President Ronald Reagan.

The Conservative Tide

President Ronald Reagan’s election marks a rightward shift in domestic and foreign policy. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Cold War ends and the U.S. confronts a host of domestic problems.

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A Conservative Movement Emerges

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Continued . . .

The New Right• New Right—collection of grass-roots groups

promoting single issues• Affirmative action—special consideration for

women, minorities (Schooling for immigrants in both English and their native language). - many say it’s reverse discrimination, favoring one group over others

The Conservative Coalition• Business, religious, other groups form

conservative coalition• Conservative periodicals, think tanks discuss,

develop policies• Goals are small government, family values,

patriotism, business

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continued The Conservative Movement Builds

The Moral Majority• 1970s religious revival uses TV, radio; strong

among fundamentalists• Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority—Christians for

traditional morals

Conservatives Win Political Power

Reagan’s Qualifications• Ronald Reagan wins 1980 Republican nomination

- George H. W. Bush is running mate• Reagan served 2 terms as governor of California

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The 1980 Presidential Election• Reagan runs on conservative issues, weak

economy, Iran crisis• Called Great Communicator: can simplify issues,

give clear answers• Gets 51% popular vote, 44 states in electoral race,

Senate majority

Reagan’s Economic Policies• Reagan encourages private investment by cutting

federal government• Reaganomics: budget cuts, tax cuts, increased

defense spending

Conservative Policies Under Reagan and Bush

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Budget Cuts• Maintains entitlement

programs that benefit middle class

• Cuts programs that benefit poor, urban population

Continued . . .

continued “Reaganomics” Takes Over

Tax Cuts• Supply-side economics holds that cutting taxes

result in:- investment, greater productivity, more supply, lower prices

• Congress decreases taxes by 25% over 3 years

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Increased Defense Spending• Defense Dept. budget almost doubles;

offsets cuts in social programs• Reagan asks scientists for Strategic

Defense Initiative- anti-missile defense system

Continued . . .

Judicial Power Shifts to the Right

Supreme Court Appointments• Reagan appoints Sandra Day O’Connor first woman justice• Also Reagan, Bush appointments make Supreme Court more

conservative• Clarence Thomas confirmed after sexual harassment hearings• Court places restrictions on civil rights, abortion

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The 1988 Presidential Election

• Most Americans economically comfortable- attribute comfort to Reagan, Bush

• Republican candidate George Bush stresses conservatism- promises “no new taxes”

• Gets 53% popular vote, 426 electoral votes- electoral victory seen as conservative mandate

continued Conservative Victories in 1984 and 1988

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The Cold War Ends

Gorbachev Initiates Reform• Mikhail Gorbachev—general secretary of Soviet

Communist Party• Soviet economy stressed; Reagan’s defense

spending adds pressure• Gorbachev adopts glasnost—allows criticism,

some freedom of press• Plans perestroika—some private enterprise,

move to democracy reconstruct the Soviet government

• Wants better relations with U.S. to cut U.S.S.R. military spending relations with the soviet union improve in Reagan's second term. - arms-control INF Treaty (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty)

Foreign Policy After the Cold War

Image

Continued . . .

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The Soviet Union Declines• 1991, 14 republics declare independence; Gorbachev forced to resign• Commonwealth of Independent States forms; 1993 START II signed

continued The Cold War Ends

Continued . . .

The Collapse of Communist Regimes

• Gorbachev reduces Soviet control of Eastern Europe, urges democracy

• 1989, Berlin Wall torn down; 1990, 2 Germanys reunited signaled the beginning of the collapse of the Soviet Union

• Czechoslovakia, Baltic states, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania democratic

• Ethnic civil war breaks out in Yugoslavia• In the 1990’s under the leadership of

Boris Yeltsin, Russia attempted to become a democracy with a market system.

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Communism Continues in China

• 1980s, China loosens business restrictions, stops price controls

• Students demand free speech, voice in government

• 1989, demonstrations in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, other cities

• Premier Li Peng orders military to crush protesters - unarmed students killed

continued The Cold War Ends

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The Iran-Contra Scandal• 1983, terrorists loyal to Iran take

Americans hostage in Lebanon• Reagan says no negotiating with

terrorists; sells arms for hostages and saw his personal popularity collapse.

• Staff divert some profits to Contras; violate Boland Amendment

• 1987, Congressional committees hold joint TV hearings

• 1988, several staffers indicted; 1992, Bush pardons Reagan officials

Middle East Trouble Spots

Continued . . .

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continued Middle East Trouble Spots

The Persian Gulf War• Iran-Iraq War leaves Saddam

Hussein with great war debt- 1990, Persian Gulf war begins when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait to take its oil, threatens U.S. oil supply major reason George Bush responded forcefully.

• Bush, Secretary of State James Baker organize international coalition

• 1991, Operation Desert Storm liberates Kuwait from Iraq

• Victory parades greet returning soldiers

• Under 400 coalition casualties; 100,000 Iraqi deaths

Continued . . .

