Senator Robert Kennedy of New York state was assassinated and ultimately incumbent Vice President of the United States Hubert Humphrey won the democratic presidential nomination after the withdrawal of his boss, President Lyndon Baines Johnson. The race between two Vice Presidents for the office of the presidency of the United States of America ended with the Former Vice President of the United States of America, Richard Milhous Nixon, who served under President Dwight David Eisenhower beating the incumbent Vice President of the United States of America, Hubert Humphrey, who was currently serving under President Lyndon Baines Johnson. This victory by President Richard Milhous Nixon, who voters narrowly rejected just a decade earlier indicates
In his state of the union address, he told Congress what he wanted to do. Johnson was influenced by Roosevelt’s New Deal to start the war on poverty. In March of 1965, the Congress passed the Appalachian Regional Development Act to assist the poorest in the nation. A month later, they passed the first major federal aid program for elementary and secondary education.
Johnson had been voted into office, right off the bat he wanted to stop the assault of poverty, though as previously in my last paragraph the Economy was fairly good, but there was still a shocking amount of poverty in the United States. President Johnson ran his campaign on the idea of a war against poverty and when he got into office the OEO , also known as the Office of Economic Opportunity, “created an array of new educational, employment, housing, and health-care programs”(Brinkley 699) This was done to help offer opportunities to those who were living below the poverty line, and even though it was helpful for a while the effects were impossible to sustain. In the attempts to end poverty the OEO spent three billion dollars. The program then came to a halt because the United States entrance into a war in Southeast Asia and that became a first priority(Brinkley 699).
President Lyndon Baines Johnson, John F. Kennedy’s former Vice President, had magnificent aspirations concerning the future welfare of the country. At the University of Michigan’s commencement speech, exactly six months after John F. Kennedy’s assassination in Texas, Johnson spoke of his vision of ‘The Great Society.’ The intent of this vision was to transform the state of the U.S. and build a better, tougher, stronger nation that would be a witness to its own substantial progress through its domestic programs. It would be a nation where the whole society was cared for; it would be a nation where segregation and racism ceased to exist; it would be a nation where all were welcomed to come. He understood the undertaking that awaited him in the
Lyndon Baines Johnson had numerous accomplishments ranging from the Great Society legislation to the Vietnam war and the Immigration Act of 1965. Johnson’s first a major accomplishment came in the form of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Johnson’s knowledge and experience as a legislator pushed him into a more direct involvement in constructing winning coalitions and he was also able to attract southern voters for the Civil Rights Act of 1964(4). Johnson’s legislative mastery was useful in engineering a bill that satisfied both moderate Republicans and liberal Democrats. He had to use his experience as a legislator because without these two coalitions he would not have been able to get the act passed.
Elderly people, well most of the eldery today depend on social security because they cant get a job. Either disabled, retired, or just to old to get a job. Food Stamp Act- Provides food purchasing assistance for low and no income people living in the United States. I believe it is important because it provides way for food so they wont go hungry. Congress also created this act to stregthen agriculture economy.
LBJ also pushed for an antipoverty program by declaring an “’unconditional war on poverty in America’” in his
The Social Security Act, or SSA, was an act to help prevent the elderly, unemployed, disabled or orphaned Americans from becoming poor and unable to support themselves. “Social Security” was a pension plan that would provide funds for these people in these types of situations. This program has lasted until today, where those who are eligible receive money from the government. The National Recovery Administration was “created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933” (Unit 3 Lesson 5), and was used to stabilize business and increase employment rages and higher wages. It would also ensure better working conditions.
*When first signed into action over 50 years ago by President Lyndon B. Johnson the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the one of the first steps the Unites States took to help with poverty in the country. Both acts were part of the War on Poverty that was created to improve the education, skills, health, and resources of those families and Individuals with low-incomes. The United States government believed that by providing individuals with resources “they would expand their productivity and ability to makes ends and enhance their economic outcomes”. (Chaudry,2016) When these acts several items were introduced to the individuals to help thru while they were found to at poverty level such as food stamps.
It marked a shift in the role of the national government, as it established a system of retirement benefits for seniors and more such as unemployment insurance, aid to dependent children, and disability insurance. These programs helped provide safety for Americans who were struggling during the Great Depression, and they continue to provide support to millions of Americans today. The program was designed to assist older Americans who were unable to work, and it has been instrumental in reducing poverty among seniors. According to History Editors, the “Social Security Act”, the president “created Social Security, a federal safety net for elderly, unemployed, and disadvantaged Americans. The main stipulation of the original Social Security Act was to pay financial benefits (Social Security Act).”
Johnson (LBJ) created a “welfare” system, much like that in Great Britain, that also provided direct relief to the poor within the country. Inspired by FDR and his New Deal, LBJ sought to not only address poverty within the country but also the racial inequality in poverty as well. Termed the “Great Society”, its legislation was his administration’s attempt to “go to war” against poverty. LBJ’s Great Society was a series of legislation and programs to combat the still growing poverty issue in the country but unlike the New Deal; it came during a time of prosperity not depression (Foner, 415). Unlike FDR, LBJ was not a wealthy political leader from an affluent American family.
Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908, in Johnson City which his family had helped settle. Johnson City was a religious town, it was hard-shell and had old testament religion.(Caro 91) Growing up, he felt the sting of rural poverty, working his way through Southwest Texas State Teachers College, and learning compassion for the poverty and discrimination of others when he taught students of Mexican descent in Cotulla, Texas. This firsthand look at the effects of poverty and discrimination made a deep impression on Johnson and sparked in him a lifelong desire to find solutions to these problems. After teaching in Houston, Johnson entered politics; in 1930, he campaigned for Welly Hopkins in his run for Congress.
The economic downturn that befell American citizens during the 1960s impacted several households and impoverished multiple areas. With a staggering 19% poverty rate, poverty in the United States has become an alarming issue. In order to fight this battle of poverty and deplete the population, President Lyndon B. Johnson established a system of initiatives. Within these programs, the intent of reestablishing economic stability across the nation was presentable through the Head Start program, the Food Stamp Act of 1964, and the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid. Still, the question remains: how successful was this program known as the War on Poverty?
The act was created after the public burst out about the lack of insurance for older aged individuals. It was an incredibly historical act and was seen as incredible patriotic. In a historical flyer dated back to 1935 found in the Print and Photograph Division fo the Library of Congress, the words, "A monthly check to you - for the rest of your life...beginning when you are 65" are displayed prominently. On the flyer is a large abundance of information regarding Social Security including what it is, where to get it and who can get it. On the flyer is a man giving out "your monthly Social Security check" to the viewer.
Contrary to many personal opinions of Lyndon Johnson he did establish many positive effects through his Great Society plans. One is The Civil Rights Act of 1964 addressing and outlawing any discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion or sex. Johnson also signed the Economic Opportunity Act to held raise American poverty levels by investing in education, employment and training programs. The national poverty level went from 20 percent to 12 percent showing a good decline due to this Act it did fluctuate but leveled out at about 15 percent. Elementary and Secondary Education Act committed federal government help for local school districts whose students come from low-income families (Washington Post 2014).
