Chapter 34 Lecture Outline America in a New Millennium 2013 W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
The 21st Century
Demographic Shifts America s Changing Mosaic The United States would reach 306 million people by the 2010 census. Most of the growth in population occurred in areas that had a milder climate and low taxes. Women continued to enter the workforce and the traditional family unit continued to decline.
Recession and Downsizing Bush to Clinton A prolonged economic recession was the most devastating domestic program that Bush would face in office. Around 20 percent of the labor force was unemployed at some point in 1991.
Bush to Clinton Republican Turmoil In 1988 Bush had campaigned that as president he would not sign a bill raising taxes. However, when the economic recession hit, he was forced to renege on this pledge. This would be used against him in the 1992 election by the Democrats and by opposition within his own party.
Bush to Clinton Democratic Resurgence In 1992 the Democrats would take advantage of Bush s tax hike foible and his apparent lack of interest in domestic issues in lieu of foreign affairs. They would nominate Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas as their candidate. The 1992 presidential campaign Presidential candidate Bill Clinton and his running mate, Al Gore, brought youthful enthusiasm to the campaign trail.
Bush to Clinton Democratic Resurgence Clinton would win the election with 43 percent of the vote. Bush received 39 percent as he was challenged by a third-party candidate, former Republican Ross Perot, who drew conservative support from the incumbent.
Domestic Policy in Clinton s First Term The Economy To bolster the economy, Clinton signed legislation raising taxes on corporations and individuals in the higher tax brackets. In addition, the North American Free Trade Agreement was ratified, which opened up free trade between the United States and Mexico.
Domestic Policy in Clinton s First Term Health Care Reform Clinton would also try to reform health care by supporting legislation providing all Americans with health care through the federal government. This plan would go down to defeat in summer 1994.
The Contract with America Republican Insurgency In the midterm elections of 1994, the Democrats would lose control of Congress for the first time since the 1980s. The new Republicans were led by Newt Gingrich, who campaigned for office on the Contract with America, a ten-point outline promising the voters what the Republicans would accomplish once in office.
Legislative Breakthrough In 1994 Congress would enact legislation ending the open guarantee of welfare for all who asked and limiting the amount of time a person could remain on the program. Republican Insurgency
The 1996 Campaign Republican Insurgency In the 1996 election, the Democrats renominated Clinton and the Republicans nominated Senator Bob Dole. Clinton would win the election with 49 percent of the popular vote, while Dole would win 41 percent and Perot, running again, would receive 8 percent.
The Clinton Years at Home The New Economy Spurred by technological advances, the stock market would soar in the late 1990s. But in 2000, many of these new technological startups, known as dotcoms, would fail, and a recession would replace the era of unprecedented growth. Globalization Another major development during this time was the ability transcend historic communication boundaries
The Clinton Years at Home Race Initiatives In the case Adarand Constructors v. Pena (1995) the Supreme Court ruled against Affirmative Action, requiring that those programs had to be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling national interest. The next year saw the overturning of Affirmative Action programs as they pertained to universities in Hopwood v. Texas.
The Scandal Machine The Clinton Years at Home During his first term in office, Clinton had been dogged by allegations of improper involvement in an Arkansas land deal while governor..once Republicans took control of Congress in 1994, they would appoint Kenneth Starr to serve as an independent counsel of this case. Ultimately, his investigation turned over an improper relationship between the president and a young intern. Originally Clinton denied the charges, but ultimately he admitted the affair. Starr s report would result in impeachment charges being passed against Clinton, only the second time a president had been impeached, but he would not be removed from office.
The Clinton Years at Home Impeachment Representative Edward Pease, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, covers his face during the vote on the third of four articles of impeachment charging President Clinton with high crimes and misdemeanors, December 1998.
Foreign-Policy Challenges The Middle East A secret treaty between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel in 1993 provided for the restoration of the Palestinian self-rule of the Gaza Strip in Jericho. This Land is Mine: https://youtu.be/4pkmv6e5keo
The Balkans Foreign-Policy Challenges 1991, Yugoslavia, a nation that had basic communist tendencies, imploded and the former nation of multiple ethnicities began to wage a civil war. North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) troops would be dispatched to keep the peace in October 1995. In 1998 Serbia would launch an attack against Kosovo, a province on the border inhabited by Muslims. The Orthodox Christian Serbs battled the Kosovo Liberation Army, which fought to secure its independence. In 1999, the United States would sponsor NATO strikes on Serbia to save the Kosovar people. Finally, the Serbs withdrew. Behind Enemy Lines movie trailer: https://youtu.be/bwfdhdcqnhc
Foreign-Policy Challenges The Clinton Presidency President Clinton was able to revitalize the Democrat party during his administration and was well regarded for his charisma and charm. At the same time, he had a recklessness and arrogance that hindered his legacy and caused his legislative agenda more harm than good.
