Lyndon B. Lyndon B. JohnsonJohnson

““Great SocietyGreat Society””

LBJLBJ’’s Path to the White s Path to the White HouseHouse

Began political career Began political career in 1937 in the House in 1937 in the House ““New Deal DemocratNew Deal Democrat””

Ran for Senate in 1938, Ran for Senate in 1938, won by 87 voteswon by 87 votes Nicknamed Nicknamed ““landslide landslide

LyndonLyndon”” showed ambition and showed ambition and

talent as Senatortalent as Senator, , Famous for his Famous for his ““ability to ability to

work within the political work within the political system and accomplish his system and accomplish his goalsgoals””

LBJLBJ’’s Road to the White s Road to the White HouseHouse

Ran for Democratic Ran for Democratic party nomination in party nomination in 1960, lost to JFK1960, lost to JFK Accepted KennedyAccepted Kennedy’’s s

offer to run as V.P.offer to run as V.P. Never liked being VPNever liked being VP

felt the job was felt the job was powerlesspowerless

Missed being in Missed being in Congress where he Congress where he got things donegot things done

Then suddenly, LBJ Then suddenly, LBJ found himself found himself PresidentPresident

Entering OfficeEntering Office Took office 90 Took office 90

minutes after JFK minutes after JFK was killedwas killed aboard Air Force Oneaboard Air Force One

First address post-First address post-assassinationassassination ““All I have I would have All I have I would have

given gladly not to be given gladly not to be standing here today.standing here today.””

LBJ wanted to take LBJ wanted to take up where JFK left offup where JFK left off

Presidency theme: Presidency theme: ““Let us ContinueLet us Continue””

Building the Great Building the Great SocietySociety

LBJ aware that America LBJ aware that America needed strong action after needed strong action after loss of JFKloss of JFK No one wanted the No one wanted the ““upup”” feeling feeling

and hope JFK brought to endand hope JFK brought to end LBJ swore to keep JFKLBJ swore to keep JFK’’s s

idealsideals pushed for Civil Rightspushed for Civil Rights

Successful at passing Jokes Successful at passing Jokes failed legislationfailed legislation

Tax cutsTax cuts Civil rightsCivil rights

Building the Great Building the Great SocietySociety

LBJLBJ’’s civil rights lawss civil rights laws Public educationPublic education Medical care for seniorsMedical care for seniors Eliminate povertyEliminate poverty

Spring Spring ’’64 LBJ began to use 64 LBJ began to use phrase phrase ““great societygreat society”” to describe to describe his goals for societyhis goals for society

Election of 1964Election of 1964 LBJ won election LBJ won election

against Barry against Barry Goldwater (R)Goldwater (R) Presidential Presidential

successes helpedsuccesses helped Goldwater was a Goldwater was a

conservative conservative RepublicanRepublican

but perceived as but perceived as radicalradical

Against civil rights Against civil rights legislationlegislation

Pro bomb use if Pro bomb use if military saw fitmilitary saw fit

Building the Great Building the Great SocietySociety

LBJ played on fear of nuclear warLBJ played on fear of nuclear war won him votes over Barry Goldwaterwon him votes over Barry Goldwater Ex. Girl with flower commercialEx. Girl with flower commercial

LBJ won electionLBJ won election – rec – rec’’d 61% of d 61% of popular vote; 486 electoral votespopular vote; 486 electoral votes

Tax cutsTax cuts LBJ thought a budget deficit would LBJ thought a budget deficit would

improve economyimprove economy Not everyone agreedNot everyone agreed

Building the Great Building the Great SocietySociety

To get Republicans To get Republicans vote LBJ agreed to cut vote LBJ agreed to cut govgov’’t spendingt spending

Deficit shrankDeficit shrank unemployment fell unemployment fell inflation maintained inflation maintained

its levelits level

War on PovertyWar on Poverty Anti-poverty programAnti-poverty program

Declared war on Declared war on poverty in State of the poverty in State of the Union speechUnion speech

Passed EOA Passed EOA (Economic (Economic Opportunity Act)Opportunity Act)

Building the Great Building the Great SocietySociety

Summer, 1964Summer, 1964 Fought causes of povertyFought causes of poverty IlliteracyIlliteracy UnemploymentUnemployment inadequate public servicesinadequate public services

$950 million set aside to fund 10 $950 million set aside to fund 10 different programsdifferent programs

Work training programsWork training programs Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA)Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA)

