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JFK & LBJ. Ch. 22, Sec . JFK’s Election. John F. Kennedy v. Richard M. Nixon . Young, Senate experience, v. age, VP and Congress experience. Sept. 1960-first televised presidential debate. Nixon looked haggard, tired. Kennedy looked tanned, rested, young.
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JFK & LBJ Ch. 22, Sec
JFK’s Election • John F. Kennedy v. Richard M. Nixon. • Young, Senate experience, v. age, VP and Congress experience. • Sept. 1960-first televised presidential debate. • Nixon looked haggard, tired. • Kennedy looked tanned, rested, young. • TV viewers say JFK won, radio listeners say Nixon won. • Seen by many as turning point of election. • Made tv major part of all campaigns.
JFK seen as not likely to win. • Seen as too young, Catholic (no Catholics ever elected). • Campaigned on promise to get sluggish economy moving (slight recession in late ‘50s). • JFK and running mate Lyndon B. Johnson won by VERY slim margin. • Electoral votes-303 to 219. • Popular vote-margin of 119,000 out of 69 million votes cast. • JFK elected with no mandate. • Public endorsement of his proposals. • Hard to pass legislation through Congress.
JFK’s Presidency • JFK called plans New Frontier. • Pushed 3 year tax cut to stimulate economy. • Blocked by Congress. • Concerned that 1/5 of America lived below poverty level, wanted to stimulate economy to help. • Asked for federal money for education , medical care for elderly. • Both failed in Congress.
Many JFK policies did pass. • Housing Act of 1961-$4.9 billion for urban renewal. • Equal Pay Act-doing the same work, get the same pay. • Large military buildup, creation of missile programs. • Extended SS benefits to 5 million, dropped retirement age to 62. • Increased minimum wage. • Created federal programs to deal with juvenile delinquency. • Signed Nuclear Test Ban Treaty-first nuclear weapons treaty, limited nuke tests.
Space Race • April 1961-USSR sent Yuri Gagarin into space onboard Vostok. • US feared we were falling behind in space race. • JFK boosted funding to NASA. • May 1961-Alan Shepard became 1st American in space. • May 25-JFK committed US to landing man on moon by end of 1960s. • Feb. 20, 1962-John Glenn made first US orbit of earth. • Apollo missions will enable man to reach moon in 1969.
Assassination • Nov. 22, JFK, wife Jackie, TX Governor John Connally, wife Nelly traveled to Dallas to campaign for reelection. • Traveled in motorcade through downtown Dallas. • Drove into Dealey Plaza, past Texas School Book Depository. • Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots, striking JFK & Connally, missed, struck JFK again. • Car rushed to Parkland Hospital, JFK pronounced dead at 1 pm. • LBJ sworn in aboard Air Force One.
Multiple suspects in JFK assassination. • Mafia, Castro, LBJ, Oswald. • Oswald caught, arrested. • While being transferred between jails, club owner Jack Ruby shot and killed him. • Warren Commission, led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, investigated JFK killing. • Declared Oswald acted alone, no conspiracy. • Many don’t believe it.
LBJ • Born & raised in TX, entered House of Representatives as Democrat in 1937. • Later elected to Senate, rose to top positions (Minority & Majority Leader). • Powerful, did whatever it took to pass or oppose legislation, including bullying friends & opponents. • Tried for & lost bid for Democratic presidential nomination, accepted VP position from JFK. • Did not care for VP position, did not like JFK.
The Great Society • Created program called Great Society. • Passed in JFK’s memory. • Laws included: • Poverty relief, education aid, healthcare, voting rights, urban renewal, economic stimulus. • 1964-LBJ Ran for election against Republican Barry Goldwater. • Won major victory, had mandate for programs. • Got JFK’s tax cuts passed, cut gov’t spending to prevent deficits.
Passed Economic Opportunity Act-provided $950 million for work programs, anti-illiteracy programs, anti-poverty programs, etc. • Started Head Start-preschool programs for low-income families, included healthcare, food, social services. • Started VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America)-Volunteers to help in poor communities. • Elementary & Secondary Act-money to schools with low-income kids. • Passed Medicare-Low-cost medical care for those over 65. • Passed Medicaid-Low-cost health insurance for any who could not afford health insurance. • Passed Immigration Act of 1965-Set new limits on immigration.
Supreme Court “Warren Court” • Named after Chief Justice Earl Warren. • Engel v. Vitale-religious prayer in public schools unconstitutional. • Mapp v. Ohio-evidence seized illegally not admissible in court. • Escobedo v. Illinois-suspect must have access to attorney while being questioned. • Miranda v. Arizona-suspect must be warned of rights before being questioned. • Miranda Rule-right to remain silent, anything said be used in court, right to attorney, attorney will be appointed if you can’t afford one.
Court also handed down decisions on apportionment. • Distribution of seats in legislature among electoral districts. • Baker v. Carr-”one man, one vote”-each person’s vote counts the same, regardless where they live. • Reynolds v. Sims-state districts not based on “one man, one vote” violated 14th Amendment (Equal Protection Clause).