Presentation Transcript

1. The Resurgence of Conservatism 1980-1992:

   the Reagan Revolution
2. Introduction Resignation of Nixon, Carter Administration Reagan elected in 1980 End of the Cold War Conservative shift in American politics Turmoil in the Middle East and the Balkans White House Scandals
3. Conservative Political Shift: New World Order in 1980’s Conservative Cultural Trends in the 1970’s Reaction to polarizing effect of 1960’s and counterculture Feminism Title IX 1972 prohibiting sex discrimination in any federally assisted educational program or activity—athletics, Title IX generation Roe vs. Wade 1973 Mobilized conservatives = right to life movement
4. Feminism and the Conservative Backlash Push for the Equal Rights Amendment Codification of women’s equal status to men in Constitution Falls short of ratification in 1980’s Phyllis Schlafely – draft argument
5. The Moral Majority Religious Right becomes stakeholder in right wing politics Republican party embraces evangelical Christian groups in America Jerry Falwell, Christian radio & megachurches
6. The Arab Embargo and the Energy Crisis American support of the Israelis in the 6 Day and Yom Kippur Wars (1967 & 1973) brought a huge cost Arab Oil Embargo (1973-1974) Oil shortages Nixon Responses Alaskan pipeline National speed limit Highlighted American dependence (weakness) on foreign oil
7. Trouble and More Trouble for Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) Economic Problems Double digit inflation (uncontrollable spiral) Stagflation = Stagnant Business activity + continued unemployment + Inflation Tried to combat unemployment and economic weakness with government spending Wage and price guidelines – little success Deregulation of industry (continued post-Carter)
8. Trouble Abroad Iranian Revolution Overthrown Iranian leader was allowed into the US Iran cut off all oil to the US Great Satan Iranian Hostage (1979) Iranian students stormed the American embassy and took hostages (held for 444 days) Attempted rescue failed
9. Soviets invaded Afghanistan (1979) Carter's Actions Embargo Pulled US out of the Moscow Olympics (1980) U.S. boycott of Olympic Games in Moscow
10. 1980 Election: Triumphant Return of Conservatism Reagan won solid Democratic constituencies in the South (ex GA) Over half white & blue collar workers in those States Reagan took advantage of rise of conservative sunbelt states Called for return to traditional values Responded to voter concern re economy (stagflation of 1970’s)
11. Election of 1980 Carter was in a horrible spot "ABC" (Anybody But Carter) Movement in the Democratic party Reagan ran on being a fiscal and social conservative a return to small government reversing the New Deal and Great Society effect on gov't being staunchly anti-Communist Video: Reagan’s inaugural address
12. Reagan’s Domestic Agenda Federal Income Tax Cuts and Federal Domestic Spending Savings & Loans deregulated Environmental legislation loosened Hard line on Labor unions (Air Traffic controller strikers fired and replaced by non-union Workers)
13. Reagan and the Economy Federal Reserve Board cuts interest rates = lowering inflation Recession continues into 1982 but recovery begins in third quarter
14. Economic Growth in U.S. Late 1970’s to Early 1980’s Blue line is Percent Change From Preceding Period in Real Gross Domestic Product (annualized; seasonally adjusted) Red line is Average GDP growth 1947–2009 Data is from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
15. Reagan and the Economy Wall Street Frenzy: Illegal and Unethical financial dealings Stock market crash 1987, reducing paper stocks by 20% overnight BUT stock market recovers quickly Reagan’s legacy of soaring trade deficit
16. Reagan and the Supreme Court Reagan begins to reshape the Supreme Court Appoints 1st female member: Sandra Day O’Conner Antonin Scalia Anthony Kennedy
17. The Reagan Revolution The Reagan Revolution The return of conservatism A reaction to big government and social engineering (New Deal/Great Society) "Best of the Rightest" Small Gov't Policies Cut social programs Raise defense spending Supply Side Economics Tax cuts Reagan cuts taxes 25% over three years
