History, present and future of BRIC countries

History, present and future of BRIC countries INTRODUCTION Our topic for research is BRIC issues, so firstly we must know what is BRIC. BRIC is a related acronym that refers to the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. This idea was incorporated by Brazilian president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva in June 2007. The basic reason for these four countries to come together was their common dissatisfaction the prevailing global economic and political order largely dominated by the US and her western allies. They have not been given the importance that these countries should have got in relation to their size and share in the economy. Its only the G-8 countries that decide for the future rules of global world order. So this was the reason for formation of the BRIC countries. The BRIC countries are also referred to as the big four as all of them are deemed to be at similar stage of economic development. The acronym was coined by Jim ONeill in a 2001 paper entitled The World Needs Better Economic BRICs. The following is the position of BRIC nations in relation to the world: Countries Share of world nominal GDP (%) Share of world military spending (%) Share of world population (%) Share of world landmass (%) Average share (%) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Flag_of_Brazil.svg/22px-Flag_of_Brazil.svg.png  Brazil 3.3 1.7 2.8 5.6 3.4 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg.png  China 9.3 6.6 19.5 6.2 10.4 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/22px-Flag_of_India.svg.png  India 2.3 2.4 17.3 1.9 6.0 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Russia.svg.png  Russia 2.4 3.5 2.1 10.9 4.7 According to Goldman Sachs, by 2050 the combined economies of the BRIC countries would eclipse the combined economies of the current richest countries in the world. The BRIC countries combined currently account for more than quarter of worlds land and more than 40% of worlds population. The economic potential of Brazil, Russia, India and China is such that they can become the top four dominant countries of the world by the year 2050. The following leaders were present at the summit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Lula_-_foto_oficial05012007_edit.jpg/80px-Lula_-_foto_oficial05012007_edit.jpg BrazilBrazil Luiz Inà ¡cio Lula da Silva, President http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Dmitry_Medvedev_official_large_photo_-5.jpg/86px-Dmitry_Medvedev_official_large_photo_-5.jpg RussiaRussia Dmitry Medvedev, President http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Manmohansingh04052007.jpg/78px-Manmohansingh04052007.jpg IndiaIndia Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Hu_Jintao_%28Cropped%29.png/107px-Hu_Jintao_%28Cropped%29.png Peoples Republic of ChinaChina Hu Jintao, President BRIC countries hold a combined GDP (PPP) of 15.435 trillion dollars. On almost every scale, they would be the largest entity on the global stage. These four countries are among the biggest and fastest growing emerging markets. In a paper Dreaming with BRICS: The Path to 2050, published in 2003, the following was estimated: Chinas economy will surpass the economy of Germany in the next few years, of Japan by 2015, and of the United States of America by 2041. The growth rate of India will be the highest and it will overtake Japan by 2032. BRICs currencies can appreciate by 300% over the next 50 years. Taken together, the BRIC countries can be larger than United States and the developed economies within 40 years. By the year 2025. The BRIC countries will bring about 200 million people with incomes above $15000 in the worlds economy. It is equal to the combined populations of Germany, France and United Kingdom. But according to the reports the economy of china overtook the economy of Germany in the year 2007 instead of the prediction of 2008 and Japan in the July 2010. ISSUES RELATING TO BRIC COUNTIES The first official BRIC summit was held on 16 June 2009, in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Luiz Inà ¡cio Lula da Silva, Dmitry Medvedev, Manmohan Singh, and Hu Jintao, the respective leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, all attended this summit. The main focus of this summit was to improve the current global economic situation and discussing how these four countries could work together in the future for the development of the world economy. They also discussed how these countries could be better involved in global affairs in the future. They also suggested that there was a need for a new global reserve currency that is diversified, stable and predictable. This statement was a kind of an attack on the dominance of the US dollar. The foreign ministers of all these countries had earlier also met on May 16, 2008 in Yakaterinburg. One week before their first official summit, Brazil had offered $10 billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which was the first time that the country had ever made such a loan. This loan showed how the economy of Brazil is growing and that it is in a good state now. China has also planned to invest a total of $50.1 billion and Russia planned to invest $10 billion. The following the major issues discussed by BRIC: Coping with the current international financial crisis: Discussions were held on issues such as the worlds reserve currency and some countries will try and adopt local currencies as settlement currency for bilateral trade so that they can overcome the impact of international financial crisis and facilitate trade contacts with other countries. The BRIC countries discussed ways to overcome the financial crisis that many parts of the world were facing as a result of the crisis that started in U.S. Coping with global climate change: Another important BRIC issue is to cope with global climate change. This is a very important issue because we need to ensure that the world becomes a better planet to live in. The concept of sustainable development was stressed in solving this problem. Sustainable development means that the resources should be used efficiently and effectively such that it is not only useful to the present generations but also available for the future generations. They also discussed that environmental issues should not be made an excuse to restrain the economic and social development of emerging economies. Environmental degradation should not hinder economic growth. The colloquium on Climate Change Law and Governance in South Asia, aims to inspire legal discussion within and between the BRICs countries. It is being jointly organized by the Environment Ministry of Government of India and the Geneva-based International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Development of second and third generation renewable energies The development of second and third generation renewable energies is a subject of common interest for all the countries. They also hope that more and more countries of the world will participate in the development and utilization of renewable sources of energy so as to facilitate economic development. World peace and security: World peace and security is a universal issue concerning the human race. Without peace and security economic growth and development cannot happen. The emerging markets should play a greater role among international multilateral institutions to improve the efficiency, vitality of international multilateral mechanism. Such countries can play a positive role to preserve the sovereignty of all countries as well as maintain world peace. BRIC cooperation will enhance the voice of developing nations: BRIC countries share common interests and concerns in international affairs and should consolidate cooperation. It is necessary for the BRIC countries to strengthen dialogue, coordination and cooperation to enhance the overall voice and influence of emerging markets and developing countries, and promote world peace, stability and universal development. BRIC countries demand more say in financial system reform: The BRIC countries have welcomed the expansion of the Balse committee that standard accounting bodies need to be set up. The BRIC ministers agreed that stabilization of international financial system through liquidity support and recapitalization is a priority. They are also taking measures to promote domestic demand in their national economies. The BRIC countries to play roles as new donors to Africa: Africa has plenty to gain from the growing involvement of China and other BRIC nations in trade and investment on the continent Need for changes in global institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank: The BRIC countries have realized the need for change in global institutions including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. There is also a need to update regulation of financial markets to avoid another global crisis. On matters relating to the IMF, the countries have agreed to aim at achieving a significant 7% shift in Quota shares in favour of EMDCs and New arrangement to borrow. For the World Bank, the nations discussed ways and means of enhancing the voice participation of developing countries and agreed to aim for a shift of a 6% of parity. They also supported an increase in capital for both the World Bank and its private lending arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Challenges in setting conditions for sustained growth: Brazil is the only nation where the growth rates have been less than expected. This is because Brazil is much less open to trade and it has lower investment and savings. The public and foreign debt is also very high. Unless these obstacles are removed, Brazil is unlikely to achieve the targets set for it. Environmental constraints: Environmental degradation is a critical risk to the economic rise of the BRIC nations. Global warming can have a bad impact on the rural incomes. Also urbanization and industrialization puts a lot of pressure on the environment. Many major cities like Shanghai, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro are vulnerable to rising sea levels. Resources issue: Russia and Brazil are resource rich nations but china and India have to depend a lot upon imports to fuel their growth. If commodity prices rise, it will have a lot of effect on their imports and hence their growth. If technology advances and reduces dependence on conventional energy sources, Russia and Brazil will face reduced prospects for growth. Demographics: The population of India is increasing at a very high rate while the population of Russia is at decline. Brazil and China have declining populations (in case of China due to one family one child policy). Population decline could be a significant constraint for Russia and China, though China could avoid this by relaxing the rules a bit. Structural constraints: All the BRIC countries have structural issues which need to be addressed. India needs significant economic reforms. Brazil saves and invests too little. Each country should invest at least that much to ensure that it has infrastructure to maintain growth. Iran: Brazil has expressed affinity with China towards the Iranian nuclear issue. Development: China has showed willingness to be a positive partner in global development saying The scale and complexity of the challenges that we face in the course of development are unmatched anywhere else in the world and have been rarely seen in human history. China is willing to be dedicated to peace and cooperation and is willing to make greater contribution to mankind. The above were most of the major BRIC issues which we have tried to explain through our research.

Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy Essay -- Philosophy of E

Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy As children we have many goals and dreams. Eventually, the time comes when we have to make a career decision based on our interests and goals. The choices that we make now will have a lasting effect on our lives. Like most college students I have explored many career options, but I am always lead back to the education field. Teachers have a very difficult job because they have the power to shape and inspire our future nation. Although that can be an intimidating and often scary thought, it also gives me inspiration to move ahead in pursuing my goal of becoming a teacher. I have always had a passion for children. There is nothing like watching a child grow and watching their mind expand as they learn. Teachers play such an important role in a child’s life. They are often the only one who is there to encourage and support them. If I can make a difference in only one child’s life, then I will have fulfilled my purpose of becoming a teacher. Teaching is not only about standing in front of a classroom and showing children how to work a math problem. It involves a whole different element of modeling for children morals such as respect for oneself as well as others, self-discipline, and a positive self-concept. There are many different personalities and levels of learning in a classroom. As a teacher, I plan to know each of my students personality, learning style, and academic level so that I can conform to these needs and create the best learning environment possible for all of my students. The definition of knowledge is the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association. The nature of... ...ssignments efficiently. I plan to graduate from Concord in the Spring 2004. After graduation, I plan to enter the masters program at either Concord or West Virginia University. At some point in my career I plan to continue my education and obtain my doctorate in education. The teaching profession offers many benefits in its teacher union, so I plan to join the teacher’s union wherever I will be employed. Teaching is a very rewarding career. I am very excited about completing my education and going into my own classroom. I hope that I can inspire my students and be a positive role model in their life. I want to be an effective teacher who brings out the best in my students; I want to show my students that they can do anything they put their mind to and I want to give them the confidence and the ambition to achieve their goals.

earthquake Essays -- essays research papers

Earthquakes have plagued our lives for as long as people have inhabited the earth. These dangerous acts of the earth have been the cause of many deaths in the past century. So what can be done about these violent eruptions that take place nearly with out warning? Predicting an earthquake until now has almost been technologically impossible. With improvements in technology, lives have been saved and many more will. All that remains is to research what takes place before, during, and after an earthquake. This has been done for years to the point now that a successful earthquake prediction was made and was accurate. This paper will discuss a little about earthquakes in general and then about how predictions are made. Earthquake, â€Å"vibrations produced in the earth's crust when rocks in which elastic strain has been building up suddenly rupture, and then rebound.†(Associated Press 1993) The vibrations can range from barely noticeable to catastrophically destructive. Six kinds of shock waves are generated in the process. Two are classified as body waves-that is, they travel through the earth's interior-and the other four are surface waves. The waves are further differentiated by the kinds of motions they impart to rock particles. Primary or compressional waves (P waves) send particles oscillating back and forth in the same direction as the waves are traveling, whereas secondary or transverse shear waves (S waves) impart vibrations perpendicular to their direction of travel. P waves always travel at higher velocities than S waves, so whenever an earthquake occurs, P waves are the first to arrive and to be recorded at geophysical research stations worldwide.(Associated Press 1993) Earthquake waves were observed in this and other ways for centuries, but more scientific theories as to the causes of quakes were not proposed until modern times. One such concept was advanced in 1859 by the Irish engineer Robert Mallet. Perhaps drawing on his knowledge of the str ength and behavior of construction materials subjected to strain, Mallet proposed that earthquakes occurred â€Å"either by sudden flexure and constraint of the elastic materials forming a portion of the earth's crust or by their giving way and becoming fractured.†(Butler 1995) Later, in the 1870s, the English geologist John Milne devised a forerunner of today's earthquake-recording device, or seismograph. A simple pen... ... warned that a major quake would occur along the New Madrid fault before the end of the year. Like most predictions of this type, it proved to be wrong. â€Å"Groundwater has also played an important part in earthquake predictions. A peak in radon in the groundwater at Kobe, Japan 9 days before the 7.2 earthquake cause quite a stir. Radon levels peaked 9 days before the quake, then fell below the normal levels 5 days before it hit.†(Monastersky July, 95) In North America, the series of earthquakes that struck southeastern Missouri in 1811-12 were probably the most powerful experienced in the United States in historical time. The most famous U.S. earthquake, however, was the one that shook the San Francisco area in 1906, causing extensive damage and taking about 700 lives.(Nagorka 1989) The whole idea behind earthquake predicting is to save lives. With the improvement in technology, lives have been saved. New ideas and equipment is starting to prove to be very helpful in pr edicting were and when an earthquake will strike. The time and research put into earthquake predicting has already started to pay off. It is only a matter of time before earthquakes will no longer be a threat to us.

