PPB June 2020

Gove rnmen t by Audrey Sellers A Guiding Light For Government Business Through promotional campaigns at all levels, government can illuminate the way ahead. " … T he only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” President Roosevelt addressed the nation with these words during the Great Depression, which saw industrial production drop 47 percent, GDP decline by 30 percent and unemployment soar to more than 20 percent. While one of the bleakest periods in American history, the 1930s also gave rise to the New Deal, which created policies such as Social Security and a minimum wage. Nearly all policies that were passed during that era are still in existence today. From economic crises to natural disasters, governments throughout history have found ways to help their people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States, the world’s largest economy, took a broad range of steps to help Americans, including approving trillions of dollars in monetary stimulus that included direct payment to individuals, enhanced unemployment benefits, $350 billion in small-business loans, and $500 billion in loans and grants to municipalities, states and corporations. 58 | JUNE 2020 | GROW