The 80s Reagan and Bush Election of 1980

The 80’s Reagan and Bush

Election of 1980 � Jimmy Carter (Democrat) vs. Ronald Reagan (Republican) Key Issues Economy Defense Lack of Faith in Government Result: Reagan Wins

Ronald Reagan � Former Governor of California and an actor � Led a conservative revival seen as rejection of the Left leaning 60’s & 70 s � Appoints the 1 st Female Supreme Court Justice- Sandra Day O’Conner

Reagonomics � Reagans economic plan � Based on the concept of supply side economics � Called “Voodoo Economics”

Military Build Up � Reagan ended Détente and took a hard line towards the Soviets � Began the largest peacetime military buildup in US history � Massive funding giving to the military

Strategic Defense Initiative “Star Wars” � As part of his arm build up Reagan wanted a spaced based defense against Soviet missiles � Nicknamed � System Star Wars by opponents was attempted but never fully operational

Foreign Involvement Lebanon US forces sent in as peacekeepers Terrorist bomb a Marine barracks and kill several hundred servicemen � Granada US and other countries invade the island to prevent a Cuban backed communist government from coming to power � Afghanistan Invaded by the Soviets in 1979 The US backs rebels who fight the Soviets The Soviets “Vietnam” �

Tear Down This Wall Mikhael Gorbachev Became leader of the Soviet Union in 1985 Began reform policies of the Soviet system � Perestroika “Restructuring” Restructure of the Soviet political and economic system Some Market System ideas put in place � Glasnot “openness” Tried to end corruption in the Soviet government �

AIDS � An unidentified infection is fully diagnosed. � This is seen as the end of the “free love” incorporated into 1960 s and 70 s culture

War On Drugs � Crack Less expensive version of Cocaine Heavily impacts crime in the inner city � Just Say No Campaign Spearheaded by Nancy Reagan � 1989 Invasion of Panama US forces invade to arrest dicatator Manuel Noriega on drug trafficking causes

Mudsling 1988 Election � VP Bush (Rep) v. Dukakis (Dem) � The 1988 election becomes one of the most bitter and outright mudslinging Bush vows “No New Taxes” Bush Wins

Fall of the Berlin Wall � Autumn 1989 Due to Glasnot & Perestroika changes begin in Eastern Europe Protestors march and the governments do not resist Seen as the end of the Cold War

Tiananmen Square 1989 � Chinese protest the communist government Chinese government cracks down Several protestors killed, journalists expelled from China.

Breakup of the Soviet Union � December 1991 state of the Soviet Union call for independence � Christmas Day 1991 - Gorbachev resigns and the USSR disbands � President Bush makes an televised addressed declaring the Cold War over

Persian Gulf War � 1990� 1991 Iraq invades neighboring Kuwait Operation Desert Storm US led coalition liberates Kuwait Sanctions placed on Iraq

Election of 1992 � 1 st election since the end of the Cold War � Bush (Republican) v. Clinton( Democrat) Main Issue- The Economy The 80’s Military Build up and deregulated economy created a deficit and led to a recession