In this time of job crisis and "real" unemployment ranging around 16 percent, (this counts those who have given up on a job and also those finding only part-time work), we wondered, which U.S. presidents were most successful at job creation and what can we learn from them?

Payroll expansion data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and WestWingReport revealed the top four private-sector job creators in modern times to be Bill Clinton (21.1 percent payroll expansion), Lyndon Johnson (20.8 percent payroll expansion), Harry Truman (20.1 percent payroll expansion) and Ronald Reagan (17.6 percent payroll expansion).

We wanted to focus on Lyndon B. Johnson, who became the 36th president of the United States after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Views on Johnson, later to be the first elected president from the South after the Civil War, were not always positive. Problems of civil rights, poverty and a war in Southeast Asia were challenges some thought he could not handle.

In her recently released 1964 interviews, Jackie Kennedy revealed to historian Arthur Schlesinger that Jack Kennedy had remarked, "Oh, God can you ever imagine what would happen to the country if Lyndon was president."

President Johnson proved effective on civil rights, the war on poverty, and his record on jobs and employment was remarkable.

In a 2009 C-Span Leadership Survey, historians and professional presidential observers ranked him our 11th best president, one of the top 12 presidents of all time. Prominent historian Doris Kearns Goodwin argues his, "place in history will grow."

Some highlights of job building during the Johnson period may have relevance today. We have been very impressed with Chapel Hill economic development director Dwight Basset's report on, "Barriers to Small Business Development Chapel Hill, NC." With Marcia having grown up on Lemola Farms, we have tried to keep up with the Chapel Hill initiatives on the opportunity gap on retail space, buy-local initiatives and technological zone ideas, as these have relevance across North Carolina. Since LBJ was one of our top leaders on job development, infrastructure development, and economic development; we have examined some of his approaches to see if there is relevance for today.

Currently our political system is in deadlock. President Johnson was a master of understanding and using political power to move his legislative agenda forward. When it came to the War on Poverty or the Great Society, he knew every member of the Senate and most members of the U. S. House of Representatives. He conferred with legislative leaders continually and came up with formulas that met the needs of all parties. His trump card was called "the treatment" where he towered over political leaders, lecturing them relentlessly to do the right thing for their country.

Secondly, President Johnson understood the importance of "Made in America." He was insistent that we have a plan to maintain our infrastructure and technological and manufacturing leadership. He ensured that all defense contracts were with U. S. companies. All four job-building presidents emphasized the importance of U. S. manufacturing and technological leadership.

We are beginning to see signs of "onshoring" as opposed to "outsourcing" jobs and manufacturing. Despite a deadlocked government, through government and business working on mutual projects and with state and local initiatives we can move manufacturing ahead again, especially if we focus on buying and supporting American- made products and manufacturing new ones. Studies are finding local, state, and national governments are not always buying made in America products that create jobs.

A third initiative of Lyndon Johnson was to get more citizen involvement in community initiatives. Some of this has survived through citizen advisory groups to governmental agencies. Citizens often have creative ideas that move communities forward. In the area of job creation and community economic development, committees independent of government, working with business and government are needed. They could develop ideas on entrepreneurship and promote "Made in America" projects in their communities. These citizen committees would not need a budget. Their effectiveness would be in the strength of their ideas to move job creation forward and in their ability to exercise influence.

Truman, Reagan, Johnson and Clinton, all legendary presidents, moved forward on job creation. With our current national government deadlocked, citizens will need to do more. Economic development and job creation are needed. It is time for us as citizens to help turn things around. We are impressed that Chapel Hill is showing the way in North Carolina.