History Class Presentation Essay

It is believed that Prussia achieved and secured dominance in Germany because of the role of Bismarck, who got rid of the opposition in the Parliament, strengthened the Prussian army, exploited Prussia’s economic development and won three wars to secure the unification of Germany. However, it is also argued that international scenes too, helped Prussia make a mark as the strongest nation in Europe. Firstly, Prussia managed to secure dominance in Germany due to Bismarck’s action to get rid of the opposition in the government in order to pass the Army Bill. The Army Bill was needed to prepare for the army by increasing their size, re-equipping the army as well as to increase the years of service from 2-3 years. Bismarck got hold of the Army Bill by withdrawing it from the parliament and collected taxes to fund the army. Thus, Bismarck’s role that got rid of opposition in the government made Prussia the strongest nation in Germany. Secondly, Prussia achieved and secured dominance in Germany by strengthening the Prussian army. He used the Army Bill to finance the army. Furthermore, he was also helped by War Minister Von Roon who ensured that Prussian army were increased in number, better trained and well armed. In addition, General Helmuth Van Moltke, Chief of the General Staff helped by becoming the brain of Prussian army, laying plans for mobilisation and military operations. Therefore, Prussia achieved and secured dominance in Germany by strengthening Prussian army. Thirdly, Prussia’s economic exploitation by Bismarck was believed to be one of the reasons why Prussia had managed to achieve and secure dominance in 1848-1871. Bismarck had managed to manipulate the already-existing custom union known as Zollverein that encouraged free trade within the nation where international tariffs was abolished. Currencies, systems of weights and measurements were unified to promote easy trading within the Zollverein states. Number of railway networks increased and they become more efficient providing better access to coal, iron and steel transportation. Hence, Bismarck’s economic reform became one of the reasons why Prussia was dominant in Germany. Lastly, Prussia had secured its dominance and made a mark as one of the strongest nation in Europe by winning three wars; Danish War, Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War. Firstly, Danish war broke out subsequently after King Fredrick of Denmark’s decision to incorporate Schleswig with Denmark which violated the Treaty of London (1852). Despite the disunity and hostility against each other, Austria and Prussia had worked hand-in-hand to defeat Denmark. As a result, Austria took control over Holstein and Prussia, Schleswig. During the Austro-Prussian War, Prussia had provoked Austria to war by proposing a reorganisation in German Confederation which will exclude Austria, on June 10. Due to the diplomatic isolation of Austria and their lack of alliances, Prussia had the upper hand with modern weapons which resulted in Austria’s defeat and the signing of Treaty of Prague (1866). Franco-Prussian War was a result of Bismarck’s action who took advantage of the Bad Ems Telegram which he edited with intention to insult France until they demanded war. The well-organised Prussian army with its allies easily destroyed France and even gained control over Alsace-Lorraine. Therefore, Prussia’s victory in these three wars was one of the reasons why Prussia was the strongest nation in Europe during the period. However, it is also argued that the international scenes such as Britain, Russia, Italy and Austria, too, helped Prussia make a mark as one of the strongest nation in Europe. Firstly, Britain’s no-intervention policy which is also known as an isolationist foreign policy was one of the reasons why Prussia had managed to secure its dominance in Germany. Britain was more concerned about her economical interest than her political interest. During both the Danish and Austro-Prussian wars, Britain took no action at all despite Denmark’s accusation for violating the Treaty of London (1852) prior to Danish War. Furthermore, Britain’s hostile relationship with France was clearly not an advantage to the French during the Franco-Prussian War. This, Britain’s no-intervention policy had helped Prussia to secure dominance in Germany. Moreover, Russia’s recovery from the Crimean War (1855) was one of the reasons why Prussia became dominant in Germany. During the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian wars, Russia had remained neutral as an exchange to Prussia’s neutrality during Russia’s Crimean War against France and Britain. Alexander Tsar had willingly paid Prussia for her neutrality in all affairs involving Prussia. Hence, Russia’s neutrality during Prussia’s wars against France and Austria was one of the reasons why, Prussia had managed to secure dominance in Germany. Thirdly, Italy’s involvement was one of the reasons why Prussia had managed to secure dominance in Germany. In the Austro-Prussian war, Italy lent a helping hand to Bismarck to defeat Austria. Prussia took the advantage of Austria’s weak defence when Austria had to deploy some troops to deal with the disturbance and riot in the Piedmontese-Austrian border which was organised by Italy. Furthermore, Italy was occupied with her own unification process whilst Prussia was securing its dominance in the German nation. Therefore, by having alliance with Italy during the Austro-Prussian war, Prussia achieved and secured dominance in Germany. Lastly, both Austrian’s assistance and situation had assisted Prussia to become one of the strongest nations in Europe. Despite the hostility with Austria, Prussia had co-operated together with Austria in the Danish War to gain Schleswig. In return, Austria governed Holstein. Moreover, Austria was weakened after the war against Prussia in which they were defeated due to their incapability to cope against Prussia’s well-organised military system and modernised weaponries. Thus, Prussia managed to achieve and secure dominance with Austria’s help and by taking advantage of Austria’s weakened state. In conclusion, Prussia achieved and secured dominance in Germany due to the role of Bismarck who got rid of opposition in the Parliament, strengthened Prussian army, exploited Prussia’s economic development and won three wars. In addition, international scenes too, helped Prussia make a mark as the strongest nation in Europe.

