Reagan 1981 1989 DomesticInfluence of Nixon Reagan was

Reagan 1981 -1989

Domestic-Influence of Nixon • • Reagan was the most important political figure of the age. He made it successful not solely responsible but a big leader. Political turning point 1968 Nixon’s Southern political strategy Reagan used Nixon’s strategy on o School desegregation o Judicial appointments o Reagan used Nixon’s men § Rumsfeld and Cheney

Domestic-Economics • • • Reaganomics-still widely practiced Military spending=Keep Military strong Supply-side economics=Trickle down effect, o Sometimes known as “Voodoo Economics” o Introduced several tax cuts for wealthy Americans o Lower taxes o Deregulation The economy had been in decline since 1973 With Stagflation

Domestic-Economics Cont. Problem with America was leadership solved by: Optimism Cut Taxes Shrink Government =Small Federal Government Cut spending Encourage private investment Aid those abroad fighting communism • •

Domestic-Social and Political • • Suburbs Civil Rights and Feminists movements broke down barriers Need for large amounts of money Upheaval of JFK, LBJ, and Nixon caused alienation

Domestic-Social and Political Cont. • • • “Halting and ineffective” fight on AIDS o Reagan's communications director Pat Buchanan argued that AIDS is "nature's revenge on gay men. " Air Traffic Controllers strike o Fired more than 11, 000 of them when they ignored his order to return to work Assassination attempt o March 30, 1981, shot by John Hinckley Jr. while leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington

Domestic • New Federalism (championed by Nixon) o “Political philosophy of devolution, or the transfer of certain powers from the United States federal government back to the states. ”

Foreign-Iran • Iran Contra Affair Senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to Iran, the subject of an arms embargo o Some U. S. officials also hoped that the arms sales would secure the release of several hostages and allow U. S. intelligence agencies to fund the Nicaraguan Contras o

Foreign-Star Wars • SDI “Starwars” (Strategic Defense Initiative) March 23, 1983 o Ground-based and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles o Focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic offense doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) o

Foreign • • • U. S. military led an international invasion of Grenada to topple a new Communist government there Aid those abroad fighting communism Foreign Policy- divisions caused by Vietnam

Foreign • • In foreign policy, Reagan was a full-fledged Cold War Hawk Supported repressive regimes and right wing insurgents in territories that opposed communism

“The age of Reagan is over” • • • 2008, His conclusion Obama won nomination with Clinton’s support, Biden VP (who had foreign policy credentials) Mc. Cain – chose Palin VP who had conservative credentials