Template:LBJ

LBJ

Lyndon Baines Johnson, often referred to by his initials LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963 under President John F. Kennedy. Johnson's presidency began following the assassination of President Kennedy. A Democrat from Texas, Johnson also served as a U.S. representative, U.S. senator and the Senate's majority leader. Johnson holds distinction as being one of the few presidents who served in all elected offices at the federal level.

Born in a farmhouse in Stonewall, Texas to a local political family, Johnson worked as a high school teacher and a congressional aide before winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1937. Johnson won election to the United States Senate from Texas in 1948 after narrowly winning the Democratic Party's nomination.[2] He was appointed to the position of Senate Majority Whip in 1951. He became the Senate Democratic leader in 1953 and majority leader in 1954. Johnson developed a reputation for his domineering personality. Johnson being over six feet tall, used his physical stature to aggressively[3] coerce powerful politicians to advance legislation, this behavior became known as the "Johnson Treatment".

Great Society

President Johnson's domestic policy was aimed to create programs that would expand civil rights, public broadcasting, Medicare, Medicaid, aid to education and the arts, urban and rural development, and public services. Johnson coined the term the "Great Society" in 1964 to describe these efforts. In addition, Johnson sought to create better living conditions for low income Americans. Johnson himself growing up in an impoverished household in Texas solidified his yearning to end poverty in the United States. He spearheaded a campaign unofficially called the "War on Poverty". Assisted by a strong economy, the War on Poverty helped millions of Americans rise above the poverty line during his administration.

Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 and gradually moved African-Americans towards the Democrats. He signed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Johnson's presidency marked the peak of modern liberalism in the United States and opened the door to activists like Cloward and Piven.

Like FDR and his New Deal and its socialist agenda LBJ set America far down the road to the modern welfare state. With a little knowledge of history we should have seen the canary in the coal mine that foretold the doom and damnation in-store for America with the promise of welfare and social security through legal charity and at the expense of our neighbor which would curse our children.