could Roosevelt spent US money on building an armed force, than have make work projects?

Question

Surely Roosevelt was aware of the danger of Japan and Germans effortd to build war machines. We would not have been two years behind when war started and would have saves many Americans

Answer 1

Roosevelt was aware and he would have declared war on Germany and Japan earlier but the Congress and the American people at the time were very conservative and isolationist.

Answer 2

The work projects had military purposes too. Electricification of the Tennessee valley would later allow for the development of armament factories.