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Building the Shining City on a Hill

Building the Shining City on a Hill. The Reagan Revolution (Chapter 23.1 and 23.2). The 1980s Culture. Became the “Me! Me! Me!” generation of status seekers Donald Trump made his millions “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!” “Shop til you drop!” Video games Rising costs for college

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Building the Shining City on a Hill

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  1. Building the Shining City on a Hill The Reagan Revolution (Chapter 23.1 and 23.2)

  2. The 1980s Culture • Became the “Me! Me! Me!” generation of status seekers • Donald Trump made his millions • “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!” • “Shop til you drop!” • Video games • Rising costs for college • Nerds become the hot commodity • MTV is born (it used to be for actual music videos) • Pop, rock, new wave, punk, country, and rap or hip hop became popular

  3. New Waves of Politics

  4. Liberalism • Born of the New Deal and the Great Society • Gov’t intervention in society, central planning of economy, high taxes, internationalism, and judicial activism

  5. Neo-Conservatism • Same vein as AuH2O • Free market, limited gov’t, personal freedom and responsibility, fewer taxes, pro-business, strong national defense, and judicial restraint • Social Conservatives = Religious Right

  6. Conservative Activists • Sagebrush Rebels – wanted Feds to give control of land to the states • The Moral Majority – angry at Federal stands on social issues • Pro-life, pro-religion in school, anti-Equal Rights Act, anti-gay

  7. Enter Ronald Reagan • AuH2O conservative • Opposed “big gov’t” • Wanted a strong military • Believed in “traditional values” • The “Great Communicator” radiated optimism

  8. Appeal of Reagan • Sportscaster & Hollywood actor • President of SAG (Screen Actors’ Guild) then Gov . Of Cali • Strong anti-communist, led Hollywood against Communism

  9. 1980 Election • Ran against Jimmy Carter • Asked “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” • “Can do” attitude sweeps Reagan to victory

  10. The Reagan Inaugural

  11. Reagan Shot “Honey, I forgot to duck.”

  12. Reaganomics • Supply-Side Economics • Major tax cuts to individuals and businesses (from 70%-28%) • More federal revenue projected from new sales and payroll taxes in lieu of income taxes • Cut regulations and size of Federal Gov’t

  13. Effects of Reaganomics • Inflation drops from 11.83% to 3.8% by 1982 • 16,000,000 jobs added • GDP grows at average rate of 3.4% • Total family wealth and income surge

  14. Critiques of Reaganomics • Jobs added in total – overall average 7.5% unemployment • 25% jump in poverty as Social net cut • Median income drops as people forced off welfare and into lower paying jobs • Budget swells (militarism)

  15. Reagan Gets Tough • 1981 – Illegally, Air Traffic controllers went on strike • PATCO – Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization • Reagan fired them all after 48 hour warning and hired new workers • Labor HATES Reagan • Union power broken in the US

  16. CRACKED! The War on Drugs • Crack cocaine hit America’s cities • Surge in addiction, homelessness, murder, theft, robbery, and long-term imprisonment • Nancy Reagan started “Just Say No” program • Federal money cut for drug users (housing and college) • Random drug tests for Federal workers • Treatment facilities

  17. Racism of Drugs • Rock or crack cocaine common among blacks • Powdered cocaine common among whites • Courts sentence crack abusers MUCH more frequently and harshly • More jail time for blacks • “Ghettoization” of cities

  18. Social Changes for Women • Increasingly involved in politics • 1981 – Sandra Day O’Connor • 1st woman on Court • By 1989 – 20 states have equal pay laws • Cuts for federally funded daycare

  19. AIDS • 1981 – disease hits US • Called “Slim Disease”, “Gay Disease”, the “4H Disease” (Haitians, homosexuals, heroin users, and hemophiliacs) • By 1990 – myths begin to separate from facts • Transfusions (Ryan White), toilets, touching

  20. The AIDS Epidemic • Reagan is criticized for remaining silent on AIDS for years as it ravages America • Controversy over its impact in the gay community • Controversy over sex education in schools

  21. A Global Issue • In US today, AIDs now seen as something one can live with • On the rise again as sexual caution disappearing • 2009 – DC sees 22% jump in AIDs

  22. Triumph and Disaster • 1981 – new, reusable cheaper vehicle created • 1986 – Challenger explodes

  23. 1984 Election Reagan vs. Mondale (and Jesse Jackson))

  24. Scandal Hits Wall Street • The S&L Scandal • Federal insured banks hit by $2,600,000,000 theft • Deregulation of banks blamed • Reagan uses tax-payer money to pay off • Americans angry

  25. Foreign Policy and Cold War Policy Issues of the 1980s

  26. 1982 War in Lebanon • Civil War in Lebanon threatened regional peace and security • US sent in troops as peacekeepers with multi-national force • 1983 – US Marine barracks bombed, 220 killed • Iranian funded Hezbollah behind the attack • NOW – seen as early Islamic terror event • US leaves Lebanon

  27. Bombing in Beirut - 1983 • 241 Americans are killed by suicide bombers in barracks in Beirut, Lebanon • Hezbollah (backed by Iran) claims responsibility

  28. Libya • US and Libya dispute international water • Libyans attack US Navy and US crushes • Libya contracts for W. Berlin disco bombing where two US soldiers were killed • April 1986 – US bombs Libya in retaliation for state-sponsored terrorist bombings • Colonel Muammar Gaddafi left in power • Dec 1988 – PanAm Flight 803 blown up over Scotland • Linked back to Libya

  29. Iran-Contra Affair • Reagan alleged to have secretly and illegally sold weapons to Iran • To get Iranian air in pressuring Lebanon to release US hostages • Funneling money to anti-Sandinista Nicaraguan rebels (Contras) • Oliver North took the fall but many blamed Reagan

  30. Afghanistan – A Secret War • 1973 – communists seize Afghanistan • Peasants fear anti-religious message, organize Mujahideen • Soviets fear spread of Holy War into southern USSR • Enter the US

  31. The Triumph of Reagan • 1980 – Reagan runs to oppose communism • Massive raises in defense spending • Star War (Strategic Defense Initiative [SDI]) - use ground-based and space-based systems to protect the US from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles • Focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic offense doctrine of MAD

  32. “The Evil Empire”

  33. The Russian Situation • Afghan War spending combined with new US arms race – cause Soviet economic disaster • Social programs cut • Soviets can’t buy bread and guns at the same time

  34. Taking on the “Evil Empire” • Reagan approved a 40% increase in defense spending from 1981 – 1985 • “Peace Through Strength” - Deterrence

  35. Mikhail GorbachevA Last Ditch Soviet Effort • Perestroika • Economic restructuring • Capitalism? • Glasnost • Social Openness • Freedoms of press and speech

  36. Summits with Gorbachev • Gorbachev was someone Reagan could work with • Perestroika and Glasnost unraveling the USSR • Reagan’s plan working

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