What would you expect to be the positive and negative reactions towards the Great Society?
Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) worked to create jobs and fight poverty VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) young people were put to work in poor school districts Medicare gov’t health insurance program for the elderly over 65 Medicaid gov’t health care for people on welfare
Head Start education program directed at disadvantaged preschool children Elem. and Sec. Educ Act of 1965 provided millions of dollars to public and private schools Dept. of Housing and Urban Development help the nation’s deteriorating cities; build houses for middle and low income Immigration Reform Act strict limit on immigrants coming to U.S.; eliminated preference system Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed by Congress Outlawed discrimination in voting, education, and public places Title IX prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex
Food Stamp Act coupons to buy food for disadvantaged people Job Corps job training for Americans aged 16 through 21 National Foundations of the Arts— offered grants to artists and scholars National Traffic and Motor Act— established safety standards for all vehicles CAP— program that offered gov’t grants to community groups to improve neighborhoods Programs still remaining: Medicare, Medicaid, Project Head Start, Dept. of Transportation, Dept. of HUD, Food Stamps
Some people felt that it only benefited African Americans and minorities which resided in poor living conditions Increased gov’t spending on: areas of poverty, health care LBJ approved a tax cut so DEFICIT SPENDING increased the national debt Areas of low-income housing became centers for crime People criticized Food Stamp program CHANGE to credit-like card instead of food stamps
What do you think was the most important part of LBJ’s “Great Society”? Why? Would you consider the “Great Society” to be a successful program? Why? In 1959 21% of U.S. lived in poverty By 1969 12% lived below poverty