Johnson’s Great Society Section 28.3 Johnson’s Rise to Leadership ¾ Lyndon Johnson, who became President after Kennedy’s assassination, shared the same goals as his predecessor.
¾ These goals shaped the purpose of Johnson’s Great Society program.
¾ Johnson successfully pushed through significant domestic legislation that he hoped would become the first step to achieving the quality of life he thought all Americans should enjoy.
¾ On becoming President after Kennedy’s assassination, Johnson radiated reassurance and strength.
¾ With Johnson’s ability to build consensus, or agreement on an issue by a group, The Civil Rights Act became law in the summer of 1964.
o It outlawed discrimination in voting, education, and public accommodations
o It demanded the end of discrimination in hospitals, restaurants, theaters, and other places open to the public.
o It also created Equal Opportunity Commission to fight discrimination in hiring.
o Title VII of the 1964 Civil Right Act prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex.
Johnson Declares War on Poverty
¾ Johnson made his intentions clear in his first State of the Union address when he said it was time to “declare an unconditional war on poverty.” ¾ The new President planned to fuse his own dreams for America onto Kennedy’s agenda.
o He was able to get Congress to approve a tax bill calling for dramatic tax cuts for middle‐class Americans. Something Kennedy was unable to do.
o He also added a billion‐dollar War on Poverty to the bill.
¾ Johnson’s War on Poverty introduced measures to train the jobless, educate the uneducated, and provide healthcare for those in need.
¾ The 1964 Economic Opportunity Act created the Job Corps to train young men and women between the ages of 16 to 21 in work skills they need to acquire better jobs and move out of poverty.
Johnson’s Great Society Section 28.3 o The act also established Volunteers in Service to America, VISTA. It sent American volunteers into poverty‐stricken American communities in an effort to solve the country’s pressing economic, educational, and medical problems.
o The most successful program was the Head Start program
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Funds were provided for play‐groups, daycare, and activities to help underprivileged children get ready for elementary school.
Johnson Defeats Goldwater ¾ If Johnson was to continue his War on Poverty and other social goals, he needed to win the 1964 presidential election.
¾ He opposed Barry Goldwater, a Republican senator from Arizona. ¾ Goldwater’s economic and social views directly opposed Johnson’s.
o Maintained that the federal government was the problem, not the solution.
o Social and economic issues, such as racism and poverty should not be addressed by the federal government.
¾ If elected, Goldwater would rein in the federal government by reducing its size and restricting its activities.
o He favored significant tax cuts and right‐to‐work laws, and he opposed social welfare legislation and government spending on educational, public housing, and urban renewal programs.
¾ Johnson won in a landslide, capturing more than 60% of the popular vote and carrying all but six states. ¾ The outcome of the election was significant because the South was no longer solidly democrat, and now the Democrats had control in both houses of Congress. The Great Society ¾ For Johnson, The Great Society demanded “an end to poverty and racial injustice” and opportunity for every child.
Johnson’s Great Society Section 28.3 Healthcare ¾ Johnson’s agenda amended the Social Security Act by adding the Medical Care for the Aged Program, or Medicare. o Provided basic hospital insurance for Americans in the Social Security system who were age 65 and older. o It also included a Medicaid feature that provided basic medical services to the poor and disabled Americans who were not part of the Social Security system. Education ¾ The 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act was designed to aid schools in poorer communities. o Provided funds to improve school libraries, learning centers, language laboratories, and services in impoverished school districts. o Dramatically increased funding for Indian, inner city, and Mexican American schools. Protecting the Environment and the Consumer ¾ The Great Society program extended to improving the overall quality of American life. ¾ Several best‐selling books raised Americans’ awareness about environmental and consumer problems. o Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring detailed how chemical fertilizers and pesticides were damaging the fragile ecosystem. o Ralph Nader’s Unsafe at Any Speed attacked the automobile industry for its lack of concern for passenger safety. ¾ Both of these books led to important legislation. o The Water Quality Act (1965) and the Clean Water Restoration Act (1966) aimed at improving water and air standards in the country. o The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (1966) established safety standards for automotive vehicles. Johnson’s Great Society Section 28.3 New Immigration Policies
¾ The civil rights movement was raising questions about America’s long‐standing immigration policy.
