Reagan,%20Culture%20Wars,%20and%20Recent%20American%20History

1
Reagan, Culture Wars, and Recent American History

• 1980-2004

2
Conservative Backlash, 1965-1980or How We Got
to Reagan

• Conservatives react to changes in America during
  the 1960s (Silent Majority)
• American foreign policy
• ?Lost Vietnam
• Against Affirmative Action
• Unsettled by Womens liberation movement

3
Womens Rights

• Equal access to education, family, employment
• Failed attempt at ERA
• Control over bodies
• Roe v. Wade, 1973
• NOW_______________
• Planned Parenthood

4
The Growing Backlash

• 1978 Regents of U.C. v. Bakke
• Quotas in college admissions were
  unconstitutional
• 1976 Hyde Amendment
• Limited Medicaid funds for Abortion
• Moral Majority, 1978committed to promoting
  family values
• Southern Democrats become Republicans
• Resurgence of Nativism Many working class
  whites blamed immigrants and the poor for their
  condition, as well as economic decline of
  Americans

5
Conservative Ideology

• Tax and spend mentality of Great Society ( New
  Deal) is whats hurting the American economy
• In favor of Creationism, family values, smaller
  government, anti-communists, pro-life, critical
  of immigration
• Strong military / national defense American
  global power
• Lead to Culture Wars Reagan Revolution

6
Roe v. Wade Mobilizes Conservatives?Rise of the
Christian Right

• The issue of legalized abortion helped galvanize
  the rise of the Christian Right in the 1970's and
  1980's.
• Roe v. Wade catalyzed the formation of a number
  of enduring political organizations and leads to
  a increased connection between religion and
  politics.

7
Ronald Reagan

• The Rise of the Modern Conservative Movement

8
Ronald Reagan

• CA. Governor Reagan, former actor
• Staunchly Anti-communist
• New Day in America
• Charismatic
• Channeled anger of mainstream white America at
  minorities, immigrants, feminists, taxes,
  affirmative action, big government

9
The 1980 Revolution

• Nixon victories in 1968 and 1972 early indicators
  of change.
• Carters series of Unfortunate Events weakens
  Democratic Party.
• Reagans ability to communicate - actors
  background
• Few simple well-articulated idea

Are you better off . . . http//www.youtube.com/wa
tch?vloBe0WXtts8safety_modetruepersist_safety_
mode1safeactive
10
The Reagan Revolution Begins

• Following his overwhelming victory Reagan and his
  political allies began an effort to reverse the
  political legacy of the New Deal and Great
  Society.
• In his first Inaugural Address "In this present
  crisis, government is not the solution to our
  problem government is the problem."
• Reagan was able to capitalize on the new
  conservative national sentiment with a simple
  message low taxes, smaller government, and
  strong national defense.

Reagan Inaugural Address http//www.youtube.com/w
atch?vhpPt7xGx4Xo
11
Supply-Side Economics a.k.aReaganomics

• Cut taxes to put more money into the hands of
  businesses
• Cut taxes on the wealthiest Americans
• Lower taxes more investment in the supply
  side of the economy
• Would
• promote and create new jobs
• encourage capital investment, and
• lead to stimulated industrial growth

12
Reaganomics Trickle-Down in Action

• Tax were cut?boosted upper middle/elite incomes
• Privatization and corporate take-overs?
• Rising of Fortune 500 companies
• Did cut federal spending
• reduced unemployment compensation/lowered welfare
  benefits
• raised fees for Medicare patients
• but . . .
• Defense spending up 45
• 1981-1989 federal debt tripled . . .

