Stephanie Coontz : Aid programs changed lives since LBJ declared `` war on poverty '' Coontz : In a State of the Union address 50 years ago this month , President Lyndon B. Johnson declared `` unconditional war on poverty . '' Despite gains among young and elderly , politicians began cutting safety net in '80s . She says mix of good employment trends , government help reduces poverty . Coontz : The number of people living below the federal poverty line fell from 32 million to 17 million between 1996 and 2010.
Stephanie Coontz : Aid programs changed lives since LBJ declared `` war on poverty '' Coontz : Despite gains among young and elderly , politicians began cutting safety net in '80s . She says mix of good employment trends , government help reduces poverty . Coontz : The number of people living below the federal poverty line fell from 32 million to 17 million between 1996 and 2010.