Election of 1980 Conservative Tide Rising Ronald Reagan

Election of 1980 Conservative Tide Rising

Ronald Reagan vs. Jimmy Carter Hostage crisis and bad econ cripple Carter “Are you better off now than you were 4 years ago? ” Reagan won 51% of popular vote, but huge electoral landslide. GOP takes Senate, too.

Reaganomics Reduce size and influence of government • Reduce regulations and fed spending Cut welfare, food stamps, job training, Medicaid Did not cut Soc. Sec. , Vet pensions, Medicare • Reduce taxes by 25 % - Supply side economics Earners keep more, especially the wealthy Increased incentive to earn more and invest- creates jobs Critics call it ‘trickle down’ econ Double defense spending

The Reagan Years 1981 - 1989

Reagan’s Cold War Strategy No more détente. Cold war is a moral one. • Calls USSR an “evil empire” 1983 Massive arms build up • “Spend them into oblivion” • $35, 000 an hour ! Support anti-commi groups • Solidarity in Poland • Contras in Nicaragua Strategic Defense Initiative • Space based anti-missile system • Derided as ‘Star Wars’

Reagan and Gorbachev Younger new Soviet Premiere 1985 Summits • Geneva 1985 - Agree nuke war must never be fought. • Reykjavík 1986 - They nearly eliminate all missiles. Gorbachev insisted US dump SDI. Reagan refused. No deal. • Washington DC 1987 INF Treaty signed. Eliminated all intermediate range nuclear missiles • Moscow- 1988 RR said USSR not evil