Kennedy won election to the presidency in 1960, one of the closest elections in American history. Kennedy announced a bold domestic agenda of reducing poverty and advancing civil rights. He did, however boost economic growth by advancing a series of sweeping individual and business tax reductions in 1963. Mr. Kennedy served in the Navy during World War II, earning the Navy and Marine Corps Medals and the Purple Heart. Following the war, he was elected to the United States Congress for three terms and to the United States Senate twice.In Kennedy’s Inaugural address he states, “And so, my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country”. This address impacted the citizens because it inspired them to new possibilities. Also, it raised their goals of themselves, and of their nation. People joined the Peace Corps, Green Berets, and hundreds of people went to Washington to be part of the “New Frontier”. In addition, students went to law school or into programs with social benefit. All across the country, Kennedy’s words changed lives. Kennedy played a major role in revolutionizing American politics. Television began to have a real impact on voters and long, drawn-out election campaigns became normal. Dr. Christopher Campbell, a director of the Southern Miss school of Mass Communication and Journalism states, “I guess most people consider Kennedy the first T.V. president, and I agree.” Kennedy got a great mass of his votes …show more content…
Johnson came into office after the assassination of John F. Kennedy because he was his vice president. He advanced the Kennedy legacy, and held far more than Kennedy would likely have gotten out of Congress, and then won a huge landslide victory for himself and his party. President Johnson’s administration also extended the New Deal of Franklin Roosevelt, including aid to education, Headstart, Medicare, and Medicaid. All of the programs are still significant today. Also, Johnson’s administration passed a never seen amount of legislation, with much of it designed to protect the nation’s land, air, water, wilderness, and quality of life. This was to keep Americans safer and the United States from becoming uglier and dirtier. Johnson also pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 through Congress. In Johnson’s “We Shall Overcome” speech he states, “Our fathers believed that if this noble view of the rights of man was to flourish, it must be rooted in democracy. The most basic right of all was the right to choose your own leaders. The history of this country, in large measure, is the history of the expansion of that right to all of our people.” This quote from Johnson’s speech overall justifies that all American citizens should no matter what have the chance and opportunity to