Lyndon Johnson on Government Reform

Right of voting gives blacks power to fight for other rights

1957: Pushed through first civil rights bill in 82 years

In 1957, he set out to pass a civil rights bill. And when, after months of effort, that attempt seemed to have failed, he retreated to his ranch, but returned to Washington, and, in a monumental feat of legislative maneuvering, of bullying, of cajoling, threatening, of lightning tactical decisions on the Senate floor, and of parliamentary genius on a grand scale, including a strategic masterstroke that brought into line behind his efforts, in a single transaction, a dozen western senators, had succeeded in persuading his 21 fellow southern senators--the mighty "Southern Caucus"--to allow the passage of the 1st civil rights bill since Reconstruction, 82 years earlier. It was not a strong bill. By the time Johnson had finished fashioning a compromise

Staff rule: Don't touch money; let finance dept. handle it

Yes, he made it plain.

Staff rule: Fired for meeting about contract with contractor

I understood. So did every other staff member. How then to explain that rule to a large contributor when he called and asked for me to make an appointment for him? I can't recall how many times my phone rang with an "important person" at the other end of the line. "Can you make an appointment for me to see....?" When I responded that I simply couldn't do that, incredulity and oftentimes anger exploded in my ear.

Stimulate small contributions to parties and candidates

Change House term to 4 years, to avoid constant campaigning

The present 2-year term requires most Members of Congress to divert enormous energies to an almost constant process of campaigning--depriving this Nation of the fullest measure of both their skill and their wisdom. Today, too, the work of government is far more complex than in our early years, requiring more time to learn and more time to master the technical tasks of legislating. And a longer term will serve to attract more men of the highest quality to political life. The Nation, the principle of democracy, and, I think, each congressional district, will all be better served by a 4-year term for Members of the House. And I urge your swift action.

1953: Ended seniority-based Senate committee assignments

A few of the elders protested. Every Democratic Senator wound up with at least one desirable committee appointment. With perhaps one or two exceptions, everybody was pleased. Before long, even the old hands who had complained slightly about Johnson's departure from tradition were acclaiming the wisdom of his policy on committee assignments.

Should be fewer Secret Service than before JFK assassination

LBJ: Jim, I want a report of the number of people assigned to Kennedy the day he died, and the number assigned to me now. And if mine are not less, I want 'em less right quick.

ROWLEY: Yes, sir.

LBJ: And I mean a substantial less. They're about ten to one around here for what we need. I promise you I won't go anywhere. I'll just stay right behind these black gates. But I don't need eight people following me to church. One Secret Service man driving me and one in the car with me and maybe 2 or 3 behind me is all right, but yesterday you had 6 or 7 of them in there.

ROWLEY: We carried [two bodyguards] from your V.P. detail, but otherwise we have the same number of people--the exact number [as JFK had].

LBJ: You just get them down now. I want less when I go into this campaign than you had before the assassination.

There is always a national answer to each national problem

1. I believe every American has something to say and a right to an audience.
2. I believe there is always a national answer to each national problem, and, believing this, I do not believe that there are necessarily two sides to every question.
3. I regard achievement of the full potential of our resources--physical, human, and otherwise--to be the highest purpose of governmental policies next to the protection of those rights we regard as inalienable.
4. I regard waste as the continuing enemy of our society and the prevention of waste--waste of resources, waste of lives, or waste of opportunity--to be the most dynamic of the responsibilities of our Government.