Dr. Francis Townsend, vice-presidential running mate of possible 1936 presidential candidate Huey Long, criticized the New Deal for its failure to help the elderly. The “Townsend Plan,” called for the federal government to provide men and women over the age of 60 with a $200 per month pension on which they could retire. Take a moment and click on the weblink to read the plan at:www.ssa.gov/history/towns5.htmlNow, compare the Townsend Plan to Roosevelt’s Social Security Act of 1935. You can read it at:http://www.ssa.gov/history/35actinx.htmlLast question to answer: Has the Social Security program today remained true to the intent of Townsend and Roosevelt? Why or why not?
