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-
286
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
287