President Reagan The 1980s

Conservative Backlash: Conservatives reacted against changes in the US during the 1960s/70s American foreign policy (decline of American power) “Lost Vietnam” OPEC and Oil Embargo Iranian Hostage Crisis USSR invasion of Afghanistan Affirmative Action/ Women’s liberation Lagging Economy Stagflation De-Industrialization People lacked confidence in government (i.e. Watergate) Opposition to many liberal social and racial policies.

Conservative Concerns and Ideology Conservative reactions to the excesses of the 1960s and 1970s Lost control of America Divorce, gay rights, abortion, day care, big government, & decline of the family New traditionalism Creationism, family values, cut government, stop communists, end abortion, no immigration Strong military / national defense American global power Individualism Religious Fundamentalism

Election of 1980 and Reagan’s First Term The Main Idea In 1980 Americans voted for a new approach to governing by electing Ronald Reagan, who powerfully promoted a conservative agenda. Ronald Reagan [R] 489 Electoral Votes 51.6% Popular Vote Jimmy Carter [D] 49 Electoral Votes 41.7% Popular Vote John Anderson [I] 0 Electoral Votes 6.7 % Popular Vote

America was a nation ready for change in 1980 The 1980 Election Reagan promised to return the country to a simpler time of low taxes, smaller government, a strong military, and conservative moral values. Focused on “family, work, neighborhood, peace, and freedom.” Reagan asked if people were better off than they were four years ago. Reagan and his running mate, George H.W. Bush, won in a landslide; Republicans also gained control of the Senate.

Reagan’s Presidential Agenda Reduce the federal bureaucracy Deregulate certain industries Cut taxes Increase the defense budget, Take a hard line with the Soviets Appoint conservative judges

Reagan’s plan for tax and spending cuts Two goals Reaganomics Reagan’s plan for tax and spending cuts Two goals Reduce taxes to stimulate economic growth Cut the federal budget Based on supply-side economics A theory that says breaks for businesses will increase supply of goods and services, aiding the economy

Reaganomics: “Trickle-Down” Department of Defense (DOD) spending up 45% $3 trillion debt, 1981-1989 Deregulation and Savings & Loan Crisis $500 billion Expansion of “working poor” Decline in real wages Household debt increased Rising number of Fortune 500 Companies Tax cuts boosted elite incomes Privatization and deregulation

The Effects of Reaganomics 1981 & 1982 = Nation suffered the worst recession since the Great Depression. Unemployment rose and government revenues fell. Federal spending soared and the federal deficit skyrocketed. 1983 = Economic upturn sends consumers on spending spree Stock Market surged and GDP went up 10% Recession and Recovery

Reagan’s Foreign Policy and the Cold War President Reagan took a hard line against communism around the world. Reagan rejected the policies of containment and détente; he wanted to destroy communism. Position worsened relations with the Soviets Critics of his policy called Reagan reckless Reagan obtained massive increases in military spending. Much of the new spending went to nuclear weapons. Promoted the Strategic Defense initiative (SDI)—a shield in space to protect the United States against incoming Soviet missiles. Critics called this Star Wars and said it wouldn’t work.

1. A Thaw in the Cold War The Soviet Union By the late 1970s the Soviet economy was shrinking. Industrial and farm production, population growth, education, and medical care all fell. The Soviet Union started importing food The communist Satellite Nations of the Soviet Union begin to demand political and economic reforms U.S.-Soviet Relations Mikhail Gorbachev: becomes Soviet leader in 1984; reform minded Economic (perestroika), Social (glasnost), Military (diplomacy), and Political (democratization). Reagan and Gorbachev sign Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 1987 Fall of the Berlin Wall Nov. 1989

Increased Defense Spending Military budgets increased for six straight years (FY1980-85). Reagan Administration spent about $2.4 trillion. Defense budgets rose to $290-300 billion annually. Money was Spent ON: Maintenance, training, and compensation. New weapons systems. B-1 bomber Trident II missile MX missile new ships At end of Reagan Admin, defense spending cut back. Real increase attributable to Reagan admin more than $500 billion.

Strategic Defense Initiative Announced March 1983. a/k/a “Star Wars” Sought to develop a system to destroy incoming missiles Sought to develop a system of surveillance and tracking systems along with various devices to destroy incoming missiles (ground-based, laser, kinetic – “brilliant pebbles”) SDIO (office) spending $3.1 billion by 1986 to pursue research into needed technologies. As envisioned, never implemented/developed, but AB systems put under SDIO, fosters new ABM tech. Becomes bargaining chip

Arms Control: Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START) U.S.-U.S.S.R. negotiations from 1981-1991. Almost produce an agreement during Reagan- Gorbachev meeting at Reykjavik, Iceland, 1986. Summit fails on issue of SDI START talks produce treaty in 1991

Reagan Doctrine Called for helping anti-Communist movements around the globe. Examples: Nicaragua: aid for the contras (anti-Sandinista guerillas). Afghanistan: aid for mujaheddin tribesmen. Angola: aid for UNITA Note – assistance for movements hoping to topple Communist governments “rollback”

Latin America & Middle East Policy Violent civil war between Marxist guerrillas and government troops supported by armed extremist groups Reagan administration supported José Napoleón Duarte—a moderate leader who won the 1984 election. El Salvador U.S-backed Anastasio Somoza Debayle was ousted by the Sandinistas—a Marxist group. Reagan cut off aid to Nicaragua saying that the Sandinistas were backed by the USSR. Reagan then allowed the CIA to equip and train a Sandinista opposition group called the Contras. Boland Amendment: Congress banned all further direct or indirect U.S. support of the Contras Nicaragua

Island was tied to Communist Cuba Reagan sent 2,000 troops in 1983 to overthrow the pro-Cuban government 18 U.S. soldiers die Granada Muslim and Christian groups waged a civil war. Israel invaded Lebanon to expel the PLO. U.S. sent 800 peacekeepers. A suicide bomber killed 241 marines. Reagan withdrew the troops. Lebanon

In 1985 National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane persuaded Reagan to sell arms to Iran in hopes that Iran would help obtain the release of U.S. hostages in Lebanon. - This violated a U.S. arms embargo. Vice Admiral John Poindexter and Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North carried out the plan to divert arms sale money to the Contras. Reagan admitted authorizing the sale of arms to Iran but denied knowing that the money was then diverted to the Contras. Administration engaged in a cover-up of their actions. - North admitted destroying key documents. - High-level Reagan staff members lied in testimony to Congress and withheld evidence. - North was convicted of destroying documents and perjury. His conviction was overturned on technicalities. Iran-Contra Affair

US opposed Sandinistas in Nicaragua Secret weapon sales to Iran $ from weapon sales send to Contras Contras fought war against Sandinistas Destabilized both regions

2nd Term Problems for the Reagan Administration Budget and debt issues. Congressional opposition. Lax oversight of subordinates leads to political crisis.

“The Culture Wars” Abortion Immigration Affirmative Action Bilingual Education Multiculturalism Communism Homosexuality HIV-AIDS Desegregation School Prayer Taxation Church and State

International Events End of the Cold War Reagan: “Evil Empire” Mikhail Gorbachev Fall of the Berlin Wall Collapse of USSR Reagan took credit for the end of the Cold War