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WELCOME TO THE MACHINE

Explore the history of political machines, from Boss Tweed to Grover Cleveland, their pros and cons, Civil Service Reform, and the influence of big business on politics. Compare the past with current money in politics, analyzing the similarities and differences in a thought-provoking essay of 1 page.

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WELCOME TO THE MACHINE

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  1. WELCOME TO THE MACHINE

  2. POLITICAL MACHINE •  An organization, headed by a single boss that commands enough votes to maintain political and administrative control of a city • Notorious in bigger cities • New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, ect • Three tier system

  3. Tier System

  4. Pros of Political Machines • Consolidate power in the hands of a boss • Less “red tape” to put up with • Provided immigrants with housing, jobs, ect. • Mayor Richard J. Daley, Chicago (1955-1976) • Argued they gave city governments the power and authority to cope with urban problems effectively

  5. Cons of Political Machines • Corruption • Fraud • Creating fake voters to affect outcome of an election • Graft • Illegal use of political influence for personal gain • Kick backs • Taking a portion of earnings for the machine • Secretary of War, W.W. Belknap • Patronage • Giving of government jobs to people who had helped a candidate get elected

  6. Boss Tweed

  7. Boss Tweed • Williams M. Tweed (1823-1878) • Boss of Tammany Hall • Powerful Democratic political machine in New York • Tweed Ring • US House Representative (1853-1855) • Stole $25-$45 million from tax payer dollars • Arrested 1874 • Released after a year, arrested again, escaped, captured in Spain

  8. Civil Service Reform • President James A. Garfield (R1881) • Gave most of his patronage jobs to reformers • Assassinated 4 months into presidency by a stalwart • Died 2 months later • President Chester A. Arthur (R1881-1885) • Stalwart • Surprised many by favoring reform • Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883) • Created examinations for applicants to take before they can be placed in certain government jobs

  9. Who is the only US President to serve two non consecutive terms? Answer: GROVER CLEVELAND

  10. Grover Cleveland (D 1893-1897) • First Democrat elected President since the Civil War • Former Governor of New York (1883-1885) • Tariffs • Republicans wanted them raised • Higher tariffs protected American industry • Lower tariffs made products more affordable for consumers • Cleveland wanted to lower them • Loses election to Benjamin Harrison (R 1889-1893) • Defeats Harrison in 1892 election

  11. McKinley Tariff Act 1890 • Passed under the Harrison administration • Raised tariffs on manufactured goods from 38% to 49.5% • Highest they had ever been • Cleveland supported lowering it • Failed to do so to prevent establishment of a federal income tax

  12. Big Business in Politics • Politicians turn to businesses • Harrison’s campaign financed largely by big companies • They wanted higher tariffs to protect their goods • Cleveland and J.P. Morgan strike a deal • U.S. gold supplies running low • U.S. would sell gold bonds to Morgan and Wall Street associates at a discount • Morgan would help to prevent gold from leaving the treasury • Cost Cleveland support in his own party

  13. Current Event Assignment • Research money in politics today • Citizens United, Super PACs, big business, ect • Compare to the rise of business in politics in the late 1800s • How is it similar • How is it different • Do you believe money in politics is a good or bad thing? • 1 page

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