Sarah Pippin, Ryan Dowler, and Griffin Horney

T H E 3 6 T H P R ES I DE N T L Y N D ON B . J O H N S ON ’ S P OL I T I CA L P L A T F O RM

SOCIAL

Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) took office directly after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Due to the assassination, America was in a huge social distraught, questioning whether or not the nation’s government was safe and secure. However, Johnson was able to quickly restore a peaceful environment for American citizens so that they could focus on more important things such as social improvement. Johnson had made it clear in his speech addressing congress that his social goals for America revolved around the concept of equality by stating, “We have talked long enough in this country about equal rights. We have talked for one hundred years or more. It is time now to write the next chapter, and to write it in the books of law,” (“LBJ Champions the Civil Rights Act of 1964”). After order had been restored, LBJ implemented the Civil rights Act of 1964. This act of legislation was arguably the largest social development to ever take place in American history, solely because its success has turned America into the nation it is today. Johnsons’ civil rights policies outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. They ended voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, workplaces, and facilities serving the general public (“Civil Rights Act of 1964” – OutDocs.gov). His main reason for facilitating these changes into the American society was to follow through with his personnel beliefs, and the beliefs of previous president, John F. Kennedy; the beliefs of justice and equality.

Therefore, in today’s society, Johnson would take a stand that would equally represent the rights of all Americans based off of the justice and basic human rights given to us Americans through the written implications of the constitution. Discrimination based on personal beliefs, such as current issues with gay rights, would be eliminated. Racial profiling, which continues to take place in present day society, would be discouraged and looked down upon with further negativity. Johnson believes in the equality of all American citizens. He believes in justice, equal representation, basic human rights, a non-discriminating society. LBJ has witnessed injustice, unequal representation, the denial of basic human rights, and discrimination. He understands the pain that these actions can cause, and he will do whatever it takes to prevent these things in current day society. Therefore, he will have a strong impact on current social issues. He will make improvements which will further improve the equal representation and social standards of all Americans within society today.

"Civil Rights Act (1964)." Our Documents -. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2014. <http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=97>.

Gittinger, Ted, and Allen Fisher. "Summer 2004: Civil Rights Act." National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2014.

Sarah Pippin, Ryan Dowler, and Griffin Horney

EDUCATION

During his time as President, Lyndon B. Johnson took many steps to address the issues of inequality in education. On November 1, 1964, during his first presidential term, President Johnson presented his Presidential Policy Paper No. 1, which solely focused on his plans for education. In this policy, he promoted that every child deserves an even chance for education and the movement for more widespread and higher-quality education would ultimately benefit America as a country ("Lyndon B. Johnson: Presidential Policy Paper No. 1: Education"). With the continual rise in technological and societal advancements, America required a largely stable youth that could develop to be able to manage and run such an advanced nation. Therefore, Johnson proposed a five-step plan to fulfill his visions for the country. Step one included an improvement on basic classroom structure and an increased incentive for the teaching profession; the next steps were to concentrate the country’s teaching resources in poorer areas, expand and improve colleges, recognize education as a lifelong process, and strengthen state and community education systems ("Lyndon B. Johnson: Presidential Policy Paper No. 1: Education"). Johnson recognized education as program supported and run at a local level and offered federal funds and aid to assist the states in this service. In the end, Johnson took many steps to try to provide more opportunities for the lower-class Americans and win them equal rights.

Therefore, in today’s society, President Johnson will follow the democratic policy on extensive federal spending to promote the support of the poor. Johnson strives to show his faith in the poor children of the American society as his struggling parents had shown in him (Pathos). Johnson knows that by pushing for more rights and opportunities for the poor, he is ultimately promoting a more advanced and stable American society. No President before Johnson put in the time and effort to pass such an educational program or promote such influential programs for the poor. Therefore, since only being a person of great character would cause one to care about the people below them, it is made obvious that Johnson possesses a character higher than all other U.S. Presidents (as hominem). Johnson is like the Robinhood of the American society, the hero of the poor who puts their needs before his own, while all other Presidents are like Scrooge, too wrapped up in their own plans to set aside some provisions for help for the helpless (analogy). Who would you prefer to run our country, the selfish Scrooge or the selfless Robinhood (rhetorical question)?