Bottom line: EOA gave the poor a voice Bottom line: EOA gave the poor a voice Helped define housing, health and education Helped define housing, health and education

policiespolicies

Building the Great Building the Great SocietySociety

Aid to EducationAid to Education LBJ vowed to improve educationLBJ vowed to improve education

Successful programsSuccessful programs Elementary and Secondary Education ActElementary and Secondary Education Act

provided aid to states based on the number of provided aid to states based on the number of students from low income homesstudents from low income homes

Money ($1.3 billion) would be distributed to Money ($1.3 billion) would be distributed to public and private schoolspublic and private schools

Building the Great Building the Great SocietySociety

Medicare & MedicaidMedicare & Medicaid Important to LBJImportant to LBJ

MedicareMedicare provided hospital and low-cost medical provided hospital and low-cost medical

insurance for most senior citizensinsurance for most senior citizens MedicaidMedicaid

provided low-cost health insurance for provided low-cost health insurance for poor who couldnpoor who couldn’’t afford insurancet afford insurance

most important pieces of social welfare most important pieces of social welfare legislation since the Social Security Act legislation since the Social Security Act in 1935.in 1935.

Demonstrated the commitment to Demonstrated the commitment to help those who needed it.help those who needed it.

Building the Great Building the Great SocietySociety

Immigration ReformImmigration Reform ““great societygreat society”” also revised also revised

immigration policies immigration policies Previous laws set quotas for each Previous laws set quotas for each

foreign nation foreign nation Low quotas for Southern & Low quotas for Southern &

Eastern European countriesEastern European countries Banned Asian immigration Banned Asian immigration

altogetheraltogether Immigration Act, 1965- eliminated Immigration Act, 1965- eliminated

quotas for individual countries quotas for individual countries 170.000 people from E. 170.000 people from E.

hemisphere & 120,000 from W. hemisphere & 120,000 from W. hemispherehemisphere

Family of US citizens were Family of US citizens were exempt, also political refugeesexempt, also political refugees

1960s 350,000 immigrants 1960s 350,000 immigrants entered US per year, in 70s rose entered US per year, in 70s rose to 400,000to 400,000

Uh…sorry guys but

we’re closed .

Effects of the Great Effects of the Great SocietySociety

Although initially Although initially successful, did not successful, did not lastlast

Criticisms:Criticisms: New programs raised New programs raised

expectations, created expectations, created disillusionmentdisillusionment (not all (not all can be met)can be met)

Too much spent on poorToo much spent on poor Federal govFederal gov’’t had too t had too

much powermuch power Money set aside for Money set aside for

program budgets used program budgets used to fund Vietnam warto fund Vietnam war

Chief Justice Earl WarrenChief Justice Earl Warren

Former CA governorFormer CA governor Appointed Chief Appointed Chief

Justice by Eisenhower Justice by Eisenhower in in ‘‘5353 Served until retirement, Served until retirement,

19691969 Under Warren, Under Warren,

Supreme Court:Supreme Court: overturned many old overturned many old

laws and rulings laws and rulings established new legal established new legal

precedents.precedents. Brown V. Board of Brown V. Board of

Education (1954)Education (1954) Escobedo v. Illinois Escobedo v. Illinois

(1964)(1964) Miranda v. Arizona Miranda v. Arizona

(1966)(1966)

Chief Justice Earl WarrenChief Justice Earl Warren Other important Other important

decisionsdecisions:: 1965-declared a law 1965-declared a law

banning birth control banning birth control unconstitutionalunconstitutional

removed prayer in removed prayer in public schools public schools

Changed obscenity lawsChanged obscenity laws (cannot restrict (cannot restrict material that might material that might have have ““some redeeming some redeeming social valuesocial value””))

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)Mapp v. Ohio (1961) Gideon v. Wainright Gideon v. Wainright

(1963)(1963)

Chief Justice Earl WarrenChief Justice Earl Warren Congressional Congressional

reapportionmentreapportionment Apportionment: how to Apportionment: how to

figure the distribution of figure the distribution of a legislative bodya legislative body’’s seats s seats among electoral among electoral districtsdistricts

State districts were not State districts were not reapportioning as they reapportioning as they should to allow for the should to allow for the population shiftspopulation shifts

Baker v. Carr (1962)Baker v. Carr (1962) Impact: prevented Impact: prevented

political party in power political party in power from redrawing district from redrawing district lines to give them an lines to give them an advantageadvantage