The Reagan Revolution and the Roaring 80s

Use the packet given to you and pgs. 1039-1047, 1052-1056 in the Enduring Vision to read up on the era of the Reagan Revolution.

The rise of the conservative movement The failed Goldwater

Presidential campaign of 1964 marked the beginning of a new conservative movement in America

Intellectuals/writers/publications/think tanks

William F. Buckley, Milton Friedman, etc.

Many conservatives opposed:

Big government, The New Deal, The Great Society Gun control, feminism, gay rights, welfare programs, the sexual

revolution, drugs Abortion rights:

Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 Affirmative action:

Regents of the Univ. of California vs. Bakke (1978) supported the conservative cause, deciding that college admissions could not be based on race alone.

Many conservatives supported:

Lower taxes Deregulation and smaller government Traditional moral/religious/family values in

opposition to “secular humanism;” “right to life” movement

School prayer, teaching of creationism in public schools

Reagan: his background

Charming and gregarious, yet remote and passive

Film and TV actor, TV host President of the Screen Actors’

Guild Spokesman for General Electric A lifelong Democrat who

switched parties in 1962 Governor of California Radiated confidence and

optimism

Reagan in his Hollywood days

1980 election

Carter challenged in Democratic primaries by Sen. Ted Kennedy

Iran hostage crisis continues Massive unemployment and inflation continues Reagan: “Are you better off now than you were

four years ago?”

The results: a Reagan rout!

The inaugural address

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=43130

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/18/politics/10-inauguration-moments

“Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”

Also, on the day of the inauguration, the Iranians released 52 American hostages!

Assassination attempt: March 31, 1981 Shot in the chest by

John Hinckley His aide James Brady

was paralyzed; became leading gun control advocate: http://www.bradyca

mpaign.org/

“Supply-side economics”

“Reaganomics” Tax cuts would lead to increased federal tax revenues Lower government spending would spur private sector and

foreign investment A rejection of Keynesian economics that FDR advocated Critics called it “trickle-down” economics and “voodoo

economics”

The impact on the national debt

http://www.skymachines.com/US-National-Debt-Per-Capita-Percent-of-GDP-and-by-Presidental-Term.htm

Other Reagan policies

Deregulation: “getting government off the backs of the American people:” auto industry, banks, Wall Street especially.

Tough stand on unions: fired the air traffic controllers on strike

Recession and recovery

Worst recession since the 1930s: 1981-82 11% unemployment Inflation dropped significantly, to 4% Economy rebounded starting in 1983, just in time

for the 1984 election! However… increasing gap between rich and poor;

middle class stagnation/decline

1984: An even bigger Reagan rout!

Foreign policy

Called the Soviet Union “The Evil Empire” Massive military buildup and increased spending (almost doubles

the Pentagon budget in three years); “Star Wars” SDI spaced-based missile defense project

Supported anti-Communist dictators and movements in Nicaragua, El Salvador, invaded Grenada to overthrow a pro-Cuban regime

Beirut bombing, 1983: 241 sleeping Marines on a peacekeeping mission killed in their barracks

Iran-Contra scandal: in secret, weapons were sold to Iran, profits used to fund the Contras

Improved US/Soviet relations

Early 80s: harsh rhetoric 1985: new leader, Mikhail Gorbachev Glasnost: openness Perestroika: some free-market practices 1987: both sides agree to remove and

destroy intermediate nuclear missiles Gorbachev begins withdrawal from

Afghanistan Famous speech: “Mr. Gorbachev, teat

down this wall!” http://www.cbsnews.com/830

1-503544_162-57450779-503544/remembering-reagans-tear-down-this-wall-speech-25-years-later/

80s society and culture The AIDS epidemic Materialism and excess New forms of music and pop culture: MTV, rap,

etc. Blockbuster movies: Indiana Jones, ET, Back to

the Future TV: The Cosby Show, Dynasty, Cheers New technology: the Walkman! http://www.boston.com/ae/blogs/mediaremix/

2013/04/flashback_8_pivotal_pop_cultur.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/joe-dziemianowicz-top-10-80s-pop-culture-trends-article-1.1312866

http://www.liketotally80s.com/80s-culture.html