Social Studies Test - Continues

5) This question refers to the passage and the political cartoon.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat from New York, won the presidential election of 1932 after campaigning on a platform that called for significant economic relief efforts. After becoming president, Roosevelt immediately developed a host of new programs to end the Great Depression. Congress approved most of these policies in the first one hundred days of Roosevelt's administration.

In the mid-1930s, however, the Supreme Court began to overturn some of the programs, calling them unconstitutional. In 1936, for example, the Court overturned the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, or the AAA. Under the plan farmers were reimbursed for agreeing to reduce the planting and harvesting of certain crops.

Hoping to protect his New Deal programs, Roosevelt developed an idea to "improve" the Supreme Court. His plan focused on the composition of the Court. At the time, the majority of the justices were 70 years of age or older. Some historians believe that Roosevelt considered them stubborn and backward-thinking. He asked Congress to allow him to appoint a new justice for each existing judge 70 or older. His plan would have dramatically increased the size of the Court. It also would have given the office of the president additional leeway to tailor-make the Court, therefore tipping the balance of powers established in the Constitution.

Roosevelt's so-called "court-packing" scheme provoked a wave of criticism. Some Americans grew concerned about Roosevelt's leadership, wondering if the president wanted to become a tyrant. Even members of Roosevelt's own political party criticized the plan. Congress quickly rejected the court-packing effort.

What does the political cartoon indicate about popular perceptions of President Roosevelt?