The Conservative Movement Builds 1964-Conservative Sen. Barry Goldwater had run for president against LBJ Goldwater argued that state governments, businesses, & people needed more freedom from the heavy hand of Washington, DC By 1980-The last year of the Carter Administration, government spending on entitlement programs was nearly $300-billion
Stories of Government Waste Entitlements are government programs that provide guaranteed benefits to particular groups They would include welfare, social security, and veterans benefits Throughout the Carter years, news reports emerged of fraud in obtaining benefits, which caused resentment among many taxpayers
Frustration Over Civil Rights 1964-Congress passed the Civil Rights Act to eliminate racial discrimination Over the years, though, court decisions and government regulations had broadened the reach of the act A growing number of Americans viewed with skepticism a movement that had begun to create equal opportunity Although many believed separate black & white schools were wrong, few wanted to bus their kids miles away to achieve a racially-balanced school
Single Interest Groups Arise During the 70s, right-wing grass-roots groups emerged to support single issues that reflected their key interests These people became known as the New Right The New Right focused on controversial social issues, such as opposing abortion, blocking the ERA, & evading court-ordered busing It also called for a return to prayer in public schools, which had been outlawed in 1962
The Blowback from the Bakke Case The 1978 Bakke decision dealt a blow to affirmative action, one of the cornerstones of the civil rights movement Many conservatives saw affirmative action as a form of reverse discrimination, by favoring one group over another on the basis of race To the New Right, liberal positions on affirmative action was an assault on traditional values
The Conservative Coalition In the mid-60s, an alliance of business leaders, middleclass voters, disaffected Democrats, & fundamentalist Christians formed an alliance This Conservative Coalition argued their cause in The Wall Street Journal & the National Review magazine, published by William F. Buckley Conservative think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute & the Heritage Foundation developed conservative principles & policies Wm. F. Buckley, Jr., was a leading voice of conservativism during the 1960s and70s.
Christian Revival in the 70s Religion-especially evangelical Christianityplayed a key role in the growth of the conservative movement 1970s-Protestant groups were experiencing a huge religious revival Millions watched evangelical preachers on TV or listened to them on radio The most influential televangelists were Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson
Becoming a Political Force Falwell formed an organization called the Moral Majority, consisting mostly of evangelicals who interpreted the Bible literally They believed in absolute standards of right & wrong Thus they condemned liberal attitudes & behaviors, arguing for a restoration of traditional values They worked to attain their political goals by raising money to support conservative candidates
Back to God, the Bible, & Morality Falwell became the chief spokesman for the Moral Majority As individual groups formed networks, they created a movement dedicated to bringing back what they called, family values Their goals: reduce the nation s high divorce rate, lower the out-ofwedlock birthrate, and encourage individual responsibility They also wanted to revive prosperity and patriotism that seemed to disappear during the Carter years
Conservatives Win Political Power 1976-Ronald Reagan nearly captured the GOP presidential nomination, but middle-of-the-roader Gerald Ford lost that fall to Carter Four years later, Reagan was the Republican nominee running against Jimmy Carter This set up a clear choice for voters-an obvious conservative vs. a definite liberal Reagan chose George H.W. Bush as his running mate, against Carter & Vice President Walter Mondale
Reagan s Qualifications Reagan had been a New Deal Democrat, but became a conservative in the 1950s He claimed, He had not left the Democratic Party, but the Democratic Party had left him As a Hollywood actor, he had a rewarding career in movies and as a TV host As a spokesman for General Electric, toured the country making speeches in favor of free enterprise & against big government
Reagan Gets Into Politics 1964-Reagan campaigned for Goldwater, and throughout the campaign he made a name for himself as a possible candidate for office 1966-Reagan ran for governor of California, and was re-elected in 1970 He made a name for himself by opposing the liberal ideas of the counterculture hippies and painted Democrats being against law & order
The 1980 Presidential Election Jimmy Carter was in troublehis poll numbers in 1980 were at an all-time low because of the energy crisis, inflation, & the Iranian hostages In addition, Supreme Court decisions on abortion, pornography, evolution, & public school prayer fired up conservative voters Thanks to his acting career & public speaking experience, Reagan proved an extremely effective candidate
Reagan vs. Carter Carter often seemed stiff & nervous while Reagan was relaxed, charming, & affable-he joked in his speeches A recession is when your neighbor loses his job; a depression is when you lose yours; a recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his Reagan could simplify issues & make them clear-they called him The Great Communicator His commitment to the military & economic strength appealed to many Americans http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vxxwyl5g0a
The 1980 Presidential Debates Jimmy Carter was struggling in the polls, and decided to debate Reagan on TV Carter, ever serious, came off as a policy nerd-while Reagan poked fun at the president s assertion that he was against Medicare http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px7arih UkHY
Reagan Wins an Electoral Landslide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psde- 8cOSYY In Nov., 1980, just 52.6% of Americans chose to vote in the presidential election In the popular vote, Reagan won by a narrow margin, 51-49% His support, however, was spread throughout the country, so that he carried 44 states with 489 electoral votes Furthermore, Republicans gained control of the US Senate for the first time since 1954
A Sea-Change in Washington As Reagan assumed the presidency, many Americans were buoyed by his genial smile http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrffjmz28a4 Within hours of his inauguration, Iran released the 52 American hostages http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrffjmz28a4 Conservatives had elected one of their own, and things were going to change in Washington Carter-style liberalism was on the way out Reagan promised there would be lower taxes, less government, and traditional values
Reduce Entitlements End Affirmative Action Reduce size of Government Return prayer to public schools Conservative Issues Defeat the ERA Eliminate legal abortions Stop regulation of guns End Busing
Conservative Issues