The President That Changed Everything by Luis

The President That Changed Everything by Luis - October 2017 Scholarship Essay

Over the course of the history of the United States, there have been many presidents, some good, some bad, and some all-time greats. In the 1960s, the country was still reeling from the assassination of John F. Kennedy, a president who could have been great, but was killed before he could do much. His successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, took the mantle of president, and it was up to him to put the country back together. LBJ’s presidency is one of the most fascinating, as he started as a good president, became an all-time great, and tragically ended as a bad one. If I could have dinner at the White House with any U.S. President, I would choose LBJ because I have so many questions for him.
Sitting across from him, I would ask him to tell me the story of how he rose to the top. How did he manage to overcome the poverty that he was born into? I would specifically want to know about his childhood years: How did he spend his free time? How was his upbringing? What did his parents teach him? And who were his role models or inspiration? As a high school student, I would ask him about his school years: What was his favorite subject? What were his high school achievements? What was his favorite sport? And what was his most memorable high school experience? Taking advantage of the occasion, I would ask him for high school advice. According to his biography, LBJ was awkward at school, just like me, but still managed to win his 11th-grade class election, so I would ask him how he did it. After graduation, Johnson became a teacher and taught Mexican-American children in Cotulla, so I’d ask him to describe those experiences.
Now that I know more in-depth about his backstory, I would go into politics. My history teacher once said that LBJ rewrote the book on how to be president, so I would ask LBJ himself for further understanding. I will try to get details on his political career before president, starting with him being a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas 10th district, then a United States Senator from Texas, after that a Senate Majority Whip, followed by Senate Minority Leader, and finally serving as Senate Majority Leader. I would move on to ask him to describe his experiences working with JFK as Vice President and what actions did he immediately take after JFK was assassinated. At last, it was time to talk about his presidency, which would be the most interesting part. We would talk about the Great Society, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the War on Poverty, Medicare and Medicaid, the Voting Rights Act, and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. One of my most anticipated questions would be: What aspect of your presidency are you most proud of?  And what do you truly believe? I would then get to the touchy subject: the Vietnam War. I’d ask him for reasons he kept going with the war when the people were against it and what he would have done differently. Since his presidency ended, I would ask him what he did in his final years at his Texas ranch and his reflections on being president.
Finally, I would ask LBJ for his opinions and views on modern politics and the current situation of the world. Since we’re both from Texas, I would ask him how growing up in this state influenced him. As a Mexican-American myself, I would thank him for everything he did for minorities, such as Hispanics and Latinos.  I would also tell him how his bills and laws have helped me and my family have a better life and how proud I am to attend a high school bearing his name. The last question I would ask him is: What are your final thoughts? After that, I would shake his hand.