Alf Landon

Alfred Mossman " Alf" Landon (September 9th 1887 - 12 October 1987) was an American politician, member of the Republican party, governor of the Kansas of 1933 with 1937 and candidate with the presidential election in 1936 against Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Family and studies

Alf Landon was born on September 9th, 1887 in West Middlesex, in Pennsylvania.

It grows in Ohio and to age the 17 years, follows his/her parents to Kansas.

Graduate of the University of Kansas in 1908, it starts to work in the bank before becoming in 1912, oil independent producer.

Policy

With the elections of 1912, it is invested in the countryside of the party progressist of Theodore Roosevelt and supports obtaining the right to vote to the women and the prohibition of Travail of the minor children.

During the First World War, he is lieutenant in the US Army.

In 1922, he is the private secretary of the governor of Kansas then becomes the leader of the liberal republicans.

In 1928, he becomes the president of the republican committee of the State of Kansas and chairs the presidential electoral campaign in the State like that of the governor.

In 1929, it is ready to make fortune in the oil industry.

Governor of Kansas (1933-1937)

In 1932, Landon is elected governor of Kansas and is re-elected in 1934, the only re-elected republican governor of the year.

Governor, it reduces the taxes and balances the budget of the State. Fiscally preserving, it supports a good part of the New Deal set up by president Franklin Roosevelt but is strongly opposed to the capacities trade unions.

Candidate with the presidential election of 1936

In 1936, Landon gives up being presented again for a mandate of governor and becomes the candidate of the republicans against Roosevelt to the presidential election.

At the side of its fellow candidate Frank Knox, he does not hesitate to approve part of the program of Roosevelt but denounces the perverse effects of New Deal with respect to the companies. He also showed Roosevelt of omnipotence and danger to the democratic institutions of the country. But the incapacity of Landon to make countryside effectively leaded the republican countryside. Landon seldom left Kansas and the majority of its political attacks were written and communicated by the members of its committee of countryside and not by Landon itself.

With 36,54% of the votes representing a little less than 17 million voice related to its name, Landon was rolled by Roosevelt which obtained 60,80% of the votes is nearly 28 million voice.

Only the voters of the historically republican States of the Maine and the Vermont brought to their 8 Great Electors to Landon against the 523 which Roosevelt collected.

A long life after the policy (1936-1987)

Landon remained thereafter in the oil industry but did not seek to be made elect at other stations.

He disapproved the neutrality posted of certain republican leaders with respect to the Nazi Germany.

After the war, he was a burning partisan of the Marshall plan although he was hostile on the internal plan with the increase in the public expenditure.

In 1961, it invited the the United States to join the European Common Market.

In November 1962, it summarized its political philosophy while being defined as a progressist and gave his support for the democratic Lyndon Johnson for her projects relating to survival of the health insurance (Medicare) or on the civic rights.

Landon died in Topeka in Kansas the October 12th 1987, 34 days after having celebrated its hundredth birthday.

His/her daughter, Nancy Landon Kassebaum, was senator of Kansas to the Congrès of the United States of 1978 with 1996.

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