The Great Society Caucus
“None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody - a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns - bent down and helped us pick up our boots.”
Thurgood Marshall
Our Mission
We commit ourselves, in accordance with President Lyndon B. Johnson’s vision of the Great Society, to eliminate the unjust inequities of American life. Doing so means fighting tirelessly to provide each civil participant the equal opportunity to which their human dignity entitles them. Stated best by President Johnson, “the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor.” A great society is within our grasp — one in which every individual is given a fair chance to flourish, regardless of social or legal standing.
Our Members
Great Society’s members hail from around the country, and their diverse life experiences inform their varied and nuanced center-left political stances. Debate is consistently rich and passionate, whether we’re discussing gender as a social construct, America’s role in the Middle East, the merits of a carbon tax, the wisdom of economic protectionism, or one of the myriad other timely and pressing subjects that affect our lives. And with the 2020 election fast approaching, it’s an exciting time to be a member of Great Society; our members support candidates across the political spectrum, and we frequently spar over whose vision best suits the United States and the world.
Despite the energy with which we discuss our hopes for the future of our nation, we find solace and solidarity in our shared commitment to social and institutional equity, and we’re united in our opposition to those who undermine the values for which we stand. Of course, we don’t limit ourselves to serious discussions of weighty issues. We like to have fun too, so we frequently gather for home-cooked dinners, watching sunsets, movie nights, and other social events; members have built some of their closest friendships within Great Society.
Though we foster engagement in the political realm, our members also are leaders in other student organizations across campus, including The Cornell Daily Sun; the Cornell Mental Health Standing Committee; the Cornell Venture Capital Club; Kappa Alpha Pi pre-law fraternity; Psi Chi, the International Honors Society in Psychology; The Cornell Historical Society; Cornell Hillel; Cuban American Student Association; The Cornell International Affairs Society; CU Nooz; Cornell Speech and Debate; and several Greek life chapters.