Question

A fundamental disagreement between the canidates in the 1932 election concerned whether or not ...?

a. an economic "depression" existed
b. The federal government should get involved with trying to ease the economic crisis and proving assistance to amaricans.
c. Americans should offer aid to European economies.
d. taxes should be increased on exports to and decreased on imports from European countries .

Answer 1

And a young Senator, Phil Gramm, told people they were whiners and were having a "mental depression".

Answer 2

Tricky. I am going to guess that the best answer is (d), because the Republican and Democratic platforms differed quite sharply on the role of protectionism, i.e. the imposition of tariffs on imports. The Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930, which raised tariffs very high in an effort to protect American farmers in particular against foreign competition, was proposed by Republicans and signed by Hoover. FDR campaigned strenuously against protectionism, and promised to reduce tariffs (and did so).

Of course both candidates agreed times were tough, and although it's often forgotten these days, Hoover was just as eager as FDR to use the powers of the Federal Government to attempt to solve the Depression. In fact, as a candidate, he was arguably MORE eager to do so: FDR criticized Hoover for too HIGH a level of Federal spending and too many government regulators. FDR's very high level of interference in the economy was something that came to him later, or perhaps an intention he concealed as a candidate.

I don't think the issue of economic aid to Europe was a factor in the election, given the dire situation at home.