Social Reform: 1960-1970

By the 1950’s, America’s illusively plaid appearance was being disrupted by a growing multitude of problems: increasing visibility of poverty, rising frustrations from African American communities, and a growing angst concerning America’s position in the world. In response, the United States’ leaders sustained their constitutional promise to promote the general warfare of society, by confidently indorsing policies that directly attacked these problems-to the best of their ability. When President Lyndon Johnson, Kennedy’s successor, sworn into office, he believed in the active use of power and legislation. “Between 1963 and 1966, he compiled the most impressive legislative record of any president since Franklin Roosevelt” (Brinkley 784). Among

There are many different factors Medicare has impacted the healthcare system. For starters, when they started Medicare up in 1965 there were a lot of the elderly without insurance. Unfortunately, this was due to the cost of insurance, and the coverage. Which in fact, having no insurance left our elderly vulnerable to chronic illness and other illness that could have been avoided. “Since the amendment of Social Security created Medicare, in 1965 only about 1% of elderly Americans are without health insurance.

Thousands on thousands of people were lacking the means to provide shelter, food, and clothing for themselves yet alone their families. The Federal government knew about the conditions the African Americans were in and did little to nothing assist the needy. Infections even minor ones left former slaves with the burden of unpaid medical bills or the lack of ability to access the proper medical care that they needed. Shortages of these things caused African Americans to resort to the treatment of the diseases with herbal and home remedies that have been pasted down or figured out by themselves by trial and

There was no need for the State to intervene in this relationship" (Berkowitz, 2008, p. 82). It was not until President John F. Kennedy began the push for a national health care plan in 1961 that Medicare received significant political support (Berkowitz, 2008). However, the bill introducing Medicare was defeated in 1962. Many legislators felt the initiative lack support in the private sector. According to Berkowitz, New York Senator Jackob Javits was one of those politicians who continually lobbied for the private sector to be given continued consideration in new health care legislation.

“In the late 1800 and early 1900's, infectious diseases were the most serious threat to health and well being.” Until the late 1900’s the leading cause of death was communicable diseases. As doctors gain more knowledge about medicine the death rate of those disease has substantially decreased. The three main illnesses of the 1800’s-1900’s were scarlet fever, tuberculosis, and chicken pox, yet a positive outcome from these horrendous sicknesses were antibiotics, remedies, and vaccines. Scarlet Fever was one of the many illnesses in the 1800’s.

Since the progressive movement was all about beating down the political corruption of the party bosses and political machines. And since Mrs.Roosevelt was the face for the government, you would image there would be lots of chaos and controversy surrounding that. With her extreme power she was able to spread what was happening. She had brought up Social reformers such as Jane Addams and W. E. B. DuBois who argued that education and intervention could improve the lives of the underprivileged. Making their names more noticeable and crediting them for what they have done. And brought down muckrakers such as Jacob Riis and Ida Tarbell as their works were designed to lighten those who lived in a far enough away distance from slums of Chicago or

Teddy Roosevelt proved not only to be an economic reformist but also a social reformist as he transitioned from trust-busting into directly benefitting and protecting the lives and wellbeing of consumers. Before any reforms took place, however, Roosevelt noticed that American meet was being shut out of European markets due to it being unsanitary. This problem along with Upton Sinclair’s novel, The Jungle, drew the major problems of sanitation and working conditions right to Roosevelt’s eye. Therefore, in an attempt to correct this problem, Roosevelt with help of Congress passed the Meat Inspection Act of 1906 which said that the preparation of meat would be inspection by the federal government when transferred over state lines. This act not

Health care should not be considered a political argument in America; it is a matter of basic human rights. Something that many people seem to forget is that the US is the only industrialized western nation that lacks a universal health care system. The National Health Care Disparities Report, as well as author and health care worker Nicholas Conley and Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), strongly suggest that the US needs a universal health care system. The most secure solution for many problems in America, such as wasted spending on a flawed non-universal health care system and 46.8 million Americans being uninsured, is to organize a national health care program in the US that covers all citizens for medical necessities.

For both the uninsured group and those who are eligible for government assistance because of their low economic position, access to health is limited by the number of private providers willing to treat them. In many cases private providers are linked to particular private health insurance companies and won 't accept patients outside their network. These people must then rely on the overburdened public health system for care, and as such usually only seek treatment in emergencies. The public health system, while filled with competent staff, is nevertheless restricted by its funding and can therefore not always provide all these patients with the best quality of care. The inequality in health care access is a continuing issue in America and as such it is important for future consumers and workers on the Foothill College campus to have a thorough understanding of the issue so they can move to improve the problem in the

“Healthcare Reform 101,” written by Rick Panning (2014), is a wonderful article that describes, in an easy-to-understand language, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law March 23, 2010. The main goal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was to provide affordable, quality healthcare to Americans while simultaneously reducing some of the country’s economic problems. Two areas will be covered throughout this paper. The first section will include a summary of the major points and highlights of Panning’s (2014) article, including an introduction to the ACA, goals of the signed legislation, provided coverage, and downfalls of the current healthcare system. The second part will be comprised of a professional

ome significant reform movements that impacted society were Labor reform and women's rights. In the 1900’s, particularly 1910 women were not respected and seen as second-class citizens. Woman were brought up as children to learn to serve others and focus on the men before there own. They were expected to be full time wives and mothers, and not having an option on how to live. Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Lucy Stone, and Ida B. Wells are some of the woman who started reforms for woman suffrage. They basically protested against men and the american government so they have the rights to vote and be able to choose how they live rather than being forced to serve their men.

In the twentieth century, America focused on responding to problems that emerged during the transformation from a rural agriculture society into an urban industrial one. A theme that sparked all Progressive reform was to use government for social welfare, rather than letting issues cure on their own. During this era, each state served as laboratories for democracy. By using government as an agent, reformers attacked child labor, corporate corruption, poverty, etc. Reformers attacked child labor, corporate corruption, over working etc. Progressives strived to improve the quality of urban life through parks and recreation, housing, poor relief, work safety, health care, etc. For example, Johnson, a mayor of Cleveland, reformed the police department

During the Progressive Era, a period of reform in the early twentieth century sparked by rapid industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, three presidents raced to improve our country in three different areas. These men being Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, and Woodrow Wilson, three progressive presidents who tackled attacking big businesses, the abuse of the working class, and environmental destruction. Although all three of the progressive presidents made many efforts of reform during this time period, Theodore Roosevelt was the most overall progressive president, for he gained control of corporations, fought for consumer protection, and conserved many natural resources using his “Square Deal” policy.

During the 20th century There were various social and profitable changes that the American society had underwent. These changes included modifications in technology and science, government roles, gender roles, health and wellbeing, and the conceptions of freedom. Progressive reformers desired to cast out corruption that was in the government, adjust some of the business forms, approach health threats, and boost the working conditions. Reformers also made a stand to provide the public with better direct control to be over the government through straightforward primaries that proposed candidates for the public office, absolute elections of senators, women’s suffrage, and recall. By the opening of the 20th century, libeling journalists were beginning to cause an uproar of the mishandling of child labor laws, fraudulency in the city’s

The AIDS epidemic began in the 1980’s and the effects of it were seen all around the globe. Each country led their own unique approach to preventing and curing AIDS, and some strategies worked better than others. The Australian response to AIDS can be considered world leading due to their multifaceted approach against the disease. Australia was successful in educating all people while simultaneously researching ways to cure the disease. Australia made a concerted effort to fight the both the physical disease itself, as well as the social stigma associated with it.