Essay on We The Animals

Moreover, the homophobia in the society introduces conflict within the family and leads the narrator to lose his identity and become modified into an individual that society approves of. He holds society responsible for the disintegration of this family. The story is told by a narrator whose name we never find out. Tortes does this in order to emotionally detach the readers from the character and instead, direct their focus towards the larger message that the story conveys.Tortes uses narrative and structure in the chapter, The Night I am Made, in order to emphasize the inflict and isolation felt by the narrator because of society expectations of him. The chapter, The Night I am Made, is integral to the plot of the book because it deals with the actual problem in the narrators life. Until this point, the readers are given the sense that the family loves each other and will go to the ends of the Earth for each other. By the end of the chapter, the family is torn apart, leaving the rea ders to blame society for the way it influences relationships.Tortes starts the chapter talking about the boys growing up. He Uses â€Å"They† in this chapter, as opposed to the â€Å"We† that was used in the revises chapters. This change is pronoun use signals the beginning of the isolation felt by the narrator. The narrator goes on to describe his brothers and how degenerate they have and will become. He is directly talking to his ‘Pas' and expresses his disapproval at the way that his brothers are turning out. The narrator is different from his brothers since he works hard at school and is not rough like them.On page 104, he refers to the Puerco Ricans as ‘having language'. Tortes proposes the concept of inherited language as being similar to inherited identity. The brothers behave the way that the father goes; they react with violence and not words. The Puerco Ricans had language because it was passed down from their ancestors, like the violence and the physical abuse was passed down from Pas to his sons. However, the narrator does not seem to be one of recipients of this gift and therefore, he feels further isolated.The following quote solidifies this idea of isolation and the contrast that the narrator feels when compared to his brothers. â€Å"And me now. Look at me. See me there with them, in the snow – both inside and outside their understanding. See how I made them uneasy. They smelled my preference -? my sharp, sad, pansy scent. They believed I would know a world larger than their own. They hated me for my good grades, for my white ways. † The above quote refers to the narrator as having â€Å"white ways† and therefore, not being Puerco Rican enough.By the means of this paragraph, Tortes sets the narrator apart from his family and forces him to feel different. Tortes intentionally does not introduce or describe any characters apart from the five family members, because at the end of the book, when the n arrator becomes isolated from his family, the readers are left with a sense that he rule does not have anyone in his life to love him and take care of him. Also, the last line of the chapter refers to their last night together, signifying that a big change sites to come.The rest of the chapter is divided into smaller sub- chapters, namely Midnight, Late Night, Deep Night and Dawn. In Midnight, the readers see the first time there is real conflict that divides the brothers. Tortes switches between using ‘We' and ‘They' to show that the narrator is struggling between maintaining his identity as part of his family and creating one for himself. The narrator turns on his brothers, verbally abusing them. Up until this point in the story, he is the brother that is least violent; by screaming at his brothers, he is using their means to separate himself.Tortes intentionally makes him violent but not in a physical manner, which means that his brothers can still overpower him. The following quote indicates the real violence that the narrator had kept hidden throughout the years. â€Å"l kept a journal – in it, sharpened insults against all of them, my folks, my brothers. I turned new eyes to them, a newly caustic gaze. † These words by the narrator infirm his violent nature and are a testament to his upbringing. He is just as violent as his brothers, but only in a different way.This difference is what makes him isolated from them. In this way, he is the same brother that grew up with the family but his sexual desires succeed in ostracize him from them. On page 1 10, the narrator describes the way his brothers held him when they were trying to beat him up. The scene is written as though it was brotherly and loving. â€Å"[T]hey didn't want to let me go. † They were holding him in order to hurt him but the narrators desire to feel like he was part of the Emily causes him to view this scene as one that speaks about brotherly love.The narrato r had previously claimed that his brothers would bleed for him; Tortes is now proving him wrong by turning them on him. Tortes ends Midnight by saying that there was no other boy like the narrator, solidifying his isolation from his brothers as well as the loneliness he feels. The next chapter, Late Night, describes one of the sexual encounters that the narrator has. Tortes does not confirm whether this happened within the plot or is one of the sexual fantasies from the narrator's journal.Either way, the sexual elation's that the boy has with the bus driver bring him immense pleasure and result in his sexual awakening. â€Å"The cold gathered in the tips of those fingers, so every. Veer he touched me was a dull stab of This quote suggests that the bus driver was helping him understand his own sexual nature. While this was surprising to him, it helped to make sense Of his sexual desires. The quote â€Å"My brothers will lose themselves tonight; they'll search for me in the whitenes s; they'll drown† shows that he is alone, which does not happen throughout the book.Tortes always portrays the narrator as being tit his brothers or his family but this time, he is alone and learning about himself. By stating this, the narrator once again distinguishes himself from his brothers because he has gone to a place that they cannot access. Personally, I believe that this scene is part of the narrators journal because it is where he can be true to his identity and not worry about his brothers showing up. Instead, he is comfortable exposing himself to a stranger in the hopes of learning more about himself. The chapter closes with the narrator yelling that the bus driver made him.By the use of this line, Tortes suggests that the sexual encounter influenced the way that the narrator created an identity for himself. The following chapter, Deep Night, sees the narrators family finding the journal that contains explicit sexual fantasies and sharp insults against his own par ents. The story' in this section begins with the following quote. â€Å"Everything easy between me and my brothers and my mother and my father was lost†. This quote suggests that a homophobic society has resulted in his family looking at him in a different light.He is no longer their son or brother, and the simple functionality of the family dynamic is now lost to him. Even as the narrator knew that everything was falling apart because his parents and brothers had read his journal, he looks at his mother and says â€Å"I'll kill you†. Tortes intentionally highlights the violent nature of the narrator in order to emphasize that he is conflicted between loving and hating his family for what they are putting him through. Since the violence is what holds then together, the narrator attempts one last time to find common ground between them by acting out.His father wants to reciprocate but his brothers pull him down and thereby, isolating him from their familial unit. [S]meo w, at the same time, that they were keeping him back, they were supporting him†. The narrators family, in this case, not only exhibits non-violent behavior but also act as support systems to help each other get through this situation. The fact the Tortes places the narrator outside of this family and without any support makes his isolation more explicit. Towards the end of the chapter, the narrator becomes an animal in order to try and connect with his family.He resorts back to violence, which was a constant throughout his entire childhood. However, as he becomes more and more violent, the parents and rooters â€Å"retreat into their love for† the narrator. They oppose the approach that the narrator was taking, which means the narrator is left alone and