Gore vs. Bush The Election of 2000 In the election of 2000, the Democrats nominated Clinton s vice-president, Al Gore. The Republicans nominated George Walker Bush, governor of Texas. In the closest election in memory, Gore and Bush ended up without an electoral majority and Florida s vote was in doubt. Gore sued Bush, and eventually the Supreme Court decided that the Florida law allowed only one recount of votes. Bush had won the state, and with it, the election. Election Night: https://youtu.be/jeb9hwympa0
The Election of 2000
Compassionate Conservatism The Second Bush Presidency He succeeded in winning the passage of legislation cutting the income tax rates before a key Republican senator changed to an independent, and with this action, gave control of the Senate to the Democrats. No Child Left Behind One of Bush s top priorities was reforming the education system. His plan was to ensure all students were proficient at reading and math by 2014. If a school was unable to meet these new guidelines, the state was supposed to take it over and mandate the changes. However, due to lack of federal funding, this policy would not achieve the results Bush desired.
Global Terrorism 9/11: A Day of Infamy A group of terrorists led by Osama bin Laden, calling themselves Al Qaeda, hijacked four jets loaded with civilians on September 11, 2001. Two planes struck the World Trade Center buildings in New York, one struck the Pentagon, and the fourth crashed in Pennsylvania
Global Terrorism War on Terrorism Bush would forge an international coalition to strike at terrorism worldwide. The first attack was in Afghanistan, which had been linked to the terrorists. The government there was overthrown and a new, freely elected government was established.
Global Terrorism Terrorism at Home To combat terror at home, Bush would create a new federal agency, the Office of Homeland Security. At the same time, Congress passed the USA Patriot Act,which gave government agencies the right to eavesdrop on suspected terrorists and try them in secret military courts. Water Boarding: http://youtu.be/eex8wezu2wa
Global Terrorism Bush s defense policy President George W. Bush addresses soldiers in July 2002 as part of an appeal to Congress to speed approval of increased defense spending after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Global Terrorism The Bush Doctrine In 2002 Bush would launch a new policy of preemptive attacks against nations that were viewed as being hostile to the United States and preparing to attack.
Global Terrorism A Second Persian Gulf War In 2002, Bush urged the United Nations (UN) to confront Iraq about Saddam Hussein s actions toward the United States. The UN would pass a resolution demanding that Iraq disarm or face serious consequences. Hussein refused, so on March 19 Bush ordered in U.S. troops along with British forces. Within six weeks, the Iraqi war was over.
Global Terrorism Rebuilding Iraq Once the war was over, the United States set about rebuilding the nation. It was soon apparent that the United States had misjudged the difficulty of unifying and pacifying the region. Iraqi insurgent groups would attack the coalition forces while the president urged Americans to continue to support the efforts.
The Election of 2004 Global Terrorism
Second-Term Blues Hurricane Katrina In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, virtually destroying New Orleans and heavily damaging Alabama and Mississippi. Nearly 500,000 citizens of New Orleans were evacuated, and many of those that remained were videotaped looting while others were trapped in attics and roofs for several days without water or aid. Both local and federal officials were caught off guard in this emergency, and ultimately, President Bush took responsibility. Kanye: https://youtu.be/ziuzlpo1kxi
Second-Term Blues A Stalled Presidency Katrina, the Iraq War, and failing domestic programs led many to desert Bush in his second term.
Voter Rebellion Second-Term Blues In the 2006 midterm election, the Democrats capitalized on the poor public approval ratings of Bush and won control of both the House and the Senate. In the House, Nancy Pelosi from California became the first female Speaker.
Economic Shock Second-Term Blues Following the 2001 recession, the U.S.economy would again skyrocket. Home values would rise to new levels, and consumer spending (much of it on credit) would spur industrial growth. However, all of that came to an end when the bottom fell out of the market in October 2008. What began as a decline in home prices ended up in a global economic crisis. Investment accounts were crippled, and banks foreclosed on homes and were foreclosed on themselves. Congress would pass the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which would give banks upward of $700 billion to stay afloat.
