RONALD REAGAN1981-89

Roots of New Conservatism

Chapter 26, Sec. 1

Reagan’s Political Career

• Hollywood Actor

• Originally a Democrat

• 1966-Governor of California

• Eliminated budget deficit in California

*Presidential Election of 1980

• *Shift in American politics-conservatism grew & was key to the 1980 election.

• Wanted a smaller federal government & New Deal programs had enlarged the size & cost.

• *Conservatives = return to traditional views & values.

• *Reagan chose George H.W. Bush for Vice President

• *Defeated J. Carter in a landslide

Reagan Won

• Carter won 49 electoral votes• Reagan won 489 electoral votes“I’m talking in human terms and he is

hiding behind a dictionary. If he wants a definition, I’ll give him one. A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours. A recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his.” –Ronald Reagan, 1980

New Conservatism=New Right

Social Issues -Encourage Morality-Opposed student riots-Critical of sexual revolution and women’s movement-Anti-drug-Anti-abortion

Civil Rights -Supported desegregation-Against busing-Opposed Affirmative Action

Military -Strong national defenses

*Moral Majority

• *Goal=wanted to restore Christian values to society

• *Political action group founded by Christian evangelist, Jerry Falwell

• Used TV (televangelism $) to back conservative politicians

• Key concern: size of government & its role in the economy & private lives

*New Right

• *Phyllis Schlafly• *National Leader of the Conservative Movement• *Led the fight to stop the ERA; harmed women who

wanted a more traditional lifestyle.• Argued women would be drafted into military

service & lose their husbands social security benefits

*New Right

• *National Rifle Association• Members tended to be conservative• *Endorsed Reagan in 1980 election, first time

to back a presidential candidate

*New Right = New Conservatism*

The resurgence or re-emergence of the conservative voice carried a lot of political power.

Moral Majority = the political action group of the conservatives

Heritage Foundation = provided the $ to lobby (influence) Congress

Phyllis Schlafly’s (national leader of the Conservative Movement), the Heritage Foundation, & the NRA were groups that supported the New Right/New Conservatism.

*Supreme Court

• Reagan’s appointments were conservative on social issues

• 1986-William Rehnquist became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

• *1981-Sandra Day O’Connor = 1st female Supreme Court Justice. Broke the ‘glass ceiling’, an invisible barrier that didn’t allow women to advance into top positions!

*Reagan’s Economic Plan*

1. Decrease the size of the Federal Government

“Government that governs the best is that which governs the least”

2. Increase Defense spending (win the Cold War)

3. Spur the sluggish economy out of ‘stagflation’ thru Supply Side Economics.

1. *Deregulation

*Decrease the size of the government by decreasing

government regulation on businesses & industry.

Energy Industry

Transportation

Banking

Challenged labor

unions (Air

Traffic Control

Strike)

3. *Supply Side Economics = Reaganomics*

Principles of supply-side economics also known as ‘trickle-down’ economics:

• Decreasing taxes for corporations = stimulates economic growth

• The idea is that if the expenses of corporations are reduced, the savings will "trickle down" to the rest of the economy, spurring growth. 

Effect of Reaganomics

Between 1981-83 the severe recession that began in the 1970’s continued.

After 1983, unemployment & inflation started to fall; business growth & investments rose.

*American Entrepreneurs*

This diverse group, along with millions of other small business owners, show that hard work & determination make the American Dream possible!

• *Bill Gates = Co-founder of Microsoft; recognized the potential for the personal computer; released his Microsoft Windows operating system, 1985.

• Sam Walton = founder of Wal-Mart & Sam’s Clubs; goal was to offer a large variety of products at low prices.

•Estee Lauder = along with her husband, founded a Cosmetic company in NYC; pioneered the “giveaway promotion” to advertise her products

•Robert Johnson = 1st African American billionaire; founder of BET (Black Entertainment Television); sold it & bought NBA Charlotte Bobcats.

• Lionel Sosa = Identified Hispanic market; founded the largest Hispanic advertising agency in the U.S.; political consultant on Hispanic affairs

*Rust Belt to Sun Belt

*Movement of people moving from the rust belt to the sun belt, south & west, accelerated during the 80’s.

• Jobs

• Widespread use of air conditioning

• Growth of Federal Highways

• Building of dams & aqueducts for water

Chapter 26

*Beirut, Lebanon Barracks Bombing

• 1983, a multinational force of peace keepers was attacked by terrorists.

• 2 suicide truck bombers destroyed 2 separate buildings.

• *The American Marine barracks was totally destroyed killing 241 soldiers.

• *President Reagan condemned them as ‘terrorists’ & said the U.S. would not negotiate with & would use military force against Libya for supporting terrorism.

*President Reagan bombs Libya

• April 1986, a bomb exploded in a Berlin disco, injuring 63 American soldiers & killing 1.

• Stating there was "irrefutable proof" that Libya had directed the "terrorist bombing", Reagan authorized the use of force.

• *April 15, 1986, the U.S. launched a series of air strikes on terrorist targets in Libya.

• The attack was designed to halt Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's "ability to export terrorism", & to kill him.

• Reagan addressed the nation after the attacks stating, "When our citizens are attacked or abused anywhere in the world on the direct orders of hostile regimes, we will respond so long as I'm in this office.”

• Gaddafi was considered "the mad dog of the Middle East” & public enemy #1.

• Sandinistas, seized power 1979, ruling Marxist party in Nicaragua (S America)

• *Contras, U.S. trained/armed Nicaraguan guerrillas; wanted to overthrow the Sandinistas.

• This policy violated American intervention laws in the affairs of other nations.

• 1984-Congress discovered these secret missions-cut off aid to Contras

• Reagan administration officials took the profits from secret arms sales to Iran and sent the profits to the Contras

• Arms sales were meant to encourage the release of American hostages being held in Lebanon by pro-Iranian terrorists

• 1986-secret dealings became public

• *Oliver North-marine lieutenant colonel took the blame

• *Most serious criticism the Reagan administration faced.

*Reagan and the Cold War

*Build up of Defenses (increased military spending)- Nuclear Weapons- Conventional Weapons- “Star Wars” (SDI)

*The Soviets communist economy couldn’t keep up the ‘arms race’ with U.S. capitalism!

Aid to Latin American Countries: El Salvador, Nicaragua, Grenada

*“Let he who desires peace prepare for war!” *This demonstrated Reagan’s believe in ‘PEACE

THROUGH STRENGTH’.

*All played a part in increasing the

deficit

• 1983-Reagan announces the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)

• Named after the film• Proposed the creation of a

massive satellite shield in space to intercept and destroy incoming Soviet missiles

*Foreign Policy Success*

• Reagan developed a close relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev (Soviet leader) through series of summit meetings, 1985.

• Glasnost- “political openness” in USSR• Perestroika- “restructuring”-economic policy to

allow limited free enterprise• Increased defense spending

& the success in foreign policy helped the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe.

• Many Americans felt confident for the first time since the Kennedy years.

• One of the most popular presidents

• George H.W. Bush would inherit many of his economic problems-another recession