The 80,000 or so folks in attendance at the University of Michigan interrupted the 20-minute speech with applause 14 times, and when it was finished, they applauded some more. Johnson was ecstatic, the press was generally positive, and for most of 1964, as the president pushed forward with his plans, his approval ratings topped 70 percent.

The Great Society speech is still considered one of LBJ's, well, greatest. Johnson wasn't always the most engaging speaker. But listen to the audio and you'll hear the conviction in his voice. He was one heck of a salesman, and with the Great Society, he believed he had something worth selling.

The Great Society programs covered all areas of national concern.

• On equal rights, the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act.
• On poverty, the Economic Opportunity Act (which created Head Start and the Job Corps), Medicare, and Medicaid.
• On cities, the Housing and Urban Development Act.
• On the environment, the Clean Air Act and Wilderness Act.
• And on education, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Public Broadcasting Act.

These acts have been amended over the years, but in one form or another, they're still in effect, guiding policy decisions that have an impact on millions of Americans every day.

Add to that legislation to protect consumers (like the Surgeon General's warning on cigarette packs and auto safety standards), promote mass transit (like Washington, D.C.'s Metro and high-speed trains between D.C. and New York), and show some love for the arts and humanities (the National Endowments that support cultural programs all across the country), and it's fair to say we're all still living in the Great Society.

And yet…

A conservative-leaning Supreme Court struck down portions of the Voting Rights Act in 2013. The congressional elections of 2014 resulted in a Congressional majority of lawmakers who believe in smaller government.

And the 2016 election reminded Americans how quickly things can change. When Donald Trump was elected president, some people would say there was a new sheriff in town, and he had his sights set on the Great Society.

Depending on who's in charge (and we know for sure it's not LBJ), you never know.