LBJ will forever be one of my favorite presidents. He is such an interesting figure and man. I have loved the Caro biography about LBJ but they are so dense. I really liked that this book focused on LBJ's creation of The Great Society. Many of LBJ's contributions go miss-credited to FDR, LBJ's idol. This book is a great account of LBJ's finest contribution, The Great Society.

"We have the opportunity to move, not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society." Lyndon Johnson

I find that reading and reviewing books about recent history often is difficult for two reasons: not enough time has passed since the events themselves and our own opinions and thoughts about the event cloud our judgement. Keeping both of those things in mind, I found "Building the Great Society" to be a thoroughly documented, well written synopsis of Lyndon Johnson's inner sanctum, his dealings with Congress at the time and ultimately what became his legacy - The Great Society Legislation. 
Johnson was not a favorite president, he wasn't even well liked at the time. He gets blamed, often, for the US involvement in Vietnam and, to an extent rightly so since it was during his tenure that the war escalated. However, this book is not about foreign policy and the Vietnam War gets very little coverage. This is about Johnson's domestic policy for which he is not given nearly enough credit. 

It is important to remember that one of the most popular presidents had been assassinated, the world, including the US, was rushing head-long into a civil rights movement that was growing more violent by the day, and the Cold War had been escalated by both Eisenhower and the USSR. All of this was placed on Johnson's shoulders with the death of Kennedy. Building the Great Society walks us through the various pieces of legislation that, quite literally, put a grieving country back together again and through its expansion into social programs helped, not only the poor, the African Americans, but introduced the first vestiges of rights for women. As hard as it is to imagine or remember, prior to the 1960s, women were not allowed to have their own bank accounts, own their own property without having a man - husband, father, uncle - SOME MALE - cosign with them. When we think of domestic policy in the 60s, the very basic human rights that we take for granted today, simply did not exist then. Sadly, far too many Americans assume those rights always have and always will exist for all. Clearly, they have not and will not. 

I never was a fan of Johnson when I was younger. It is only recently - visiting his library, reading books such as this one - that I have come to understand his, and his wife's, contribution to America. Whether you like him or not, know nothing about his presidency or simply would like to know more, I highly recommend Building the Great Society. It is a thorough and unbiased look at the Johnson years.

Well written explanations and descriptions of what it was like in the Johnson White House, focusing on the actions and thought processes of the staff, and their interactions with President Johnson.

Already ordered a copy for my father in law. Great read. Johnson’s time in the White House was so great and at the same time so bad. Anyway want more of Robert Caro’s series should dive into this one,

BUILDING THE GREAT SOCIETY by Joshua Zeitz has been a real treat to read. I truly enjoyed seeing some of the "behind the scenes" politics and "wheeling and dealing" necessary to make change in the 1960's. This is a fascinating, if somewhat biased, look at the challenges, accomplishments, and social justice values associated with LBJ's Great Society and War on Poverty. One cannot help but contrast the described events with those in Washington, D.C. today. Zeitz notes that "LBJ's early success [was] owed in part to his mastery of legislative strategy, equally fundamental were the efforts of advocacy groups ... [and] Johnson benefited from a deep well of public support...." Amazingly, Johnson made 87 legislative requests in 1965, 84 were passed. The efforts of Johnson and his staff resulted in transformative programs like Medicare, Head Start, and funding for education and the arts, including PBS/NPR. In addition to passing The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, they addressed immigration reform. Many familiar names (Joseph Califano, Jack Valenti, Bill Moyers, Abe Fortas, Sargent Shriver and so on) appear in Zeitz's highly readable and narrative account. Extensively researched and footnoted, BUILDING THE GREAT SOCIETY aptly recalls a more hopeful, productive time in American history.

I received a free Kindle copy of  Building the Great Society by Joshua Zeitz courtesy of Net Galley and Penguin Viking the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review to Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google Plus pages.

I requested this book as I thave read a great deal about the Presidents of the United States. This is the second book by Joshua Zeitz that I have read (Lincoln's Boys).

This book is well written and an easy read. It covers LBJ's ascension to the Presidency, the development and implementation of "The Great Society" and its various programs (Civil Rights, Voting Rights, Medicare, Child Nutrition Programs, expansion of food stamps, etc.) and the downfall of his Presidency due to decisions revolving around the Vietnam War. It also covers his staff responsible for various parts of his goals - Bill Moyer, George Reedy, Joseph Califano and others.

The book is more enjoyable and interesting if you have not read a great deal about the Johnson Presidency. Other works provide greater depth and insights (Robert Caro's series comes to mind), but still is a good refresher of all of the good things that happened during his terms which are often overlooked due to Vietnam.

