Political Reforms of the Progressive Movement

US History:Spiconardi

Political Corruption

Voter Fraud The likes of Boss Tweed

would give bread, jobs, and other commodities to immigrants & the poor in exchange for votes

Political bosses would have a client vote numerous times

Vote #1 Vote #2 Vote #3

Political Corruption

Graft giving a gift for political gain Political bosses

called it gratitude

Political Machines got public buildings, transit lines and sewer systems built using graft and bribery, which otherwise wouldn’t have been built, but it was costly to tax

payers

Question

Who would be most opposed to the political machines in the cities? Why?

Robert La Follette

Governor and then Senator of Wisconsin

Argued for Direct primaries Fair taxes Regulation of railroad

rates Appointed experts to

commissions, not friends or supporters

La Follette said his goal “was not to ‘smash’ corporations, but to drive them out of politics, and then to treat them exactly the same as other people are treated.”

Sixteenth Amendment

“The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes…”

The Sixteenth Amendment allowed for a federal graduated income tax Incomes under $4,000 were

exempt Incomes between $4,000 and

$20,000 had to pay a 1 percent tax

Maximum tax was 6 percent on earnings over $500,000

Party leaders pick candidates for state & local offices

Only state legislators can introduce bills

Only legislature can pass laws

Only courts or legislature can remove elected officials

Voters can vote directly on bills

Voters can remove elected officials from office

Voters can propose bills to the legislature

Voters select candidates from their party

POLITICAL REFORMS

BEFORE AFTER

PRIMARY

INITIATIVE

REFERENDUM

RECALL

Seventeenth Amendment “The Senate of the

United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote.”

Allows for the direct election of senators by the people instead of state legislatures.