Compare And Contrast Reagan And Johnson

Two presidents emerged from the Cold War era of the 20th century that have influenced American policy even up to the present day. Reagan, a Republican during the “New Conservative” movement, held many differing views when compared to Lyndon B. Johnson, a Democrat from the 1960s who created the "Great Society." These two leaders had contrasting views on a range of issues, including the role of government, social issues, and foreign policy.
One thing Reagan believed in was limited government. One of the main things the New Conservatives were worried about was the government overstepping their bounds when it should just be left up to the States. This was in contrast to previous times with republicans like Nixon, who supported social programs,

This is contrasted by how Johnson believed in an active government that played a role in addressing societal issues, such as poverty and racial inequality. He implemented

This is specifically in regards to poverty and welfare. His views were very similar to the extremely influential televangelists of the time such as Jerry Falwell, who suggested that many of the more democrats and progressives of the time influenced young people “to believe that the world owes them a living.”(DOC 4). Many of the most ardent proponents of these “New Conservative” views were religious women, who placed a lot of value on their traditional places in the household, such as Teddi Holt, who said “God, liberate us from the liberatorrs!”(DOC 6) Reagan believed that economic growth, created through tax cuts and reduced regulation, would ultimately lift people out of poverty. He opposed government programs like welfare, which he viewed as promoting dependency and discriminatory towards everyday American taxpayers, who were having their tax money going towards “welfare cheats.”(DOC 3) Johnson, however, believed in direct government action to address poverty and inequality. He implemented what was known as the “Great Society” programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and food stamps, which provided a social safety net for poor Americans. Johnson's policies helped reduce poverty rates and improve healthcare access, while Reagan's focus on deregulation and tax cuts widened the gap between rich and