without any means by which he can communicate with his family. On page 1 17, the narrator says the journal might have been a way of coming-out for him, so that he could be found and he could stop hiding. The only way tha t this would happen would be if everything was out in the open.This did not work in favor of the narrator's wishes and only ended up creating conflict between the narrator and his family members. The narrative in this chapter ascribes the hospital the boy will be sent to with words such as neutered, which refers to the sexless identity that the society and his family want him to have. Also, Tortes uses the phrase â€Å"still burning a youth glow' in order to highlight the fact that the narrator is a young boy who has a lot more to accomplish in life and yet, the homophobia in the society makes it so that the will spend the rest of his days in the hospital.The final section, Dawn, narrates the preparation for the narrator to go to the hospital in third person. The narrator is no longer talking, and therefore, Tortes is suggesting that his ice is subdued; this is similar to the way in which is identity is being suppressed by his family. Also, Tortes refers to the characters as Ã¢â‚¬Ë œa father', ‘his son' etc. He does this in order to show that society has reduced these characters and their strong, familial bonds to a generic relationship. They no longer have any history or uniqueness attached to their relationships.Instead, they are represented as a regular, loving family. By hiding their violence and past, Tortes creates a new, reductive identity for the family. While the father gives his son (the narrator) a bath, he pretends like it is a outing task. Tortes does this in order to show the readers that the father is forced to pretend to be normal and happy because it is what society expects Of him. He is not allowed to show his real emotions in the wake Of his son coming out. The father unscrews a bulb in the bathroom, claiming that it has always been too bright in there.Tortes is suggesting that the father would prefer to do this in darkness, therefore, not being able to see his son properly. Also, this shows that the father is keen on hiding away in th e darkness and doesn't want to embrace his son. This isolates the boy and rates conflict in their relationship. As the father gives his son a bath against his will, he says, â€Å"Yeah, you got rights. What you don't got is power†. This serves as analogy for the greater society having power over the individual even though they have rights to be themselves.Tortes is suggesting that in this case, the society is winning the battle against the individual because of homophobia. In addition to this, the act of giving a bath renders the narrator naked and vulnerable. The father is giving his son a bath and exposing his weakest spots. Later, he goes on to dress the boy and thereby, essentially retreating a new identity for the narrator. This new identity fulfills social expectations and re-creates the sense of self that the individual has. By cleaning and dressing the boy, the father ensures that all the natural elements about the narrators personality are removed.The bath can be see n as a form of cleansing, where the removal of dirt equals removal of character. Later on, the clipping of toenails can also be seen as the removal of unwanted parts. On page 121 , the father looks at the boy as if he was looking at a â€Å"deep cut or a too-bright morning'. These are two sore images that will most likely cake one squint and therefore, miss the actual sight. In this case, Tortes includes these images within the narrative to emphasize that the homophobic society clouds the father's vision so that he can no longer fully appreciate his son.The following quote describes the Isolation felt by the narrator when he hears his mother refer to his brothers as ‘the boys', excluding him from the pack. â€Å"[H]owe quickly and fully the son in the tub is excluded from that designation; how badly the boy wishes to be out there with his brothers doing as he is told†. The quote states that the narrator wants to return a more useful time when it was possible to run aro und with his brothers and be referred to by his mother as normal. This loss of family isolates the narrator and creates conflict within him.The closing scene is of the brothers swiveling snow. Snow is a natural occurrence that is controlled by human beings by activities such as swiveling. In the course of the narrative, the brothers, along with their parents, are attempting to control and remove what is natural about the narrator. Therefore, the swiveling represents manipulating the natural in order to overcome it and is directly related to what the family is owing to change the narrator's identity. They are doing this to the extent that they are preparing for his stay at the psych ward.Also, the fact that the brothers are swiveling snow while the narrator is inside is indicative of his isolation from the rest of the family, especially his brothers. The titles of the sub-chapters refer to times during the night, and the last one refers to dawn. Since nighttime is associated with dar kness and hiding, Tortes uses Midnight, Late Night and Deep Night in order to describe the narrators true violent and sexual nature. These sub-chapters deal with the reality of the narrators situation.Tortes makes it so that the last sub-chapter, Dawn, involves the process of eliminating the identity of the narrator in order to create a new one for him, one that is more socially acceptable. Since Dawn refers to the time of day when daylight is starting to peek in, Tortes is suggesting that the work of the society is almost done because it was successful is re-constructing a new self for the narrator. This is the self that will be used to go outside in the light and not be hidden away. At the heart of this novel is a story about a title boy growing up and unsuccessfully attempting to find his place in the world.This ensures that the mainstream, heterosexual audience is able to relate to the story as well. As for the LIGHT community, the novel portrays different ways in which the soci ety can affect the individual and their families. It also acknowledges the loss of identity for a LIGHT person due to the pressure vitrifying to be someone else. The overarching message is that growing up is a hard thing to do. The society which envelops this plot line is extremely homophobic and has caused the family to look at the narrator in a efferent light.

Direct Mail Homework

1. Who will your target audience(s) be for this coming year? When using direct mail as a medium for fund raising, firms measure their performance by comparing the dollars earned with the dollars spent (Bhagat and Donovan). Hence, for the coming year we should concentrate on those who can give us the maximum amount of money while we keep our costs at the lowest possible. Also, most of our donors are in the retired age bracket. For these reasons we should concentrate on targeting middle age people; those who have are concerned about others and also have the means to help them.2. What proportion of your budget will you allocate for new requests versus ongoing communication? At least half of the budget should be allocated for new requests as the company is in dire need of altering its current donor list age bracket. 3. What other communication tactics might you use to try and reach potential donors? The firm can use many other tactics such as online mailing, setting up a website, making online forums where people can come and discuss new ideas and giving an advertisement in the newspaper.However, newspaper advertisement will cost a lot and thus, the chosen newspaper must be the one which is widely read by the target audience. 4. How might you distinguish yourself from other charities making requests for funds? A lot of fundraisers show their donors the monetary benefits of raising funds through them. We do not think this is a healthy practice as those giving away something should not be interested in getting more back.Hence, we will distinguish ourselves from others by highlighting the benefits that society will get out of our the donors’ gesture to help others. 5. Is there any certain determinant you can think of that might help you identify good potential donors? While identifying potential donors, we will need to know if they have been giving donations in the past and how they feel about that. That can be identified through inviting people to online discu ssions and then contacting those whom we think have the potential via direct mail to give donations.

