[Ditto]

LBJ hated the name Kennedy. Keep in mind that LBJ was first and foremost an FDR New Dealer because as a Southern Democrat he absolutely loved pork. JFK and his corrupt old man were not all that impressed with FRD or the socialist wonks he had in his administration. JFK was pro business and anti-tax. For LBJ coming out of the corrupt Texas political system, the more pork the better. Dollars to spend gave the political class more and more power. Kennedy (John) was more of a fiscal moderate. Yes LBJ made a lot of Southern segregationists mad at him for following JFKs Civil Rights agenda, but he made it up to them in money from Uncle Sam. Nixon, who had the same Civil Rights agenda as Kennedy, did the same thing in spades.

If you want to lay blame for the welfare state, there are 3 presidents you need to go after. FDR for laying the foundation. LBJ for raising expectations. And Richard Nixon for delivering on those expectations. The Fed Budget went to 70% "non-discretionary" by the end of the 70s.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I'm with you, you made excellent points. I was just having fun with an inadvertant slip of the keyboard.

[kstewskis]

LBJ hated the name Kennedy. Keep in mind that LBJ was first and foremost an FDR New Dealer because as a Southern Democrat he absolutely loved pork.

Having been born in '63, I was too young to remember LBJ, other than remembering my parents being happy that he was out of office. I read a little more about him later. Can you tell me, if you can, why on earth JFK had him as a running mate in the first place? Was it to get the FDR fans aboard for the vote? If LBJ so hated Kennedy, why did he join the ticket?

Thanks for the little histoy lesson in advance. I wouldn't trust my high school's revisionist theory on it (that is, if I could remember it).