Transcript LBJ and The Great Society

Reading #1:
LBJ & The Great Society
Objectives…
• Summarize the goals of
the Great Society.
• Identify the reforms of the
Warren Court.
• Evaluate the impact of the
Great Society programs.
LBJ’s path to power…
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1908: Born a rural Texan
1937: 6 term New Deal Congressman
1948: Texas Senator
1955: Senate Majority Leader
1960 JFK’s VP …“President by accident”
1964 elected President
FDR meets a young LBJ
LBJ taking the oath of office on Nov. 22, 1963
Five days after the assassination, LBJ tells
Congress…“…let us highly resolve that John
Fitzgerald Kennedy did not live…. or…die in vain” - LBJ
Civil Rights Act of 1964
• JFK introduced the CR bill following Birmingham Spring
(1963) & it stalled in Congress.
• JFK is assassinated in Nov, 1963
• LBJ persuades Senators to pass the CR bill
LBJ signing the 1964 Civil
Rights Act
July, 1964
The 1964 Civil Rights Act:
Makes segregation in public places
is illegal & bans discrimination in
employment, unions & in gov.
programs.
The CR movement creates an
awareness of…
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Poverty
Unemployment
Low wages
A lack of voter rights
Discrimination
The Other America (1962) by M. Harrington
• Claims 20% of America is…
– Inadequately housed
– Malnourished
– No or poor medical care
– Below poverty level
“What good was winning the right to sit at the lunch
counter if one could not afford to buy a hamburger”
…Out of Many
The Great Society
• The most far reaching social reform since the
New Deal
Goals…
• End poverty
• Protect minorities
• Provide jobs
• Protect consumers
• Improve children’s health
• Improve medical care
The
1964
Election
Johnson v. Goldwater
The Democrats portrayed LBJ as a man of peace
& Goldwater as a militaristic kook.
Goldwater's slogan, "In Your Heart You Know He's
Right," was changed to "In Your Heart You Know
He Might."
Johnson’s 1964 Campaign Ad
Peace, Little Girl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf-MEdAPhYA
The Election of 1964
Republican - Barry Goldwater
• Conservative…
- Attacks Social Security & TVA
- Suggests nuclear weapons in Vietnam
& Cuba
The Election of 1964
Electoral:
Pop. vote %:
LBJ
486
61%
Goldwater
52
31.4%
– Democratic majorities in both houses of
Congress
– A mandate for change
AKA
“Landslide Lyndon”
The War on Poverty
The 1964 State of the Union address…
“This administration today, here and now declares
unconditional war on poverty” – LBJ
LBJ State of the Union War on Poverty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfT03Ihtlds
Job Corps
• Provides disadvantaged youth with jobs and
training to succeed in the workforce.
Job Corps – Engine Repair Class
VISTA
Volunteers In Service to America
•Opportunities for education, training,
work, and live decently.
•A domestic version of the Peace Corps.
Community Action Programs (CAP)
Legal Services Program - Provides legal help for poor
people
Community Health Centers - Basic medical services for
people who are too poor to see a doctor
Upward Bound - Established to give children who are
unlikely to attend college (poverty, living rurally) the
money, skills and tools they need to succeed in college.
Head Start - Prepared disadvantaged preschool
children for elementary school.
Medicare / Medicaid
• Medicare -Health insurance coverage to
people aged 65
• Medicaid – Health insurance for the poor
LBJ & Housing….
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Created Dept. of HUD
Appoints 1st AA Cabinet member to HU)
250K units of public housing
$ to low & moderate income families to buy
homes
Civil Rights Act of 1968
Prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental &
financing of housing.
Mixed results for the Great
Societies War on Poverty…
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1959: 26% at poverty level
1969: 12% at poverty level
1970 report: “barely scratched the surface”
75% of $ spent above poverty level
Welfare $: 1960: 7%
1974: 16%
Why did conservatives criticize the
Great Society?
Consumer Protection…
• Unsafe at Any Speed
by Ralph Nader
– Federal safety
standards for
automobiles & tires
– State highway
safety laws
Environmental Concerns…
Silent Spring (1962)- by Rachel Carson
Exposes the effects of pesticides
• Water Quality Act (1965)- Drinking water standards
• Air Quality Act (1967)- Air quality standards
Immigration Act of 1965
• Reversed 1920s immigration laws
• Ended nationality quotas
• Allowed non-European immigrants
into U.S.
Rights of the Accused…
• Mapp v. Ohio – Illegally seized evidence could not be
used in court
• Gideon v. Wainwright – Free legal counsel
• Escobedo v. Illinois – Accused has a right to a lawyer
while questioned
• Miranda v. Arizona – Accused must be read their rights
What were the differing reactions to
the Warren Court?
• Divided the public…
– Liberals:
• Limited power of police
• Protected rights of accused
– Conservatives:
• Limited police investigation
• Benefited suspects
• “soft on crime”
What compromised LBJ’s ability to
fight poverty?
LBJ’s
Scar
Based on the cartoon... What compromised LBJ’s ability
to fight poverty?