A Historic Election The 2008 Election Bush s unpopularity with the American people gave the Dems a chance The Republicans would nominate senator John McCain of Arizona McCain was a Vietnam veteran who had been a prisoner of war for five years. He chose Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. The Democrats warred among themselves until Barack Obama won In the election itself, Obama won a majority of electoral votes and became the first African American to win the presidency. Speech at DNC: https://youtu.be/ofpwde22coy
A Historic Election
The Sluggish Economy Obama s First Term As President Obama was inaugurated, the nation was bleeding itself dry. Unemployment was soaring, the national debt rose over $10 trillion, and the United States was involved in two wars. His task was monumental and the expectations for success were high. Many were quick to place success or failure squarely on the shoulders of the inexperienced president.
Health Care Reform Obama s First Term President Obama would invest a considerable amount of his political capital in reforming the nation s health care system. His bill would pass, but it would have repercussions in the 2010 election, in which his party lost control of the House of Representatives and narrowly avoided losing the Senate as well. Jimmy Fallen: https://youtu.be/sx2scvifgje Silly Biden: https://youtu.be/hhkq9tt50o8
Regulating Wall Street Obama s First Term President Obama would also sign legislation regulating the freedom of banks to make loans.
Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Obama s First Term In February 2009, Obama announced that all U.S. combat troops would be withdrawn from Iraq by 2011. At the same time, another 21,000 troops were sent to Afghanistan. By the summer of 2011, he announced the beginning of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from that region, culminating in 2014. The Death of Osama Bin Laden After ten years of evading U.S. forces, Osama bin Laden, the terrorist leader of Al Queda, was killed by U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6. Inside the Situation Room: https://youtu.be/ogudniuvzdq
Obama s First Term Home from Iraq American troops returned from Iraq to more somber, humbler homecomings than the great fanfare that rounded off previous wars.
Obama s First Term The Arab Awakening During 2010 and 2011, democratic uprisings began to occur in the Middle East in nations such as Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen. In Egypt, thousands of protestors took to the streets to oppose the abuses of President Hosni Moubarak, who had been in that office for decades. On February 11, 2011, he would resign and turn control over to the military.
Obama s First Term Libya Ousts Gaddafi Rebellion spread to Libya where Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown by a similar period of unrest. He would be killed by rebel fighters while trying to flee.
Obama s First Term The Tea Party Seizing on the concept of rebellion launched by American forefathers with the Boston Tea Party, the Tea party, a movement opposed to liberal policies of spending without controls, erupted on the scene in 2009. Lacking both a national leader and headquarters, this loose amalgamation of individuals would transcend established political party lines and work to return the United States to what they saw as its constitutional roots.
Obama s First Term Conservative Resurgence After two years of awaiting the Hope and Change candidate Obama had promised, disgruntled Americans rejected the Democrat party in the 2010 midterm election and returned the House of Representatives to Republican rule. The Democrats saw their majority in the Senate shrink substantially but were still able to retain control.
Obama s First Term The Tea Party Movement Tea Party supporters gather outside the New Hampshire Statehouse for a tax day rally.
Occupy Wall Street Obama s First Term The reactionary response to the Tea Party s conservatism was the emergence of the liberal Occupy Wall Street movement. Thousands of people would flock to the nation s financial and political centers opposing what they viewed as the reckless policies that led to the financial crisis in the first place.
Polarized Politics Obama s First Term After the 2010 election, both major parties withdrew to their respective camps and refused to compromise on any issue that came before them.
Obama s First Term Bold Decisions In the summer of 2012, President Obama announced that he supported the right of gay couples to marry. As this was just his opinion, it did not have the force of law, and polls conducted immediately afterward showed an evenly split American public on this issue. The next month, Obama would sign an executive order that allowed undocumented immigrants who had come to the United States as children to remain as long as they pursued a path toward citizenship. The Court Rules The most decisive action of the president, the passage of the Healthcare Reform Act, was found constitutional because monies owed by uninsured people were viewed as a tax by the Supreme Court. At the same time, the Court s opinion, written by Chief justice John Roberts, severely curtailed the power of Congress under the Commerce clause for the first time since the New Deal.