1. LBJ: The Great Society
Ch 29, pages

2. Essential Questions: What political path led LBJ to the White House?
What were the goals of the Great Society?
What were some of the major programs of the Great Society?
What was the short term and long term impact of Great Society programs?

3. LBJ’s Path to Power Ran for Congress as a “New Dealer” in 1937
In 1948 moves to US Senate
LBJ was a master of party politics and behind the scenes political maneuvering
Helped the Civil Rights Act of 1957 to be passed
JFK’s running mate in 1960
After JFK’s assassination LBJ urged Congress to pass the civil rights and tax-cut bills that JFK had sent to Congress

4. Tax Cut
February 1964 tax reduction of over $10 billion passed into law
Spurred economic growth….
People spent more
More profit for business
Increased tax revenues
Lowered deficit from $6 billion to 4 billion
It worked!!!!

5. “The Johnson Treatment”
LBJ was the master of the Senate – could always get his bills passed

6. Johnson’s Agenda Early in 1964 LBJ had declared a War on Poverty
In Aug Congress passed the Economic Opportunity Act (EOA) which provided $1 billion for youth programs, antipoverty measures, small-business loans, and job training
(EOA) created:
Job Corps Youth Training Programs
VISTA –Volunteers in Service to America
Project Head Start – Ed. For underprivileged kids
Community Action Programs (CAPS)

7. Johnson’s Vision for America
The Great Society
End poverty and racial injustice
Higher standard of living and equal opportunity
By end of presidency – enacted 206 measures

8. Johnson introduces Great Society
“. . The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning. . . "

9. LBJ launches The Great Society
LBJ wanted to end poverty and racial injustice
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 provided $1 billion in aid to help public and parochial schools
Medicare provided low-cost health benefits to Americans 65 or older
Medicaid extended health insurance to the poor or welfare recipients
Department of Housing and Urban Development was established (HUD)240,000 low rent public houses, and $

10. The Great Society II
The Immigration Act of 1965 opened the door for many non-European immigrants to settle in the US by ending the quotas of the 1920’s based on nationality
The Water Quality Act of 1965 required states to clean up rivers, it resulted from Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring about pesticides, and spurred the environmental movement
Congress established safety standards for cars as a result of Ralph Nadar’s Unsafe at Any Speed
The Wholesome Meat Act of 1967
The Truth in Packaging Act of 1966

13. Other Great Society Programs
The Higher Education Act of 1965 funded scholarships and low-interest loans for college students
National Foundation for the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 was created to assistance to painters, musicians, actors, and other artists
Corporation of Public Broadcasting 1967
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Highway Safety Act of 1966
The Air Quality Act of 1967

14. What was the impact of the Great Society?
Activist era
Increased the role of the federal government – criticized by Conservatives and Republicans
“war on poverty” decreased poor from 21% in 1962 to 11% in 1973
Limited $ reached poor people due to complex programs that were tough to implement
Disillusioned inner city residents rioted in protest
Tax cut spurred economy
Funding of Great Society increased deficit
A Conservative backlash began to take shape (Reagan Gov. of CA 1966)
Vietnam overshadowed the Great Society