Who were the major critics of the New Deal and what were their complaints? What effect did these complaints have on the New Deal? What impact did the New Deal have on women and minorities?

Major critics & their complaints: Father Charles E. Coughlin criticized Deal for not nationalizing the banking system and providing for free silver coinage. Francis Townsend proposed the Old Age Revolving Pension (each American 60+ forced to retire to open up jobs for the younger unemployed; retirees would get monthly $200 check but they had to spend whole check within a month) but FDR rejected it, so Townsend rejected the Deal.

Effect of complaints on the New Deal: Conservatives (who criticized the New Deal for giving the government too much power and infringing on people's freedoms) controlled Supreme Court and shot down New Deal initiatives, so FDR hatched a Court Packing scheme (proposed that when a federal judge reached the age of 70 and didn't retire, the President could add another justice to the bench. This scheme would immediately enable him to appoint 6 justices to the court and do as he pleased). Conservative Democrats and Republicans charged FDR with abuse of power and rejected the plan. Conservatives went on to win the next Congressional elections and this Coalition of Southern Democrats and Republicans dominated Congress until the 60s (effectively ended the reform and overreaching spirit of the New Deal).

New Deal's impacts on women and minorities: The New Deal gave women the opportunity to hold many more federal jobs (in high positions too) and provided many employment opportunities for jobless women. The types of projects women performed in work-relief programs were just as varied and productive men's, sometimes more so. The New Deal gave women a foot in the door for more employment post-Depression. For minorities, New Deal programs had mixed impacts, especially on African Americans. While some discriminated against/hurt black Americans, others benefited black workers and their families. For example, although multiple executive orders were signed forbidding racial discrimination in federal jobs, they didn't challenged Southern racial segregation.