Download Reagan/Bush

Conservatism
-switch from “public action to
private interest”
-less federal gov’t action and
entitlement programs ----more
community action
-New Right, Conservative
Coalition, Moral Majority
-rise of conservative
Republicans Ronald Reagan and
George Bush
1980 Election
-1979 Carter “Crisis of
Confidence” Speech
”Are You better off than fours
years ago?”
-Great Communicator
Reaganomics
-cutting government spending
-lowering of taxes to promote
business
-supply-side economics
-”trickle down economics”
-economy began to respond to
policies
-great deficit spending however
lead to tax increases and debt
Cold Warrior
-Reagan had been a hardliner
against communism
-refers to USSR as the “Evil
Empire”
-increased military spending
Star Wars or SDI
-increase in nuclear arsenal
-Soviet system starts to decline
by late 80’s
Cold Warrior
-Reagan had been a hardliner
against communism
-refers to USSR as the “Evil
Empire”
-increased military spending
Star Wars or SDI
-increase in nuclear arsenal
-Soviet system starts to decline
by late 80’s
Domestic Issues
-Reagan and Bush appoint
conservative Justices
-Chief Justice William
Rehnquist
-deregulation of the economy
lowered prices in some
industries and increased
competition, but created some
scandals
-Savings and Loan Bailouts
Foreign Intervention
-Iran-Contra Scandal--weapons secretly sold to Iran
in exchange for money to be
given to anti-communism
Contras of Nicaragua
-Grenada---effort to prevent
communist rule
-Panama---arrest of General
Noriega to stop flow of illegal
drugs
Social Issues
-AIDS
-Abortion
-Drug Abuse
Just Say No
-Graying of America
-baby boomers
Educational Issues
-”A Nation at Risk”
--educational debate about
reform-
-School voucher debate
-educational testing programs
Birth of Modern Era
--Apple Computer
--Microsoft
--Space Shuttles
Birth of Modern Era
--Apple Computer
--Microsoft
--Space Shuttles
Modern Life
--MTV
--Rap Music
-”Me Generation”
George Bush
-George Bush won the 1988
election
-strong foreign policy
background (CIA) and former
VP
-makes mistake with “Read my
Lips, no new taxes”
-policies suffer because of poor
economy
-gridlock in government appears
Cold War
-Soviets withdraw some troops
in late 80’s
-Democracy movements begin in
Europe
-Nov. 1989 Berlin Wall is
destroyed
Germany reunites
-Yugoslavia breaks apart and
fighting begins
China experiences democratic
protests
1989 Tiananmen Square
Lone Superpower
-Mikhail Gorbachev comes to
power, 1985---Soviet economy
is horrible
-Glasnost
-Perestroika
-1991 coup attempted
Boris Yeltsin
-14 Republics of USSR begin to
separate
-Nuclear concerns
Desert War
-George Bush’s Presidency
-Iraq invades Kuwait
Saddam Hussein
-Operation Desert Shield
-Operation Desert Storm
Colin Powell
Norman Schwarzkopf
Post-War
-Highest Presidential Approval
Rating
-successful war
-low casualties
-1992 Recession
-poor economy leads to
unfavorable opinions