I was entering my 20's when President Johnson pushed to enact the 'Great Society'. The Great Society was a collection of many different programs to address the shortcomings in our country. I like to think of it as the point where the government was putting into practice the 'Golden Rule'. It was a continuation of FDR's New Deal and today the Republicans hate it. It is the government that Grover Norquist wants to drown in the bathtub. To me, it is a better use of our tax dollars then fighting them there so we don't have to fight them here.
One of the initiatives was labeled the War on Poverty. Now this was a war I could get behind. Its goal was to end poverty in the US. President Johnson understood poverty because he saw it growing up. The main thrust was to eliminate hunger and deprivation. It was helping those among us who were not fortunate enough to be born into a prosperous family. It was aimed at those who were living on the margins of society. It was about making a difference for those who didn't have much of a chance to improve their lives. Some of the programs enacted were the Job Corps, Upward Bound, Head Start and Food Stamps.
The Great Society also recognized that education was the basis for improving one's life. Up until these time the federal government was not providing any significant federal aid to the states for public education. Besides the Head Start program monies were allocated to provide low-interest loans for students and help students with limited English-speaking ability.
Of course, the Great Society enacted Medicare and Medicaid. Even at the time this the AMA fought against it because it was "socialized medicine".
Some of the other programs included the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Urban Mass Transportation Act provide for large-scale projects with matching funds to cities and states. Much of the environmental programs like clean air and water, Wilderness Act and Endangered Species Preservation Act where part of this. Many consumer protection acts where started with the Great Society.
I will admit that I received help from some of these programs. I grew up in a 50's middle class home. We had a roof over our heads and food on the table. My family took a vacation in the summer. When I was out of high school I got low-interest loans for college and was qualified to receive food stamps. Indirectly the environmental acts helped provide a better place for me to live. I spent many years hiking in the wilderness areas and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. Today I own 20 acres of a 100-year-old cedar forest. My education has provided me with the opportunity to earn more than most dual income families.
I hate that fact that so much of my tax dollars are no longer helping the unfortunate among us. I hate the fact that our current government doesn't care about all of the American citizens. I hate the fact the laws have been passed that help the large corporations like the oil industry, the bankers, the pharmaceutical companies and the insurance companies. Much of the money that use to go to help citizens of the Great Society now goes to help those who need it the least.
My earnings put me in one of the highest tax brackets. I don't make enough to take advantage of the tax loopholes that the ultra rich enjoy. I won't mind paying and if the truth be know I would love to pay these taxed if they were used in a way that help other Americans. I am not a religious person but I believe that I should treat others as I would want to be treated myself. When I was just getting by and trying to improve my lot in life the Great Society provided me with help and hope. I do live better than my parents. My children are doing okay but I worry about my grandkids. I see opportunities that I was given would be there in the future.
This makes me sad.