Question

What were the key aspects of Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society?

Answer 1

Enormous expense, egoistical thinking, and grotesque failure come to my mind. But you probably want to know the legislative components. I believe they were Medicare, Medicaid, the formation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which is still used by the Federal government and courts to interfere with redistricting in some states. Plus a large number of smaller bits and pieces, although which are actual components of the "Great Society" is arguable.

Anyway, here we are, 50 years and many $trillions later, and I'm not seeing much less poverty, a whole lot less discrimination, racism and sexism -- still less good opportunities for minorities and women to translate their own hard work and good ideas into personal success -- or anything, really, that I'd call a far greater society than what we had in 1965. Except we have iPads, I guess. iPads are very cool, and anyone from 1965 who saw one would be instantly jealous and want to move to the future right away.

There's a good Greek word for this kind of stuff: hubris. Hubris is amusing and ironic in plays. But it's a good deal less funny when you have to pay for it in declining standards of living, massive personal and national debt, and brutal taxes as far as the eye can see -- as you and every other person under age 20 will have to do.