A research on lyndon johnson and the great society Essay

Lyndon Baines Johnson, also known as the LBJ, had a vision of a Great Society for his fellow citizens that led him to become the 36th president of United States of America. The humble beginnings of Lyndon were not to be regarded as full of luxuries and paradise travels as he felt the anguish of the poor and socially disadvantaged people and saw the pinch of rural poverty. Before he slided into presidency, earning money for the family constituted his youth that made him surged deeped into compassion for the impoverished people and pursuit for a great society. The main theme of the origins of the legendary LBJ was the rise from social and economic ills and finding ways to instigate change in the mainstream society of America where he was actually isolated from. According to LBJ, â€Å"When I was young, poverty was so common we did not know it had a name†. Though he was socially accustomed to think that he would have to deal with poverty and isolation from refinement, Lyndon came to a realization that he was â€Å"special- a young man destined for exceptional things†. Eager to fulfill his destiny and inspired to solve poverty, Lyndon struggled to have a decent yet competitive education with the support of his humble parents, Sam Ealy Johnson Jr. , a farmer and politician, and Rebekah Baines Johnson, a journalist. Solving poverty might be the factor that fueled his political dreams, but it was his father who greatly influenced him in his political actions. His father was a man of ambition and integrity as a legislator serving two terms in 1904. His father was regarded as the agrarian liberal or populist who â€Å"would not allow himself to be bought by lobbyists who dominated the proceedings†. Rebekah Baines’s line of descent as a journalist had equipped Lyndon with a deep â€Å"sense of inherited superiority. † The parents were astonished in Lyndon’s youth that was full of revelations and inklings about his future in the field of politics. As a gifted child and empowered by the praises and encouragement from his family, Lyndon went to local public schools, graduating from high school in 11924. After his graduation, Lyndon spent three uyears traveling around and applying for odd jobs before finally landing at the Southwest Texas State Teachers College that later became the Texas State University-San Marcos. It was in his college days that he gave out â€Å"concern, friendship, and benevolent support. † Lyndon said, â€Å" Some men want power simply to strut around the world and to hear the tune of the ‘Hail to the Chief’ while others want it simply to build prestige, to collect antiques and to buy prertty things-well, I wanted power to give things to people, all sorts of things to all sorts of people, especially the poor and the blacks. † Known as the embodiment of the great Texan spirit of self-denial, conservation, and service, Lydon became a popular figure at the university not in terms of academic performance. This event led to a career milestone for Lyndon. Lyndon’s career before the presidency was in education. He started as a teacher at the Welhausen Elementary School where he showed the children â€Å"a sense of importance most of them had never known before. † He moved to the Sam Houston High School before landing up a job in the congress as a secretary to a US congressman from the Fourteenth District in Texas in 1931. In this, Lyndon became more empowered to pursue his ambition. He became the Director of National Youth Administration that greatly addressed the â€Å"concern of Roosevelt’s New Deal to save a generation of young people from ignorance, unemployment, and enduring hardship. † Undaunted by the economic depression, he was elected to House of Representatives and campaigned successfully on a New Deal platform with the help of his wife Claudia Taylor. He joined the Navy for a brief period as lieutenant commander and won a Silver Star in the South Pacific. After serving six terms in the House, he was elected to the senate in 1948. In the 1960, Lyndon became John F. Kennedy’s running mate and sworn in as Vice President. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, Lyndon sworn in as the President of the United States. A. Foreign and Domestic Policies Several politicians and critics of the LBJ presidency were at one in stating that the administration, together with its foreign and domestic policies, had its peaks and valleys. During the first year of the LBJ administration, the president saw many impressions bestowed upon him as he entirely devoted much effort and time on â€Å"vital domestic matters, both the tax cut and the civil rights law. † Impressions at this time said that the president might not be interested in foreign policies because of LBJ’s adept focus on the real needs of Americans. LBJ was like a domestic politician who could not care less about external affairs. He said, â€Å"Foreigners are not like the folks I’m used to. † After establishing a new civil rights bill and tax cuts, LBJ urged the nation to unite as one in creating a â€Å"Great Society, a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals and than the quantity of their goods. † The domestic policies of LBJ were concentrated on issues such as â€Å"civil rights, social welfare, anti-poverty programs, and labor. † The LBJ administration made a great deal about education, Medicare, urban renewal, conservation of the environment, health, voting rights, prevention of crime and delinquency and an amendment to the Social Security Act. The LBJ presidency also made explorations of space with three astronauts successfully orbiting the moon in December 1968. The administration also sought to fight the inevitable crisis from Vietnam that forced the president to impose budget cuts on domestic policies so that he would be able to push through with the foreign and defense policies. The LBJ policies pointing to Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Latin America â€Å"were bound up with the war in Vietnam. † Despite his efforts to stop the Communist war and reach an agreement, the war continued. Heated debate arose with the president’s decision to limit the bombing in North Vietnam in order to instigate negotiations. There are critics who said that the great foreign policy failure of the administration was its treatment to Vietnam. Following his firm stance on Communist Aggression, LBJ was convinced to gove Vietnam limited help. He said that he â€Å"would not permit the independent nations of the East to be swallowed up by the Communist conquest, but it would not mean sending American boys 9 or 10,000 miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves. † To show firmness and decisiveness, LBJ ordered only retaliatory attacks to the aggressive North Vietnam and launched â€Å"Rolling Thunder†, a sustained bombing campaign to Vietnam. According to LBJ, â€Å"the key to peacemaking was to arrange a settlement that both preserved South Vietnam as an independent state for the foreseeable future and the quickest possible American exit from a war the country by 1968 no longer wished to fight. † Such assumption suggested that LBJ was â€Å"torn between an honorable exit and his desire to not to be the first president to lose a foreign war. † B. The Decision Not to Run for Re-Election When LBJ commanded to limit the bombing of Vietnam, he paired such action with a decision to withdraw from the re-election so that he might find some time for the quest for peace with no interruptions coming from politics. LBJ came to realization that he would not allow the presidency to be involved in any partisan movements which had infiltrated the United States since the advent of the Vietnam war. His policy of military escalation and the US participation in the war had overshadowed his popular standing and he was not able to establish real concessions for the peacemaking process. After his decision, the Vietnam aggression dragged on. By withdrawing from the re-election, â€Å"the administration found it difficult to act decisively,† LBJ’s decision not to run in the reelection was the outcome of his discernment in which he had to go through with his failing political instincts. Prior to his announcement, LBJ had to endure the criticisms which came with the rapid involvement of the US in the Vietnam war, racial tension in the American soil leading to widespread civil riots in the 1960s and the flaws of the Great Society movements. The flawed policies and programs of the LBJ administration led to Republican gains in the 1966 election and dwindled the hopes of Lyndon to further his participation in the Congress. It was in this turbulent period that antiwar candidate Senator Eugene McCarthy gained momentum to head the â€Å"dump Johnson† movement within the Democratic Party. The failure of his actions made it impossible for LBJ â€Å"to leave the White House without attracting hostile protesters. † 1968 had been dubbed as the â€Å"year everything went wrong† for the LBJ administration. II. Political Climate A. The Dominance of the Democratic Party LBJ made his congressional district in Texas as his foundation in his pursuit for a national role in the Democratic Party. He was â€Å"frustrated with the bureaucratic inertia and lack of innovation in fundraising by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and