The Great Society

1964 Election:

• Democrat

• Republican

• Democrat = Lyndon B. Johnson (Senator from Texas)

• Republican = Barry Goldwater (Senator from Arizona)

Johnson’s Plan

The programs were to be paid for by massive deficit spending. The Government spent the better part of thirty years paying for the Great Society. Some people think it was too high a price to pay and that the programs were not that effective. Critics argued it created “Big Government (Bureaucracies)” and made people too dependent on the government. Most of his reforms were passed by Congress and found to be constitutional by the Liberal Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Earl Warren.

Social Reform:

• Medicare

• Medicaid

• Vista

• Immigration Act of 1965

• Civil Rights Act 1964

• Voting Rights Act 1965

• H.U.D - Housing and Urban Development

• Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Medicare:

Hospital Insurance and low cost medical insurance for Americans over 65.

Medicaid:

Extended health insurance to welfare recipients.

Vista:

Volunteers in service to America. Domestic peace corps.

Immigration Act of 1965:

Which ended in discriminatory policies against Non-European immigrants.

Civil Rights Act 1964:

Outlawed discrimination in public accommodations, housing and jobs; increased federal power to prosecute civil rights abuses.

Voting Rights Act 1965:

Outlawed literacy tests and gave the federal government the power to monitor voter registration.

H.U.D - Housing and Urban Development:

This department helped low income and middle income families afford housing.

Elementary and Secondary Education Act:

Gave money for library materials, special ed, and textbooks.

Economic Reform: Declaration of WAR ON POVERTY

Johnson called for major tax cuts for corporations and individuals. Economic Opportunity Act: created Job Corps, Vista (Volunteers in Service to America), and Head Start, all for the “War on Poverty”.

Environmental Reform

• Truth in Packaging Act

• Water Quality Act

• Clean Air Act

Truth in Packaging Act:

Companies must set standards for labels on products.

Water Quality Act:

States must clean up waterways.

Clean Air Act:

Emission standards for cars.