffing? Would he really have done it We'll never know. But he did not propose anything illegal--and he was desperate.
Anyway, he scared the RW Justices enough that they started allowing New Deal legislation. And, for better or worse, the commerce clause got vastly expanded. And he never did "pack the Court," though other Presidents did enlarge it in less dire circumstances and without being excoriated.