Warm-up Why might a country like the United States change political course.?
conservatives argued that state govt. s, businesses, & individuals needed more freedom from Washington D.C. Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem. Ronald Reagan Entitlement programsprograms that provide guaranteed benefits to a specific group $300 billion annually in 1980- over $1 trillion in 04
New Right alliance of conservative special interest groups controversial issues opposing abortion, blocking the Equal Rights Amendment, evading court-ordered busing, return to school prayer criticized affirmative action- required employers & educational institutions to give special consideration to women, African Americans, & other minority groups reverse discrimination- favoring one group over another on the basis of race or gender
Conservative coalition alliance of business leaders, middle-class voters, disaffected Democrats, and fundamentalist Christian groups began in the mid-1960 s Moral Majority- evangelical & fundamental Christians who interpreted the Bible literally & condemned liberal attitudes led by Jerry Falwell & Pat Robertson hoped to reduce high divorce rate, lower out of wedlock births, & encourage individual responsibility
Conservatives Win Political Power Ronald Reagan originally a New Deal democrat actor, spokesman for General Electric favored less govt., lower taxes, & traditional values governor of California - 1966-1975 relaxed, charming, well-spoken A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours. And a recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his. Great Communicator name given because of his ability to simplify issues and present clear cut answers won 1980 Presidential election w/ VP George H. W. Bush R won Senate for the 1 st time since 1954
Warm-up Consider a time when you felt that someone else had control over your life (parents, teachers, friends). Was the perception a valid one? How did you handle the situation?
Reaganomics President Reagan s economic policies 3 parts budget cuts, tax cuts, & increased defense spending 1. Budget Cuts cut govt. spending on social programs 10% cut on urban mass transit, food stamps, welfare benefits, job training, Medicaid, school lunches & student loans kept Social Security, Medicare, & veteran s benefits intact
2. Tax Cuts Supply-side economics- idea that a reduction of tax rates will lead to increases in jobs, savings, & investments and govt. revenue Ex. -people pay fewer taxes, safe more money, banks loan more money to businesses which increase productivity, supply increases, driving prices down Trickle-Down Theory idea that as prosperity returned the profits at the top would trickle down to the middle class and even the poor- 1980 s rich got richer & the poor got poorer
3. Increased Defense Spending between 1981 & 1984 Defense Dept. budget doubled new weapons systems MX missile & B-1 bomber Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) known popularly as Star Wars intended to protect the U.S. against missile attacks
National Debt Climbed in 1983 the recession ended and the markets boomed until 1987 tax cuts helped the rich, while social welfare cuts hurt the poor Federal spending still outstripped federal revenue and the national debt doubled
Judicial Shift Reagan filled 4 seats Sandra Day O Connor- 1 st woman Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, & CJ William Rehnquist H.W. Bush later nominated David H. Souter & Clarence Thomas (filled Thurgood Marshalls seat) Anita Hill- law professor that testified Thomas has sexually assaulted her- he was still confirmed conservative court restricted woman s rights to an abortion & narrowed the rights of arrested persons
Reducing the size of govt. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulated pollution & conserved natural resources Reagan sold public land to private developers, opened the continental shelf to oil drilling, & eased restrictions on coal mining Deregulation- the cutting back of federal regulation of industry removed price controls on oil, eliminated inspections for nursing homes, deregulated the airline industry positives- increased competition & lower prices negatives- leads to risky investments, eased conflict of interest protections
1984 Election D s challenge w/ Walter Mondale (VP under Carter) & Geraldine Ferraro **1 st woman on a major party presidential ticket** 1984- economy was strong- landslide for R George Bush- Reagan s VP would win 1988 Presidential election (sign that most voters saw little reason for change) built on Reagan s legacy promising, Read my lips: no new taxes **later raised taxes- Desert Storm
Warm-up Identify some school and community problems. How might the government address these issues? Do you think the government is doing enough to help?
