CHAPTER 25 THE CONSERVATIVE TIDE SECTION 1 A

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 Scalia • Bush continued the trend Kennedy O’Connor – David Souter – Clarence Thomas Souter

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 1982 • 47 women were elected to the HOR in 1992 • 6 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. • 1990 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 weapon and allowed on site inspections

Decline of the USSR • In Dec. 1991 14 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

Nicaragua • US Marines left in 1933, but left a dictator, Anastasio Somoza in power • Between 1977 -79 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, 1990 - 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 n Rising deficits n Recession – 1990 -1992 n Bush was forced to raise taxes despite pledge (read my lips…) n Approval rating dropped n Doomed for reelection