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The Conservative Backlash. Journal: APRIL 10 2012. "Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not?. Growing Government. Share out. Take notes on how each president helped to grow government.
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Journal: APRIL 10 2012 • "Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem." • Do you agree or disagree with this statement? • Why or why not?
Growing Government • Share out. Take notes on how each president helped to grow government. • Discuss: Which of these government programs or policies were good ideas? Which were bad ideas? Why?
Growing Government • MOST of these programs were and are popular. • Government, however, was increasingly unpopular. WHY?
Dissatisfaction with Government • 2 Main reasons • Growing Disillusionment with Government • Conservative Resurgence (based partly on disillusionment and partly on resurgence of conservative ideas)
What is a “conservative resurgence”? • Read page 1076-77 in text and answer: • What is the difference between a liberal and a conservative? How do their views differ?
Disillusionment and Conservative Backlash • Causes of Disillusionment / Distrust of Government • Vietnam • Watergate • Anger over economic problems (stagflation) • Iran Hostage Crisis • Causes of Conservative Resurgence (see text • Disillusionment with government in general. • Dislike for Government programs • Subtle association of programs like urban renewal and welfare with “other” and undeserving • Anti-environmentalism and govt. regulations • Anti-Affirmative Action • Values Voters and Evangelical Growth • Dislike for counter-culture, urban riots • Anti Roe v. Wade, and Engel v. Vitale (forbade religious teaching in public schools) • Against ERA and homosexuality • Believed welfare encouraged out of wedlock birth and decline of traditional family
Result • Many people who favored government programs opposed government. • Strengthened the cause of conservatives who disliked government.
Present Day Analogy: Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) • 2/3 of Americas want at least some of the act overturned by Supreme Court. • Why?
Three Legged Stool • Why are these all necessary for the policy to exist?
Why is this act so unpopular? • Possible Reasons the Policy is so unpopular • Dislike for the policy • Distrust of Government • Country Extremely Divided Over Politics • Intense dislike for the President • Dislike for complexity of policy / lack of understanding of policy • Failure of supporters to explain what is in the policy
Reagan’s Speech • What does Reagan’s speech tell us about his view of government? How does it compare to FDR’s and Hoover’s views? Give specific examples. • How specifically does Reagan suggest he’ll make government work better? Use a quote or quotes from the speech to support your answer.
Reagan Film • http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/reagan/player/ • View and respond to questions on handout. You may use the reading on Reagan’s domestic politics and the textbook to support your answers.