The Impact Of President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society
President Lyndon Johnson wanted to improve the lives of Americans in every section of the country. In his “Great Society” legislation there were four Acts that I believe had the greatest long term effect on Americans; the Medicare Act, the Medicaid Act, the Higher Education Act, and the Housing and Urban Development Act. The Medicare Act funded medical cost to the elderly, the funds were to be financed out of the social security system. In addition to the Medicare Act, the Medicaid Act was established to help fund the needy of all ages. Consequently, both the Medicare and Medicaid Acts were enacted on July 30, 1965. The Higher Education Act of 1965 appropriated $650 million for scholarships for needy students attending colleges or universities.
The Housing and Development Act of provided federal assistance for construction of low-rent housing and renewal of cities to make communities look more attractive.