To what extent could we regard Kennedy’s New Frontier programme to be a success?
Area of focus Was it mentioned in What pieces of legislation
Kennedy’s acceptance did he pass in attempting to
speech in July 1950? meet his New Frontier aims
of 1960? List them below
Employment 1961 – Area Development
Act provided $394 million
over 4 years to aid areas such
YES as Appalachia (mining town)
needed support.
26 000 new jobs were
‘Unemployed miners and created by the 1961 act and
textile workers know that helped 15 000 people
the decision is before
them’ 1962 – Development and
Training Act – job training
for the poorly educated
Equal Pay act in 1963
1961 – committee on equal
employment opportunity
(black)
1961 – Manpower
Development and Training
Act
Housing 1961 – Omnibus Housing
YES Act
Congress granted $5 billion
‘families without a decent for existing programmes like
home’ housing, urban renewal and
loans.
Education
YES 1963 – Higher education
facilities act
Continuity of School lunches
– 700 000 more kids fed.
Healthcare/Social Care Welfare program – increase
YES the minimum wage from $1
per hour to $1.25 per hour.
‘The old people without 1963 – Equal Pay Act aimed
medical care, the families to give men and women the
without a decent home, same pay.
the parents of children
without a decent act’ Planned to increase social
security taxed by 0.25% to
pay medical care for the poor
and elderly
Increased school lunch and
Analyse this legislation: Evidence that Kennedy met his New Frontier
aims
New jobs were created to a wider range of people.
Federal aid was spent on projects to introduce training programmes to make
sure the workers were skilful.
Created 26000 jobs and helped 15 000 people.
Proportion of federal jobs to black Americans.
Recruited 12 600 trainees.
Congress voted $4.8 billion to fund housing projects for the poor
Biggest area of success for Kennedy
$145 mill for graduate schools in science and engineering
Wide distribution of book for schools.
700000 kids enjoyed a daily free lunch.
Welfare was extended and programmes were created to help the lower class
in society by providing them with ways to increase their income.
There was an overall positive direction towards social change which was
highlighted by Kennedy in his speech – overcoming national problems.
Analyse this legislation: Evidence that Kennedy did not meet his
New Frontier aims
An attempt to provide an extra $455 million in 1963 was blocked in
Congress by the conservative coalition - not full support for his
domestic policies.
Congress poorly funded some projects and refused to re-authorise
the Area redevelopment act in 1963.
Equal Pay Act was ironic as Kennedy was the first US president to
have no females in his cabinet.
5 million people were still unemployed.
Equal Pay Act was not effective – no enforcement powers.
Black unemployment still twice as high as whites, due to the role of
Southern Democrats and Republicans.
Little effect on employment – increases access to training only.
In 1961 and 1962, the department of urban affairs and housing
rejected Kennedy’s request to halt urban decline.
School Assistance Bill – asked for $2.3 billion over 3 years to
construct new schools and increase salaries, excluding church school
to not seem biased. This was rejected by Congress.
Not everyone benefitted from the rise in minimum 1963 wage
including blacks, 150 000 laundry workers, hospital services and
school services. – role of Southern Democrat Carl Vinson of
Georgia.
There was still poverty despite the subsidies to farmers.
There was a greater focus on helping the USA recession compared to
alleviating poverty.
Southern Democrats in Congress made it difficult for the acts to
affect black people.
 milk programmes

1961 – Social Security Benefits expanded for elderly and disabled.

Amendments Act 1963 – elderly healthcare rejected

Food stamp programme Kennedy aimed to increase social security taxes by 0.25% to help
pay for Medicare for the poor.
1962 – Food and Agriculture Attempt killed off in Congress by Wilbur Mills – Southern
Act Democrat from Arkansas

Kennedy said – ‘Who gives a shit if the minimum wage is $1.15 or

$1.25’
Civil Rights

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