Republican Huey Long Populist Analysis

Democrat Huey Long, an outspoken American politician regarded as the “best populist”1 who denounced the wealth inequality among the rich and the poor, has seen his fair share of triumphs and victories throughout his term as Louisiana 's Governor and U.S. Senator. Under his leadership, he helped the “distressed” by supporting beneficial programs, such as providing free school textbooks to children, all at such a high price. With spurring controversy concerning the way he ran his own “political machine,”1 much debate has risen as to whether his own personal ambitions to consolidate all political power in his hands was blinding him from the intended purpose in serving in government. America’s experience with the “defender of the friendless”1 has justified how the initial Framers were able to concentrate power among a system of separated institutions and not just within the hands of potential “populist demagogues.” No framer offered such unique insight into the writing of the Constitution …show more content…
No person, even the president, is above the law. An example of a politician bypassing the Constitution illegally was President Barack Obama back in 2012.6 In this case, President Obama tried to appoint an official to a position by calling the Senate into recess during the Winter of 2012, however the Senate was not in recess, thus evading the Senate’s constitutional role in accepting the nomination. This was the very first case where a president tried to make recess appointments when the Senate was not in recess. This “illegal appointment” is just one way Obama has undermined the separation of power.6 We must make sure examples like these do not happen by restoring the rule of law. If not, then our Constitution “becomes nothing more than a piece of