The issue focused on tax laws and regulations that put federal government financial responsibility for public schools in the hands of local school districts. The legislation would have granted federal control over tax law enforcement, education policy, public spending and property rights.

But public opinion also played a role in changing the political atmosphere. Lawmakers were concerned about civil rights legislation — civil rights legislation which passed after public outrage about civil rights legislation was key to civil rights legislation being signed into law in 1964. Lawmakers wanted to avoid political liability by