"Lyndon B. Johnson: Presidential Policy Paper No. 1: Education." Lyndon B. Johnson: Presidential Policy Paper No. 1: Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

Sarah Pippin, Ryan Dowler, and Griffin Horney

HEALTH CARE

During his presidency, Lyndon B. Johnson took action to ensure that the less fortunate members of American society were provided an opportunity to earn health care. Johnson signed the Social Security Act into law on July 30, 1965, establishing both Medicare and Medicaid programs, as a continuance of Truman’s failed proposal in 1945 for increased health care ("Social Security Act Amendments of 1965"). Medicare provides federal funding of many medical expenses for senior citizens 65 and older and is funded by tax on employee earnings and matched with employer contributions ("Social Security Act Amendments of 1965"). This program is based on the principle that many elderly U.S. citizens do not have the money or resources to pay for regular health care on their own, and Johnson took action to secure their rights for such assistance. Medicare was also later extended to support permanently disabled citizens and people with end stage renal disease. Additionally, the Medicaid program gives funds to individual states to establish their own health care programs for the low-income families and individuals of the country ("American President: Lyndon Baines Johnson: Domestic Affairs"). This plan attempts to support and assist the poor as well as provide more rights for the states in such affairs. In the end, Johnson’s successful attempts to pass such significant healthcare programs show his care for the lower class American citizens and his desire for the federal government to be set up in the best manner to help the people it rules over.

Therefore, in today’s society, President Johnson will promote extensive federal spending to assist the less fortunate in the American society. Johnson sees the withering elderly unable to fully support themselves and the lower class individuals unable give themselves or their innocent children the care they need, and he sympathizes for them (pathos). He believes every American citizen should have access to basic human services such as health care for their own well-being, and therefore the country’s well-being. Without the Johnson’s healthcare programs, many Americans would go uncared for, leading to more deaths and fewer working citizens, and ultimately resulting in the destruction of the United States’ economy and government (slippery slope). Johnson looks out for every American citizen and ensures that the government is doing its part to contribute its services and assistance. He will care for the country, he will look at every American citizen as equal, he will aid in the country’s success (asyndeton).

"American President: Lyndon Baines Johnson: Domestic Affairs." Miller Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2014."Social Security Act Amendments of 1965." Nolo. Nolo, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

Sarah Pippin, Ryan Dowler, and Griffin Horney

ECONOMIC ISSUES

Lyndon B. Johnson’s (LBJ) main focus was on unemployment and poverty Johnson ran as a Democrat and became president following the assassination of John F. Kennedy (“American President: A Reference Resource”). Johnson finishes the final year of Kennedy’s term, and then went on to elected in 1964, by 61% of the votes -- the widest popular margin in American history (“President Lyndon Johnson’s Economic Policies”). Goals of LBJ when he first became president were: to create jobs for the unemployed; get factories to maximum capacity; thrust the GNP to its potential; restore the growth rate of productive potential as it was postwar; raise the income of farm families and families in general; and expand investments and profits so that it would lower our external payments deficit. Johnson proposed “The Great Society” idea as a ways to the elimination of poverty. To stimulate economic growth throughout the country, Johnson cut taxes with the Revenue Act of 1964. In an attempt to eliminate poverty, the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, which established different programs. Some of the acts programs were Job Corps, Head Start, Adult Basic Education, Family Planning, Summer Youth Programs, Senior Citizen Centers, Community Health Centers and Community Action Agencies.

Today, the United States imports much more than it exports. This leads to us selling off our assets and taking on massive debts to sustain a standard of living we can no longer afford. A main goal of Johnson was to increase jobs inside the United States and fill factories to maximum capacity. More jobs in America and busier factories would result in more exports to other countries, increasing national income, and would give us less reliance on other countries. Also today, foreign trade policies in China for instance, encourage manufacturers to move to produce in third-world markets costing the U.S. millions of jobs, increasing the unemployment rate. LBJ came into office widely considered as one of the most brilliant and expert politicians of his time, which is what America needs now to lead us out of the multiple economic crises.

"Miller Center." American President: Lyndon Baines Johnson: A Life in Brief. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.< http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/lbjohnson/essays/biography/1>.

"How LBJ Prevented Recessions While Fighting against Poverty and for Civil Rights." About. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2014.< http://useconomy.about.com/od/Politics/fl/President-Lyndon-B-Johnsons-Economic-Policies.htm>.

Sarah Pippin, Ryan Dowler, and Griffin Horney

WAR POLICIES

Sarah Pippin, Ryan Dowler, and Griffin Horney