Advance notice of airing of JFK & LBJ Tuesday Night on PBS

[Jim Beard]

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/jfk-lbj-time-greatness-preview/2191/

In my opinion it took booth Kennedy, Johnson and I'm sorry to say, Republicans in congress to pass Civil Right and the Voting Rights legislation passed 50 years ago. Johnson worked his way up through the ranks and as Senate majority leader, earned return favors for how he helped other senators. Vietnam pulled him down but he did so many good things and it was his power and a Democratic congress that got other things done such as Medicare and Medicaid.

also Food Stamps,

Economic Opportunity Act (War on Poverty),

Wilderness Act,

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (authorizes federal aid to school districts with low income families)

Project Head Start is launched

LBJ signs the act establishing the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Water Quality Act, preventing water pollution by requiring states to establish and enforce water quality standards for
interstate waterways

Immigration Act in front of the Statue of Liberty. This act repeals the restrictive national origins quota system which originated in 1921

Highway Beautification Act

Higher Education Act, which increases Federal money given to universities, creates scholarships and low-interest student loans and establishes a National Teacher Corps

Johnson signs the Freedom of Information Act

Johnson signs the act establishing the Department of Transportation

Johnson signs the Public Broadcasting Act establishing the nonprofit and nongovernmental Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Johnson signs the act creating the National Product Safety Commission

Johnson signs the Air Quality Act to strengthen federal powers to combat air pollution

Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which includes provisions for fair housing

Johnson signs the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, providing assistance to the states to help upgrade local and state law enforcement methods

Johnson signs the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, establishing a national rivers system to protect and preserve many wild, scenic and recreational rivers. At the same time, President Johnson signs the National Trails System Act, creating a nationwide system of scenic and recreational trails.

Johnson signs the Gun Control Act of 1968, regulating the firearm industry and owners

[Spider Jerusalem]

1. It took Kennedy being assassinated and Johnson becoming President for it to happen

on the day when JFK was killed, every single bill in his legislative agenda was hopelessly stalled in Congress. Had he lived and remained President, I'm personally somewhat sceptical that there would have been a Civil Rights Act passed in '64, or a Voting Rights Act passed in '65. LBJ knew how to deal with Congress, he had plenty of experience as Senate Majority Leader, he tried to tell Kennedy, but Kennedy and his inner circle thought LBJ was a dumb hick (they mocked him behind his back, calling him "Rufus T. Cornpone&quot , and didn't listen. Within a few months of becoming President? LBJ broke the Congressional deadlock by getting the Chairman of the Ways and Means committee (Robert Byrd of Virginia) to agree to getting a budget passed if he could cut it under the symbolic figure of $100 billion, and got the Civil Rights Act passed by browbeating and shaming Republicans into voting for it (in part by calling on them as "the party of Lincoln&quot . Something that gives a good and interesting overview of all of this is "The Passage of Power", the fourth volume of Robert Caro's LBJ biography.

LBJ was, probably, the most consequential president since FDR, and if not for Vietnam, we'd remember him as one of the greatest.

[Archae]

4. They weren't the only ones ridiculing LBJ.

When Vaugan Meader made his "First Family" record imitating JFK, Johnson was portrayed as a hick.

Suitable only as a subsititute playmate for Caroline's friend.

[H2O Man]

2. Thank you.

I'll be watching!

Recommended.

[craigmatic]

3. JFK as the figurehead but LBJ was the work horse.

[Jim Beard]

5. Wanted to bump this back to the front page because tonight is the night.

Watch JFK & LBJ