1 / 58

The Resurgence of Conservatism

The Resurgence of Conservatism. 1980-1996. Late ‘70s Racial Issues . Milliken v. Bradley School busing issue Bakke v. University of California Reverse discrimination vs. affirmative action. 1980 Election. By 1980, many Americans frustrated with Carter’s mismanagement: Inflation

zola
Download Presentation

The Resurgence of Conservatism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Resurgence of Conservatism 1980-1996

  2. Late ‘70s Racial Issues • Milliken v. Bradley • School busing issue • Bakke v. University of California • Reverse discrimination vs. affirmative action

  3. 1980 Election • By 1980, many Americans frustrated with Carter’s mismanagement: • Inflation • High interest rates • Hostages in Iran

  4. Democrats • ABC Movement: “Anyone But Carter” • Ted Kennedy rises to challenge Carter • Chappaquidick affair killed his candidacy

  5. Republicans • Ronald Reagan from California gets nomination

  6. Ronald Reagan • Former governor, B-movie actor, & Screen Actor’s Guild President • Darling of “right wing” & neo-conservatives (“new right”) • Anti- Counterculture, New Deal & Great Society

  7. Became the champion of the “forgotten man” • Spoke out against the evils of federal intervention in local affairs

  8. Reagan wins with 51% of popular vote but 489 to 49 in electoral votes • Republicans gain control of Senate for 1st time in 25 years • Inauguration sweetened by release of hostages

  9. Reagan’s Domestic Policies

  10. Reagan Revolution • Cabinet composed on the “Best & the Rightest” • “Government is the problem” • Promoted smaller gov’t • Less “tax & spend” • Welcomed by Americans

  11. Proposition 13 spurred a tax revolt • Reagan worked with Senate & “boll weevils” to cut $35 billion in federal social programs

  12. Reagan Shot • March 30, 1981: John Hinckley shot Reagan

  13. 12 days later, 69 year old Reagan walked out of hospital & received huge public sympathy • Hinckley found not guilty by reason of insanity

  14. Reaganomics • “Supply-side economics” • Reagan cut taxes on the “trickle down” idea that if people had more $$$$, they would invest instead of spend on consumer goods

  15. Reagan Tax Cut • 1981: Congress granted his 25% across-the-board reduction in taxes over 3 years

  16. Reagan Budget • Gets Congress to agree to $695 billion budget that increased defense spending, made cuts in domestic programs, & created a $38 billion deficit

  17. Reagan Recession (1982) • Unemployment hits 11% • Businesses & banks folded • Auto industry hit hardest • Democrats charge Reagan cuts hurt poorest Americans hardest

  18. “Tight money” policy under Carter really the cause • 1983: Economy turns around & “Reaganomics” vindicated • 1980s saw 1st increases in gaps between rich & poor

  19. YUPPIES • Young Urban Professionals • Symbolic of increasing wealth of upper classes & pursuit of wealth of 1980s culture • Rolex watches & BMWs

  20. Defense Spending • Many argue that the real growth in GNP of the 1980s resulted by the nearly $2 trillion of defense spending • Caused budget deficits of nearly $200 billion a year in the 1980s

  21. Rising Interest Rates • Government borrowing kept interest rates high • Elevated the value of the US dollar • Helped some but hurt American exporters • Trade deficit reached record high in 1987

  22. S & L Bailout • 1982: Reagan pushes deregulation of savings & loan industry • Allowed riskier loans • Loans not repaid leaving heavy debts • 1989: Gov’t forced to bail them out ($500 billion)

  23. Reagan & The Cold War

  24. “The Evil Empire” • Reagan condemned USSR as “the focus of evil in the modern world” • Believed in negotiating from a position of strength • “peace through strength”

  25. Embarked on a new arms race with Soviets to expand the US military capabilities • Soviets would be forced to compete • Our economy could do this, theirs could not

  26. Star Wars • SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative • Space-based missile shield & laser defense system

  27. Viability of program limited funds, but an effective diplomatic tool

  28. Poland 1982: Solidarity • Rising labor movement • Put down by Soviets & Polish Communists • Reagan imposes sanctions on USSR & Poland

  29. KAL Flight 007 • September 1983: Soviets blow up Korean airliner killing 269civilians

  30. By end of 1983, all arms control negotiations broken off • 1984: Soviets boycott LA Olympics

  31. Middle East Troubles • Lebanon • 1982: Invaded by Israel • 1983: Reagan sent Marines • October 23, 1983: Suicidebomber crashed truck into Marine barracks killing 241

  32. Reagan withdraws & suffers no political damage • Labeled the “Teflon President” • Libya • 1986: Reagan orders bombing of Qaddafi HQ • Iran-Iraq War

  33. Latin America • Nicaragua • Leftist Sandinistas controlled country • Reagan begins support of “contra” rebels against Sandinistas

  34. Grenada • 1983: Military coup brought Marxist regime to power • Reagan sends 6000 troops to overrun tiny island

  35. End of the Cold War • Mikhail Gorbachev • 1985: Began instituting radical reforms • Glasnost: “openness” allowed freedom of speech & ended secretiveness of Soviet bureacracy

  36. Perestroika: “restructuring” reorganized the Soviet economy to allow free market practices • Required a shrinking of Soviet defense budget • 1985-87: INF Treaty • Soviets cease deploying Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces in Europe

  37. Iron Curtain Falls • Political & economic cost of maintaining Soviet sphere of influence too great • 1989: • August: Solidarity prevails in Poland • October: Hungary

  38. November: Berlin Wall falls • November: Bulgaria • December: Romania & Czechoslovakia • President Bush & Gorbachev reduce ICBMs • Dec 1991: Soviet Union falls ending Cold War

  39. 1984 Election • Democrats nominate Walter Mondale & Geraldine Ferraro • Republicans renominate Reagan & Bush • Reagan wins 525 to 13 with 60% of popular vote

  40. Iran-Contra Scandal • 1985: National security & intelligence operatives begin selling arms to Iran to pressure release of hostages • Money diverted to aid Nicaraguan “Contras” despite Congress’s refusal

  41. Senate investigation televised condemning Reagan’s actions • OliverNorth, Admiral John Poindexter, & Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger all indicted & convicted

  42. Tarnished Reagan’s reputation by making him seem lazy & a mental lightweight

  43. Reagan’s Legacy • Despite scandal, remained popular • Economically, left US a debtor nation & made government social spending practically & politically impossible

  44. 1988 Election • Democrats • “Seven Dwarfs” give way to Michael Dukakis • Republicans • Reagan’s VP George Bush • Bush’s promise of “no newtaxes” = victory

  45. George H. W. Bush

  46. End of the Cold War • 1989-1991: Bush presides over the fall of communism in Europe and USSR

  47. Persian Gulf Crisis • Aug. 1990: Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait • Bush goes to the UN • Huge military response by US & 28 other nations

  48. Persian Gulf War • Jan. 1991: Intense bombing of Iraq begins • Ground war, “Operation Desert Storm,” follows • Bush decides not to go into Baghdad to remove Hussein • War over Feb. 1991

  49. Domestic Issues • 1990: Americans with Disabilities Act • “Culture wars” continue • Economic woes • Bush forced to increase taxes

  50. Election of 1992 • Democrats nominate Bill Clinton & Al Gore • 1stBaby Boomers • Political move “toward the center” for Democrats • Advocated economic growth, strong defense, anti-crime

More Related