Question

A cartoon shows President Franklin D. Roosevelt showing a drawing of the Supreme Court building with two new large buildings on either side that have flags labelled FDR flying on top. Under the buildings, it says, New Deal Plan for Enlarged Supreme Court. Roosevelt is saying, Harold, I may want to do this. How about a PWA grant? The man looking on has dropped his hat, which is labelled, Ickes, and looks at the drawing of the court with surprise. © Stringer / Archive Photos / Getty Images / Universal Images Group / Image Quest 2015 What statement best describes the artist's viewpoint in this cartoon? Group of answer choices Congress would cease to pass Roosevelt's initiatives mostly because of the court-packing plan. Roosevelt's plans to expand the Supreme Court were not well thought out. Most Americans would support Roosevelt no matter what. The government did not have money to spend on new buildings.

Answer 1

The cartoon suggests skepticism towards FDR's controversial court-packing scheme which aimed to expand the Supreme Court to consolidate power and secure support for his New Deal policies, reflecting the political tension surrounding judicial reform during his presidency.

Step-by-step explanation:

The artist's viewpoint in the political cartoon about President Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposal to expand the Supreme Court suggests that Roosevelt's plans were perceived as controversial and possibly self-serving. The cartoon highlights the surprise and skepticism of Harold Ickes, Roosevelt’s Secretary of the Interior, in response to the court-packing scheme.

The idea to expand the Supreme Court, depicted with flags labeled FDR, underscores the perceived attempt by Roosevelt to consolidate power and influence the judiciary in favor of his New Deal legislation. The court-packing plan was introduced after Roosevelt’s re-election in 1936 and was widely criticized, signifying Roosevelt's misinterpretation of his electoral victory as a complete endorsement of expanding executive authority.

Despite the initial negative reception and opposition, the threat of judicial reform did push the Supreme Court to shift towards a more favorable stance towards the New Deal policies. Consequently, even without passing the court-packing bill, Roosevelt achieved a judicial realignment that supported his legislative agenda.