Chapter 33: into the twenty-first century

1. Chapter 33: into the twenty-first century The Big Picture: Americans faced the twenty-first century with hope, determination, and a readiness to embrace all challenges.

2. Chapter 33 section 1: The Clinton years Main Idea: Bill Clinton was a new type of Democrat, and his administration faced challenges for a new millennium– and scandals as old as politics.

3. Bill Clinton’s Political Rise • Clinton was very successful as a politician, rising quickly in the Democratic Party • Politically he was known as a New Democrat: not as conservative as most Republicans, not as liberal as many Democrats (also known as a centrist or moderate) • Ran for the Democratic nomination for President in 1992 • Platform included a national health-care system and middle class tax cuts; campaign included his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton • Ran against George H.W. Bush as a defender of the middle class • His campaign, and the inclusion of 3rd party candidate Ross Perot (who took Republican votes from Bush) led to Clinton’s election even though he won less than 50% of the vote

4. Domestic Policy Issues Deficit Reduction Health-care Reform • Clinton was unable to fulfill his campaign promise to cut taxes, citing budget deficits, instead, taxes went up • Republicans predicted that tax increases would harm the economy, but they were wrong • Through-out the 90s, the US experienced a time of prosperity with low unemployment and low interest rates • Health-care costs were rising and millions of Americans had no health insurance • Hillary Clinton headed a task force to study the problem and offer possible solutions • The major recommendation of the task force was government-sponsored healthcare • After months of debate, the plan was defeated

5. Domestic Policy Issues 1994 Elections Welfare Reform and other challenges • Defeat of the health-care plan reflected discontent with Clinton’s leadership • He failed to deliver on several campaign promises and the tax increases were unpopular • In mid-term elections, Republicans capitalized on public discontent • Newt Gingrich and other Republicans campaigned with the Contract with America- a plan to balance the budget, fight crime, and cut taxes • The plan was popular and Republicans gained 62 seats in Congress • They controlled both houses of Congress for the 1st time in 40 years • Clinton bounced back from this defeat by focusing on issues the Republicans raised • 1996- Clinton reforms the welfare program by limiting the amount of time people could collect benefits and required recipients to find work within two years of collecting benefits • Internet emerges as a means of communication and commerce • Congress tries to limit inappropriate material on the Internet, but were blocked by the Supreme Court in Reno v. ACLU • Federal building in Oklahoma City is bombed (domestic terrorism) in 1995 killing 168 • Terry Nichols and Timothy McVeigh convicted of the crime

6. Foreign Policy Issues Early Success in the Middle East Somalia and Haiti • US struggled to know their place in a post-Cold War world • 1993 Clinton helped Israel (Rabin) and Palestine (Arafat) sign the Oslo Accords (Palestine got self rule and Palestine recognized Israel's right to exist) • When Rabin was assassinated in 1995, the relationship between the two nations soured • US had UN troops in Somalia to distribute food to victims of a civil war • 1993- US troops began working to try to end the civil war • October 1993 18 killed and 84 wounded in Mogadishu • Clinton pulls out troops and decides not to get involved when genocide breaks out in Rwanda in 1994 • 1994 UN intervenes to remove a military dictator from Haiti • US helps achieve a peaceful change in government

7. Foreign Policy Issues The Former Yugoslavia Promoting International Trade • Yugoslavia was formed after World War I and had several ethic groups that were enemies in the same country • Each of these groups wanted their independence but the nation was held together by Josip Tito until his death in 1980 • After his death, the country fell apart and by the 1990s the small nations were fighting each other • 1995 Dayton Accords: attempted to end fighting in Bosnia and Herzegovina • 1999- urged the UN to stop Serbia from expelling Albanians from the Serbian region of Kosovo • Bombing campaigns forced Serbian troops out • Clinton worked to get Congressional approval of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) • This treaty would eliminate tariffs from all goods going to and from Canada, the US, and Mexico • Many worried it would lead to job losses in the US because wages were lower in Mexico • Others countered that it would increase trade and help the economy • Clinton also helped create the World Trade Organization(WTO) that replaced GATT and helped settle trade disputes and create rules for global trade

