The Recent Past

A Crisis of Confidence Following Watergate and President Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon, American’s trust in their government reached a new low. In 1976, the people elected the Governor of Georgia and Washington-outsider, Jimmy Carter. – The Carter administration was crippled by a slow American economy. – Major events included: o The Camp David Accord o The Iran Hostage Crisis

America’s Right Turn Republican Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980, ushering in what some refer to as the “Reagan Revolution.” Reagan and his conservative allies argued: – Cutting taxes would jump start the economy. – It was necessary to shrink the size of government and shift responsibility to the states (10 th Amendment). o Reduce the number of government programs and agencies (welfare, Department of Education, etc.) o Deregulation (EPA, Department of Energy, FDA) o Less aid to states/cities

America’s Right Turn (cont.) – Strengthening the American military was the top priority. o Increased military spending to place military/economic pressure on the Soviet Union. Reagan’s election in 1980 and 1984 had a profound effect on the American political landscape: – Rise of the influence of conservatism in American politics (cut taxes, smaller government, and emphasis on defense spending). – Election of Republicans George H.W. Bush in 1988 and George W. Bush in 2000 and – The emergence of a more moderate (centrist) Democratic Party-the election of Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996.

America’s Right Turn (cont.) —Republican victories in the 1994 midterm elections gave them control of the House of Representatives and Senate for the first time since —Lower inflation and unemployment, but record deficits in American history to that point.

George Herbert Walker Bush ( ) Bush was Reagan’s Vice President between 1981 and 1988 and benefited from Reagan’s popularity when he left office. In office when communism fell in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union: – Soviet Union broke apart – Germany reunified – Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, and Romania established new democracies – Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia declared independence

Operation Desert Storm Iraq under Saddam Hussein was viewed as threat by the United States and its allies in the Middle East. – After waging a war with Iran ( ) with support of the United States, Hussein invaded his oil-rich neighbor, Kuwait.

Operation Desert Storm (cont.) After Hussein refused to leave, the United States received authority from the UN to send 500,000 U.S. troops and another 260,000 from its allies into the Middle East in – Major airstrikes, followed by 100- hour ground war. – First war in which women served in combat roles. – Iraq surrendered and withdrew from Kuwait. – The six week Gulf War cost 300 combat deaths and 100,000 Iraqi casualties. – The United States and its allies refused to invade Iraq and remove Hussein from power.

William Jefferson Clinton ( ) Elected in 1992 as a “New Democrat”-balanced budget, welfare reform. Tough anticrime laws, and active foreign policy. – Moves the Democratic Party away from the liberal party of New Dealers to a more moderate party. – First election since the Great Depression that the economy, not defense, was the central issue.

The Clinton Presidency NAFTA – North American Free Trade Association – Free trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. – Debate over cheaper prices for goods versus American jobs at home. Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives in 1998 for perjury and obstruction of justice as a result of the Monica Lewinsky Affair. – Acquitted by the Senate.

Foreign Policy in the Post-Cold War World After the Cold War, the United States became involved in conflicts around the world humanitarian reasons. – Lifting economic sanctions on South Africa when the government ended the policy of apartheid. – Full diplomatic relations with Vietnam. – Helping to restore Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power in Haiti.

Foreign Policy in the Post-Cold War World (cont.) – The former Yugoslavia was communist during the Cold War, but broke up in the early 1990s (under President Bush). o Clashes between ethnic groups-Serbs, Croats, Bosnian Muslims, who all wanted to form their own countries. o The United States sponsored a cease-fire in 1995 and was part of a NATO multi-national force in the Balkan Peninsula.

Foreign Policy in the Post-Cold War World (cont.) o Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic sent troops into Kosovo, a Serbian province seeking independence, to eliminate ethnic Albanians. o In response to ethnic cleansing and Milosevic’s refusal to talk peace, NATO launched an air attack against Serbia in 1999 (under Clinton). o Serbia withdrew and Milosevic was arrested and put on trial before the International War Crimes Tribunal for ethnic cleansing (genocide). o The Kosovo War is an example of a war waged for humanitarian reasons.

George W. Bush ( ) George W. Bush won a narrow, controversial election over Vice President Al Gore in His presidency was dominated by the War on Terrorism after September 11, – Attacks by al Qaeda on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (fourth plane went down in Pennsylvania).

The Bush Presidency In response, the United States launched the War in Afghanistan in October 2001 and the War in Iraq in – Osama bin Laden was the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks and was discovered and killed in – Saddam Hussein was removed from power in – The United States has turned over combat operations to Iraqi security forces and are working to do the same in Afghanistan. – Over 6,000 Americans have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Bush Presidency (cont.) At home, the American government heightened security through legislation like the Patriot Act. – The act gave the government the increased authority to monitor American citizens (wiretapping, monitoring s, medical and financial records, and increased immigration authority) in the name of fighting terrorism. – Critics argue that the act violates American’s civil liberties.