The 1962 Steel Crisis That Faced Down Big Business

In April 1962, President Kennedy faced off against the nation's largest steel companies when they raised prices despite his administration's plea for restraint. This episode dives into the tense three-day standoff that ended with U.S. Steel backing down, the antitrust threats and FBI investigations involved, and how the confrontation reshaped the relationship between the White House and corporate America. We explore the economic context of the early 1960s, the broader implications for wage-price guidelines, and whether this moment marked a peak in presidential power over industry or a cautionary tale about government overreach. Lucas and Luna unpack a pivotal episode in economic history where one letter and a few well-placed phone calls changed the course of business policy. #1962SteelCrisis #JohnFKennedy #USSteel #Antitrust #WagePriceGuidelines #ExecutivePower #EconomicHistory #BusinessHistory #KennedyAdministration #SteelIndustry #PriceControls #FederalIntervention #Economics #HistoryPodcast #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #LessonsFromHistory #TheEconomicHistoryPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo