Ronald Reagan

President 1981-1989

Before the Presidency

• Ronald Reagan was born February 6, 1911 in Tampico Illinois.

• Called “Dutch”• Attended Eureka College

and majored in sociology and economics

• Had successful career in radio and movies and made 53 films over two decades.

Before the Presidency

• Elected Governor of California in 1966 by a margin of a million votes and re-elected in 1970.

How did Reagan Win?

• Republicans in US upset with Democrats (Carter) and Affirmative Action

• Favored the “common man” over big government

• Emphasized less government spending

Regents of Univ. of California v. Bakke (1978)

*White medical student denied admission due to affirmative action

*More qualified than all other minority candidates admitted in

*School “saved” 16 spots out of 100 for minorities to be more “diverse”

*Supreme Court ruled this unconstitutional and allowed white student in

The New Right• Think “white, middle class” • The New Right - wealthy Americans, corporate

leaders, Christians, Catholic ethnics, and white blue-collar workers.

• Shared a dislike for federal intervention in economic and cultural affairs.

• Did not like public policies that favored minorities, welfare recipients, feminists, homosexuals, and others who seemed to seek preferential treatment from the government.

Typical New Right Quote

• I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born.  ~Ronald Reagan, quoted in New York Times, 22 September 1980

• Reference to Roe v. Wade (1973), Supreme Court case where abortion was declared legal

Reagan’s Domestic Policy• Reduced Federal Regulation

• Tax Cuts– Designed to boost economy by giving money

back to business to invest and spend in new plants and new technology

– The resulting boom would increase tax revenues even at lower rates.

– Cut taxes across the board by 25%

Reagan’s Domestic Policy

• Increased Military Spending• A balanced budget for 3 years• goal to reduce the government's commitment to

affirmative action for minorities

Foreign Policy

• Believed in negotiating with Soviets from a position of strength

• Wanted to create a laser-based system to shoot down nuclear weapons called SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative)

Foreign Policy• Mikhail Gorbachev

installed as chairman of Soviet Communist Party 1985– Established new policies of:

Glasnost- openness and Perestroika-restructuring

• Policies led to détente, or lessening of tensions

• A series of summits led to friendship and cooperation between Gorbachev and Reagan.

Exit Slip

1) Describe the reasons Reagan was elected in 1980.

2) List 1 Domestic Goal of Reagan

3) List 1 Foreign Policy Goal of Reagan

Foreign Policy

• Established American dominance in Caribbean– Restored dominance of

gov’t in Grenada– Covert aid to contra rebels

in Nicaragua

• Air raid on Libya in retaliation for terrorist attacks including one on a West Berlin discotheque, killing one American serviceman

Iran-Contra Scandal

• Congress refused to back aid to contra rebels fighting a Marxist gov’t in Nicaragua

• Hostage Crisis in Middle East, Iran and Lebanon hint that arms trade could release hostages

Iran-Contra Scandal

• Reagan makes “arms for hostage” deals with Iran• He uses profit from arms sales to aid contra rebels

in Nicaragua• News leaks out, and cover-up proceeds, including

missing tapes, lots of lying, and trials in which Reagan seems very flustered (perhaps an early sign of his Alzheimer's?)

• Reagan somehow remained one of the most popular presidents, nicknamed the “Teflon Man”

Social Issues

• Reagan appointed a near majority of Supreme Court justices during his term, mostly conservative-minded– This allowed him to control

rulings over such issues as abortion and affirmative action

– Included first female justice Sandra Day O’Connor, sworn in Sept. 25, 1981

Economic Troubles

• Federal Budget Deficit and international trade deficit grew

• Oil prices failed and blighted economy of Southwest

• More banks and savings institutions failed than in the Great Depression

• Stock Market Crash- “Black Monday” October 19, 1987 crashed 508 points

Other Issues

• Challenger Explosion

1986 Space Shuttle Challenger Explodes 73 seconds after take off from Cape Canaveral in Florida