War on Poverty

A detailed Summary of War on Poverty

"There are millions of Americans-one fifth of our people-who have not shared in the abundance which has been granted to most of us, and on whom the gates of opportunity have been closed." (2:208) March of 1964, "...marks the beginning of the civil rights era..." (5) for many Americans. This date represents the start of a great program, "War on Poverty," that would give people the chance to accomplish things they never thought possible. Not only does this program help them, but it also will, "...boost up the economy by increasing our national output." (9) There are some critics that believe this program has failed, but this battle against poverty is still going strong, even today.

When Lyndon B. Johnson was elected president, right away he had a great relationship with Congress. Unlike Kennedy, Johnson was able to get his proposals passed through Congress easily. It was Johnson who created the program "War on Poverty." The program opened up a doorway to a new and better life for many of the poor people in the United States. This program stemmed from Johnson's Domestic Policy, "The Great Society." Although this program, "War on Poverty," was not one hundred percent successful, it did a lot of good for

1. Berkin, Carol and Wood, Leonard. Land of Promise; Scott, Foresman and Company, Glenview, Illinois, 1987. Pg. 752-753

Poverty is an ugly thing and can break a person who is forced to endure it. The poor must live a daily struggle to get just enough in order to survive. Imagine looking around and seeing so many opportunities for a great life, but they are all just beyond reach. Just this little tease from society can give hopelessness for the poor, especially the young poor. The poor are stuck in a constant circle of aggravation because they have no money to get a decent education, but they can not get a job (get money) when they lack the needed skills required by most occupations. "War on Poverty" was a "...program of education, job creation, and training. It was designed to try to enhance the quality of all American life, and to do so with as much community control as possible." (5) It provided the "...first-ever national program of health benefits for the poor and the elderly." (5)

5. Neuffer, Elizabeth. "Grand Plan Was More Than Welfare," (Denver, Colorado) Boston Globe, May 17, 1992.

Realistically, poverty will always be in existence somewhere, but "War on Poverty" was created to try and eliminate as much as possible. The program did cost huge amounts of money, which came from the taxpayers. The question is, was the cost worth the effectiveness and results of the program? This all depends on the point of view an individual decides to take. I believe that this battle against poverty did many great things. It did wonders to people whose lives changed for the better. It reached into the hearts of American citizens everywhere, and asked

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Approximate Word count = 1128
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous