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LBJ’s Great Society

LBJ’s Great Society. Mr. Chojnacki US II. Johnson’s Rise to Power. Sworn in on Air Force I after JFK’s death Born in the poor “Hill Country” of West Texas Became Majority Leader of Senate Hard Working, Motivated, Near obsessive about success. Leadership Style.

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LBJ’s Great Society

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  1. LBJ’s Great Society Mr. Chojnacki US II

  2. Johnson’s Rise to Power • Sworn in on Air Force I after JFK’s death • Born in the poor “Hill Country” of West Texas • Became Majority Leader of Senate • Hard Working, Motivated, Near obsessive about success

  3. Leadership Style • Rough Edged and Crude Personality • Believed in the active use of power • Got more Legislation passed than anyone but FDR • Death of Kennedy helped pass “New Frontier” proposals

  4. The Great Society • LBJ’s own reform plan • Helped by his skillful lobbying • Saw himself as a “Great coalition builder” • Wanted the support of everyone

  5. Election of 1964 • LBJ v. Barry Goldwater • Johnson gets 61% of the votes • Goldwater wins only 6 states • Landslide gives LBJ the “mandate of the people”

  6. 1960

  7. 1964

  8. The War of Poverty • Medicare: provides federal aid to the elderly for medical expenses (1965) • Avoided stigma of “welfare” by making it available to all elderly • Like Social Security • Got modern Medicaid Program passed in 1966

  9. Community Action • Effort to include members of poor communities in planning programs to help • Gave poor people jobs and experience • Worked effectively, but some agencies became corrupt and destroyed the program

  10. Housing and Urban Development • Housing Act of 1961: Designed to revitalize decaying cities and schools • Open Space, Mass Transit, Housing • LBJ created Department of Housing and Urban Development • Robert Weaver: First African American to serve in a cabinet position

  11. Immigration Act of 1965 • Set Quotas on Immigration • Did away w/ National Origins System of the 1920’s • Favored Western Europeans • Gave all groups equal opportunity • Led to high # of Asian Immigrants

  12. Legacies of the Great Society • Greatly Increased Federal Spending • LBJ still cut taxes, led to deficit • High cost and frequent failures led to disillusionment w/ programs • By 1960’s, public felt govt. efforts at solving social problems would fail

  13. Positives • Reduced Hunger and Poverty in America • Made medical care available to more people • Greatest reduction of poverty in American History • 1959: 21% below poverty line • 1969: 12% below poverty line • Result of economic growth and Great Society

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