Public Policy

Introduction

United States Presidents over the years have integrated different policies, which have had a critical influence on the wellbeing of American citizens. Every president’s wishes to live a very different legacy, which is based on their commitment to improving the lives of United States citizens. Policy development within the system has been specifically linked to a broader focus on essential measures that were integrated by different leaders. This paper will provide an integral focus on the development of domestic policy between the time of Lyndon B. Johnson and the time of Ronald Reagan. The strategic focus on the wellbeing of American citizens provided the basis where it was possible to integrate better elements to improve the development of the American society.

Implementation of Policy.

An important element that was considered by both Johnson and Reagan was the role of the government in the American economy and society. President Johnson focused on a high society program, which included a significant expansion of the welfare state, which represented the highest point of postwar liberalism. Reagan focused on a substantial rollback of government, which was a vital aspect in the conservative revolution in the 1980s. Thus, the role of government in developing a strong focus on positive societal development was based on a strategic understanding on critical concepts, which defined a highly successful integration of key measures, which define societal development.

President Johnson viewed the government as an important player in boosting economic and social development within the American society. Johnson observed the new deal projects such as the Tennessee valley authority (TVA) had a considerable influence on the wellbeing of American citizens where millions of American citizens who had been previously deprived of electrical power and job opportunities (Wilson et al., 2015). Thus, Johnson believed that government was an enabler, which provided the people with a huge chance for a decent life through government participation in implementing better societal policies. The government that had the power and resources to make changes within the society and thus the integrate important measures that help improve individual well-being. Therefore, the urgency of the integration of critical measure in promoting the role of government was to improve the lives of Americans through job creation and having decent lives.

President Reagan focused on rolling back the changes that Johnson had put in place in developing the government at the center of societal development. Reagan considered the government a burden especially in business and limited individual freedom. Reagan believed the welfare state created by Johnson as being very expensive and not adding any vital importance to the lives of Americans and did not focus on achieving the major poverty-related issues that it was meant to solve. The need for these changes was based on realigning the vital role that citizens play in shaping their development by limiting the influence of government on individual development as well as business.

Social, Economic and Political Environments.

The times that these policies were discussed in history provide focus on significant variations where there were different underlying measures, which were being evaluated. The underlying issues that were being considered at the time were based on social, economic and political engagement. The domestic policy integrated into these different administrations were based on the underlying elements that were being developed.

The Social Environment

During the Presidency of Lyndon Johnson from 1963 to 1969 was based on dealing with social differences that existed within the United States especially considering the critical influence of the civil rights movements, which lobbied for development of a similar social environment where it would be easier to achieve an improved social engagement. The government had an obligation to maintain the welfare of all citizens. Johnson, therefore, considered the government involvement in social development as a significant aspect that would help bridge the gaps that existed in the society (Wilson et al., 2015).

Reagan was a conservative, and he had very different views regarding the significant changes that Johnson had implemented regarding the involvement of the movement in improving the welfare of the citizens. Therefore, he sought to restrict the role of government in his domestic policy. Thus, the involvement of the government in social interactions was limited since it was viewed as a violation of individual freedom. He considered the great welfare state as being bloated, expensive and incompetent (Crafton, 2014).

Economic Environment.

Economic development is based on a critical focus on the ability to improve individual focus on important concepts that define economic growth. President Johnson focused on developing a strong focus on economic growth by empowering citizens through the development of useful developmental measure, which was able to deal with increasing level of unemployment. The focus on decent live among citizens was based on improving the economy through government interaction where it was possible to embrace positive societal change. The involvement of the government in transforming people’s lives (Rowland & Jones, 2017).

Reagan sought to integrate massive changes on the role of government in business. He considered the involvement of the government in business as a detrimental action, which limits economic development. Reagan sought to implement policies to reduce the regulations of the government to maintain a strong focus on essential elements that define a positive societal development (Rowland & Jones, 2017). Reagan considered low government participation in business as a very important element, which sought to promote positive societal development. As a conservative, he believed that the government had no role in defining strategic focus on economic growth since it was the role entrepreneurs and business agencies to make important business decisions, which would have a positive influence on economic growth.

Political Environment

The political environment during President Johnson's reign focused on the development of civil rights movements and their ability to influence the political atmosphere, and thus there is need to ensure that they integrated specific measures, which would provide a better focus on societal development. Better decision making was aimed at integrating a strong focus on key criteria, which improve positive development. President Reagan ascended to power at a time when political temperatures had cooled and thus had a better focus on transforming the political environment through the realignment of his domestic policy, which empowered citizens, rather than placing the government at the center of major decisions (Hinton, 2015).

Policy Effectiveness

Domestic policy is aimed at creating a critical focus on the needs of people through the definite integration of better measures, which promote an improved understanding of essential measures that define a successful societal development. The government has a crucial role in promoting the needs of the citizens, and thus its involvement does not limit individual wellbeing but strengthens positive development concepts, which define a successful societal development.

The domestic policy development under Johnson was essential considering that it focused on utilizing government resources in improving the well-being of citizens. However, Reagan integrated policy changes which limited the role of government in improving societal development which only enhanced the welfare of the upper class while forgetting about the needs of the low class who depend on the government intervention in improving their wellbeing.

References

Crafton, W. (2014). The incremental revolution: Ronald Reagan and welfare reform in the 1970s. Journal of Policy History, 26(1), 27-47.

Ellwood, J. W. (2018). Reductions in US domestic spending: how they affect state and local governments. Routledge.

Hinton, E. (2015). "A War within Our Boundaries": Lyndon Johnson's Great Society and the Rise of the Carceral State. The Journal of American History, 102(1), 100-112.

Johnson, B. (2017). From Triumph to Tragedy. The Leadership Capital Index: A New Perspective on Political Leadership, 63.

Rowland, R. C., & Jones, J. M. (2017). Reagan’s Farewell Address: Redefining the American Dream. Rhetoric & Public Affairs, 20(4), 635-666.

Wilson, R. H., Glickman, N. J., & Lynn Jr, L. E. (Eds.). (2015). LBJ's Neglected Legacy: How Lyndon Johnson Reshaped Domestic Policy and Government. University of Texas Press.