New Century, New Challenges 2000 to the Present Chapter 32 New Century, New Challenges 2000 to the Present

Election of 2000 Al Gore (Dem) vs. George W. Bush (Rep) Bush advocates policies supported by corporate America and religious conservatives One of the closest elections in US history…Gore wins the popular vote but loses the electoral vote Flaws in the Florida voting system (“chads”, poorly designed ballots) leads to a recount of the Florida vote Supreme Court (majority support Bush) halts the recount and gives Bush the Presidency Recession hits the US as the Dot-com bubble bursts Corporations are accused of corrupt practices later in the decade (Enron, Halliburton)

Gore and Bush

Election of 2000

George W. Bush’s Terms: Domestic Bush appointees were veterans of earlier Republican administrations with strong corporate ties (Rumsfeld, Cheney) Bush creates domestic policies to favor the interests of the wealthy, corporate leaders, and the religious right Cuts taxes (benefits the wealthy the most)…erases the budget surplus of the Clinton years Terrible record on the environment (opens up federally protected land for oil drilling; fails to even research alternative energy opportunities) Restricts stem cell research Creates a new educational policy known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) This implements national standardized testing and financially punishes schools which fail to meet standards

George W. Bush’s Terms: Foreign Bush has a go-it-alone policy when it comes to foreign events Refuses to sign a commitment to reduce global emissions (the only industrialized nation to do so) Opposes cooperation with the UN (US gets voted off the UN Human Rights Commission) Sept. 11, 2001: Members of an Islamic fundamentalist terrorist group Al-Qaeda use commercial planes to attack the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (over 3,000 killed) Leads to a US led War on Terror; first mission is against the Taliban in Afghanistan (Osama bin Laden) Taliban taken out of power by 2002

9/11/01

Reaction to 9/11 Bush attempts to tighten up security on the home front Establishes the Dept. of Homeland Security which is given unprecedented power to spy on Americans and prosecute non citizens without charges or a trial (Guantanamo Bay) Evidence finds that the Bush govt largely ignored the threat from Al-Qaeda before the 9/11 attacks Bush’s administration quickly turns attention to Iraq’s possession of WMDs and the threat they pose to the US US attempts to prove the existence of WMDs in Iraq…UN and other countries are not convinced US decides to invade Iraq in 2003 to take Saddam Hussein out of power and install a democratic govt (Bush Doctrine of preemption)

Saddam Hessein

John Kerry and George W. Bush

2004 to the Present The war in Iraq does not go well for the US (Hussein is taken out of power but disagreements between the Sunni, Shi’a, and Kurd populations continue) Weapons of mass destruction never found Bush wins the Election of 2004 over Dem. John Kerry largely based on the issues related to the War on Terror; continues foreign and domestic policies Barack Obama wins the election of 2008; 1st AA elected…changes course from one of a go-it-alone policy to one of cooperation internationally Obama introduces universal health care legislation…Congress passes it but the Supreme Court is reviewing the Constitutionality of the law

Barack Obama

2004 to the Present The collapse of the housing market leads to the Great Recession…many banks and financial institutions collapse (the govt bails them out) Obama works on repairing the international image of the US The last US troops are pulled out of Iraq in Dec. of 2011; Iraqi coalition govt survives but is unstable War in Afghanistan is set to end by Dec. of 2013; Osama bin Laden is killed in a US raid in Pakistan; Al-Qaeda’s influence diminishes Arab Spring leads the US closer to the affairs in the ME (Libya, Syria, Tunisia, Egypt) Election of 2012 puts Barack Obama into the White House for a second term (defeats Romney) Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender push for equal rights in marriage (Prop 8)

2004 to the Present Obama’s domestic policy has been restricted during his second term due to a Republican Congress. Also because of “Obamacare,” his plan for universal health care. REQUIRED by law. Also attempting to raise minimum wage. Some say trying to do to many things, not concentrating on a few big ones. Handling of foreign affairs? Ukraine? First Lady Michelle Obama’s agenda as First Lady has been the “Fight on Childhood Obesity.”

Prompts 1) What contributed to the economic prosperity of the 1990s, and why did it end? 2) What were George W. Bush’s key domestic policies? 3) Was the government response to terrorism appropriate and effective? 4) How has the role of the government changed since President Obama has taken office? (Domestic and Foreign)