Cover not available

In:Political Argumentation in the United States: Historical and contemporary studies
David Zarefsky
[Argumentation in Context 7] 2014
► pp. 303–322

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload Book PDF
authorization required

The Great Society as a rhetorical proposition

Published online: 24 September 2014
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/aic.7.15ch15
The Great Society programs of President Lyndon Johnson reflected commitment to the quality of life, the idea of affirmative action, and the government’s role as stimulant and guarantor of social change. Obstacles to adopting the programs were overcome by employing conservative themes, claiming a moral imperative to act, and distinguishing the Great Society from other programs, particularly welfare and race-based programs. This rhetorical stance secured the adoption of numerous Great Society programs even in the absence of a groundswell of public support.
References (46)
Alinsky, S.D. (1971). Rules for radicals. New York: Random House.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bitzer, L.F. (1968). The rhetorical situation. Philosophy & rhetoric, 1:1–14.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Borst, P.W. (1968). President Johnson and the 89th Congress: A functional analysis of a system under stress. Ph.D. dissertation, Claremont College.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bowles, C. (1964). Memorandum to the President. Statements of Lyndon Baines Johnson, Box 25, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, December 24.
Carley, J.W. (1964). Memorandum to Adam Yarmolinsky and Wilson McCarthy. “Poverty” folder, Bill Moyers Files, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. July 30.
Daley, R.J. (1964). Testimony, Economic Opportunity Act hearings.
Evans, R. & Novak, R. (1965). The Yarmolinsky affair. Esquire, pp.80–82, 122–123. February.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gettleman, M.E. & Mermelstein, D., ed. (1967). The Great Society reader: The failure of American liberalism. New York: Random House.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Goldman, E.F. (1965). Cable to Mrs. Johnson. Statements of Lyndon Baines Johnson, Box 25, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. January 16.
. (1969). The tragedy of Lyndon Johnson. New York: Knopf.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Goodwin, R. & Moyers, B. (1964). Memorandum to the President. Statements of Lyndon Baines Johnson, Box 14, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. May 18.
Heller, W.W. (1963). Memorandum to the Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Labor, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, Director of the Bureau of the Budget, and Administrator of Housing and Home Finance Agency. Legislative background, Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, War on Poverty, Box 1, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library.
Heller, W.W. & Gordon, K. (n.d.) The Office of Economic Opportunity during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, unpublished administrative history, p.16, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library.
Johnson, L.B. (1965). Public papers of the presidents: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963–64. 2 vols. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1966). Public papers of the presidents: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965. 2 vols. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1971). The vantage point: Perspectives of the presidency, 1963–1969. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kearns, D. (1976). Lyndon Johnson and the American dream. New York: Harper and Row.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Keppel, F. (1964a). Memorandum to Anthony J. Celebrezze. Executive file SP 2-3/1965/ED, Box 65, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. December 1.
. (1964b). Memorandum to Anthony J. Celebrezze, transmitted to Bill Moyers. Executive file SP 2-3/1965/ED, Box 65, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library.
Kilduff, M. (1965). Letter to Jack H. Hamilton. General File SP 3-28, Box 36, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. January 29.
Lampman, R.J. (1963). Memorandum to Walter W. Heller. Legislative Background, Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, War on Poverty, Box 1, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. June 10.
Landrum, P. (1964). Testimony, Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, Hearings.
Leuchtenburg, W.E. (1966). The genesis of the Great Society. Reporter, April 21, pp. 36–39.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mechanic, D. (1978). Ethics, justice, and medical care systems. Annals of the American academy of political and social science, 437:76. May. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Moyers, B. (1964). Memorandum to Adam Yarmolinsky. Legislative background, Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, War on Poverty, Box 2, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. February 28.
. (1965). Personal-confidential letter to Chester Bowles. Statements of Lyndon Baines Johnson, Box 25, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, January 18.
President’s Speech on the Great Society (n.d.). Statements of Lyndon Baines Johnson, Box 14, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library.
Reedy, G.E. (1968). Memorandum to Juanita Roberts, Executive File SP 3-28, Box 36, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. September 13.
Reuther, W.P. (1964). Testimony, Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, Hearings, vol. 1, p.422.
Scott, R.L. (1973). The conservative voice in radical rhetoric: A common response to division. Speech monographs, 40:123–135. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Shriver, S. (1964a). Point of the lance. New York: Harper and Row.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1964b). Speech to National Chamber of Commerce Congressional breakfast. “Poverty – Speeches” folder, Richard Goodwin files, Box 24, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. April 28.
Some notes on a program of human conservation. (1963).Unsigned; marked in corner “C.L. Schultze.” Legislative background, Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, War on Poverty, Box 1, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. November 2.
Spivak, J. (1964). War-on-poverty planners seek new agency to direct program, rise in proposed funds. Wall Street journal, p. 2. March 3.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Statement by the President on the Great Society. (1964). Cabinet meeting, November 19. Executive File WE 9, Box 25, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library.
Statements of Lyndon Baines Johnson. (n.d.).Box 14, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library.
Stelzner, H.G. (1977). Ford’s war on inflation: A metaphor that did not cross. Communication monographs, 44:284–297. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Stevens, R. & Stevens, R. (1974). Welfare medicine in America: A case study of Medicaid. New York: Free Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tower, J.G. (1964). Senate statement. Congressional record, 110:16616. July 22.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tucker, R.R. (1964). Economic opportunity act of 1964. Hearings, U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, Subcommittee on the war on poverty program. 88th Congress, 2nd session, Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. Vol. 2, p. 787.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Udall, S.L. (1964). Economic opportunity act of 1964. Hearings, U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, Subcommittee on the war on poverty program. 88th Congress, 2nd session, Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. Vol. 1, p. 36.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Valenti, J. (1963). Memorandum to Theodore Sorensen. Statements of Lyndon Baines Johnson, Box 11a, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. December 24.
Why should conservatives support the war on poverty? (1964).Executive file WE 9, Box 25, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. May 26.
Wirtz, W.W. (1964a). Economic opportunity act of 1964. Hearings, U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, Subcommittee on the war on poverty program. 88th Congress, 2nd session, Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. Vol. 1, p. 184.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1964b). Memorandum to Bill Moyers. Legislative background, Economic opportunity act of 1964, war on poverty, Box 2, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. February 29.
Zarefsky, D. (1977). President Johnson’s war on poverty: The rhetoric of three “establishment” movements. Communication monographs, 44:352–373. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue