1. A Conservative Tide US History: Chapter 33

2. Movement Emerges Entitlement programs – provide guaranteed benefits to particular groups nearly $300 billion annually. “New Right” – focused on controversial social issues (abortion, ERA, return to school prayer). Affirmative Action a form of reverse discrimination causing favoritism of on group. Conservative Coalition an alliance of business leaders, middle-class voters, disaffected Democrats, and fundamentalist Christian groups. Moral Majority – TV evangelists – Pat Robertson Jerry Falwell:

3. Conservatives Win Political Power Ronald Wilson Reagan – Former Actor, lost 1976 nomination but won the 1980 nomination and presidency with George Herbert Walker Bush as V.P. Only 52.6% of voters went to the polls in 1980. He was viewed as relaxed and charming. Quips “A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours. And recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his.”

4. Reagan and Bush Conservative Policies Reaganomics – – Budget Cuts = Gov. spending on social prog. – Tax Cuts = lowered income tax 25% over 3 yr. – Increased Defense Spending = Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or Star Wars to keep U.S. safe from enemy missiles. – Recession and Recovery = Economy sunk into recession July 1981 – Nov. 1982. most severe recession since the Great Depression. 1983 consumer spending spree turns economy. Stock market surged lasting until 1987, when it crashed 508 pts in 1 day due to computer system errors. Unemployment declined GNP up 10% – National Debt Climbs it almost doubled by end of his term.

5. Reagan and Bush Conservative Policies Judicial Power Shifts to the right – Sandra Day O’Connor – first woman to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. – David H. Souter replaces William Brennan. – Clarence Thomas replaces Thurgood Marshall

6. Reagan and Bush Conservative Policies Deregulating the Economy – Deregulation the cutting back of federal regulation of industry. Removed $ control on oil and fed. Health and safety inspections for nursing homes. Cut the budget of the EPA. 1984 election Reagan and Bush Rep. nomination against Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro, first woman to be on a major party’s presidential ticket. Reagan and Bush win 1984 election. 1988 election George Bush runs for president and wins. “Read my lips: no new taxes!”

7. Social Concerns in the 1980’s Health, Education, and Cities in Crisis – Health Issues: AIDS, Abortion, Drug Abuse, Education, & The Urban Crisis. Equal Rights struggle – ERA – still not ratified by 1980s & women earn 75¢ out of every 1$ earned by men. Pay Equity = Jobs rated on the basis of: education required, physical strength needed, # of employees to be supervised, by 1989 20 states had begun this. – A. A. = Political gains: L Douglas Wilder first A.A. gov. Virginia and Jesse Jackson Dem. Presidential nomination in 84 and 88. – Latinos = Toney Anaya Gov N.M., Robert Martinez Gov of Fl, Reagan appointed Lauro Cavazos Secretary of Education, & Bush named Dr. Antonia Coello Novello as Sergeon General. – Native Americans = fight for return of land and lobby for gambling rights for casino’s. – Asian American’s 2 nd fastest growing minority in 80s – Gay Rights = by 1993, 7 states and 110 communities had outlawed anti-gay discrimination. – “We didn’t start the Fire” video 4:48

8. Foreign Policy After the Cold War Cold War Ends: Mikahail Gorbachev, General Secretary of Soviet Union ushers in new era. – Glasnost (Openness)= Ushered in freedom of the press. – Perestroika = reduced government control of economy, intro. Private Enterprises, & steps toward Democracy – INF Treaty = eliminated 2 classes of weapons in Europe and allowed nations to make on-site inspections of the other’s military installations. – December of 1991 14 non-Russian republics declare independence – democracy move too slow – Soviet Union Dissolves – February 1992 Declare end of Cold War George Bush & Boris Yeltsin START II pact = designed to cut both nations’ nuclear arsenals by 2/3.

9. Foreign Policy After the Cold War Collapse of Communist Regimes – Nov. 9 1989, East Germany opened the Berlin Wall allowing free passage between the 2 parts of the city for the first time in 28 years. Video 2:56 – Czechoslovakia, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania declare independence from S. U. – Hungry Bulgaria, and Romania transition from communism. – Yugoslavia collapses: ethnic rivalries among Muslims, Orthodox Serbs, and Roman Catholic Croats. – China remains communist but loosens it’s grips on business and price controls. April 1989 Tiananmen Square students protest fighting for freedom of speech Li Peng, Premier of China sends in the military to crush the protesters. Video 3:24

10. Foreign Policy After the Cold War Central American and Caribbean Policy – Nicaragua – Soma family ruled 42 years. Between 1977-1979 Sandinistas vs. Contras Reagan pulls support from Sandinistas and gives it to the Contras. – Grenada – Reagan sent troops to over throw the pro- Cuban gov. in 1983 – Panama – 1989 Bush sent troops to arrest and charge General Manuel Antonio Noriega (dictator) for drug trafficking, April 1992 convicted = 40 yrs.

11. Foreign Policy After the Cold War Middle East Trouble Spots – Iran-Contra Scandal – 1983 Iran terrorist group takes American hostages in Lebanon. Reagan states “We will not make concessions to terrorists” plea to stop arms sales to Iran. In 1986, Reagan sells arms to Iran in exhange for 7 hostages. Some profits of this illegal arms sale were sent to support the Contras in Nicaragua. Lt. Col. Oliver North – National Security Counsel. Video 3:01

12. Foreign Policy After the Cold War Middle East Trouble Spots Continued – The Persian Gulf War – Operation Desert Storm (Jan 16, 1991 – Feb. 28, 1991), with support of congress and the UN Bush liberates Kuwait from Iraqi control. Iraq was headed through Kuwait to Saudi Arabia, if conquered Iraq would control ½ of the world’s known oil reserves! Video 5:02 Bush’s approval drops when he was forced to raise taxes despite his campaign pledge. 12 years of Republican leadership came to an end.