CHAPTER 25 THE CONSERVATIVE TIDE SECTION 1 A CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT EMERGES

WHY A CONSERVATIVE SWING? The New Right –A group of conservatives who focused on social issues like opposing abortion, blocking the ERA, and evading bussing Conservative coalition –An alliance of business leaders, middle class voters, disaffected democrats and fundamentalist Christian Groups Moral Majority –Founded by Jerry Falwell –Consisted mostly of evangelical and fundamentalist Christians –Interpreted the Bible literally - absolute standards of right and wrong –Condemned liberal attitudes and entitlement programs

Conservative Policies under Reagan and Bush Chapter 25, Section 2

Reaganomics Reagan won election of 1980 against Jimmy Carter New Economic Plan – Reaganomics –Budget cuts –Tax cuts –Increased defense spending Wanted to reduce size and influence of federal government –Encourage private investment

Budget Cuts Downsize federal govt through cutting out social programs –Save money –Did not effect middle class entitlement programs Congress slashed budget of food stamps, mass transit, welfare, student loans

Tax Cuts Supply-side economics –If people pay less in taxes, they will save money (in theory) –Banks could loan that money to businesses –Businesses are the base of prosperity US Govt lowered income taxes by 25% “Trickle Down” Theory – more rebates to rich - $ would trickle down

Increased Defense Spending Reagan doubled the defense budget Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) –Defense system to protect Americans from enemy missiles –Known as “Star Wars” –System would cost trillions of dollars

Recession and Recovery Economy had sunk into recession –Worst since Great Depression 1983 – Economic upturn leads to recovery

National Debt Climbs Economy still had problems –Tax cuts helped the rich –Social welfare cuts hurt the poor –Federal spending was larger than income – deficit –National debt doubled during Reagan’s first term

Supreme Court Reagan nominated conservatives to Supreme Court –Sandra Day O’Connor –Antonin Scalia –Anthony Kennedy Bush continued the trend –David Souter –Clarence Thomas Scalia Kennedy O’Connor Souter Thomas

Supreme Court Conservative William Rehnquist was Chief Justice Ended liberal control of the court –Restricted abortion –Restricted civil rights –Narrowed rights of accused

Deregulation Deregulation – cutting back of federal regulations of industry –Reagan removed price controls on oil –Eliminated federal health and safety inspectors for nursing homes –Deregulated savings and loan industry Increased competition and lowered prices for consumers

Deregulation Reagan cut the EPA’s budget Government sold public land to private developers Opened continental shelf to drilling –Risks? Cut timber in national forests

Election of 1984 Reagan had a conservative coalition –Business – liked deregulation –Southerners – liked small fed. govt –Westerners – liked less environ. restrictions –Reagan Democrats – Dem. too liberal 1984 – Reagan/Bush v. Walter Mondale/Geraldine Ferraro Reagan won by a landslide

Election of 1988 George Bush (Reagan’s VP) v. Michael Dukakis (Gov. of Mass.) Economy was strong –no reason for change Bush was part of moral majority Bush – “no new taxes” Bush ran negative ads – low voter turnout Bush wins…53% of vote

Ch. 25 Sec. 3 Social Concerns 1980’s AIDS Drug Abuse Abortion Education

Health Issues 1980’s AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) Abortion – Roe v Wade 1973 –Pro-life –Pro-choice –Webster v Reproductive Health Care Services (States had the right to impose restrictions on abortion.)

Drug Abuse War on Drugs Nancy Reagan’s anti- drug campaign “Just Say no!” to drugs “This is your brain on drugs.”

Education 1980’s A Federal Commission issued a report in 1983 called A Nation at Risk 23 million Americans were unable to fill out a job application or follow an instruction manual School Vouchers were introduced “America 2000”

Urban Crisis Flight to the suburbs hurt the inner city High Unemployment Homelessness Crumbling Infrastructure Lack of health services Deteriorating Schools

LA Riots 1992 Rodney King was beaten by four white police officers after a car chase Officers were found not guilty South Central rioted for five days, 53 killed

Equal Rights 1980’s ERA failed ratification in women were elected to the HOR in women in the US Senate 2 women in Reagan’s cabinet Pay Equality was fought for by women’s organizations Geraldine Ferrero Elizabeth Dole

Fight for Rights African American Mayors of many big cities –1992 L. Douglas Wilder became the Governor of VA –Jesse Jackson ran for President in 1984 and 1988 –Many African Am. Also served as sheriffs, school board member, state legislators, and members of Congress

Gains for Latinos 1988 Lauro Cavazos was appointed Sec. of Ed Dr. Antonia Coello Novello was appointed Surgeon General

Native Americans Speak Out Aid was slashed to Native Americans for health, education and other services Native American campaigned for gambling casinos as a source of revenue

Asian American Population Were the second fastest growing minority population in the US By 1992 the Asian American Population was 8.3 million.

Advances in Gay Rights In the 1980’s gay rights groups fought for civil rights Direct Action groups called for an end to anti-gay discrimination. By 1993, 7 states and 110 communities outlawed anti-gay discrimination

Ch. 25 Sec. 4 Foreign Policy After the Cold War

The Cold War Ends March 1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary of the USSR Glasnost – “Openness” –Criticism of the USSR –Freedom of the Press Perestrokia – Restructuring of The Soviet Economy

Relations with the US Summits with President Reagan INF Treaty –Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty Eliminated two classes of weapons and allowed on site inspections

Decline of the USSR In Dec republics declared independence from the USSR Gorbachev lost power, the USSR ended CIS (Common Wealth of Independent States) was established Boris Yeltsin new leader of Russia, START II signed

Collapse of Communism Nov. 9 th, 1989 East Germany opened the Berlin Wall Oct., 1990 Germany united Czechoslovakia divided, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania became independent Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania transitioned from communism Yugoslavia collapsed, igniting a brutal war among Muslims, Orthodox Serbs, and Catholic Croats

Tiananmen Square Student in China demanded freedom of speech and a voice in gov. April 1989, Students held marches in Beijing and other cities The PLA (People's Liberation Army) under the order of Li Peng crushed the protestors

“Goddess of Democracy”

Nicaragua US Marines left in 1933, but left a dictator, Anastasio Somoza in power Between The Sandinistas take control Reagan viewed the Sandinistas as a communist threat The US supported the Contras with CIA training and weapons The Boland Amendment banned aid to the Contras for two years

Grenada In 1983 Reagan sent in 2,000 US Marines to overthrow a Pro- Cuban government and rescue US citizens 18 US solders were killed

Panama In 1989 Pres. Bush sent 20,000 soldiers to overthrow and arrest General Manuel Noriega on charges of international drug-trafficking

Iran-Contra Scandal In 1985 seven Americans were taken hostage in Lebanon by Pro- Iranian group President Reagan approved the sale of arms to Iran in exchange for the hostages release National Security Council Aid Colonel Oliver North had diverted millions in profits from the arms sale to the Anti- communist Contras fighting in Nicaragua

The Persian Gulf War On Aug. 2 nd, Iraq led by Saddam Hussein invaded the oil rich nation of Kuwait Saddam then looked to Saudi Arabia Pres. Bush organized an international coalition and with the support of the UN and Congress launched Operation Desert Storm On Jan 16 th, 1991 the air war began, in February the ground war began --Led by “Stormin”Norman Schwarzkopf Kuwait was liberated, Iraq was weakened Less than 400 American casualties, but Gulf War Syndrome?

Bush’s Domestic Policies Rising deficits Recession – Bush was forced to raise taxes despite pledge (read my lips…) Approval rating dropped Doomed for reelection