Huey Long

Huey Pierce Long (August 30, 1893 – September 10, 1935), known as "The Kingfish," was an American politician of the Democratic Party; he was governor of Louisiana (1928–1932), Senator (1932–1935) and a presidential hopeful before his assassination. He was a populist whose controversial governing style brought allegations of dictatorial tendencies quite unprecedented in modern American politics.

In the Senate

In 1930 he was elected to the United States Senate. He went to Washington in 1932 after having ensured that Alvin Olin King was elected to replace him as governor. Long continued to be in effective control of Louisiana while he was a senator. Though he had no constitutional authority to do so, he continued to draft and press bills through the Louisiana legislature, which remained controlled by his supporters. He was vigorous in his efforts to try to counter the excesses of the Great Depression. By 1934 he began a reorganization of the state that all but abolished local government and gave himself the power to appoint all state employees.

Related Topics:
1930 - United States Senate - Washington - 1932 - Alvin Olin King - Great Depression - 1934

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He was a vocal supporter of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1932 election, but when Long was not offered a federal post, he turned against Roosevelt. In 1933 he was part of the three week Senate filibuster against the Glass-Steagall Act. In another famous filibuster on June 12–June 13, 1935, Long made the longest speech of his Senate career. The speech took 15½ hours and comprised 150,000 words. http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Huey_Long_Filibusters.htm In 1934 he created the Share Our Wealth program, proposing heavy new taxes on the super-rich. Though he was a Democrat, President Roosevelt considered Long a demagogue and privately said of him that "he was one of the… most dangerous men in America." Long positioned himself to run against Roosevelt in the 1936 elections, announcing his bid in August 1935. One month later, he was dead.

Related Topics:
Franklin Delano Roosevelt - 1932 - 1933 - Filibuster - Glass-Steagall Act - June 12 - June 13 - 1935 - 1934 - Share Our Wealth - Democrat - Run against Roosevelt - 1936

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