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“ Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be. ” –Ralph Waldo Emerson Who are good examples of people that have inspired others? Can you think of events that have greater meaning than the event itself?. Bush throwing out first pitch after 9/11 in NYC?
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“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson • Who are good examples of people that have inspired others? • Can you think of events that have greater meaning than the event itself?
Bush throwing out first pitch after 9/11 in NYC? • Jackie Robinson breaking color barrier? • Tommie Smith and John Carlos at 1968 Olympics?
Why was this event so important to the U.S.? • Has there ever been any other sporting event that has had this kind of impact on the United States? Do you believe in miracles?!?!
Concerns New Right • Believed state gov’ts, businesses and individuals needed freedom from Wash., D.C. • Entitlement program spending was $300 million • Civil Rights Act being abused • Support and promote single issues that reflect key interests • Oppose abortion, block Equal Rights Amendment, evade court-ordered busing, return to school prayer • Criticized affirmative action Emergence of Conservative Movement
Conservative Coalition Moral Majority • Alliance of business leaders, middle-class voters, disaffected Democrats and fundamentalist Christian groups • Think Tanks and outside media promotion • Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson • Interpreted the bible literally and believed in absolute standards of right and wrong • Called for traditional values • “back to God, back to the Bible, back to morality” Conservative Groups
“Family Values” • Called for lower divorce rate • Fewer out-of-wedlock births • More individual responsibility • Revival of prosperity and patriotism Individual Conservative Groups
Shrink size of federal government and reduce spending • Promote family values and patriotic ideals • Stimulate business by reducing government regulations and lowering taxes • Strengthen the national defense Goals of Conservative Movement
Born in Illinois in 1911 • Sports broadcaster for WHO and the Iowa Hawkeyes • Hollywood actor and President of Screen Actors Guild • Spokesmen for GE • Democrat until 1950s then became conservative Republican • Campaigned for Barry Goldwater in 64 • Governor of Cali in 1966 and 1970 Ronald Reagan Bio
S.C. decisions on abortion, pornography, teaching of evolution and prayer in public schools concerned conservative voters • Iranian hostage crisis and weak economy • The Great Communicator • Commitment to military and economic strength • 52.6% of people voted; Reagan won 51% of vote but carried 44 states • Republicans get Senate for first time since 1954 Reagan wins election of 1980
What is the impact of his attitude? • Why was his attitude precisely what the U.S. needed at the time? • Does his attitude reduce his credibility? • Is President Obama (or any other president you can think of) like this? • Is it bad for someone in a position like this to use humor? The Great Communicator
Budget Cuts • Cuts in social programs • Entitlement programs helping middle class remained (Social security, Medicare, Veteran’s Pensions) • 10% cut in budget for mass transit, food stamps, welfare benefit, job training, Medicaid, school lunches, student loans Reaganomics
Tax Cuts • Supply-Side Economics: if people paid fewer taxes they would save $$ banks could then loan $$ to businesses invest money in resources to improve productivity supply would increase prices decrease • Lowered income taxes by about 25% Reaganomics
Increased Defense Spending • Increase in military spending offset cuts in social programs • Revived the MX missile and B-1 bomber • Strategic Defense Initiative – SDI – Star Wars: Reagan asked scientists to develop a defense system that would keep Americans safe from enemy missiles Reaganomics
Recession: worst since Great Depression • 1983 consumer confidence boosted by tax cuts, decline in interest rates and lower inflation • Stock market surged, unemployment declined, GNP up 10% • Reagan doubled national debt Reaganomics
Shift to the Right • Sandra Day O’Connor, Antonin Scalia, and Anthony M. Kennedy on S.C. • William Rehnquist is Chief Justice • Bush adds more conservatives • Looked at issues such as discrimination, abortion and affirmative action • Deregulate the Economy • Cutting back federal regulation of industry • Removed price controls on oil and eliminated federal health and safety inspections for nursing homes • Cut budget of Environmental Protection Agency Changes under Reagan
