Reagan and BushAdministrations

Ms. Garvin and Mrs. Gaven- US History II 1980s

1990s

1980 ElectionDemocrats nominated

Carter and Mondale for reelection.

Republicans nominated Ronald Reagan and George Bush.

John Anderson, a Republican from Illinois, ran as independent candidate.

Pollsters predicted a close election.

1980 Election

Reagan got a number of traditionally Democratic voters.

He won by an overwhelmingly majority in the electoral vote (489-49)

In 1981, there was an assassination attempt on President Reagan, but it failed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRTFyWb9fQU

Reaganomics

Reagan’s Economic Policies1. Budget Cuts2. Tax Cuts3. Increase Defense Spending Wants to reduce size of federal government.

ReaganomicsBudget Cuts Cuts seemed to affect mostly poor

urban populations.

Food stamps, mass transit, job training, Medicaid, school lunches, student loans all experienced cuts.

Middle Class programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and veterans benefits were not affected.

Tax Cuts Relied on supply

side economics- theory that if people pay fewer taxes they would save more money.

If they save banks can loan more money to businesses to reinvest and improve productivity.

Supply of goods would go up- Prices of goods would go down.

Reaganomics Defense Spending:

1981-1984: Defense Department budget doubles. Congress stepped up military spending and

expanded the nation’s nuclear arsenal.

Reagan also called for a new space-based defense system which was officially named the Strategic Defense Initiative, but was commonly referred to as Star Wars.Purpose was to keep Americans safe from enemy

missiles. Cost of Star Wars: Trillions of Dollars

Reaganomics Flops…..OR Do They?

As a result of the lowered tax rates and massive increases in military spending, the US had tremendous budget deficits during this time.

1981-1982: Worst Recession since Great Depression!

1983: Things Turn Around! People are spending, market surges, unemployment drops! Lasts until

1987….whomp whomp. Crashes but rebounds relatively quickly.

By end of Regan’s first time: National Debt doubled.

Appointments to the Supreme Court

Reagan made three appointments to the Supreme Court while he was in office.

Sandra Day O’Connor became the first female justice on the Supreme Court

Antonin Scalia was Reagan’s second addition.

Anthony Kennedy was Reagan’s third appointment

VERY conservative court!

Deregulated, cutting back of federal regulation of industry (oil, airline, savings an loans) helped to increase competition and drive down prices.

Cut budget of EPA James Watt, his

secretary of the interior, sold millions of acres of public land to private developers, encouraged timber cutting in national forests, allowed oil and gas drilling on continental shelf.

1984 ElectionThe Democrats

nominated Walter Mondale for President.

The Democrats also nominated Geraldine Ferraro for Vice President.

She became the first female Vice Presidential nominee of a major party

1984 Election

Reagan won over Mondale by a landslide electoral vote of 525-13.

Social Concerns of 1980s

AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome – weakens the body so that it is prone to infections and normally rare cancers. Transmitted through bodily

fluids, blood transfusions, mothers infection pass to children.

Became an epidemic!

Abortion Roe V Wade: protects a women’s

right to an abortion in the first trimester Woman’s right to privacy

Webster v Reproductive Health Care Services (1989)- Supreme Court rules that stats had the right to impose new restrictions on abortion. Law now varies state to state.

Social Concerns of 1980s Drug Abuse:

Legalize? Rehabilitate? Criminalize? “War on Drugs” “Just Say No!”

Education: A Nation at Risk- report revealed

Americans lagged behind students in most other industrialized nations.

More homework, longer school days, merit pay for teachers…some of the recommendations

Urban Crisis: Cities were more segregated than ever! 1992- homelessness is a troubling issue Rodney King- 4 white police officers

videotape beating African American man in south central LA King was speeding away from officers

after All white jury finds officers innocent- riots

ensure ending with 53 dead. What would Dr. King say?!? http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=SW1ZDIXiuS4

Challenger Disaster On January 28, 1986 the space

shuttle, Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds into its flight due to the failure of an O-ring seal in its right solid rocket booster at takeoff.

All seven members of its crew lost their lives, including the first civilian member of a crew, Christa McAuliffe. She was the first member of the Teacher in Space Project.

Policy with the Soviet Union

Reagan took a hard line against the Soviet Union, calling it an “evil empire,” but tensions eased after Mikhail Gorbachev took over as Soviet leader in 1985. More of a democratic thinker

Glasnost- “openness” Perestroika- restructuring of Soviet society- less gov’t

control of economy

In 1987, Reagan and Gorbachev signed the INF (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty) Treaty- eliminated two classes of weapons systems in Europe 0n allowed each nation to make on-site inspections of the other’s military installations.

