President+Dwight+D.+Eisenhower+Presidential+Spotlight

Modern Republicanism

 * Moderate approach to government
 * Fiscal conservative who sought a balanced budget (only happened 3 times in 8 years)
 * "conservative with money and liberal with human beings"
 * Decreased military spending and federal activities
 * Increased support of private initiatives
 * Extended Social Security
 * Increased the minimum wage
 * Democratic majority in Congress blocked all legislation
 * Highway Act of 1956 = 41,000 mile highway system authorized --> most significant impact on American culture and society = marries the U.S. to automobiles and the car industry for the next half-century in terms of development and growth
 * Despite fiscal conservatism, 12 billion dollar deficit was largest in history due to 1953 and 1957 recessions that required large govt. spending to stimulate the economy as well as the costly Highway Act