Lyndon B. Johnson And The Great Society

Calvin Coolidge Became the 30th President A Century Ago!

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Precisely a century ago, Vice President Calvin Coolidge succeeded to the Presidency upon the death of President Warren G. Harding.

Coolidge would be shocked to see how the Presidency has been transformed since his time, as he was a believer in a limited Presidency, and is seen as the most conservative President of the 20th century, with the possible exception of Ronald Reagan, who greatly admired him.

Coolidge would have been opposed to the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson, based on his conservative, small government philosophy.

But he also would have been greatly disturbed by the corruption of Richard Nixon and Donald Trump, as his administration moved to prosecute the corruption of his predecessor, who had sadly presided over the most political corruption since Ulysses S. Grant.

It has often been said that Calvin Coolidge would have fit in better in the 19th century, with John Quincy Adams fitting in better a century later in Coolidge’s place!

We can also say he most certainly would not have fitted well in the succession of Republican Chief Executives, particularly Nixon and Trump!

Lyndon B. Johnson And Medicare: 58th Anniversary!

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It has been 58 years since President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Medicare Act, a pathbreaking turning point in health care, after much resistance for a half century.

Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, as the Progressive (Bull Moose) Party Presidential nominee, was the first President to suggest health care should be a national commitment.

His distant cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, considered the issue, but had enough of a battle over Social Security being legislated into law in 1935, as part of his “New Deal”.

Harry Truman promoted, as part of his “Fair Deal”, the consideration of some sort of national health care, but it went awry in the divisive politics of the “Red Scare” and the Cold War.

John F. Kennedy also pushed the issue, but did not have the clout to get it past House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Wilbur Mills of Arkansas.

Lyndon B. Johnson pushed the issue of national health care as part of his “Great Society”, and got it done, and it has been a godsend to millions of elderly people and disabled people, and added to the following year by the adoption of Medicaid.

Most Republicans opposed it then and since, and continue to call it “Socialism”, and ten states, including Texas and Florida, refuse to expand Medicaid, denying the poor the care they need, and this by a party that claims to be “Pro Life”! 🙁

And Barack Obama, in promoting the Affordable Care Act or “ObamaCare”, expanded health care, and it continues to survive despire blistering Republican and conservative attacks!

So this is a time to salute LBJ, as the savior of the promotion of national health care!

Marjorie Taylor Greene Promotes FDR, LBJ, Biden, Totally Unaware Of What She Is Doing!

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Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene went on a rant at a right wing conference, making a total fool of herself, which she does on a regular basis!

She spoke about the “horrendous” actions of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, Lyndon B. Johnson and the Great Society, and Joe Biden and “Build Back Better”, all three Democratic Presidents!

She compared Biden to FDR and LBJ, which is an endorsement of three Presidents who have done so much positive in domestic affairs, but she made it clear how terrrible it was that the nation has Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, labor unions, environmental laws, education, urban and rural poverty, infrastructure investments, and other so called “socialist” programs that make life better for Americans!

Biden and the Democrats are using what Greene said to tout their own accomplishments, and are proud to be connected to LBJ and FDR, as any sane person would be!

50 Years Since Lyndon B. Johnson’s Passing: His Heritage Is Immense!

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It has been a half century since the passing of President Lyndon B. Johnson on January 22, 1973.

This giant of a man and a President had massive impact on the American people and their history.

LBJ brought about the greatest social and economic reform of any President except Franklin D. Roosevelt, and many might say that his impact in some ways was greater than that of FDR.

When one considers his impact on civil rights, education, health care, and the issue of urban and rural poverty, it is clear that LBJ transformed the American psyche on these matters.

The battles he fought and overcame against Southern Democrats have now, sadly, been transformed into struggles against most Republicans, who have become the new white supremacists and are out to promote the same narrow minded “states rights” arguments to erase advancements on race, women’s rights, and gay rights, in an attempt to bring America back to the mentality of the 19th century.

Had LBJ only had to deal with domestic issues, he would be ranked in the top five of all Presidents, but sadly, his insistence on continuing and expanding the war in Vietnam caused a massive split that started the attack against American liberalism and progressivism, which he and FDR had so championed from the 1930s through the 1960s.

So his ranking is lower, although with time, it has recovered so that he is considered in the top quarter of Presidents, generally ranking as about number 10 or 11 of all the 45 Presidents we have had.