A fascinating look into the LBJ White House, Joshua Zeitz takes a close look at the personalities and policies that shaped Johnson’s Presidency. Many of these men (and they are almost all men) are familiar figures to those of us who were sentient during the Johnson administration, but the interplay of their personalities and particularly their relationships with the president are detailed and human.

Although Zeitz treats the passage of the Civil Rights Bill in detail, he doesn’t shed any new light on the transformation of LBJ from a typical southerner to an advocate of civil rights… a transformation that I still find baffling and fascinating.

Although much doubt can be cast on the means that the Johnson administration employed to end segregation and poverty and, there is no question in my mind that their aim was true, and the Democratic party is still struggling to understand and implement their goals. The highly poliitically disruptive tactics of Johnson’s team and the high costs and tenacity of the Vietnam war led to its ultimate downfall, but along the way they raised a generation of political activists equal to the founders.

The lessons of the Great Society are still with us. The deep class/racial resentment that fueled Wallace’s political campaign flared to hideous rebirth in 2016. History being the best teacher might have led to Trump being taken seriously, as was Goldwater. Zeitz spends some time at the end of the book discussing the parallels between the Nixon administration and the Trump administration, both follow-ons to deeply liberal presidencies, but the view is understandably foreshortened.

Interesting, however, not earth shattering. I much preferred Robert Caro's biography of LBJ. There just is not a lot of new ground covered here.

Lyndon Johnson is either the best president or the worst. His efforts on Civil Rights and The Great Society were politically risky and I'm convinced he accomplished more than Kennedy would have. But Vietnam...

Joshua Zeitz leaves that dilemma to the reader as he explores the inner workings and the personalities all around Johnson inside the White House. It's a revealing picture of what happened during the transition, then the in house debates over Civil Rights and Medicare and sneaking up from the shadows, Vietnam. For my money the most surprising profile was of Bill Moyers, who was a young aide who was rather serious and pious (he had been a preacher), but turned out to have a ruthless side when it came to handling the press and even the White House staff.

Building the Great Society is my appetizer before I tackle Robert Caro's multi volume biography of LBJ.

(Thanks to Penguin/Viking and NetGalley for a digital review copy.)

I was in Seventh grade in the spring of 1964 when I was asked who I was voting for in the mock election. I asked who was running.

"Well," I was told, "there's Barry Goldwater who wants war and may use the Atom bomb, and there's LBJ who wants to end poverty." 

I voted for LBJ, enchanted by his Great Society idealism.

I have been fascinated by President Johnson for years and have read multiple biographies him. My political awareness was formed under his presidency. I was a junior in high school when President Johnson gave his speech that ended announcing he would not seek reelection.

Building the Great Society by Joshua Zeitz is exactly the kind of book I enjoy, one that puts my personal memories into historical perspective, fleshed out with historical insight that I lacked at the time. I also appreciated learning how the programs impacted lives and the motivation behind their critics' desire to dismantle them.

*****
In 1963 America was at a pinnacle of economic boom, with the rise of the Middle Class and a huge increase in the Gross National Product. It was a time of fast food restaurants and power steering, electricity in every home powering refrigerators and televisions and stereos. My family had just moved to Metro Detroit, Dad seeking employment in the auto industry. Getting that job gave my family economic stability and badly needed health care.

At the same time millions of Americans were left behind in poverty, including populations in Appalachia and rural America. One-fifth of the population lived at or below the poverty line of $3,000 for a family of four. The majority of the impoverished were Caucasian, but a higher percentage of African Americans were impoverished--40%. And female headed households were 50% impoverished.

After assuming the presidency following the assassination of President Kennedy, President Johnson identified himself as a "Roosevelt New Dealer" who found Kennedy "a little too conservative." But his history of voting with the Dixiecrats against legislation addressing African American equality left many doubtful.

Zeitz paints a picture of Liberals' belief in the sustainability of the Great Society programs, writing that "the idea that the economy might someday stop growing rarely factored seriously into liberal thinking."

Government's impact in solving social ills was not a new idea. The New Deal Programs envisioned by President Johnson were rooted in the New Deal public works programs of President Roosevelt. "The War on Poverty" was an term first used by President Kennedy in a 1960 campaign speech. "The Great Society" was the title of a book by Walter Lippmann. President Johnson used the term "Great Society" in a speech at the University of Michigan in May, 1964, drafted by Richard Goodwin. 

According to Charles Roberts, Bill Moyers was the "Presidents' good angel, representing his conscience when there's a conflict between conscience and expediency." 

The Great Society programs were not instituted predominately for urban African Americans; that stereotype came later, from Republicans who were hostile to the programs.

