Civil Rights Act example essay topic

1960'S Usa Domestic Reform 1960'S Usa Domestic Reform Essay, Research Paper Account For The Limits On Domestic Reform In The 1960's There are numerous reasons for the limitation of domestic reform throughout the 1960's, from Kennedy through Johnson to Nixon this essay will explore domestic reform in the United States in the 1960's. John Fitzgerald Kennedy became President elect in President in November 1960. His opponent Richard Milhouse Nixon was a much more experienced politician, however Kennedy's youthful vigour shone through in the first ever televised presidential debates. Nixon was a master of the old way and although a competent speaker, his on screen presentation made him look old, ill and very haggard. Kennedy's background, his war hero status and family financial input was very beneficial to his campaign and his proficient rhetoric shone through especially on areas like civil rights, on which he had been vocal in the electoral campaign to canvas the Black vote. Kennedy's use of the balanced ticket in selecting Lyndon Baines Johnson as his Vice President also gained him many votes.

It was almost not enough and Kennedy was elected with a marginal mandate. Kennedy often used the phrase New Frontier in campaign rhetoric. Once he was elected it became the broad term used to describe all domestic reform. This reform was focused in many areas, from the poor and ethnic minorities to the economy and further a field. It raised the hopes of minority groups who expected reform. Although there was a Democratic majority in Congress they acted very conservatively and the conservative-coalition of southern democrats were not in favour of civil rights.

During Kennedy's short time in the white house he attempted to pass numerous domestic reforms. Kennedy was reluctant to oppose Southern democrats on the issue of civil rights and for much of his presidency ignored the rhetoric that got him elected. It wasn t until the mid term elections when Kennedy spoke about a civil rights bill which he would only propose when he could pass it through congress. Many doubted if he would ever pass such a bill due to a combination of his lack of experience and in the face of such a strong defiant congress.

On the 28th of August 200,000 people marched down the mall in Washington DC singing We shall overcome and Kennedy publicly called for a civil rights act. In defence congress planned an all out filibuster. The bill proved moderate in respect of the demands of the black population and was proposed to congress two months before the assassination of President Kennedy. In reality Kennedy was successful in passing extension of New Deal policies. In social terms; social security benefit was increased, Kennedy passed an area redevelopment programme, raised the minimum wage and passed a housing act. Economically he passed a trade expansion act which reduced tariffs.

Kennedy also passed a space and defence program. However any bills that added to New Deal policies were shot down in congress, such as aid to education, (which was blocked by the catholic lobby who opposed increased funding to state schools), health insurance, tax cuts and initiatives on behalf of the unemployed youth and migrant workers. They even blocked a suggested tax cut of $13.6 billion. By the time Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963, his mythic status was assured and he was placed in the same category as Abraham Linc on in the eyes of the American population, his political record was poor. His successor, Vice President Lyndon Johnson immediately set to work on domestic policy. Johnson was a political veteran and had amassed years of skill and experience in Congress.

He exploited the death of Kennedy to pass his civil rights bill through congress in 1964, which effectively dismantled the Jim Crowe System and gave black people a much higher degree of legal equality. Johnson set about planning a grand scheme of domestic reform the likes of which had never been seen before in history of the United States of America. Johnson's Great Society was as liberal and interventionist as they come. It was an attack at all poverty, inequality, environment, health and welfare. Johnson passed a tremendous amount of legislation through Congress utilising all his skills, including the infamous Johnson Technique in which he used all of his height and persuasion to influence senators and congressman individually to be as supportive as possible.

Johnson's War on Poverty promised to eradicate the poor from the streets of the USA and bills poured through congress, including projects Head Start and Follow Through which aimed at promoting education pre and post schooling. Johnson also passed another Civil Rights Act in 1965, the Voting Rights Act, this gave political equality to the Black population. However as liberalism was reaching it's height the backlash was inevitable. Johnson created an overall Disillusionment with Liberalism. The expectations of such a wide ranging programme were enormous, this was fuelled by the rhetoric used by Johnson himself and due to the US involvement in the Vietnam war it was impossible to pour so much money into domestic policy and fight a war at the same time. As a result many of the Great Society programmes were severely under funded.

The public felt that as so much of their taxed dollars were being put into these programmes they should have been more successful. The civil rights movement had begun to split in half and gone were the non-violent integrationist ideals personified by Martin Luther King. Urban blacks became more prominent in the civil rights debate and fought for economic equality, something, which King has shied away from, as he knew it was unattainable. Following the Civil Rights Acts of 64 and 65 Black power exploded to life through violence and riots in the ghettos after years of pent up frustration.

As far as Johnson was concerned he was given Black people more than any other President in US history and they had thrown it back in his face. The violence prompted a civil rights backlash but this was also due to that fact that the economic equality that Black people yearned for meant depriving white people of their previous dominance which was something they were unprepared to accept. The anti war movement created a very anti Johnson sentiment with the United States public, so much so that it forced Johnson not to stand for re election in 1968, and a man that had done so much for the United States people did not stand for re election. There was a growing Youth Rebellion within the US, both the New left and Counterculture. As the baby boom generation grew older, education levels rose immensely and these students became increasingly politically minded.

Though their outspoken statements, the hippy concept Turn on Tune in Drop out (spoken by Timothy Leary) and the free love and copious drug use shocked many people who saw them as a product of liberalism. In 1968 Richard Milhouse Nixon stood again for the presidency and with his appeal to the silent majority and Peace with Honour platform in Vietnam, gained the presidency. With Nixon's election there came a return to traditional conservative republicanism and Nixon began to roll back the mountains of legislation. The liberal trend which began with Roosevelt in the 30's had reached it's peak and fell violently back to earth with the election of Nixon..