13
Star Wars

• In 1983, President Reagan proposed his Strategic
  Defense Initiative as an additional check on
  Soviet nuclear capability.
• Reagan envisioned space-based missile defense
  technology capable of striking down nuclear
  weapons before they reached the United States.
• The press derisively dubbed the plan "Star Wars",
  and many believed it was infeasible due to the
  enormous expense and technical innovation that it
  would require to become operational.
• Reagans aggressive military plans did contribute
  to the fall of communism

https//www.youtube.com/watch?vB3KZiW589nI
(beginning, then 424)
14
https//www.youtube.com/watch?vSNpCn0nAlR0
15
George I 1988-1992

• Connecticut Family
• Naval aviator WWII
• Yale Grad
• Texas oil
• Director of CIA
• VP to Reagan

16
The Election of 1988

• The Election of 1988 pitted Vice President George
  H.W. Bush against Michael Dukakis.
• Bushs campaign presented itself as the inheritor
  of the Reagan legacy.
• Dukakis held an early lead, but the Bush campaign
  claimed that he was weak on defense and crime.
• Dukakis tried to counter this image by riding in
  a tank.
• This backfired when his helmet made him appear
  cartoonish.

17
The Election of 1988

• This cartoon addresses each candidate's
  unwillingness to address the country's economic
  problems.

18
The Election of 1988
On election night, Bush won decisively, meaning
four more years of Republican rule.
19
The Exxon Valdez
This image of an oil-covered duck illustrates the
impact of the disaster on wildlife. Over 50,000
birds, fish, and animals died.

• The Exxon Valdez spill in March 1989 was the
  largest ecological disaster in American history.
• The supertanker spilled 11 million gallons of oil
  that covered 470 miles of Alaska coast.
• Billions have been spent on the cleanup, but the
  damage in many places is irreparable.

20
The Persian Gulf War(The First Gulf War)

• Iraq was nearly bankrupt after a war with Iran.
• Saddam Hussein (Iraq) saw his oil rich neighbor
  as the solution to his economic problems.
• In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait.
• Kuwait had virtually no military.
• Hussein then annexed Kuwait and threatened Saudi
  Arabia.
• Iraqi control of Saudi Arabia would allow Hussein
  to corner the world oil market.
• President George H.W. Bush announced that the
  invasion would not stand.

21
The Gulf War

• In November 1990, the U.N. authorized all means
  necessary to reverse the invasion?The war began
  in January 1991.
• After a month of intensive bombing, only a
  minimal ground assault was necessary to remove
  the Iraqis from Kuwait (Operation Desert Storm).
• After the war, President Bush said that the U.S.
  would support the overthrow Hussein.
• The Iraqi Shiites rose up but, when no American
  help materialized, they were crushed by Hussein.

22
Economic Troubles Recession of 1991

• Despite Bush's foreign success, he was dogged by
  economic troubles at home.
• By 1991, the American economy was in recession
  (Reaganomics to blame?)
• Personal spending fell dramatically and
  unemployment rose.
• Bush was forced break his campaign pledge not to
  raise taxes.
• By 1992, domestic problems had eroded Bushs once
  unapproachable popularity.
• He was vulnerable in the upcoming election.

23
The Los Angeles Riots 1992

• In 1991 Rodney King, a black motorist, was
  severely beaten by LAPD officers following a
  traffic stop.
• The incident was caught on tape.
• The officers were prosecuted but acquitted in
  1992.
• The verdict outraged the African American
  community.
• Lawless elements erupted into violence.
• For 5 days South Central LA was wracked with
  rioting
• National Guard was deployed to restore calm.
• 55 people died, 2300 were injured, and 1100
  buildings were burned at a cost of over a billion
  dollars.

