Lyndon B. Johnson was one of famous leaders in American history. Johnson Spearheaded a chain of revolutionary social programs known as the Great Society to transform the country and make it a better place for all citizens. Within five years of his tenure, Johnson passed 200 pieces of legislation and rolled on many programs to meet people’s needs. The program targeted areas with the war on poverty being the main issue ( Kwan & Cheung, 2017). Healthcare, environment, education, sports and arts, and urban renewal were the areas which President Johnson gave priority towards improving the state of America as Nation. The Great Society project did not only make an immediate impact on numerous areas in America, but it was the foundation from which present the nation’s building effort.
Part One
The Great Society Initiative’s historical and Social Context
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy had almost thwarted the American Dream owing to the numerous legislations and initiatives he had that were pending. At this time, Johnson was the deputy president and having served in the Senate as both minority and majority leader. He had an in-depth experience that was enough to make people trust in him. The health, economic, and social status of the country were at its worse. At this time, the elderly and the poor were lacking health insurance, and the states poverty level at 25%. Racism and job discrimination based on gender, ethnic group, and skin color was at its peak in America. Hinton ( 2015) discusses that i t was at this time that Johnson was seeking to be elected as president that he laid bare his dream and vision for America.
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The speech’s venue was the University of Michigan. The poverty war was targeting the run-away poverty level in the country. The Economic Opportunity Act was meant to introduce strategies that would help the country reduce the level of poverty by enhancing education and stabilizing the life of those living below the poverty level in the country. The president also targeted the healthcare sector by introducing the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The aim was to provide healthcare insurance for the needy intending to improve primary care accessibility. The education and head start reform’s goal was empowering the guardians to ensure that their children went to school despite their economic status. The state of urban centers was worse because there was a mass exodus to the suburbia after World War II. Woods (2016) asserts that urban renewal programs aimed to stabilize the states of urban. Other initiatives were the support of the arts and humanity in addition to an environmental initiative that was to battle the water pollution.
How People and Government Relate
The Great Society was a foundation of a mutual relationship between the people and the government. A notable change brought by the great society was the shift in the role of the Federal government. The initiatives introduced different welfares that shifted the part of the Federal government by involving it directly into the life of the citizens. People were involved directly in the economy. For instance, people were given funds to purchase lands for agriculture. Also, education was at the core, and the government rolled on programs to ensure that every person attended school ( Golper, 2018). High Society also gave birth to the civil right legislation. Public right Leaders such as Martin Luther King Junior got a chance to discuss right civil issues and present the grievances of the Black people to the President. In general, the Great Society was a tool that brought the government and the community together to work together for a better community.
The Intent of the War on Poverty Initiative
On Aug. 20, 1964, Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act to make the foundation of the war on poverty. The war on poverty was considered one of the most significant initiatives of the Great society. The war on poverty initiative intended to reduce the debt and elevate the life of the people living below the poverty level. The initiative focused on employment, training, and education as the central tenets to aid the less fortunate to reduce the poverty circle. The President knew that achieving a poverty free-state would not be an easy ride. The President also says, “this program will show the way to new opportunities for millions of our fellow citizens” (Holbrook, 2018) . He adds that it will provide a lever with which we can begin to open the door to our prosperity for those who have been kept outside” (Holbrook, 2018).
The war on poverty program
At the time the Great Society initiatives launched a war of poverty, an estimate of 25% of the American citizens was living below the poverty line. The president directed the Office of Economic Opportunity to work on education, training programs, and employment as ways to reduce the poverty level. The war on poverty was a conglomeration of numerous programs which had an immediate impact on the life of people. The program created a job corps for 100,000 people. Training and education were at the core of the program. The president also tasked the state and local governments with creating work training programs for up to 200,000 men and women. Part of the war on poverty initiatives was community actions program to tackle poverty. Besides, the government recruited and trained skilled volunteers to serve the poverty-stricken areas. It also made sure that employers were giving out loans, and the parents of poverty-stricken regions got employed. The initiative reduced the poverty line by 12%. By the year 2012, the census revealed that the American living below the poverty line was 15.5% and this was a missives reduction. Currently, only 13% of American is living below the poverty level, and all credited goes to the Great Society initiatives.
Part Two
From:
Address:
Date:
To:
Address:
Date:
Dear Sir/madam
Re: IMPROVING THE WAR ON POVERTY INITIATIVE
I am a student and a resident of (the Student’s States or location). I am quite impressed to lean the initiatives that the government under your representation has done to eradicate poverty in my area. However, to continue the fight to eliminate poverty as initiated by President Johnson, I would also like to recommend some ways to make the program that already exists better.
The war on poverty worked to stabilize the life of Americans who were living below the poverty level. Indeed, there was a significant improvement with the poverty rate reduced by 12% within the first five years. Since then, the poverty level has reduced significantly with the present rate standing at 13%. In my state, there is a ripple effect of this, and with better improvements on such programs, the future is brighter.
However, I would recommend the government under your representation to facilitate more scholarship chances for the students who come from unstable backgrounds; this would help them break the poverty circle. I would also recommend you to push for more funds for the farmers as this would help them introduce technology for better farming. Finally, I would recommend you to push for youth projects and introduce workshops and training centers for those who cannot make it to colleges and universities. It would help in elevating their lives and making them contribute positively towards eradicating poverty in the state and country as a whole. Thank you.
Yours sincerely
Student’s name
References
Golper, T. A. (2018). A view of the bundle from a home dialysis perspective: Present at the creation. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology , 13 (3), 471-473.
Hinton, E. (2015). "A War within Our Boundaries": Lyndon Johnson's Great Society and the Rise of the Carceral State. The Journal of American History , 102 (1), 100-112.
Holbrook, M. B. (2018). A subjective personal reflective essay on the evolution of business schools, the fate of marketing education, and aspirations toward a high society. Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ) , 26 (2), 70-78.
Kwan, V., & Cheung, J. C. S. (2017). Social work initiatives for the inclusion of students with special educational needs. Practice , 29 (2), 107-119.
Woods, R. B. (2016). Prisoners of Hope: Lyndon B. Johnson, the Great Society, and the Limits of Liberalism . Basic Books.