8. Scandal and Impeachment • Clinton wins re-election in 1996 • During 1st term, Clinton and his wife were investigated in connection to a failed real estate project in the 1970s known as Whitewater • The Clintons were accused of improperly getting and using loans for the project • Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr never charged the Clintons, but 3 of their business associates were found guilty of crimes • Clinton also faced a sexual harassment case brought by Paula Jones from his time as governor • Information emerged that he may have also had an inappropriate relationship with an intern named Monica Lewinsky • Nov 1998- House of Representatives impeaches Clinton for perjury (lying under oath) and obstruction of justice (trying to cover up wrong doing) • Early 1999, Senate votes to acquit Clinton, he is not removed from office

9. Chapter 33 section 2: George W. Bush’s presidency Main Idea: Following a troubled election, Republican George W. Bush won the White House and strongly promoted his agenda.

10. The Election of 2000 The Nominees A troubled election • The American economy prospered under Clinton (gov’t had a budget surplus) • VP Al Gore wanted to be associate with that part of the Clinton administration, but not his scandalous image • He picks Joe Liberman as his running mate (first Jewish man to run for the office) • Republicans choose George W. Bush, son of former President Bush and governor of Texas • Polls indicated that the race would be close; both popular vote and electoral college votes were very close on election night • Election returns in Florida were so close that that the entire race hinged on the outcome there • News organizations declared Gore the winner, then retracted and declared Bush the winner • Finally they admitted it was too close to call over a month before a winner was announced

11. The Election of 2000 Recount and Legal Wrangling Bush v. Gore • Because returns were so close, Florida conducted a recount (Bush had a lead of only 300 out of 6 million ballots) • Democrats were concerned about ballots that were not counted because they were not punched correctly…they wanted those ballots counted by hand • One type of ballot, the butterfly ballot, was confusing for voters, causing concern that some voters voted incorrectly • Lawsuits were filed by both Republicans and Democrats over the recount • December- Florida Supreme Court declared there should be a manual (by hand) recount…this favored Gore • Bush appeals to Supreme Court • In Bush v. Gore the Supreme Court stops the manual recount (can’t change counting methods in the middle of an election); therefore Bush won Florida and the 2000 Election • Bush was the 4th president in US history to win even though he lost the popular vote

12. Bush’s Domestic Policy Economic Changes Tax Cuts • Economic prosperity of the 90s was waning • Dot-com stocks began to fall and several major business had financial problems, leading to a stock market drop and recession • Even though the economy was in recession, Bush still believed that tax cuts would help the nation • Tax cuts did not help the economy improve • The administration cut taxes again in 2003, but it did not help the economy then either

13. Bush’s Domestic Policy Education, health care, and more Bush’s Second Term • 2001: No Child Left Behind- used annual testing to ensure students met academic standards • Bush also encouraged federal funding to faith-based organizations • 2003- Medicare updated to include prescription drug coverage • 2004: Bush runs against John Kerry, who is critical of Bush’s handling of the economy and foreign policy…Bush wins • Bush focuses on Social Security reform • Bush proposes moving social security funds into private retirement accounts  rejected by Congress • Bush able to put two new conservative justices on the Supreme Court: John Roberts and Samuel Alito

14. Bush’s Foreign Policy • Bush asks Gulf War general Colin Powell to be his Secretary of State and Condeleezza Rice to be National Security Advisor • After 2004 Election, Powell resigned and Rice took his place • Donald Rumsfeld served as Secretary of Defense • Bush refused to use troops for ‘nation building’ as Clinton had done • Bush cancelled the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty but also reduced US nuclear arms • The cancellation of the ABM Treaty caused friction with Russia and China • He also tried to work on peace in the Middle East but was unsuccessful

15. Chapter 33 section 3: how September 11, 2001, changed America MAIN IDEA: A horrific attack on September 11, 2001, awakened the nation to the threat of terrorism and changed America’s view of the world.

