1. The New Frontier

2. Promise of Progress Kennedy’s “New Frontier”
When Kennedy accepted nomination to run for President
Americans to be “new pioneers”
Explore “uncharted areas of science and space, … unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus.”

3. Difficulties Turning vision into reality Offered to Congress
Proposals to provide medical care for elderly
Rebuild urban areas
Aid education
Couldn’t get the votes
Same group of conservative congressmen who had blocked Truman’s Fair Deal
Kennedy no good at pushing the domestic reforms through Congress

4. Difficulties Kennedy won the election by a very slim margin
Didn’t have popular mandate
Clear indication that voters approved of his ideas and plans
Politically, played it safe
Did persuade Congress
Enact measures to boost economy
Build national defense
Provide international aid
Fund MASSIVE space program

5. Stimulating the economy
1960 – recession
Unemployment highest since WWII
Criticized Eisenhower administration for not stimulating the economy
Lagging behind even the Soviet Union
Advisers pushed deficit spending
Said it would eventually fix the economy
Cut taxes, increase spending
Dept of defense
20% budget increase
Nuclear missiles & subs
Minimum wage  $1.25 an hour

6. Poverty abroad Peace Corps (Pronounced “CORE” not “CORPSE”)
“Kennedy’s Kiddie Korps”
Success
All ages/background volunteers
1968 – 35,000 volunteers served in 60 nations
Alliance for Progress
Economic and technical assistance to Latin American countries
$12 billion in Latin America
Deter them from being like Castro
Some development, not fundamental reforms

7. Space Race October 4, 1957 – Soviets launch Sputnik
April 12, 1961 – Yuri Gagarin 1st human in space
Kennedy saw this as a challenge
Surpass soviets by sending a man to the moon!
In less than a month
US put a man in space
Later that year a comm. satellite relayed live TV across Atlantic ocean, Maine to Europe.

9. Space Race
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) began to construct launch facilities
Cape Canaveral
Houston
America’s Pride/Prestige restored
July 20, 1969
Neil Armstrong stepped on moon
Results:
Universities expanded science programs
Huge federal funding gave rise to new industries & tech.

10. Addressing Domestic Problems
New frontiers/space program well and good
Americans suffering at home
The Other America
Book that profiled the 50 million people in America who survived on less than $1,000 a person.
Civil Rights fights

11. Kennedy Addresses Domestic Problems
Kennedy largely silent for first part of term
1963 – “national assault on the causes of poverty”
Ordered brother Bobby & Justice Department to investigate racial injustices in the South
Presented Congress sweeping civil rights bill
Cut taxes more than $10 billion