Why did conservatives oppose the New Deal?

Question

wwhitlock · Answer

FDR"s plans claimed authority not specifically granted in the Constitution. 
Americans were used to the ideas of personal responsibility, caring for their own poor and elderly. Americans have a long history of mistrusting the government.  The New Deal was counter intuitive.

anonymous · Answer

Also, it was a highly popular opinion that it was 'communist', whom we all know conservatives despise.. The Americans were thinking, we make our own money, so why should we be taxed and give jobs to others? There was a general fear between conservatives that the government was gaining too much power, especially when the free-enterprise wasn't so private any more. Big businesses were totally against sharing their private businesses with the likes of government businesses.