4) Political Change 1960-2000 Flashcards
What was Kennedy’s new frontier?
Kennedy hoped to make the USA a fairer society by giving equal rights to all black People and by helping them to better themselves. He asked Americans to join him in being ‘New Frontiersmen’.
What was some opposition to the New Frontier?
- Only won narrowly in 1960
- Older members of Congress thought Kennedy was inexperienced
- People disliked his ‘brains trust’- academic advisors who helped him
- Some saw the New Frontier as socialist
- Southern Congressmen even democrats disliked his commitment to civil rights, they felt it would cost them white south votes.
- First Catholic president- suspicion from the more traditional Protestant politicians.
Civil rights in the new frontier:
- Appointed 5 federal judges including Thurgood Marshal
- Threatened legal action against state of Louisiana for refusing to fund integrated schools
- Reaction to James Meredith case
- Civil rights bill February 1963
The economy in the New Frontier:
- Deliberately didn’t balance the budget to increase economic growth and reduce unemployment.
- Introduced general tax cut
- Federal government began a series of projects such as new roads and public buildings
- Grants given to high-tech companies to train companies
- Increase spending on defence and space technology
Social reform in the New Frontier:
- Plan to increase minimum wage
- Plan to start Medicare
- Area redevelopment Act 1961 allowed federal government to give loans and grants to states with long term unemployment
- Manpower and Training Act 1962 provided retraining for long term unemployed
- Housing Act 1961 cheap loans for redevelopment of inner cities
- Social security act 1962 greater financial help to elderly and unemployed
Qualities of LBJ:
- Experienced, Southern, Protestant
- Good with Congress
- Had support of Southern Democrats
- Political hero was FDR
Kennedy unsuccessful?
- Medicare rejected by congress
- Poorest could not afford to pay back housing loans
- Slum clearest itself created housing shortages
- Civil rights bill rejected by congress
- Unemployment twice was high among black Americans
- Unemployment in traditional industries
What was LBJ’s great society?
- Wanted to continue work of Kennedy
- Talked of a ‘Great Society’ which would declare war in poverty
- Called for immediate end to social injustice
- Tackled areas Kennedy has not been able to
- Knew how to deal with Southern Democrats
- 6 foot 3, some say this helped him
How did Johnson deal with civil rights?
- Civil rights act 1964
- Civil rights act set up the equal opportunity commission to implement the law
- Voting rights act 1965
- 1967 declared all laws banning mixed race marriages removed
Opposition to the Great Society:
- Republicans accused him of wasting money on welfare programmes and of undermining ‘rugged individualism’
- Accused of doing too little to tackle problems in inner cities
- Escalation of US involvement in Vietnam- costly
Who did Kennedy narrowly defeat in 1960?
Nixon but he was successful in 1968 and 1972.
How did the Watergate Scandal change peoples’ attitude to politicians?
The scandal greatly undermine peoples confidence in politics and politicians. In 1976 Americans voted for the presidential election candidate they believe they can trust most, Jimmy Carter he promised never to lie. Even now scandals are greatly given the nickname ‘gate’ after the scandal name.
How did the Watergate Scandal damage the USA’s reputation abroad?
The scandals damaged the reputation of the USA and made the USA a laughing stock. The USSR was able to use it as an example of the corruption of the capitalist system. The start scandal came also at the same time as US troops were being withdrawn from Vietnam and action that further undermined American self-confidence.
How did the Watergate Scandal affect the US constitution?
The Watergate scandal seem to show how well the legal and political systems work, as Nixon had been found out and forced to resign. Moreover, the balances of the US Constitution works well. The US Supreme Court has carried out his ultimate function and kept a check on the position of the president.
How did the Watergate Scandal impact people’s attitude to politicians?
It utterly destroyed Nixon’s reputation. He was seen as an untrustworthy and was given the nickname of tricky Dickie. For many years afterwards the Watergate scandal overshadowed all his other achievements. Some 31 of Nixon’s advisors went to prison for Watergate related offences.
How did the Watergate Scandal impact the powers of the government?
The powers reduced by a series of measures:
- Election Campaign Act 1974- limits on election contributions to prevent corruption
- War Powers Act 1974- Required president to combat congress before sending American troops to combat
- Privacy Act 1974- Allowed citizens to access any files the government had on them.
- Congressional budget act 1974 - meant that president could not use government money for their own use
What was the situation in the US like when Reagan became president?
- America had little faith in leaders
- US struggling in Cold War
- common for governments to spend a lot on welfare and raise taxes to do so
- Few government had balanced budget
- 1980- world recession with factory closures in US, 7.5% unemployment and oil shortages
- Inflation Rosen to nearly 15% and budget deficits remained high
What was Reaganomics?
Reagans economic policies based on the works of economist Arthur Laffer who argued that Cutting taxes for businesses and the wealthier quarter of America would encourage spending. This would eventually trickle down into the middle and lower classes of America.
