Today, on the the fifty-year anniversary of Lyndon B. Johnson’s State of the Union address, in which he issued a call to arms against poverty, we look at the fierce debate, not only over whether the U.S. has won or lost the war on poverty, but whether the country as a whole is gaining ground or retreating. Also, this week marks the 50th anniversary of a report by the Surgeon General on the health effects of smoking, linking it to lung cancer and heart disease. We hear about the impact the report had on one of the biggest industries in the nation. And, the National Federation of Independent Business said small business owners added more jobs per firm last month than they have in eight years. Even so, there are more Americans unemployed now than at any time since World War II, while Congress is debating whether to extend benefits for the long-term unemployed.
Today, on the the fifty-year anniversary of Lyndon B. Johnson’s State of the Union address, in which he issued a call to arms against poverty, we look at the fierce debate, not only over whether the U.S. has won or lost the war on poverty, but whether the country as a whole is gaining ground or retreating. Also, this week marks the 50th anniversary of a report by the Surgeon General on the health effects of smoking, linking it to lung cancer and heart disease. We hear about the impact the report had on one of the biggest industries in the nation. And, the National Federation of Independent Business said small business owners added more jobs per firm last month than they have in eight years. Even so, there are more Americans unemployed now than at any time since World War II, while Congress is debating whether to extend benefits for the long-term unemployed.
