Category: Civil Liberties
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A Complicated Heritage
For two decades, the American Heritage Foundation preached the importance of community and civic engagement. Their message was valuable, but it missed something important… something that Kefauver understood.
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Rage Against the Machine
Wayne Morse and Estes Kefauver were both principled liberals who took plenty of lonely stands. But their approaches to politics couldn’t have been more different.
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How Do You Solve A Problem Like Kefauver?
Kefauver’s Senate colleagues famously disliked him. But it wasn’t really personal – their dislike came from a deeper source.
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No Lamb for Slaughter
In 1954, the FCC – lead by a Joseph McCarthy acolyte – went after a close friend of Kefauver’s for alleged Communist ties. Kefauver stood up for his friend and for civil liberties – even at a political cost.
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Can Kefauver Lead Us Out of the Culture War?
Today’s Democrats have a hard time speaking effectively on controversial cultural issues. They’d benefit from studying how Kefauver addressed the challenging issues of his era.
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Protesting Too Much? Kefauver on Congressional “Vaudeville Shows”
In 1948, Kefauver wrote an article decrying excessive Congressional travel and “headline-hunting hearings.” Did his later career make him a hypocrite?
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Commies for Kefauver?
During the 1956 campaign, the Communists published a report that appeared to endorse the Democrats, and Kefauver in particular. it caused a stir… but why didn’t it dominate the campaign?
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Reds vs. Rights: The Great Cold War Debate
Espionage trials, loyalty oaths, and textbook investigations were common during the early years of the Cold War. Supporters claimed they were needed to combat the Red menace… but what about our Constitutional rights? In 1949, Kefauver stood up for the First Amendment against a prominent anti-Communist Senator in a nationally broadcast discussion.
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Welcome to the Revolution: Kefauver Speaks to Youth
Why was Kefauver so popular with young people? Because he treated them with respect and dignity… and he encouraged them to embrace controversial ideas, even when they disagreed with their elders.
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Conservatives vs. The Warren Court, Part 2: LBJ Saves the Day
A couple of dangerous conservative bills aimed at crippling the Supreme Court appeared to be on a path to passage… until Lyndon Johnson pulled off some impressive legislative moves.