U.S. marines in Al-Ferdaous square in Baghdad, Iraq (2003).

The United States in Today’s World

Advances in technology and high hopes for the global economy are marred by White House scandals and terrorism, including attacks on the World Trade Center that kill thousands.

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Clinton Wins the Presidency

The Election of 1992• Pres. Bush cannot convince public he can end

recession, create jobs• Third-party candidate H. Ross Perot: deficit is

biggest problem• Gov. William Jefferson Clinton of AR first baby-

boomer president

The 1990s and the New Millennium

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A “New” Democrat• Clinton moves from traditional Democratic

positions toward center• - wants to create “new,” more inclusive party

Health Care Reform• Clinton pledges affordable health care, especially

for uninsured (Health insurance for all Americans)• First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton heads team

creating plan• 1993, President presents health care reform bill to

Congress- bill controversial, does not get voted on

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Moderate Reform and Economic Boom

Continued . . .

Crime and TerrorismAmericans Are Shocked by

Violent Events • 1999, 2 Columbine students kill 13,

wound 23; copycat crimes follow• 1993, terrorists bomb World Trade

Center in NYC• 1995, federal office building in

Oklahoma City bombed, 168 dead• 1990s, U.S. embassies, military

targets abroad subject to attacks• Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists hijack 4

planes; 1 crashes into Pentagon- two planes destroy World Trade Center, fourth crashes in field

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continued New Foreign Policy Challenges

Trade and the Global Economy• Clinton wants North American Free

Trade Agreement (NAFTA):- free-trade for Canada, Mexico, U.S; critics fear lose jobs to Mexico

Meant to encourage World Trade. • 1999, demonstrators protest World

Trade Organization Seattle meeting• Anti-globalization protests held

worldwide• Police, demonstrators clash at 2001

Summit of the Americas, Quebec- plans made for Free Trade Area of the Americas by 2006

One result is American workers now compete for jobs with workers in other countries.

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Partisan Politics and Impeachment

Republicans Take Control of Congress

• Newt Gingrich turns unhappiness with Clinton into Republican support

• Contract with America—items Republicans will pass if get elected (they will balance the budget, and scale back the role of the federal government)

• 1994, Republicans win both houses; Gingrich elected Speaker

• Clinton, republicans clash over budget, refuse to compromise

• Federal government shut down for several weeks, winter 1995–1996

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Continued . . .

Chart

continued Partisan Politics and Impeachment

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Clinton Impeached• Second president to be impeached by the

house• Clinton accused of improperly using money for

1984 governor’s race• Accused of lying under oath about improper

relationship• House approves impeachment articles: perjury,

obstruction of justice• Trial January 1999; Senate acquits president

The Race for the White HouseElection Night Confusion• Democrats nominate Vice President

Al Gore• Republicans choose Texas governor

George W. Bush during his campaign he promised he would not raise taxes.

• Ralph Nader, Green Party, promote environment, liberal causes

• Close race: Florida electoral votes needed to win presidency

• As votes counted, lead shifts repeatedly between Gore, Bush

• Bush wins by narrow margin, triggers automatic recount

• Gore concedes because of predictions made on the TV.

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Continued . . .

continued The Race for the White House

Dispute Rages in Florida• Recount gives Bush narrow win• Alleged voting irregularities in several counties

- Gore campaign requests manual recount in 4 Democratic counties

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The Battle Moves to the Courts• Republicans sue to stop manual recounts; court battles begin• Supreme Court votes to stop recounts: lack uniform standards• Bush gets electoral votes from Florida, wins presidency

The Bush AdministrationAntiterrorist Measures• After September 11, antiterrorism bill passes• Department of Homeland Security created to

combat terrorism• U.S.-led coalition breaks up al-Qaeda in

Afghanistan

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War Against Iraq• Bush: Iraq gives weapons of

mass destruction (WMD) to terrorists - calls for renewed arms inspections; Saddam Hussein uncooperative

• 2003, U.S., Britain oust Hussein; no WMD found in Iraq in 2003

Continued . . .

The Shifting Economy

More Service, Less Security• Unemployment falls; many low-paying, part-time,

temporary jobs• Most jobs in service sector—provide services to

consumers• Many companies downsize—cut jobs for

efficiency, higher profits this made workers in the 1990s feel insecure

The New Global Economy

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Continued . . .

Change and the Global Economy

International Trade• 1990s, U.S. trade

with other countries over 25% of the economy

• Economic competition among trading blocs increasing

• General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) revised- lowers trade barriers- establishes World Trade Organization to resolve disputes

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Continued . . .

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The Social Effects of Increased Longevity

• Median age up as result of:- greater longevity, big baby boom generation, slowed birthrate

• Programs that pay for elderly are growing part of budget

• Medicare pays medical expenses for senior citizens

• Social Security pays retirement benefits- must be restructured to avoid paying more than takes in in future. The aging of America’s population will put a strain on Social security.

The Aging of America