The most noticeable surviving act is the Social Security Act, which was part of the Second New Deal, made up of long-term relief policies as opposed to the First New Deal’s immediate relief policies. The Social Security Act established pensions, unemployment insurance, and welfare for the disabled. It was the first program of its kind, giving an economic relief to the elderly, unemployed, disabled, and dependent. A recent survey conducted by the National Academy of Social Insurance states that social security support “cuts across political parties, age groups, income levels, and race and ethnicity” ("Public Opinions on Social Security", 2012).
Similar to the New Deal, President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted the Great Society programs from 1964-65. Great Society was passed partly to avoid an impending recession by enacting tax cuts, but also to fight racial segregation, eliminate poverty, allow welfare recipients health insurance through Medicaid, and included a number
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The act also put an end to racial segregation in schools. The law was difficult to enforce and was met with resistance from business owners who claimed that congress had no rights under the constitution to ban segregation in privately owned establishments. The Voting Rights Act was passed during Great Society to protect the constitutional right to vote of racial minorities under the Fifteenth Amendment (United States Const. amend. XV, sec. 1). Often in the South, African Americans were denied the right to vote by racially discriminatory registrars. African Americans would be turned away at the polls for failing arbitrary literacy tests, character vouchers, and a fictional poll tax that excluded the poor. The Voting Rights Act was challenging to enforce, but it was a necessary step to give every United States citizen the equal chance to make his or her voice
African Americans were definitely rejected equal opportunities by adding poll tax when you register to vote. Poll Tax is the tax that you have to pay to vote. Since African Americans were receiving teensy payments, it was difficult to obtain a normal living standard life and vote at the same time.
The Great Society were aimed at answering many questions regarding to the economy, such as those asked in Document A. Health care was becoming unaffordable, and Johnson’s administration decided it was the government’s responsibility to provide affordable health care. The creation of medicare provided health care to the elderly, and medicaid provided health care to low income families. These creations were effective, as they still stand today. Johnson was also a supporter for the Civil Rights Act proposed by Kennedy. His support leading to the passing of it in 1964.
When Congress passed the fifteenth amendment African Americans were given the right to vote, however state legislatures created laws to deter the undesirable vote from African Americans. The country sediment was to not have any undesirable or what they considered non American people voting. That is why when the Civil Rights Act of 1866 passes, it granted citizenship not rights to vote. Children of immigrants were also not considered qualified to vote. This society felt that the only eligible voters should be American men, because they considered themselves as superior and denied immigrants, blacks and women to vote to uphold social hierarchy. Each state varied in voter prerequisites and while there was not a specific guideline, there were restrictions to exclude certain members of
The Great Society programs did succeed in remedying many of the socioeconomic problems of the decade, as seen in the declining of the poverty
“I gave a little blood on that bridge in Selma, Alabama for the right to vote. I’m not going to stand by and let the Supreme Court take the right to vote away from us [African Americans]” –John Lewis. Within 100 years, African Americans overcame many obstacles such as paying poll taxes, passing multiple tests, and violence to be able to vote. They had to pay taxes, such as poll taxes. They also had to pass multiple tests, such as the Property and Literacy tests. Violence was also an obstacle African Americans had to face in order to vote.
Voting right were really big issues for African Americans. The south made three restrictions to stop them. The south added poll taxes, which made the blacks pay to vote. The grandfather clause was an southern agreement, which stated if your grandfather voted you can vote. Also they added a literacy test, because they knew African Americans couldn’t read or write.
Unfortunately, Blacks faced more struggles than just voting. A few years after the Reconstruction era, a black man by the name of Homer Plessy wanted to board a train. The conductor refused to let him on because there were separate train cars for whites and nonwhites. Plessy argued that he could exercise his right from the fourteenth amendment, and took it to the courts (Schmidt, Shelley & Barder, 2014-2015, p. 95). In the 1896 U.S Supreme Court case Plessy vs. Ferguson the court ruled that blacks were “separate but equal” and that segregation did not interfere with the 14th Amendment. (History.com, Plessy v. Ferguson, 2009 ). This ruling sparked the era of Jim Crow laws, for which public facilities like schools, bathrooms and water fountains
“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting.” In the 1880’s poll taxes and literacy requirements that afterward advocated African Americans to vote. Meanwhile Klan violence frightens from police and employers, blacks were still “protesting”about voting rights. As a result, there were over two dozen blacks serving in state congress across some
In order to limit the voting rights of African Americans, there were poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses were created. The poll taxes was an annual taxes, for those who wanted to vote.
Despite what many might think, the voting rights act of 1965 is well known across hundreds of nations all over the world. The voting rights act of 1965 has been around for several centuries and has a very important meaning in the lives of many. This act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965. He aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote under the 15th amendment to the Constitution of the United States. It is a landmark piece of federal legislation that prohibits this racial discrimination. This document is just as big and important as the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. It would be safe to assume that voting rights act of 1965 is going to be around for a long time and will have an enormous impact on the lives of many people in times to come. The voting acts of 1965 created positive and negative changes for America. But, why was this law created, when was it put into effect, and what effect did it have on the U.S.?
The goal of the 1957 Civil Rights Act was to ensure that all Americans could exercise their right to vote. By 1957, only about 20% of African Americans were registered to vote. Despite comprising the majority population in numerous counties and Congressional districts in the South, most blacks had been effectively disfranchised by discriminatory voter registration rules and laws in those states since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Civil rights organizations had collected evidence of discriminatory practices, such as administration of literacy and comprehension tests, poll taxes and other means. While the states had the right to establish rules for voter registration and elections, the federal government found an oversight role in ensuring
The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed saying that every man would have the right to vote regardless of their race. It was meant to give the right to vote to the African American citizens. Even after this was passed however, states in the South were still able to find ways to keep African Americans from voting. It was easy to still deny their right to vote because the amendment only says that laws cannot be made making race a requirement for voting. The most effective barriers created by the South to prevent African Americans from voting were grandfather clauses, poll taxes, and white-only primaries because they were legal and therefore did not directly keep a certain race from voting.
The Social Security Act of 1935, signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, created a program that included social insurance programs, as well as public assistance. Both programs came about due to the depression and were created as part of the New Deal to benefit the citizens who needed assistance. While both programs were created to assist the public, each program had different eligibility requirements and accomplished different tasks.
The Act has undergone several changes and additions since its passage, but the U.S. Supreme Court found a key provision of the Act unconstitutional in 2013. The act significantly widened the franchise and is considered among the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history.” (Staff 3). In the article, Voting Rights Act, author Staff states, “The Voting Rights Act, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson (1908-73) on August 6, 1965, aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote under the 15th Amendment (1870) to the Constitution of the United States.” (Staff 2). Even though all these efforts and laws were made to give everyone a fair and equal chance to vote, there are still many restrictions and setbacks everywhere in today 's society and the major ones are Voter ID laws, Voter registration restrictions, State felon disenfranchisement policies, Purging of Voter Rolls, Transgender Disenfranchisement, Disinformation about Voting Procedures, Inequality in Election Day Resources, and Caging Lists.
Social Security is a real concern, as we know the forecast for social security is very bleak. The system is running out of money and currently there is no backup plan in place. This personally impacts me because I have family members who depend on the additional monthly income. If they do not have this benefit they cannot meet their finical responsibilities, which may require family members to assist them with monthly expenses. This might cause a domino effect in the finances of the family members who are assisting. Many American citizens do not have extra money in their budgets. Due to the strained American economy over the past ten plus years many responsible citizen have depleted their savings account and some also their retirement funds