1. Kennedy’s “New Frontier”

2. Kennedy’s Style Charismatic leader
Projected a sense of youth and vitality, even when he had many health issues
“The Best and the Brightest”
“New Frontier”: focus on economy, education, civil rights, and healthcare

3. New Frontier
We stand today on the edge of a New Frontier -— the frontier of the 1960's, the frontier of unknown opportunities and perils, the frontier of unfilled hopes and unfilled threats. ... Beyond that frontier are uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered problems of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus

4. New Frontier (cont.) JFK’s first problem is a Republican Congress
Progress on many fronts
Infrastructure projects: roads, hospitals, ,libraries, etc
Aid to cities for housing & transportation programs
Unemployment benefits expanded
Water pollution controls
Anti-poverty programs for cities and rural areas
Social Security expanded; min. wage increased
Many programs to help farmers
Accomplished more than anyone except FDR in first 2 years, and without a legislative majority

5. Domestic Policy Need to focus on US after Cuba situations
President’s Commission on the Status of Women
Equal Pay Act
Economy had started to slow
React by spending (John Maynard Keynes)
Tax breaks for business, increased military spending
Big middle class tax cuts, increase of wealthy
Sound familiar?

6. The Space Race US as seen as trailing the USR technologically
Kennedy wanted a new focus and quick results
Send a message to the Soviets and the American people

7. Assassination
Nov. 22, 1963 Dallas
Lee Harvey Oswald