Health Issues AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) disease caused by a virus that weakens the immune system, making the body prone to infections & rare forms of cancer transmitted through bodily fluids early victims were mostly homosexual men & intravenous drug users sharing needles 30 million deaths worldwide as of 2009
Abortion had been legal since 1973 (Row v. Wade) 1 st trimester abortions were protected by a woman s right to privacy Webster v. Reproductive Health Care Services 1989 SC casestates had the right to impose new restrictions on abortion many states require parental consent, insurance funds only if the mother s life is endangered, waiting periods, counseling on fetus ability to feel pain, or ultrasounds
Drug Abuse Reagan admin. launched a war on drugscampaign slogan Just say no! Education federal commission in 1983 recommended more homework, longer school days, extended school year, & merit pay for teachers Bush (2)- No Child Left Behind, Obama -Race to the Top Urban Crisis country becoming increasingly suburbanized businesses followed w/ jobs & tax revenues cities facing problems w/ infrastructure, unemployment, schools, lack of health services Rodney King beating & riots in 1992 exemplified social problems in the country
Political Losses & Gains ERA did not become law Geraldine Ferraro chosen as VP candidate Reagan appointed 2 woman to his cabinet Elizabeth Dole & Margaret Heckler only 6 female Senators by 1992 election 20 elected in the 2012 elections 1992- woman earned 75 cents for every $ a man earned & 31% of female heads of households lived in poverty pay equality- basing an employee s salary on the requirements of his or her job rather than on traditional pay scales Govt. & corporations start including maternity leaves, flexible hours, & work at home arrangements Reagan cut daycare budget
The Fight Continues African American political gains made even w/ lack of economic progress L. Douglas Wilder- 1 st AA governor (Virginia) Jesse Jackson- reverend that ran for president in 1984 & 1988 Latinos fastest growing minority (still true) Lauro Cavazos- Reagan app. Sect. of Education Dr. Antonia Coello- Reagan app. Surgeon General Native Americans funds slashed by govt. gambling casinos provide new wealth Asian-Americans successful growing minority w/ low crime & low school dropout rates Gay Rights movement gains steam fighting openly for civil rights (ongoing)
Warm-up How might you react if a feud between two people you knew suddenly ended?
The Cold War Ends Mikhail Gorbachev- general secretary of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union. inherited stagnant Soviet economy glasnost- openness policy of open discussion of social problems in the USSR perestroika- restructuring of Soviet society in the 80 s less govt. control of economy introduction of private enterprise steps towards est. a democratic govt. INF (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty) eliminated 2 classes of weapons systems each nation allowed on-site military inspections
Gorbachev encouraged satellite nations to move towards democracy 11/9/1989- East Germany opened the Berlin Wall (28 years) Dec. 1991-14 non- Russian republics declared independence Czechoslovakia withdrew from Soviet bloc
Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania declare independence Yugoslavia collapsed & ethnic rivalries turned into a brutal war (Muslims, Orthodox Serbs, and Roman Catholic Croats) Gorbachev resigned & the USSR dissolved 2/92- Bush & Boris Yeltsin declare an end to the Cold War (1945 1992)
Communism cont. s in China Tiananmen Square- site of 1989 demonstrations in Beijing, in which Chinese students demanded freedom of speech & a greater voice in the govt. students constructed a version of the Statue of Liberty hundreds died
Nicaragua had presence since 1912, helped dictator come to power in 1933 Sandinistas- rebels that waged civil war against the Somoza family (in power since 1933) Sandinistas won & Pres. Carter recognized (sent aid) USSR sent aid as well & Reagan cut aid in 1981 & supported guerrilla forces known as the Contras CIA was directing operations by 1983 w/o congressional approval Contra supporter elected president in 1990, Sandinistas elected 2006
Grenada 2,000 U.S. troops overthrow pro-cuban govt. in 1983 18 American soldiers died Panama 20,000 U.S. troops overthrow General Manuel Noriega Noriega arrested on charge of drug trafficking
Iran-Contra Scandal 1986 scandal in which secret arms were sold to Iran (under an arms embargo) with the intention of winning the release of American hostages in Lebanon. $ from illegal sales were sent to the Contras, which was in violation of the Boland Amendment (banned military aid to the Contras for 2 years)
The Persian Gulf War Saddam Hussein (leader of Iraq) faced huge debts from war w/ Iran in the 1980 s invaded & looted Kuwait (oil rich) & then moved against Saudi Arabia Operation Desert Storm- 1991 operation by coalition forces led by the U.S. drove Iraqi forces from Kuwait Less than 400 casualties among UN coalition forces war forced Bush to go back on campaign pledge & raise taxes lost 1992 election to Bill Clinton