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We are living in Linden Johnson's America.

That's what a staffer of the 36 president once said. It's still true today.

Consider America's out-of-control federal debt.

We'd like to reduce it, but we can't because doing so means

taking down institutions that seem as permanent as the Rockies, Medicare, Medicaid, and many other entitlements.

All these institutions were established by Linden Johnson.

The slogan of John F. Kennedy, Johnson's predecessor, was a new frontier.

By this, Kennedy meant more opportunity to enable Americans to thrive,

not massive federal programs that would bankrupt our grandchildren.

Kennedy advocated significant tax cuts.

Even Kennedy's signature project emphasized symbolism, get a man on the moon to show the

Soviet Union and American citizens what America can do for itself. But an assassin's

bullet felled Kennedy in 1963, and now it was Johnson's turn.

Johnson didn't have to set a new agenda.

He could have simply completed what Kennedy had already

set in motion. And that's what he did at first. For example, he saw those Kennedy tax cuts

into law.

But Johnson didn't want to be a caretaker.

...