BIG BAD BILL
- Karen Levi
- May 22
- 2 min read
Finishing a post by Heather Cox Richardson, I am struck yet again by the contrast between the presidency of Lyndon Johnson and Donald Trump. Though most Baby Boomers disliked Johnson for escalating the Vietnam War (including myself), I am not sure they now recognize what he accomplished. President Johnson promoted a vision for the United States that belied his southern, rural roots. It is well known that during his presidency, numerous bills were passed into law which changed the trajectory of our country but also the mindset of millions of Americans.
The backlash was swift and severe, beginning with Nixon, Ford, through the Reagan years, the Bush presidencies, and ending with a crisis the likes of which our country has not experienced in my lifetime. Clearly, half of the public does not want change and is threatened by anyone taking their place. Due to their fear, they condone and allow reactionary individuals to halt progress in our country.
My father loved LBJ and warned against extreme right wing politicians in the 1960's. He was concerned about Senator Goldwater, Senator George Murphy, and the John Birch Society. No matter how hard liberals, Democrats, and moderate Republicans have fought for progress, we are essentially back in the 1920's. We are confronted with the 21st century version of Charles Lindberg, Henry Ford, and Father Coughlin.
I am repeating myself in this blog, as I am furious and heartsick that we have to go backwards--a waste of money and quality of life. With all of the strife we see in the world, the least our country could accomplish is to be a stable model for democracy, common sense, and value for human life. Certainly, the U.S. has perpetrated domestic and international abuses in the last 60 years.
Recently, I visited the Lyndon Johnson Library in Austin, Texas. As I walked around and read the various exhibits, I was reminded how his vision influenced my values and worldview. At the time, I did not realize this fact.
There were countless others who felt the same way as I did, and the expansion of the federal government by those of my generation proves the point. Lawyers, academics, statisticians, and political scientists--to name a few--became career civil servants. Maryland--and Montgomery county where I live--is filled with retirees from this period. These individuals, who are among my friends, devoted their careers to improving the country. They could have joined private enterprise and earned much more money and prestige. I worked for the local school system.
I am the first to admit that dealing with certain local and federal government offices can be maddening, demeaning, and humiliating. Change in our government has always been necessary; however, destroying the government and services is not a solution.
The BIG BAD BILL will affect all of us.
©2025 Karen Levi
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