24
The Election of 1992

• The Election of 1992 was a 3-way race between
  George H.W. Bush, Democrat Bill Clinton, and
  independent H. Ross Perot.
• Clintons candidacy was distracted while pursuing
  the Democratic nomination by a sex scandal.
• In the general election the presence of Perot, an
  eccentric Texas billionaire, split conservative
  vote and allowed Clinton a relatively easy
  victory

25
A New Democrat 1992-2000

• Arkansas Gov.
• Working class, single parent household
• Charismatic
• Sexual issues
• Opposed Vietnam War
• Didnt inhale
• New Democrat
• Fiscally conservative
• Socially moderate

26
Main Issues and Events

• Tried to allow gays and lesbians to openly serve
  in the military
• Failed. Cultural conservatives and military
  leaders opposed it. Dont ask, dont tell.
• Tried to reform health care system to benefit the
  poor and uninsured.
• Failed. Pharmaceutical industry, doctors,
  republicans opposed it.
• Balance the Budget.
• Succeeded. Returned taxes on the rich back to
  previous levels. Cut spending. Increased tax
  credit for low income families

27
Health Care Reform, 1993-1994

• President Clintons major goal was reform of the
  healthcare system.
• Hillary Rodham Clinton to headed the Task Force
  on National Healthcare Reform.
• In September 1993, President Clinton presented
  the plan to guarantee coverage for all Americans
  to Congress.
• While the plan seemed popular with the public,
  its opponents were able to bog the legislation
  down.

28
Impeachment

• In August 1998, Clinton testified that he had not
  perjured himself in another sexual harassment
  case by denying a sexual relationship with former
  intern Monica Lewinsky.
• Ultimately, Clinton admitted on TV to having an
  improper relationship with Lewinsky.
• In December 1998, the House offered 4 articles of
  impeachment, 2 of which were accepted. (Perjury
  and Obstruction of Justice)
• The impeachment trial began in January 1999.
• Neither article garnered a majorityvotes were
  strictly along party lines.

29
Why did Conservatives hate Clinton so much?

• I hate him because hes a womanizng,
  Elvis-loving, non-inhaling, truth-shading,
  war-protesting, draft-dodging, abortion-protecting
  , gay-promoting, gun-hating, baby boomer. Thats
  why.
• --Conservative, 1998

30
The 2000 Election

• Most bitterly contested election in 100 years
• Gore/Lieberman
• Moderate populism
• Shadow of Clinton
• Bush/Cheney
• Compassionate Conservative
• Roughly ½ of eligible voters went to polls
• Voting irregularities

31
The Aftermath

• Close election in
• Florida would
• decide the election
• Bush lead pop vote in FL, Gore wanted recount in
  4 Democratic counties
• Ballot irregularities, inaccurate registration,
  incomplete lists, old voting machines, butterfly
  ballots, hanging chads
• Katherine Harris (R-FL Sec State manager of
  Bush campaign in FL) refused recount, declared
  Bush winner
• Florida Supreme Court approved recount?
• Bush appealed to U.S. Supreme Court
• 5-4 Supreme Court supported Bush and ruled
  against it
• Gore won national popular vote, but Bush won
  electoral college vote (Mainly because all
  ballots were not counted in FL, he kept the 27
  electoral votes)

32
Bush II

• Reversal of Clintons policies
• 1.3 Trillion tax cut
• Economic recession
• Globalization and Y2K
• Rolled back environmental protection
• 2000 census and multiple identities
• Immigration, borders and cheap labor

33
September 11th, 2001

• Attack on World Trade Center
• Nearly 3,000 dead
• Islamic fundamentalists attacked symbol of
  economic and cultural imperialism OR economic
  freedom and opportunity
• Bush became a War President
• Osama Bin Ladin

34
Invasion of Iraq, 2003-2011

• Bush administration tied 9/11 attacks, Bin Laden
  and Al Qaeda to Iraq and Saddam Hussein
• ?no evidence of weapons of mass destruction
• Global terrorist threat and Axis of Evil
• Mission Accomplished when Hussein was deposed
• War dragged onWheres Bin Laden?
• ?Invasion of Afghanistan (Al Qaeda)

35
(No Transcript)
36
Election of Barak Obama

• Constitutional Lawyer, Harvard Law Review
• Moderate/liberal
• Economic crisis
• Health Care
• National debt
• Crippled GOP
• GOT Bin Laden
• ???