Although economic growth, social security, and the education system were all problems of similar magnitude as in recent years, differences included:
- Continuing the "electrification" of U.S. farm and rural areas that had begun in the 1930s. Kennedy and Nixon agreed in their first debate that this process remained a focus.
- The Civil Rights movement, alluded to in the Kennedy/Nixon debate. This decade saw civil disobedience increase, culminating with the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968. Although Kennedy is most closely linked with this policy, Johnson's "Great Society" called for an elimination of racial injustice as well.
- Communism was still considered a major threat to domestic security.
- In 1960, Kennedy was pushing for an increase in the minimum wage to $1.25 per hour (it had failed while he was in the Senate).
- The Vietnam War, as well as Civil Rights issues, caused major protests and demonstrations. Sit-ins and students strikes were fairly common events on college campuses. Domestic policy about how to handle these protests varied, but were often heavy-handed and led to further violence. Colelge-age males were subject to a military draft compelling service.
- Lyndon Johnson's "war on poverty" as part of the Great Society. The long-lasting effects are school funding, Medicare and Medicaid.
- Consumer Affairs became a focal point for the federal government. The government stepped in to regulate safety issues as diverse as tobacco advertisement to children's flame-retardent sleepwear.
- The environment was also targeted for protection during the Johnson administration. In a larger scope, this included air and water pollution regulations. On a smaller scale, the first lady's "Highway Beautification" bill explained that highway litter was not a good thing and that wildflowers were good.
I'm sure there are more - the sixties were a period of great change and social upheaval.
Source(s):
http://www.archive.org/details/Kennedy-Nixon_first_debate_09_26_1960
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Society


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