18. Reagan and Supply-Side Economics Reaganomics The idea is that cuts in taxes would create economic growth that would bring in more tax revenue Budgetary restraint is necessary as well Under Reagan massive military spending led to large deficits (deficit spending) Reagan added $2 trillion to the national debt While somewhat controversial, some argue that Reaganomics benefited the wealthy while squeezing the middle class and the poor
19. the Cold Warrior Evil Empire Soviets were "prepared to commit any crime, to lie, to cheat" Soviet Union is "evil empire" and "the focus of evil in the modern world"
20. New Arms Race Reagan in essence used deficit spending to bury the Soviets in a new arms race SDI or Star Wars scared the Soviets and gave Reagan a huge advantage All arms negotiations ended
21. Strategic Defense Initiative aka Star Wars
22. Spending higher in late Cold War under Reagan than during Vietnam War era
23. Military... Too Big or Too Small
24. Military build-up leads to grassroots nuclear freeze movement
25. 1984 Election
26. Mondale Ferraro Democratic ticket 1984
27. US Presidential elections 1984 Reagan re-elected with 59% of popular vote
28. The Teflon President Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut (1983) killed over 200 Marines American troops were pulled out after this
29. Iran-Contra Scandal (1985) Weapons were sold to Iran (the “enemy”) in return for the Iranians help in releasing hostages held in the Middle East Money made was then given to the Contras Reagan claimed to not know anything Claimed his subordinates were to blame Despite this Reagan remained popular
30. Reagan and the End of the Cold War Reagan and Gorbachev Gorbachev sought an end to the Cold War because the Soviets could not afford the military spending Glasnost & Perestroika were meant to revive the Soviet economy Nuclear Summit Meetings Banned a certain type of offensive nuclear missiles
31. Reagan's Humor
32. Tear Down This Wall Speech, 1987Brandenberg Gate, Berlin
33. Reagan’s Legacy Mixed Domestic Record Improved economy ≠Soaring federal deficits Exploited white middle class anxieties His critics saw his administration as interlude of nostalgia + drift to conservatism Reagan’s admirers praised him for reasserting the values for self-reliance & free enterprise Criticizing governmental excess Restoring national pride Polarizing figure between Conservatives and Liberals
34. New World Order-1988 - Conservatism Continues
35. Democratic Candidate 1988
36. 1988 Presidential election resultsBush 54% of popular vote Dukakis inarticulate and accused of being light on crime- very few issues discussed – photo ops election Democrats retained majority in Congress
37. George H. Bush’s Administration End of Cold War Fall of Berlin Wall September 1989 Reunification of Germany Baltic Republics declared their independence from USSR 1991 Signs a nuclear arms treaty reducing arsenal by 25%
38. Domestic Troubles Saving and Loan Scandal in 1980’s Real estate markets cool down in late 1980s S&Ls lose $2.6 B from people’s savings accounts Because bank accounts are insured by the government, taxpayers have to make up for the billions of dollars lost Several S&L officials are prosecuted for their role in the scandal and their efforts to cover it up
39. Increasing Debt: S&L bailout, Gulf War, medicare, medicaid payments
40. 1990 Recession Hits Sales fall Tax revenue falls Unemployment climbs Additional 2 million Americans sink below poverty line homelessness
41. 1992 LA Riots Deep-seeded social maladies Poverty and anger worsen in inner-cities Began in black neighborhoods after overthrow of conviction of police officers in R. King case
42. 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil spill Ruined 600 acres of pristine Alaskan coastline
43. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Report on Air Quality Report Released – pronounces air in more than 100 U.S. cities hazardous to breathe Bush administration ignores these environmental problems Continues oil exploration & drilling in Alaska Undermines global treaties on global warming & mining in Antarctica BUT signs the 1990 Federal Clean Air Act
44. Social Legislation Bush also signs the American Disabilities Act wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability
45. 1992 Election Clinton vs. Bush 3rd Party: Ross Perot: 18.8% of popular vote, 1st time since Teddy Roosevelt