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JFK: The New Frontier

What did he mean by the new frontier?
JFK’s personal vision
Difficult to pin down specific policies
He wanted to ‘get the country moving again’
He sought to create economic growth and to strengthen public programs such as housing and education.
He wanted to restore US prestige abroad
He wanted to install within the nation a spirit similar to the pioneers of the 19th century and the western frontier.

1) The Economy
In order to get business moving JFK needed to encourage investment, he did this by reducing taxes for those firms that bought new equipment.
To stop inflation price and wage rises were limited.
He created jobs through the increase in defence spending and the space program.
He tried to help the less well off by increasing the minimum wage from $1 to $1.25 per hour.
JFK also proposed a tax cut, he hoped that this would lead to more money in peoples pockets and therefore increase spending as a result increasing demand for manufactured goods.
However tax cut not introduced until after his death.

2) Social Welfare
JFK tried to reduce poverty in both urban and rural areas - Area Redevelopment Act - 1961.federal government could give loans, grants and technical assistance to states such as Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee- that had serious problems with long term poverty.
Housing Act - provide money for improving urban areas and made available loans at low interest rates.
Manpower, Development and Training act - 1961 tackle social and economic problems caused by unemployment by retraining jobless workers.
$900 million Public Works program was authorised to provide jobs for retrained workers.