Word: 90th
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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Only once last week, in an impromptu departure from his 13-page single-spaced text, did Johnson mention the Great Society. He invoked God just once and evoked youthful memories of poverty and the Pedernales not at all. What he did present to the 90th Congress-and a prime-hour TV audience estimated at 65 million-was a pragmatic, sometimes prosaic outline of legislative aims tempered both to the conservative climate of Capitol Hill and the economic realities of a society that is inextricably involved in a costly war abroad while deeply committed to social reform at home...
...unexpectedly large increase that will pump some $4.1 billion into the economy and may in fact bring enough new money into the market place to offset the drain of new taxes. Politically, a fresh rush of taxes into the Treasury should give Johnson some maneuvering room with the 90th Congress when it comes time to debate Great Society spending...
...State of the Union message clearly demonstrated, no one more intuitively senses the mood of Congress than Lyndon Johnson. And, unlike the obedient Democratic 89th, which acquiesced in almost every Administration whim, the 90th Congress will offer far more contention than consensus when it comes to the President's legislative proposals. Johnson recognized as much in conceding before the new Congress: "The genius of the American political system has always been best expressed through creative debate that offers choices and reason able alternatives...
...90th could well become the Debating Congress, skeptical of Administration policies both domestic and foreign. Most of its members are well into their middle years (average age 52); over half are lawyers; 88% have served in a public capacity before coming to Congress; 69 are eager first-term freshmen. Not since the Eisenhower landslide of 1956 have Republicans held such congressional strength. There are five new G.O.P. Senators and 47 new Republican Representatives. The Democrats' Senate margin is still a comfortable 64-36, but in the House their edge has slipped from last session's 154-vote majority...
Republicans is the dwindling effectiveness of the Democratic leadership, particularly in the House, which holds the ultimate key to the legislative record of the 90th Congress. Restive Democrats ignored the party line laid down by 75-year-old Speaker John McCormack and Majority Leader Carl Albert (under doctor's orders to ease up after last year's heart attack), in refusing to seat Adam Clayton Powell (see following story). Earlier, a Democratic caucus had flouted McCormack's wishes and voted to kick out the Clerk of the House, Ralph Roberts, a widely disliked 16-year veteran...