1. The Rise of the Modern Conservative Movement
Ronald Reagan
The Rise of the Modern Conservative Movement

2. Ronald Reagan Born in Illinois, 1911 Active in college.
Lifeguard, Radio Announcer
Went to California to launch an acting career during the Great Depression
Successful actor
Eventual president of the Screen Actors Guild (Union for Actors)
Became increasingly conservative in face of radical socialists and communists in the movie industry
Switched from Democratic to Republican Party in the late 50s/early 60s
Source: Reagan by Jules Tygiel
Reagan by Dinesh D’Souza

3. Reagan, Conservatism and the New Right “short version”
Go to Period 9-- Reagan Revolution

4. Essential Questions
What factors contributed to the rise of the conservative movement that swept Ronald Reagan into office?
To what extent did Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society and Ronald Reagan’s “New Right” Revolution represent contrasting views on social issues, the role of the federal government, and foreign policy goals?

5. 1. Senator Berry Goldwater is regarded as the Father of Modern American Conservatism

6. Goals of Modern Conservatism (A Time for Choosing”
Smaller government
Lower taxes
Personal autonomy
Strong national defense: More aggressive policy toward Communism (today: terrorism)

7. Why was conservatism and Reagan attractive to people in the 1980s?
1970s under Nixon, Ford and Carter saw runaway inflation, high unemployment and soaring energy costs (STAGFLATION)
Iran Hostage Crisis became a symbol of the decline of US prestige

8. 1980 Election

9. 1980 election-landslide

10. Ronald Reagan began an effort to reverse the political legacy of the New Deal and the Great Society “government is not the solution; government is the problem”

11. Reaganomics Reagan rejected Keynesian economic theories
Favored supply-side economics(trickle-down economics)
Simultaneous tax cuts
Reductions in government spending to encourage investors and entrepreneurs

12. Passed the Economic Recovery Tax Act -cut taxes by $747 Billion over 5 years
Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981-cut over 200 social and cultural spending by $136 billion over two years)

13. Go to website and open up Reagan economic documents.
1. “To what extent should President Ronald Reagan and ‘Reaganomics be considered a success in its attempts to reverse the economic recession of the later 1970s and early 1980s?” 2. Do you agree with New Deal/Great Society policies in dealing with our economy or do you agree with Reaganomics? Why or why not?
Go to website and open up Reagan economic documents.
As a group, prepare and answer to the prompt. Be prepared to share.

15. Defense Spending
Increased military spending by over 50% between 1981and 1988.
Preferred a more aggressive military stance over Nixon’s détente
Defense spending + tax cuts made made balancing the budget impossible

17. Recession and Rebound

18. . How did the economic conditions of 1982 compare to those in previous decades?

19. . How did the economic conditions of 1982 compare to those in previous decades?

23. Modern Conservative Evolution 1930s-1960s
New Deal opponents
Eisenhower and ‘Modern Republicanism’
Barry Goldwater (AZ) conservative Senator.
Opposed government activism
Opposed social security
Opposed Federal Civil Rights laws (not necessarily local or state)
Demanded military buildup to defend against Soviet attack
Opposed Great Society - extension of New Deal.
Overextension of what needs government could or should meet

24. Conservative Evolution and Organizations
Young Americans for Freedom
William F. Buckley
Barry Goldwater
Disenchanted Southern Democrats
Some ‘fringe’ organizations
John Birch Society (though most - including Reagan, et al - distanced themselves from this group)

25. Richard Nixon & the Welfare State
Trimmed social welfare programs of the Great Society
Did not cut them altogether
Established OSHA (Office of Safety and Health Administration)
Established EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
NEW FEDERALISM - Re-distributed federal monies to states
Covertly gutted high $ federal programs of their ‘liberal’ intent by redirecting funding
Source: Schulman 1970s, Restless Giant by James T. Patterson

26. Social Issues and Conservatism
Rapid cultural change of the 1960s
Opposition to Warren Court decisions
‘criminal rights’
Church-state issues like school prayer
Privacy rights/issues
Rock music
Openly sexual, drug-oriented, rebellious
Widespread Use of illegal drugs

27. Social Issues and Conservatism
Radical and increasingly violent student protests
Reagan strongly opposed FSM (Free Speech Movement - radical) on UC-Berkeley campus
Dismissed UC president
Opposed ‘sexual’ revolution
Said Birth control pill encouraged promiscuous behavior

