Ronald Reagan

1. Ronald Reagan The Rise of the Modern Conservative Movement

2. Ronald Reagan • Born in Illinois, 1911 • Lifeguard, Radio Announcer • Launched an acting career during the Great Depression • Became conservative during socialist and communist threats in the movie industry (HUAC) • Switched from Democratic to Republican Party in the late 50s/early 60s

3. The 1980 Election • Between current President Jimmy Carter (Democrat) and Republican Ronald Reagan

4. The New Conservative CoalitionThe NEW RIGHT • Conservative evangelical Christians • To restore Christian Values in America • Southern Democrats • Reduction of Social Programs • Called for reduction in size and power of government • Favored return of US military pride • Patriotic focus

5. The 1980 “Revolution” • Carter’s perceived mishandling of major challenges • Reagan’s ability to communicate - “The Great Communicator” • Few simple well-articulated idea

6. Map 30.4 Presidential Election of 1980 (p. 903)

7. Assassination Attempt • John Hickley Jr. – assassin • Wanted to win Jodie Foster’s heart • Three people shot, including Reagan • Just 69 days into first presidency • Reagan recovered to shot in lung • James Brady, Press Secretary suffered a head shot and was disabled.

8. FYI – Jodie Foster • The Silence of the Lambs • Taxi Driver • Panic Room • Contact • Nell • Anna and the King • Carnage • Inside Man

9. Supply-Side Economics a.k.a“Reaganomics” • Cut taxes to put more money into the hands of businesses • Cut taxes on the wealthiest Americans • Lower taxes = more investment in the “supply side” of the economy • Would: • promote and create new jobs • encourage capital investment, and • lead to stimulated industrial growth

10. ECONOMIC THEORIES • Supply Side Economics (generally favored by conservatives): • Tax breaks to the wealthy capital accumulation higher productivity lower prices job creation higher tax revenues collected by the government money to reduce federal budget deficits. • Demand Side or Keynesian Economics (generally favored by liberals): • tax breaks to working/middle classes higher productivity job creation higher tax revenues collected by the government money to reduce federal budget deficits.

11. Cutting Government Regulation - “deregulation” • Continued Carter’s programs to deregulate key industries • Energy, Transportation and Banking Industries • Challenged Air Traffic Controllers in 1981 - Fired those who refused to go back to work after a strike.

12. Slowed Federal Growth - New Federalism (Reagan-style) • Limiting government • Eliminated public service jobs • reduced unemployment compensation • lowered welfare benefits • raised fees for Medicare patients • Federal domestic spending still grew for a couple of years

13. Reagan and Military Buildup • Sharp increase in military spending = buildup • New weapons and new technology • Neoconservatives (Neo-cons = Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Condoleeza Rice, Richard Armistead, Colin Powell, etc.) • Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) = better known as Star Wars

14. Reagan and the Cold War • Called Soviet Union the “evil empire” • Reagan - Cold Warrior • Lebanon • Libya • Grenada • El Salvador • Nicaragua (Contra rebels supported by US)

15. Reagan: Economic Recession, and Recovery • 1981-1982 Recession • Inflation slowed, consumer spending increased • Stock market grew • Federal deficit grew even as domestic spending decreased • National debt = $909 billion in 1980 --- $3.2 trillion in 1990

16. Election of 1984 • Patriotic Renewal • 59% of popular vote • Second largest electoral victory in history • 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles • Communist-bloc countries boycotted • 1986 - 100th anniversary of Statue of Liberty • 1987 - 200th anniversary of the Constitution

17. By early 1984, the economy rebounded and the US entered one of the longest periods of sustained economic growth since WWII

18. However, much of this growth was based on deficit spending • Under Reagan the national debt nearly tripled

19. Other issues 1984-1988 • AIDS Awareness • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome • Attacks the immune system of victims and is transferred through bodily fluids • Reagan was criticized for a lack of response and low funding requests for research

20. Women’s Movement stalled (ERA failed in 1982) • Supreme Court conservatives • Sandra Day O’Connor • First woman appointed to the Supreme Court • Anthony Kennedy • Antonin Scalia • Chief Justice William Rehnquist

21. More issues: 1984-1988 • Farm Crisis - foreclosures • Manufacturing shift - from metal and textiles (overseas = outsourcing due to labor costs) • Service sectors continued to grow • Wealthiest Americans flourished in the 1980s • Jan 28, 1986 - Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after take off

22. Cold War Continued • Afghanistan • Soviet republic • In 1970s Afghans tried to fight Soviets for independence • 1980s • USA convinces Saudi Arabia to send troops “mujahadeen” (holy warriors) to fight against Soviets • One of the mujahadeen is Bin Laden

23. IRAN-CONTRA • Sale of weapons to Iran to ransom US hostages held in Lebanon and to finance anticommunist contra-revolucionarios (contras) in Nicaragua in order to depose the Sandanistas • Illegal because Congress had limited amount of aid US could provide (Boland Amendment) • US sold arms to Iran • Illegal because he could not sell arms to a “terrorist state” without Congressional approval • Administration response: lied to the press and Congress, withheld crucial documents

24. Reagan left office in 1989 with an approval rating of 53%

25. “Yet, when Americans were asked in 2002 to state whether they approved or disapproved of the way Reagan handled his presidency, retrospectively, 73% approved” • Gallup Poll Review • https://news.gallup.com/poll/11887/ronald-reagan-from-peoples-perspective-gallup-poll-review.aspx

26. George H. W. Bush

27. President George Bush • Elected 1988 • Reagan’s VP • Campaign promise: “No new taxes”

28. At first he followed a conservative fiscal program following the Reagan administration's economic program. • With a huge budget deficit and a law requiring it be trimmed, Bush was forced into a program permitting new budget items while requiring spending cuts

29. Saving and Loan Crisis • Fraud, mismanagement, lax regulation and economic downturns led to widespread debts among savings-and-loan institutions • The total cost of selling and closing down failed institutions, whose deposits were guaranteed by the government, was between $300 and $500 billion

30. In January 1990 President Bush presented his budget proposal to Congress • They argued that the budget projections were far too optimistic, and that meeting the deficit reduction law would require tax increases and cuts in defense spending

31. Americans with Disabilities Act • Signed in 1990 • Ensured that persons with disabilities would receive the same opportunities in employment as well as access to public places and transportation that other Americans had

32. Cold War ends – Communist governments in Eastern Europe crumble. •1991 – Soviet Union dissolves – forms the Commonwealth of Independent States. Berlin Wall removed at the end of Reagan’s Presidency BUSH’S FOREIGN POLICY

33. War on Drugs • Addiction to crack cocaine reached epidemic proportions • Bush ordered U.S. troops to Panama to safeguard the lives of American citizens, to help restore democracy and to protect the integrity of the Panama Canal

34. Troops invaded Panama and arrested the leader, Manuel Noriega. • Brought to the US for trial • Convicted of drug trafficking • Sentenced to 40 years in prison

35. Saddam Hussein  orders an Iraqi invasion of Kuwait Bush orders troops to fend off the Iraqi attack Operation Desert Storm •U.S. air forces, in conjunction with United Nations forces, pummel Iraq. Saddam Hussein signs a cease-fire agreement, ending the Persian Gulf War. Persian Gulf War: 1990 – 1991

36. Recession • In 1991, US fell into the deepest recession since the early 1980s. • Many of the job losses were occurring among white-collar workers in middle management positions

37. Election of 1992