The Conservative Tide Ch 25 Notes Conservative Movement

The Conservative Tide Ch 25 Notes

Conservative Movement n Tired of Entitlement Programs n The New Right n Focused on Social Issues n Conservative Coalition n Business leaders, Christian groups, etc… n The Moral Majority n Absolute right and Wrong

Reagan’s Election n Former Actor n An original New Deal Democrat n “The party left him” n Governor of CA for two terms n Known as the Great Communicator n Wins the election with 51% of the vote, but wins 44 states

Reagan’s Presidency n Reduce Federal Government n National debt doubles n “Reaganomics” n Supply side economics n Tax cuts=more money to spend n Strategic Defense Initiative n Nicknamed “Star Wars”

Courts n Appoints First Female Supreme Court Justice n Sandra Day O’Connor n William Rehnquist as Chief Justice n Court becomes very Conservative

’ 84 Election n Reagan v. s. Mondale n Geraldine Ferraro is first woman vice- presidential candidate n Reagan wins by a landslide n Win every state except MN n Bush wins in ’ 88 building on the legacy of Reagan

Social Issues n AIDS n Gains wide notoriety in early ’ 80’s n Seen as a homosexual Male disease, or with drug users n Abortion n Pro-life vs. Pro-choice n 1989 Ruled states could put restrictions on when an abortion could

n Education n US well behind : “A Nation At Risk” n 23 million could not fill out an application correctly n Urban crises n Money was leaving the cities for the suburbs n Left minorities and undereducated in high unemployment cities that were falling apart. n Rodney King “Incident” n Drug Abuse Rampant (Just say No!)

Equal Rights Struggles Continue n Women: n Elizabeth Dole & Margaret Heckler (cabinet) n Losses: Equal Rights Amendment fails n Push for Pay Equity n African-Americans: several cities. n L. Douglas Wilder Mayors running is first A-A Governor (1990) n Jesse Jackson first serious Presidential candidate (1984 & 88)

Dole Heckler

n Affirmative-action is scaled back n Latinos: Largest growing group. n Tony Anaya, Robert Martinez (Florida) First governors (New Mexico) n Laura Cavazos Sec. of Ed. n Antonia Coello Novello Surgeon General

Robert Martinez

Gay Rights Movement n Civil Rights push in the 1970’s n Set backs in the 1980’s due to AIDS and Conservatism n Revived in the late 1980’s getting laws passed to end homosexual discrimination

Foreign Policy n Cold War ends n Gorbachev initiates glasnost (openness) n Perestroika or restructuring of society, less government control, allowing some private ownership n INF Treaties with US n 12/91 14 Republics declare independence from Russia

n First Free elections in 1993 n Eastern Europe and Germany become independent n 11/9/89 Berlin Wall opened n Communism begins falling in China n Tiananmen Square (4/89) n Nicaragua problems n Sandinistas and Contras

Iran-Contra Scandal n Reagan announces that he will not deal with Terrorists, then sells arms to Iran to release American Hostages n Profits from arms sales went to the Contras n Several cabinet members went on trial for the cover up.

Gulf War (1991) n Iraq had invaded Kuwait and threatened Saudi Arabia n Bush puts together a coalition and liberates n Kuwait in a little over 1 month n January 16, 1991 -February 28, 1991

Culture of the 80’s Early 90’s