Johnson (1963-69) Flashcards
what were his aims?
- won in 1964 with “great society” plan
- improve employment and government
How many laws and acts to he pass?
200 related to civl rights, education, public works, healthcare (medicare still today)
how did he tackle poverty between 1965 and 68?
- doubled spending to 2 billion
- poverty line dropped to 12% (hasten risen above 15% since)
what was the 1964 omnibus economic opportunity act?
created office of economic opportunity to tackle poverty (things like vocational training)
what did the elementary and secondary education act do?
gave help and funds to poor schools
what did the voting rights act do?
banned literacy tests to stop black people voting
what did medicare do?
created to help elderly pay for healthcare
what did the immigration act do?
end quotas based on ethnic origin
what was the national endowment for arts and humanities?
used public money to fund artists and galleries (part of great society)
how did Johnson get all the acts passed?
with a forceful personality that JFK lacked (however all overshadowed by Vietnam war)
what was the 1964 civil rights act?
- stopped discriminators nation in public and desegregated education
- equal opportunities for all race, gender, religion
- better than reconstruction as democrats and republicans were united and it was for everyone)
what opposition was there to the great society?
- opinion distorted due to Vietnam war
- overspent on welfare programmes undermined rugged individualism
- spending diverted from great society top Vietnam
- chose not to run in 68 as violence in cities made people think ti was a failure
what were the successes of the great society?
- improved healthcare and education (20 mill got decent healthcare for first time)
- number of blacks in poverty fell by 50%
- like FDR he increased role of government and intervened in things like poverty
