Outline of US History by U.S. Department of State - HTML preview

CHAPTER 13: DECADES OF CHANGE: 1960-1980

ily in 1964 . But on November 22, and calling on the legislators’ respect

1963, he was assassinated while rid- for the slain president, Johnson suc-

ing in an open car during a visit to ceeded in gaining passage of both

Dallas, Texas . His death, amplified during his first year in office . The

by television coverage, was a trau- tax cuts stimulated the economy .

matic event, just as Roosevelt’s had The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the

been 18 years earlier .

most far-reaching such legislation

In retrospect, it is clear that Ken- since Reconstruction .

nedy’s reputation stems more from

Johnson addressed other issues as

his style and eloquently stated ideals well . By the spring of 1964, he had

than from the implementation of his begun to use the name “Great Soci-

policies . He had laid out an impres- ety” to describe his socio-economic

sive agenda but at his death much re- program . That summer he secured

mained blocked in Congress . It was passage of a federal jobs program for

largely because of the political skill impoverished young people . It was

and legislative victories of his suc- the first step in what he called the

cessor that Kennedy would be seen “War on Poverty .” In the presiden-

as a force for progressive change .

tial election that November, he won

a landslide victory over conservative

LYNDON JOHNSON AND

Republican Barry Goldwater . Signif-

THE GREAT SOCIETY

icantly, the 1964 election gave liberal

L

Democrats firm control of Congress

yndon Johnson, a Texan who was for the first time since 1938 . This

majority leader in the Senate before would enable them to pass legisla-

becoming Kennedy’s vice president, tion over the combined opposition

was a masterful politician . He had of Republicans and conservative

been schooled in Congress, where Southern Democrats .

he developed an extraordinary abil-

The War on Poverty became the

ity to get things done . He excelled centerpiece of the administration’s

at pleading, cajoling, or threatening Great Society program . The Office

as necessary to achieve his ends . His of Economic Opportunity, estab-

liberal idealism was probably deep- lished in 1964, provided training

er than Kennedy’s . As president, he for the poor and established vari-

wanted to use his power aggressively ous community-action agencies,

to eliminate poverty and spread the guided by an ethic of “participatory

benefits of prosperity to all .

democracy” that aimed to give the

Johnson took office determined poor themselves a voice in housing,

to secure the passage of Kennedy’s health, and education programs .

legislative agenda . His immediate

Medical care came next . Under

priorities were his predecessor’s bills Johnson’s leadership, Congress en-

to reduce taxes and guarantee civil acted Medicare, a health insurance

rights . Using his skills of persuasion program for the elderly, and Med-

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OUTLINE OF U.S. HISTORY

icaid, a program providing health- immigration quotas . This triggered

care assistance for the poor .

a new wave of immigration, much

Johnson succeeded in the effort of it from South and East Asia and

to provide more federal aid for el- Latin America .

ementary and secondary schooling,

The Great Society was the larg-

traditionally a state and local func- est burst of legislative activity since

tion . The measure that was enacted the New Deal . But support weakened

gave money to the states based on as early as 1966 . Some of Johnson’s

the number of their children from programs did not live up to expecta-

low-income families . Funds could tions; many went underfunded . The

be used to assist public- and private- urban crisis seemed, if anything, to

school children alike .

worsen . Still, whether because of the

Convinced the United States con- Great Society spending or because of

fronted an “urban crisis” character- a strong economic upsurge, poverty

ized by declining inner cities, the did decline at least marginally dur-

Great Society architects devised a ing the Johnson administration .

new housing act that provided rent

supplements for the poor and estab-

THE WAR IN VIETNAM

lished a Department of Housing and

Urban Development .

Dissatisfaction with the Great So-

Other legislation had an im- ciety came to be more than matched

pact on many aspects of American by unhappiness with the situation in

life . Federal assistance went to art- Vietnam . A series of South Viet-

ists and scholars to encourage their namese strong men proved little

work . In September 1966, Johnson more successful than Diem in mobi-

signed into law two transportation lizing their country . The Viet Cong,

bills . The first provided funds to insurgents supplied and coordinated

state and local governments for de- from North Vietnam, gained ground

veloping safety programs, while the in the countryside .

other set up federal safety standards

Determined to halt Communist

for cars and tires . The latter program advances in South Vietnam, Johnson

reflected the efforts of a crusading made the Vietnam War his own . Af-

young radical, Ralph Nader . In his ter a North Vietnamese naval attack

1965 book, Unsafe at Any Speed: The on two American destroyers, John-Designed-In Dangers of the Ameri- son won from Congress on August 7,

can Automobile, Nader argued that 1964, passage of the Gulf of Tonkin automobile manufacturers were sac- Resolution, which allowed the presi-rificing safety features for style, and dent to “take all necessary measures

charged that faulty engineering con- to repel any armed attack against

tributed to highway fatalities .

the forces of the United States and

In 1965, Congress abolished the to prevent further aggression .” After

discriminatory 1924 national-origin his re-election in November 1964, he

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