Democratic National Committee (DNC). † It was in this frustration that he developed a finite and negative impression of the national party committees that greatly influenced his leadership to the political party. His support to the Democratic Party saw him finding ways on how to finance hundreds of congressional particularly those who have a good of winning and satisfying their requests. As a congressional campaign manager for the House, his vigorous fundraising strategies to support the candidates earned him the respect and support coming from FDR and the other congressmen whom he helped to win. When FDR asked LBJ the result of the campaign, LBJ replied that the Democratic Party would not lose. He says to FDR that â€Å"We’re not going to lose, we’re going to gain. † Now that the House was run by literate Democrats, what FDR had started, including the Social Security (FICA) Program would soon see radical change. During his presidency, LBJ took the Social Security Program from independent trust fund and transferred it to the General fund in order for the Congress to spend it on valuable measures such as in the enactment and foreign and defense policies pointing to the unending war in Vietnam. LBJ’s military escalation policy to Vietnam failed and his domestic policies on civil war and racial tension became undone which had shattered the Democratically-controlled House and Senate. These dark moments became the finest hour of Republicans. B. â€Å"The Johnson Treatment† Lyndon was renowned for his arm twisting of influential politicians in order to pursure legislation. He became famous for his authoritative glance and powers of persuasion, dispensing them with what became popular as the â€Å"Johnson Treatment†. Such coinage was used to describe the domineering personality of LBJ who tend to impose physical size and initimidation in order to advance what he had to say. Lyndon once said, â€Å" I do understand power, whatever else may be said about me, I know where to look for it and I know how to use. † One of the key elements in Lyndon’s leadership and power was his use of the â€Å"Johnson Treatment† that was an eclecic mix of flattery, gentle pleading, logic, and threats. He was able to strategically utilize the â€Å"Johnson Treatment† in the way he gained full control of the Democratic Policy Committee, managed relations within the senate, maintained connections with the Republicans and the Liberals who supported civil rights for the African Americans, solidified control under his leadership, and established a coup when he was still a majority leader convincing the Senate to increase public spending on housing sector. It was in this coup that the he became a master politician or the master of the Senate because of his display of single-mindedness, skill and attention to details. But LBJ’s art of persuading and use of intimidation was no match against the revolutionary nationalists such as Gamal Abdel Nasser who said, â€Å"the West if the enemy, while the Soviets are kindred spirits and purveyors of weapons unobtainable elsewhere. † The â€Å"Johnson Treatment† failed to instill a positive effect on Nasser who continually resisted American policies and â€Å"denounced American imperialism in Congo. † LBJ deeply shocked with the unveiling of the â€Å"Blueprint for the Liberation of Palestine† accompanied by Nasser statement that the only way to liberation was Arab revolutionary action. The failure of the â€Å"Johnson Treatment† was equally defined by LBJ’s unsuccessful leadership to pull the United States out of the quagmire of the Vietnam war. The failure of the â€Å"Johnson Treatment† was viewed by the Americans as the failure of his policies toward Vietnam. The solution to the Vietnam unrest was one of the goals of the three presidents before LBJ and just like them, the LBJ sought to determine how to prevent the North Vietnamese Communists from acquiring South Vietnam that the US supported. C. The Civil Rights Movement Reformation of the civil rights proved to be the greatest challenge to LBJ’s majority leadership and to his presidency later on. In the mind of LBJ, the civil rights issue â€Å"was a fundamental prerequisite to strengthening the American voice abroad. † LBJ sought to â€Å"mount a social revolution in civil rights and the extension of the welfare state. † His policies on alleviating poverty and upholding rights were aiming at demonstrating that â€Å"he was a president who could rise above politics to serve the national interest. † The reform in the civil rights in the US started from a small-scale demonstrations before key players, movements, leaders and organizations finally constructed a vivid change. LBJ was one of the key leaders in bringing change. The turbulent period of the 1940s and the early 1950s was attributable to the â€Å"white southerners who controlled Congress and engineered the defeat of six civil rights bills. † The white group opposed the integration with blacks and â€Å"argued that individual states should have the right to manage their own affairs. † They used states’ rights in order to promote segregation, â€Å"a system of laws that required African Americans to be separated from the whites. † As such caused a significant backlash that came in the forms of protests and racial violence in the middle of the 1950s as African Americans continued to push harder for equal rights. The period was made more turbulent with the enactment of the Jim Crow laws that reinforced segregation. The Jim Crow laws banned African American students from going to educational institutions with white students and also prevented blacks from going to swimming pools, hotels and other establishments where there were whites. Jim Crow laws prohibited African Americans from voting and denied them many opportunities which were only provided for the whites. Then came Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. , who led the civil rights protests until his death by assassination in 1968. Harder violence was pushed through with the struck down of segregation in schools. As a southerner who had accustomed himself to the separation of blacks and whites thoroughout his career, LBJ â€Å"seemed to be an unreliable advocate of civil rights statute. † He supported civil rights but he was aware that the â€Å"pushing for a strong bill would anger many Democrats in the South. † As a compromise, LBJ â€Å"worked out a deal with southerners to pass a weakened bill and convinced liberal western membbers to pass it in exchange for support for a dam they wanted built. † The bill became the first civil rights legislation enacted by the Congress in 82 years and LBJ took all the credit for it. The Civil Rights Act was proposed by the President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and quickly became a controversial issue. The Civil Rights Act would guarantee African Americans with freedom to vote, to go to places of public accommodation, and with equal opportunity in employment. Although the Congress did not approve of Kennedy’s initiative, a stronger version of the bill was eventually approved with the constant urging of Kennedy’s successor, LBJ. On July 2, 1964, LBJ signed the bill into law and soon became the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that gave the federal law enforcement agencies the authority to stop and prevent racial violence and discrimination in voting, employment and in the utilization of public facilities. III. The Great Society A. Civil Rights The Great Society domestic programs of LBJ were aiming at two creating social reforms for the elimination of poverty and racial discrimination. One of legacies of the Great Society programs was translating some of the needs and demands of the civil rights movement into law. During the LBJ presidency, four civil rights acts had secured their passage in Congress. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 stopped job discrimination and the segregation in the use of public facilities. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminates the â€Å"use of literacy requirements and other methods to keep African Americans from voting. † In LBJ’s pursuit for the Great Society, he also gave the nation urban renewal programs, housing subsidies, tax cuts, Traffic Highway Safety Act, National Commission on Product Safety, and environment beautification programs. B. War on Poverty LBJ was determined to â€Å"promote economic growth and commit the nation to a ‘war on poverty. ‘† The war on poverty was deemed as the most ambitious and controversial part of the Great Society. Headed by Sargent Shriver, the war on poverty promised to improve Americans’ standard of living. LBJ said to Shriver, â€Å"You make this thing work. Appoint all the committees you want to, confer with everybody. † LBJ continued, â€Å"This is number one on the domestic front. Next to peace in the world, this is the most important. † The unconditional war on poverty implemented by LBJ was confronted with resistance from the 88th Congress that later on granted â€Å"$947. 5 million in 1964 for the antipoverty program. † The centerpiece of the antipoverty program was the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 that LBJ signed on August 22, 1964 and established the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO). The anti-poverty program included the Job Corps and Neighborhood Corps, food stamp program, rent subsidies for moderate and low-income families, a youth employment initiative, and other antipoverty efforts. The initiative lessened the poverty rate in the US from â€Å"22. 