Tasha+S.+-+LBJ+-+SP10

__**LYNDON B. JOHNSON**__ (August 27, 1908 - January 22, 1973)

Democratic Party Term: 1963 - 1968 (Served remainder of 1963 after the assassination of Kennedy) Vice President: Hubert H. Humphrey

For his time in office, I would give Johnson a B+. Lyndon had a deep concern for humanitarian rights, specifically racial ones. He strove to improve the American society as a whole, and made lots of headway in this area. Many beneficial acts were passed under his administration, improving the lives of Americans, especially the underprivileged and minorities. His only downfall was escalating the Vietnam war, especially after the passing of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. For his positive contributions, he deserves this grade.

Even as vice president under Kennedy, Johnson had his own goals in mind. This proved helpful when he was forced to take over the position upon Kennedy's assassination. Johnson felt strongly about the condition of society, and thought it was much in need of improvement. He wanted to improve conditions through his "Great Society" movement, and strike up a "War on Poverty". These goals were definitely accomplished by the passing of a slew of legislature such as the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, which created a number of programs beneficial to the underprivileged. His work with Medicare and Medicaid also helped. In addition, Johnson wanted to continue the civil rights work that Kennedy had began, and accomplished this as well. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, followed by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and then later the Civil Rights Act of 1968, all show that Johnson provided solutions for civil rights disputes. Overall, Johnson accomplished all of his major goals while president.

Judging by the amount of legislation passed during Johnson's term as president, it is clear that his relationship with Congress was a pleasant one. Both houses of Congress held a democratic majority during these five years, making for easier agreements between them and the president. Numerous acts were passed in regard to Johnson's "War on Poverty", along with Medicare and Medicaid. Others were passed to satisfy environmental worries, such as The Water Quality Act of 1965, and the Clean Air Act of 1965. The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1966 and The Highway Safety Act of 1966 are just two of the many acts passed to benefit consumerism. Two amendments to the constitution, the 24th and 25th were also passed. Seeing that there was far too much legislation passed to name in this short paragraph, Johnson's relationship with Congress could easily be named outstanding.

Johnson's action that resulted the most positively was the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act banned discrimination in private facilities open to the public like hotels and restaurants. It also banned racial discrimination in hiring. This was a groundbreaking piece of legislation that finally allowed the government more power to regulate civil rights cases. The attorney general could now initiate desegregation suites. Minorities had struggled for years to gain the rights given to them through this act. For this, Johnson will remain a hero in the hearts of millions of minorities. This act also paved the way for even more civil rights related pieces to be passed in the future.

Johnson's actions regarding the Vietnam War were the ones which ended most negatively. After the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Johnson used his "blank check" for the war to the fullest, immediately initiating Operation Rolling Thunder. While Johnson fully supported the war, many Americans were strongly opposed. Violent protests rose against the war, the most famous demonstrations being a March on the Pentagon in 1967, and a 125,000 person rally in New York. While Johnson continued to make promises to topple the communist regime, he rarely came through on these promises, further angering the people. He simply continued to send in troops, numbering 550,000 men in 1968, and bomb constantly. With so much money and manpower put into the war, it would seem that success was inevitable. Unfortunately, communist forces triumphed in the end. Overall, the Vietnam war proved to be a mistake. The lives of many american boys were lost, and huge amounts of money were spent to no end. Most Americans were greatly opposed to the war, making for an unhappy home front as well as a miserable overseas group. The conflict in Vietnam could surely have been handled more peacefully.

It is easy to see that Johnson greatly affected the lives of the entire nation for generation after passing his pieces of civil rights legislation. Minorities were obviously affected, as they were given permanent rights in many different areas. They were able to gain equal treatment in public places, at the ballot, in hiring, and in housing sales and rental. Rights such as these were completely "foreign" to minorities, as they had never been allowed to enjoy them before. These rights were long lasting, and still exist today. However, giving equal rights to minorities also affected future generations of the rest of the nation as well. Those resisting integration were forced to change their ways, and the whole country had to change significantly to adjust to a new set of rules. Future presidents were also affected by this legislation, as they were pushed to uphold and continue the work of Johnson.

Johnson definitely deserves his grade of a B+. Although the country was unhappy at the end of his term because of the Vietnam War, they were also celebrating many of his achievements. Minorities were no doubt extremely happy with the work of the president, as were the underprivileged. Johnson worked to help improve the American society, especially for the underprivileged, which was a heartwarming decision. The country was improved overall despite the war protests. Johnson's numerous positive contributions far outweigh his one large negative decision, reflecting his grade of a B+.

__Sources__: Degregorio, William A.. //The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents, Seventh Edition (Complete Book of Us Presidents)//. 7 ed. Fort Lee: Barricade Books, 2009. Print.

"U.S. Senate: Art & History Home > Origins & Development > Party Division."//U.S. Senate//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2010. 