28. Social Issues and Conservatism
1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision
Legalized abortion by striking down state laws prohibiting abortions
Launched modern pro-life movement (aka ‘anti-abortion’)
Opposed emerging gay rights movement
Opposed radical feminism
Blamed these for decline of traditional nuclear family
Rising divorce rate
‘No-fault’ divorce laws (ironically passed during Reagan’s term in California)

29. Social Issues and Conservatism
Civil Rights:
Federal government laws = end of state mandated segregation
Opposed forced and unreasonable integration (forced busing)
Opposed Affirmative Action quotas - said it was reverse discrimination
Democratic Blue Collar Workers - called “Reagan Democrats”

30. The 1980 Election

31. The New Conservative Coalition The NEW RIGHT
The NEW RIGHT - a political coalition of:
Conservative evangelical Christians
Moral Majority founded by Rev. Jerry Falwell - Baptist minister (founder - Liberty University - Lynchburg, VA)
To restore Christian Values in America
Southern Democrats
Reduction of Social Programs
Called for reduction in size and scope of government
“Reagan Democrats”
Favored return of US military prominence
Patriotic focus

32. The 1980 “Revolution”
Nixon Victories in 1968 and 1972 early indicators of change
Carter’s series of ‘Unfortunate’ Events
Carter’s perceived mishandling of major challenges
Reagan’s ability to communicate - “The Great Communicator”
Few simple well-articulated idea

33. Map 30.4 Presidential Election of 1980 (p. 903)

34. The Reagan Revolution and the First Inaugural Address
“In the days ahead I will propose removing the roadblocks that have slowed our economy and reduced productivity. Steps will be taken aimed at restoring the balance between various levels of government. Progress may be slow, measured in inches and feet, not miles, but we will progress. It is time to reawaken this industrial giant, to get government back within its means, and to lighten our punitive tax burden. And these will be our first priorities, and on these principles there will be no compromise.” - Ronald Reagan 1981

35. Supply-Side Economics a.k.a “Reaganomics”
Cut taxes to put more money into the hands of businesses
Cut taxes on the wealthiest Americans
Lower taxes = more investment in the “supply side” of the economy
Would:
promote and create new jobs
encourage capital investment, and
lead to stimulated industrial growth

36. Cutting Government Regulation - “deregulation”
Continued Carter’s programs to deregulate key industries
Energy, Transportation and Banking Industries
Challenged Air Traffic Controllers in Fired those who refused to go back to work after a strike.

37. Slowed Federal Growth - New Federalism (Reagan-style)
Limiting government
Eliminated public service jobs,
reduced unemployment compensation,
lowered welfare benefits,
raised fees for Medicare patients
Federal domestic spending still grew for a couple of years

38. Reagan and Military Buildup
Sharp increase in military spending = buildup
New weapons and new technology
Neoconservatives (Neo-cons = Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Condoleeza Rice, Richard Armistead, Colin Powell, etc.)
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) = better known as Star Wars

39. Reagan and the Cold War Called Soviet Union the “evil empire”
Reagan - Cold Warrior
Lebanon
Libya
Grenada
El Salvador
Nicaragua (Contra rebels supported by US)

40. Reagan: Economic Recession, and Recovery
Inflation slowed, consumer spending increased
Stock market grew
Federal deficit grew even as domestic spending decreased
National debt = $909 billion in $3.2 trillion in 1990

41. Patriotic Renewal “It’s Morning in America, Again” 59% of popular vote
Second largest electoral victory in history
1984 Olympics in Los Angeles
Communist-bloc countries boycotted
th anniversary of Statue of Liberty
th anniversary of the Constitution

42. Other issues 1984-1988 AIDS Awareness
Women’s Movement stalled (ERA failed in 1982)
Supreme Court conservatives
Sandra Day O’Connor
Anthony Kennedy
Antonin Scalia
Chief Justice William Rehnquist

43. More issues: 1984-1988 Farm Crisis - foreclosures
Manufacturing shift - from metal and textiles (overseas = outsourcing due to labor costs)
Service sectors continued to grow
Wealthiest Americans flourished in the 1980s
Jan 28, Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after take off

44. Scandal
S & L Crisis
Savings and Loan institutions deregulated and some corrupt individuals used this to make huge personal fortunes
S & L’s collapsed in late 1980s
$2.6 billion in savings lost
Iran Contra Scandal
Selling arms (to Iran) for the release of hostages to support Nicaraguan Contras
Covered up
Reagan admitted covering up
No long term impact
“Teflon” president.