4 percent in the late 1950s to 11. 1 percent in 1973. † C. Medicare/Medicaid Medicare was included in the package that was the extension of the War on Poverty. Representative Hale Boggs said that during LBJ presidency, â€Å"the Congress passed more bills than had ever been passed in all the rest of history of the country together. † Included in the passed bills was a Medicare bill that aim â€Å"to provide health care for the nation’s elderly and health benefits for the poor† The Great Society effort federally financed the training for doctors and nurses, establishment of mental heath centers and health facilities focusing on heart problems, cancer and stroke. The Social Security Act of 1965 was passed by Congress to render federal funding for the medical costs of the elderly. This legislation was opposed by the American Medical Association but overcame such opposition to the idea of socialized medicine or public health care and connecting payments with the private health insurance companies. Welfare recipients regardless of age obtained health benefits by the Medicaid program established on July 30, 1965 under Title XIX of the Social Security Act. D. Education LBJ said that he â€Å"no longer can afford second-class education for children who know that they have the right to be first-class citizens. † In fulfilling this aim, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was signed into law on April 1965. The legislation federally funded public schools to help them obtain educational materials and start special education programs to institutions with large number of low-income children. It pursued Head Start, a program initially worked on by the OEO. The Head Start program provided comprehensive aid to the field of education, healthcare, and parent involvement initiatives to low-income children and families. Other programs of LBJ included â€Å"school breakfast programs, Teacher Corps Act of 1965, Adult Education Act of 1968, and the Educational Opportunity Act of 1968. † E. Arts One of the significant contributions of the Great Society effort was the promotion of the arts and humanities. LBJ said, â€Å"The happy relationship between the arts and politics which has characterized our long history I think reached culmination tonight. † LBJ was successful in formalizing federal aid for public radio and television stations, arts institution and higher education. LBJ signed the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities into law that later on established both the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities as separate agencies. He also gave attention on the need for the noncommercial education television in society that paved the way for the enactment of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. The law led to the creation of the Public Broadcasting Service and the National Public Radio. National centers and arts facilities also received federal funding during the presidency of LBJ. IV. The Success of LBJ Administration LBJ’s presidency is greatly remembered for the â€Å"Great Society† programs that aimed to improve the quality of living of Americans. The domestic policies enacted by the Congress during the time of LBJ played significant roles in the lives of Americans who were caught up with the loss of Kennedy, violence and economic ills. LBJ gave light to his people by promising them better and healthy living. One of main goals of the Great Society was to eliminate poverty. LBJ showed determination in reaching the promised land of Great Society by urging Americans to rebuild their cities, eliminate urban decay, and attain a renewed sense of community. In order to help his people, LBJ established a list of laws which promoted racial equality, qquaality education, healthcare, and lowered poverty rate. Many of LBJ’s programs â€Å"made great strides in improving the lives of ordinary Americans. † Some of the laws created impact on the political direction of the nation. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 gave voice to African Americans while the Civil Rights Act of 1964 freed African Americans from violence, racial prejudice and social inequality. The result of the war on poverty was promising enough as the poverty rate of the nation dwindled from â€Å"22. 4 percent in the late 1950’s to 11. 1 percent in 1973. † Antipoverty programs of LBJ created millions of jobs, increase in salary and wages and in business profits, and decrease in unemployment rate. Promising results were also seen in the field of education and healthcare as federal funding continued to help citizens exploit what the administration had to offer. Medicare and Medicaid were made to render medical insurance for the elderly and to the poor people. Funding for heathcare benefits continued while the availability of Medicare and Medicaid widened. Support for the arts and culture was also evident. V. The Failure of LBJ Administration Unfortunately, â€Å"LBJ had promised the impoverished much more than he could deliver. † There were many citizens whocame to realize that the administration had just an â€Å"overly optimistic prediction that did not come true. † Resulting from disappointment were black power and violence in the streets which showed the anguish of the nation. African Americans started to lose faith in LBJ and began to demand immediate change. The backlash of LBJ’s antisegregation efforts began to incite arguments within the southerners while the American people urged the government not to gift black rioters with federal programs. The anger over the desegragation policy of LBJ weakened the Democratic Party and LBJ’s base of power. LBJ’s foreign policy dilemmas stirred antiwar protests along with civil unrest. Demonstrations concerning the involvement of the United States in Vietnam began to undercut LBJ’s presidency. The people complained that the involvement of the nation in the Vietnam war â€Å"took money and attention away from the needed domestic programs. † The people accused Lbj of turning the Vietnam war into national obsession making his War on Poverty nothing more like a skirmish. The presidency of LBJ was equally defined by his Great Society programs and the nation’s entanglement in the Vietnam war. Problems in the foreign policies of Lbj started from the cold war between the US and the Soviet Union. The conflict was that the Soviet Union and Korea were supporting the commkunist forces in northern Vietnam while the United States was in support of the South Vietnam government. Despite complaints, LBJ pushed through with the Vietnam War fearing that losing South Vietnam would wreak havoc on his political career. VI. Conclusion The administration of LBJ was defined by the successes and failures of foreign and domestic policies. During his stay at the White House, he pursued Kennedy’s civil rights bill and tax cuts. He promised to promote better living for the Americans though his Great Society programs. But as he was doing well in putting America in the promised land of a Great Society, Vietnma War was intensifying. Later on, antiwar protests and civil violence gained momentum as American casualties increased in Vietnam. It was evident that LBJ could care less about hearing his people and his presidency was all about between him, his instincts, and his advisers. The failure of his foreign policy in the Vietnam war became the measurement of his entire political career. The dilemma was that LBJ considered the Vietnam War as an inherited course instead of treating it as his job as an influential leader. It could be observed that LBJ was an indecisive leader with no firm stance on foreign policies. To make matter worst, the indecisive president was surrounded with political advisers who were not united and binded with the same aim. It was in the topic of Vietnam War that he was not able to fully utilize his â€Å"Johnson Treatment† to the advantage of American people. Even though the issue in Vietnam War dominated the entire career of LBJ, it was good to know that his Great Society programs were successful. Such programs were only overshadowed by the riots and violence and the public’s demand for more than what LBJ could give. The Vietnam War was just one of the flaws of the Great Society programs since the domestic policies were connected with the foreign ones. The Great Society programs produced favorable results while their negative impact to the world came from the opposition that was not supportive of LBJ’s presidency. BIBLIOGRAPHY Brands, H. W. The Foreign Policies of Lyndon Johnson: Beyond Vietnam. Texas: A&M University Press, 1999. Dallek, Robert. Lyndon B. Johnson: Portrait of a President. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Gold, Susan Dudley. Presidents and Their Times: Lyndon B. Johnson. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2009. Savage, Sean J. JFK, LBJ, and the Democratic Party. New York: State University of New York, 2004. Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Lyndon Johnson and Europe: In the Shadow of Vietnam. Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2003.