Unemocratic Politics: Huey Long
2. Huey Long had a career that embodied both Louisiana’s Populist and Socialist traditions as well as the state’s heritage of undemocratic politics. Motivated by intense ambition and the desire to aid in uplifting the state’s “common people”. Huey Long stood firm in his idea that a lack of consumer demand had caused the Depression and it was widely publicized (Foner 824). Francis Townsend, was a physician in California, garnered support for a plan in which the government would make a monthly payment of $200 to older Americans, with the requirement that they spend it immediately (Foner 823). This is referred to as a pension, Townsend argued that this would boost the economy. Towards the end of 1934 Townsend Clubs took ownership of roughly 2