1984 1988 • Reagan and Bush vs Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro • Carried every state except Minnesota • Michael Dukakis vs Bush • Bush campaigned for no new taxes and used attack ads saying Dukakis was soft on crime and unpatriotic • Low voter turnout Conservative Victories
Health Issues Abortion • AIDS: virus that destroys immune system and weakens body • Sharing needles, contaminated blood transfusions, infected mothers giving it to child • Roe v. Wade of 1973 • Pro-Life v. Pro-choice • Webster v. Reproductive Health Care Services: states have right to impose restrictions on abortion Social Concerns
Drug Abuse Education • Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No!” Campaign • Should U.S. legalize certain drugs? • Should we increase money spent on treatment facilities? • A Nation at Risk: 23 million Americans cant follow instruction manual or fill out job application • More homework, longer days and year, increased pay for teachers Social Concerns
Urban Crisis • high unemployment • bad infrastructure • inadequate funds for sanitation and health services • Deteriorating schools • Growing divide between wealthy and poor • LA Riots after beating of Rodney King Social Concerns
Women • Unable to get Equal Rights Amendment ratified • Geraldine Ferraro • 47 women in House of Representatives in 1992 and 6 Senators • Earn 75 cents for every $1 men make • Pay Equity: pay rates based on job requirements in 20 states by 1989 • Family benefits Fight for Rights
African Americans Latinos • Mayors in LA, Detroit, Chicago, and more • L. Douglas Wilder first governor (1990) • Jesse Jackson • Richmond v. J.A. Croson Company: limited scope of affirmative action • 9% of population by 1990 • Toney Anaya in NM and Robert Martinez in Florida • Issue of bilingual education Fight for Rights
Native Americans Asian-Americans • Teach about their past • Return of ancestral lands • Reagan slashed aid to Native Americans opened up casinos • Low crime rates, low school dropout rates, low divorce rates • High unemployment and poverty Fight for Rights
Gay Rights • Setback due to AIDS crisis • 1992 Republican National Convention condemned gay activism Fight for Rights
Make an argument for pro-choice or pro-life? • Should we legalize marijuana? • Should we lengthen the school year? School day? Increase pay for teachers? • Should there be bilingual education in schools across the country? • Should men receive the same family benefits as women? • Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry? Questions to Consider
1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev becomes General Secretary of Communist Party • Increases defense spending and economy is pushed to brink of collapse • Glasnost: (openness) open to criticize the gov’t steps toward freedom of press • Perestroika: less gov’t control of economy, introduction of private enterprise, establish democracy • INF Treaty – on-site inspections of military installations End of the Cold War
Gorbachev allows non-communist parties to organize in satellite nations and push toward democracy • Reagan challenges him to back up his words • Berlin wall opened for first time in 28 years • German nations united in 1990 • Countries break away from communism “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
Nationalism grows in non-Russian republics • Gorbachev resigns in 1991 • 1992 – Bush and Yeltsin declare end of Cold War and sign START II pact in 1993 Soviet Union Declines
Government loosened grip on business and eliminated price controls • Students demand greater voice in gov’t • 1989 – Tiananmen Square • “The government has won the battle here today. But they have lost the people’s hearts.” Communism in China
US helps Anastasio Somoza to power in 1930s very strict dictator • Civil War from 1977-79: National Guard vs. Sandinistas • US sends aid to Sandinistas • In 1981, Reagan cuts aid and supports Contras • 10,000 men in Contra army and aided by CIA agents Boland Amendment • Feb 25, 1990 – Violeta de Chamorro is elected President in free election Nicaragua
Grenada Panama • Reagan sends 2,000 troops to overthrow pro-Cuban government • 18 soldiers die • 20,000 soldiers overthrow General Manuel Antonio Noriega for drug trafficking • Taken by force to Miami for trial and sentenced to 40 years in prison Central American and Caribbean Policy
Iran-Contra Scandal Persian Gulf War • 1983 – terrorist group loyal to Iran take Americans hostage in Lebanon • Reagan approves sale of arms to Iran for release of 7 hostages and sends profits to Contras • Oliver North and televised hearings; found guilty of cover-up • Saddam Hussein looking to erase war debts • 1990 – Iraq invades Kuwait • Operation Desert Storm • Kuwait liberated Middle East
Rising deficits and recession in 1990 • Forced to raise taxes and approval rating plummeted • Ended 12 years of Republican leadership Bush Domestic Policy