¾ The National Origins Acts of 1921 and 1924 had established a quota system that favored Western European immigrants and limited immigrants from other parts of the world.
¾ The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 altered America’s quota system.
o Nearly 170,000 immigrants from the Eastern Hemisphere were allowed into the country.
o Nearly 120,000 immigrants from the Western Hemisphere were welcomed.
¾ Immigrants from Latin America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Asia soon began to pour into the US, providing the country with a pool of ideas, talent, and skills.
The Legacy ¾ While the Great Society program did not completely alter America, it did improve the lives of millions of individual Americans.
¾ Poverty and infant mortality rates declined.
¾ Medicare and Medicaid delivered needed healthcare to millions of elderly and poor Americans.
¾ Head Start and other anti‐poverty programs provided the educational tools many underprivileged Americans needed to escape poverty.
¾ Congress also provided artists and scholars with assistance through the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities. ¾ The simple fact that 22.2% of all Americans lived below the poverty line in 1960 and 12.6% lived below the poverty line in 1970 says something about the triumphs of the Great Society. The Supreme Court and Reform ¾ During the 1960’s the Supreme Court demonstrated a willingness to take the lead on controversial social, religious, and political issues. ¾ Led by Chief Justice Earl Warren, the Supreme Court at this time – often called the Warren Court – became the most liberal in American history. ¾ Its decisions supported civil rights, civil liberties, voting rights, and personal privacy Johnson’s Great Society Section 28.3 Congressional Districts and Voters’ Rights ¾ In several decisions the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the “one man, one vote” principle. ¾ The problem was one of apportionment of seats in state legislatures. o During the 20th century, large numbers of voters moved from rural to urban areas, but many state governments had not changed, or reapportioned, electoral districts to reflect the new conditions’ o In many states, rural areas had more power and urban areas had less power than their populations actually mandated. ¾ In Baker vs Carr (1962), the Supreme Court ruled in favor of reapportionment on the basis of “one man, one vote.” o Electoral districts had to reflect the numbers of people in those districts ¾ In Reynolds vs Sims (1964) the Court reaffirmed its decision, adding that any arrangement other than “one man, one vote” violated the equal protection clause under the 14th Amendment. Rights of the Accused ¾ The Warren Court also showed a heightened concern for the constitutional rights of accused lawbreakers. ¾ In four landmark cases, the Court broadened the individual rights of accused criminals and narrowed those of federal, state, and local government officials. o In Mapp vs Ohio (1961), the Court ruled that evidence obtained illegally violated the 4th Amendment and had to be excluded from federal and state trials. o In Gideon vs Wainwright (1963), the Court decided that all accused criminals had the right to a lawyer whether or not they could pay for one. o In Escobedo vs Illinois (1964), the Warren Court expanded on Gideon vs Wainwright by adding that every accused lawbreakers had to be offered access to a lawyer before questioning, and all evidence obtained from a suspect who had not been informed of his/her right to a lawyer could not be used in court. Johnson’s Great Society Section 28.3 o In Miranda vs Arizona (1966), the Court ruled that an accused criminal had to be informed of his/her 5th and 6th Amendment rights before being questioned. Separation of Church and State ¾ The Warren Court addressed the separation of church and state in the case of Engel vs Vitale (1962) o The case involved whether or not a public school could require a state‐sanctioned prayer. ¾ The court ruled that school prayer was a violation of the 1st Amendment and an attempt by a governmental body to promote religion. ¾ The next year, the Court ruled in Abington vs Schempp that Bible reading in public schools also violated the 1st Amendment. ¾ The two decisions divided religious groups and the American people.