16. September 11, 2001 • 2 commercial planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center; a 3rd plane crashed into the Pentagon, and a 4th crashed in a field in Pennsylvania • Millions of Americans watched live as the twin towers collapsed • Over 3,000 people were killed in the attacks • The nation was overwhelmed with grief and anger and admired first responders like the NY Fire Department • Millions donated blood and money to help the victims of the attacks • Patriotism soared and America began a new war: the War on Terror

17. Background to the Attacks • Federal investigators focused their attention on Osama bin Laden, a wealthy Saudi Arabian who had gone to Afghanistan in the 1980s to fight Soviet invaders • He embraced radical Islam and wanted to destroy the US; he was also angry about US presence in the Middle East • Bin Laden created a terrorist network called al Qaeda to carry out attacks around the world– they were responsible for an attack on the WTC in 1993 and embassies around the world • The US tried to attack a training base in Afghanistan under Clinton, but bin Laden escaped and later attacked the USS Cole, killing 17 • al Qaeda operative began moving into the US and enrolling in flight school to prepare to take over planes for the attacks

18. The United States Responds War in Afghanistan Fighting Terrorism at Home • The Taliban controlled Afghanistan and implements strict Islamic law • bin Laden support the Taliban and the Taliban aided bin Laden • Bush put pressure on the Taliban to turn over bin Laden, but they refused • Oct, 2001- US and GB attacks Afghanistan • They were able to quickly overthrow the Taliban, but did not find bin Laden • Afghanistan still faces instability as American troops prepare to withdraw completely • To coordinate anti-terrorism efforts, Bush and Congress created the Department of Homeland Security • The US also faces the possibility of biological terrorism (anthrax is mailed to several government officials) • Congress passes the USA Patriot Act that made it easier for law enforcement to secretly collect information about suspected terrorists • Some critics believe that it violates individual freedoms

19. War in Iraq • After a successful war in Afghanistan, Bush vowed to fight terrorism in Iraq, claiming that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction • UN weapons inspectors in 2003 found no evidence of weapons, but Bush believed they had been hidden • US invades Iraq March 2003 • By April Saddam Hussein’s government fell and the country descended into civil war • No evidence of weapons of mass destruction were ever found

20. Chapter 33 section 4: Looking ahead MAIN IDEA: The dawn of a new century found the United States facing a new era of opportunity and challenge.

21. America’s Changing Face Tomorrow’s population Regional Changes/Graying Population • Minorities currently make up 30% of the US population • By 2050, minorities are expected to make up 50% with Hispanics as the largest minority group • Sunbelt (South and West) growing faster than other regions of the US • Lower energy and labor costs attract business to this region as well • Americans are also getting older; people over 64 is the fastest growing group • Caused mostly by the aging/retirement of baby boomers • Will place a strain on Social Security and Medicare

22. The Promise of Technology Computers: • 60% of Americans own computers (only 1% in 1980) most connected to the Internet • Most appliances, cars, and electronics contain computer chips • Information Technology is a major part of every industry Agriculture: • Genetic engineering is used to grow higher yield crops in less than ideal conditions but is controversial (is it safe?) Exploration: • Bush advocated building bases on the moon and Mars, but economic problems stalled these projects

23. Challenges for the Future Health and health care • life expectancy continues to grow and the US faces challenges with expensive chronic health problems (heart disease, diabetes, obesity) • Cost of healthcare is a serious problem Affordable Healthcare Act: attempt to slow the rate of cost increase by helping/requiring all Americans to have health insurance Energy and the Environment • America faces challenges in providing inexpensive energy without harming the environment Rebuilding After Hurricane Katrina and Sandy • Storm devastated Gulf states in August 2005; over 1,000 die • Hurricane Sandy hits New Jersey October 2012 Causing billions of dollars of damage