Collapse of Communists…. Berlin Wall Speech- 1987:

President Reagan challenges Gorbachev to back up democratic ideas with action- Stop being all talk!

October 1989- East Germany starts working toward democracy

November: Berlin Wall is torn down!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK1MwhEDjHg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjWDrTXMgF8

Well, Not All! Communism in China:

Early 80s- China loosens grip on economy.

Students start asking for freedoms.

April 1989- university students lead a large demonstration in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Constructed a version of Statue of

Liberty- symbolize struggle for democracy

Li Peng- orders military to crush protesters

Armed forces roll in and literally slaughter unarmed students

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeFzeNAHEhU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJBnHMpHGRY

The Tank Man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=HNtA8RZ1FAA http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=40bI6wzCTck

Policy with the Middle East

1983: US Marines were sent to Lebanon by President Reagan as part of an international peacekeeping force.

October 23, 1983: A suicide bomber crashed an explosives-laden truck into a US Marine barracks in Beirut killing more than 200 Marines.

1986: US bombed Libya in retaliation for alleged Libyan sponsorship of terrorist attacks.

Policy with Central AmericaUS tried to prevent the

expansion of Communism into Central America.

Reagan sent “military advisors” to prop up the pro-US government in El Salvador.

He also provided covert aid to the “Contra” rebels opposing the anti-American Sandinista government in Nicaragua.

October, 1983: US sent a force to Grenada to kick out a Marxist government that had overthrown and killed the prime minister there.

Iran-Contra AffairA number of American hostages

had been seized by Muslim extremist groups in Lebanon.

At the same time, the Sandinista government in Nicaragua was solidifying their grip in Central America

Reagan repeatedly requested Congress to provide military aid to the Contras fighting against the Sandinistas.

Congress refused.

In 1985, American diplomats secretly arranged arms sales to Iran in return for Iranian aid in obtaining the release of American hostages held by Middle Eastern terrorists.

At least one hostage was set free.

Meanwhile, money from the payment for the arms was diverted to the Contras.

This violated a congressional ban on military aid to the Nicaraguan contras as well as Reagan’s promise never to negotiate with terrorists.

Reagan claimed he was innocent of wrongdoing and ignorant about the activities of his subordinates, but a congressional committee investigated and held hearings.

Criminal indictments were brought against several members of the National Security Administration.

Two men were found guilty of criminal behavior, Col. Oliver North and his boss, Adm. John Poindexter.

These revelations hurt President Reagan’s credibility.

Election of 1988

Republican: George Bush- Reagan’s VP

Democrat: Michael Dukakis

Great deal of negative campaigning. Lowest voter turn out in 64 years!

George Bush wins with 53% of the popular vote.

Appointments to the Supreme Court President Bush makes the

Supreme Court even more conservative with appointment of Clarence Thomas and David Souter. Controversy behind

appointment of Clarence Thomas as a women, Anita Hill, comes forward claiming Thomas had sexually harassed her when she worked for him in the 60s. Thomas is cleared and

takes his position on court.

This new conservative court will restrict the right to abortion, restrict civil rights of women and minorities, and narrow rights of arrested persons.

President Bush-End of Cold War

1989, Soviet troops pulled out of Afghanistan.

1991- 14 non-Russian republics declared independence Soviet Union was no

more!

1992- President Bush and president Boris Yeltsin official declared an end to the Cold War! YIPPIE!

Persian Gulf War Our problem used to be Iran….

Becomes Iraq and Saddam Hussein.

Iraq and Iran- Enemies 1980s- at war with one another-

Saddam falls into debt from war. Claimed oil-rich Kuwait was part of

Iraq Aug. 2, 1990- Iraq invades Kuwait Headed to Saudi Arabia

If successful Iraq would dominate ½ of world's oil reserves! WONDERFUL! (Sarcasm noted)

Congress and President bush launch Operation Desert Storm- liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi control. (UN coalition of forces) January 91- air strike on Iraq February 91: Ground offensive from

Saudi Arabia/ February 28, 1991- Kuwait liberated-

President Bush declares a cease fire. 400 casualties among UN forces 100,000 casualties among Iraqi Chemical weapons becomes an issue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6AN7KTLKNM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAxqGmQIAQo

Operation Desert Storm

Operation Desert Storm

Election of 1992

Republican: George Bush- Lost popularity despite of

Desert Storm due to recession.

Democrat: William Jefferson Clinton- Promised to move away from

traditional democratic practice.

“Center-of-the-road” policy- new “inclusive” Democratic Party

Third Party: H Ross Perot

Clinton wins! End of Republican Reign

The Clinton Family