Zeitz follows Johnson's presidency and the events of the time: the impact and legacy of the Great Society programs; the Viet Nam War siphoning money and energy away; Robert Kennedy's candidacy and assassination; riots and civil unrest at home; the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.; George Wallace and his platform of rage and hate (that gave my little brother nightmares!); and Nixon's secret campaign to sabotage Johnson's peace talks.

Nixon did not dismantle all the programs; many continued to thrive while other did not. It was a time of environmental awareness, and Nixon established the EPA and NOAA and addressed clean air and water issues.

The economic theories of the early 60s did not pan out. Poverty is still with us. But the Great Society programs have impacted society for the better, especially in areas of equality, access to food and health care. Zeitz warns that the Trump administration dismantling the Great Society programs may cause a backfire: "When the pendulum swings back, it may swing hard," with a more radical approach.

More than 'just' a history lesson, this book also informed me about the changing attitudes and policies concerning social issues and especially how we got to 'here', a time when Republican leaders are determined to dismantle the Great Society legacy. 

I received a free ebook from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.
LBJ




Building the Great Society: Inside Lyndon Johnson's White House by Joshua Zeitz is the story of LBJ’s grand plan for the United States.  Zeitz is the author of several books on American political and social history and has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, The Atlantic, Dissent, and American Heritage. Zeitz appeared as a commentator on two PBS documentaries – Boomer Century, and Ken Burns' Prohibition — and has commented on public policy matters on CNBC and CNN International. He has held faculty positions at Harvard, Cambridge, and Princeton and is the author of four books.

Today, Johnson is probably more associated with the Vietnam War than with his Great Society.  Zeitz looks at the president and his staff along with the Great Society and Civil Rights programs without making Vietnam the central point of the presidency.  The war does come into the book near the end, but the primary discussion is not the war. LBJ was a Texan and it showed in some very stereotypical ways.  He was gruff and used his power and favors owed to gain what he wanted.  He was not above intimidating his staff and opponents.  In one example while swimming with one of his senior staff, Johnson stopped at the right spot where his feet firmly touched the bottom of the pool but the shorter staff member needed to tread water while Johnson poked at the staffer’s chest and berated him.  Johnson always took a position of power.  He also enjoyed panicking guests by driving his (amphibious) car into the lake on his ranch while yelling that the brakes went out.  

Johnson could be a bully but he did have a soft spot.  He was a teacher in poor, primarily Mexican communities.  The racism and poverty had a deep effect on Johnson.  America was at its highest point of wealth and industry.  The vast richness of the United States should not be squandered.  All Americans should benefit.  Johnson spoke In a 1965 Speech at the signing of the Higher Education Act in San Marcos, TX:

I shall never forget the faces of the boys and the girls in that little Welhausen Mexican School, and I remember even yet the pain of realizing and knowing then that college was closed to practically every one of those children because they were too poor. And I think it was then that I made up my mind that this nation could never rest while the door to knowledge remained closed to any American.

Johnson worked on many programs that would seem out of place for his public image. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a project that evaded Kennedy.  Johnson used all his power and influence to push through the Act.  It became the starting point for his Great Society Program which became the 1964 campaign slogan.  Johnson believed that the Civil Rights Act had cost him and the Democrats the South. Johnson did, in fact, lose the Deep South (and Arizona) to Goldwater but carried the rest of the country.  He had a mandate for his Great Society.  The Voting Rights Act was pushed through despite resistance from southern leaders. He appointed Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court and Robert C. Weaver became the first African-American to hold a cabinet position. Head Start, Food Stamps, National Endowment for the Arts and the Federal Work Study Program all saw their start under Johnson.   Medicare, Medicaid, and public broadcasting all saw growth under LBJ.  Johnson’s Great Society did not come easily. Congress became conscious of costs, especially with the growing spending on Vietnam, and racial issues in southern states.  In the north civil rights was support in word but not always deed.  People would pay lip service to civil rights but resist desegregation of schools.  Much like the words of  Shakespeare’s Mark Antony, Johnson too seemed to have experienced "The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.”  Vietnam overshadowed the good Johnson accomplished.  He felt the unfairness and once remarked:

If one morning I walked on top of the water across the Potomac River, the headline that afternoon would read: "President Can't Swim.".

Zeitz gives the reader an inside look at the Johnson presidency.  His staff members and inner workings of the presidential policies are examined in detail.  Original source material and first-hand accounts as reference material make this book an excellent account of LBJ’s years as president.  Also, moving Vietnam to the backburner allows the read to see the “good” Johnson intended to accomplish with his presidency.  Personally, Johnson was far from perfect; professionally, too, he believed the ends sometimes justified the means.  An important work on the man who shaped modern liberal policy and improved the lives of many Americans.  

Available January 30, 2018