Two Year Anniversary Of Joe Biden Presidency: Should He Run For Second Term?

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Today at 12 Noon marks the two year anniversary of the Joe Biden Presidency!

Considering the difficult political circumstances, of an evenly divided Senate for only the fourth time in American history, and a five seat margin in the House of Representatives, Joe Biden accomplished a great deal in his first two years in office.

From a progressive view, he was the most successful in his first two years domestically than any President since Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s with his “Great Society” legislation, which was far greater, but with a massive margin of his party in control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Biden accomplished more than Democrats in the Presidency after Johnson, including Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and even Barack Obama, after their first two years in the Oval Office!

Foreign policy has been difficult, as it always is, but Biden’s strong support of Ukraine in its war with Russia, and backed by NATO, has been a very strong example of his promotion of democracy against totalitarianism, reminiscent of Franklin D. Roosevelt coming to the aid of Great Britain in 1940-1941, before America’s entrance into World War II.

Having said all the above, the question now is should Joe Biden, having reached the age of 80 precisely two months ago, run for a second term, and would he win a second term?

This author and blogger has always had great and warm feelings toward Joe Biden, going back to when he gravitated toward Biden as, in my mind, the replacement in commitment and personality traits of Hubert Humphrey, who was this author’s original political “hero”!

I wish that Biden had been able to run for President in 2016, but his son Beau’s death prevented that, as I believe he would have won the nomination, and would have defeated Donald Trump, and saved America from the nightmare four years of horrendous policies and criminal actions.

Hillary Clinton had too many barriers, including controversies surrounding her and her husband, along with simply being the first woman nominee for President. Of course, Hillary Clinton still won the national popular vote by 2.85 million, and only lost because of Russian collusion with Trump that threw the Electoral College vote to him in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Even a Republican controlled Senate committee came to that conclusion, despite the continued lying and deception that continues unabated to the present.

But the present is the issue, and this author and blogger sincerely believes that while Joe Biden would win a second term, against Donald Trump or anyone else on the horizon, that for the future of the Presidency and of Joe Biden’s own lifespan, that he should announce that he will retire.

It would make him a “lameduck President”, but freed from politics of his own ego, he could be seen as a statesman, helping to bring the future of the nation toward a Democratic Party successor, who would pursue his principles, goals, and common decency and compassion!

We need a future President who has the character traits of Joe Biden, as we do not want to promote selfishness, greed, nastiness, and lack of compassion and common decency, which too many Republicans who plan to run for President, possess as their basic character traits!

This way, Joe Biden can leave office at age 82, with head held high, having accomplished a decent record under difficult circumstances, having assisted for his own succession. And he can have peace of mind, planning his own Presidential Library and Museum, writing his own memoirs, and enjoying his wife, Dr Jill Biden, and his family in a relaxed, well deserved retirement, which is likely to lead to a longer life, than having the stress of another four years in office!

He should not join the list of Presidents who either died in office or had very short retirements, such individuals as Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, and Lyndon B. Johnson!

So, President Biden, do what is best for you and for the nation you have served so well, and announce your decision to leave office two years from today, having insured the succession of a Democratic President who will carry on with your commitment to decency, fairness, and compassion!

The Republican Party War On Social Security And Medicare Continues!

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The Republican Party historically has been consistently against Social Security, promoted by Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal 88 years ago.

The Republican Party historically has been consistently against Medicare and Medicaid, promoted by Lyndon B. Johnson and the Great Society 58 and 57 years ago.

The Republican Party historically has been consistently against the Affordable Care Act (Obama), promoted by Barack Obama 13 years ago.

Of course, SOME Republicans over the decades have supported these programs, which are very popular, and part of the “Social Justice” agenda of Democrats since the 1930s.

Actually, however, these ideas in outline were promoted by Republican progressive Theodore Roosevelt and his “New Nationalism” platform that he ran on with his Bull Moose Progressive Party campaign in 1912, more than a century ago.

The Republicans never learn that the American people at large WANT these programs, which are NOT “entitlements”, that are “given” to Americans, as taxpayers pay for these programs, and the idea that they can just be cut, while corporations and the wealthy get their tax breaks, is infuriating!

So the attempt of the 118th Congress to cut these programs will fail miserably, but will also take Republicans down, with their evil intention, to defeat, in 2024 and beyond!

The idea being proposed to “privatize” Social Security fails to recognize that George W. Bush proposed this in 2004-2005, with it failing to occur, and fortunately so!

As in 2008-2009, with the Great Recession, if one had Social Security in the stock market, they would have lost the anchor that Social Security represents, a guaranteed support!

Most people are not knowledgeable enough to know how to invest, and be assured that such investments do not turn out to be disasters!

International Relations Becoming More Dominated By Authoritarian Leaders

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The world in 2022 is becoming more dominated by authoritarian leaders than any time since World War II, a sign of major challenges for President Joe Biden.

Already, the Russian Federation, China, North Korea, and Iran are constantly challenging America and its democracy.

But now, Saudi Arabia, under Mohamed bin Salman, in cooperation with Vladimir Putin, is cutting oil production, and creating an economic nightmare of higher oil prices, just as the Midterm Elections of 2022 come upon us in one month.

The Democrats already have problems with inflation and higher mortgage rates and this despicable action by Saudia Arabia, in lead with Putin, could very well undermine the push to protect American democracy in the upcoming elections, and prevent protection of abortion rights.

This will be a very difficult month, with growing sense that MAGA Republicans and Donald Trump could end up in control of government, and undermine, in league with an extremist right wing Supreme Court, many of the progressive
advancements in government and civil rights that have occurred in the years since the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson!

Voting Rights Case About Alabama Gerrymandering A Threat To Destroy Voting Rights Law!

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THe Supreme Court is hearing a case about Alabama gerrymandering, that could eliminate “black districts” for US House Of Representatives seats, diminishing representation for racial minorities.

If the Court ruled in favor of Alabama, we could be back to the era of “Jim Crow”, where African Americans were not represented in any way where they would have impact and influence.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been extensively weakened since Shelby County Alabama V Holder in 2013, and it now seems likely that a major reform initiative of President Lyndon B. Johnson and the Great Society is in danger of being eliminated!

Republican Party Clearly On “Suicide Mission” On Abortion, Entitlements, And Donald Trump!

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With eight weeks until the Midterm Elections of 2022, it now seems clear that the Republican Party is on a “suicide mission”, and will likely, hopefully, suffer massive losses and be repudiated by voters.

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is now promoting a national abortion ban, at a time when massive numbers of new voters, the vast majority females, are registering to vote to save their basic right to control their own bodies and their futures.

Also, the proposal of Senator Rick Scott of Florida to move toward a five year window for Social Security and Medicare, with the aim of ending these programs from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal and Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society, is extremely alarming, after nealy 90 and 60 years duration of these social programs that millions of Americans depend on!

And the refusal of almost all Republicans to hold Donald Trump accountable for his taking of national security documents to Mar A Lago, and covering it up continuously, makes the Republican Party look as a lawless party, against basic accountability for his promotion of the downfall of American democracy and the rule of law!

If the Republican Party somehow overcomes these massive deficits, it will be clear that the majority of voting Americans have lost their minds, and are willing to go down the road of Fascist Authoritarianism!

The Republican Party has become a party outside the mainstream of American politics and history, and must be smashed to have a chance to revive as a normal, mainstream political party, the aim of former Republicans who have formed the Lincoln Project to overcome the tragedy the party has become!

Republican Attacks On Social Security And Medicare Arise Again: They Never Give Up!

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Social Security has been under attack by Republicans and conservatives ever since its passage in 1935 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.

Medicare has been under attack by Republicans and conservatives ever since its passage in 1965 as part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society.

The Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) has been under attack by Republicans and conservatives since its passage under Barack Obama in 2010!

Most recently, George W. Bush promoted privatization of Social Security, which failed to occur in 2004-2005, luckily so, as the Great Recession of 2008 would have destroyed those who invested in the stock market, rather than having the guarantee of Social Security.

Also, Mitt Romney proposed privatization of Medicare during his Presidential campaign in 2012.

Now, Senator Rick Scott of Florida, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin are the biggest backers of phasing out Social Security over five years! Also, Arizona Senatorial candidate Blake Masters has backed this idea!

If the Republicans were to win both houses of Congress and the Presidency by 2024, a great tragedy would occur!

As it is, Rand Paul and Ron Johnson face reelection this November, and every effort possible should be mounted to defeat these two horrendous US Senators! And Blake Masters needs to be defeated in his quest to be elected to the Senate!