A New Domestic & World Order chp 31

• Technology takes a great leap forward when Solid State circuitry replaces vacuum tubes by the mid 70’s and Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak form Apple Computers and in 1977, they put the Apple II personal computer on the market.

The Reagan – Bush Years 1981 -1993• Ronald Reagan campaigned for president in 1980

with the Slogan; “are you better off today, than you were 4 years ago.” A majority of voters answered “No” by electing him president at age 69. The oldest Present in America’s history.

• The Reagan Administration followed the Supply-side economic policies and was sometimes dubbed “Reaganomics” although George Bush , His Vice President had once called it “Voodoo Economics.” the foundation of Supply-side was that Tax Cuts would promote investment and would increase government revenue according to the Laffer Curve.

• The Reagan Administration’s economic policies included, tax cuts such as “ The Economic Recovery Tax Act (1981) which cut taxes (primarily to the wealthy) by 25%, Deregulation of business including reducing federal regulation of consumer protection, Cuts in the funding of human services such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), Unemployment Compensation, Food Stamps, and the closing of mental institutions which put many mentally ill persons on the streets. But there was too much public support for Social Security and Medicare for Reagan to be able to touch that. The gap between the Richest and the Poorest widened considerably during the 1980’s.

The spending cuts did not go to balancing the budget but went to large increases of military spending to the tune of a $1.2 Trillion build up. One of the most controversial defense increases was the Strategic defense Initiative (SDI) AKA “Star Wars” defense. Which was a proposed system of satellite and laser shields used to detect and intercept incoming missiles.

• In the 1970’s The Vietnam War and the Oil Crisis combined to create an economic stagflation that would not go away . In 1981 the Federal Reserve Chairman, Paul Volker made the decision to Dramatically reduce inflation by manipulating the Nation’s money supply, & raising interest rates, and while this increased unemployment, it reduced inflation from 12.4 percent in 1980 to 4% in 1982.

• The Iranians who took 52 Americans hostage during the Carter Administration, released them on the day Ronald Reagan took the oath of office. Conservatives said that it was because Reagan inspired fear in the Iranians. However during Reagan’s 2nd term it came out that Reagan’s administration had negotiated for the release of hostages for the sale of guns. (it has never been proven that this agreement included the 52 embassy hostages, as that agreement would have occurred before Reagan became president…. Which would have been an act of treason). Profits from the secret sale of weapons were used to aid the Nicaraguan Contra Rebels. Aiding the Contras was a violation of the Boland amendment. Dubbed the Iran –ContraGate When this scandal came out in the open, Ronald Reagan could not “remember” if he had known about or ordered the actions. The bad news once again rolled off of Reagan and he lived up to his reputation of the “Teflon Presidency”. Funding the Nicaraguan

• Rebels had been a • high priority for the• Administration.

• During Reagan’s Presidency there were many terrorist attacks in the Middle East, and a bombing of the American embassy & barracks in Beirut Lebanon killed 241 marines. Reagan retaliated with air strikes that targeted Muammar al-Qaddafi. The raids failed to kill Qaddafi, but did kill one of his sons, and Qaddafi remained Quietly in power until 2011 when he was deposed, captured and killed.

• There is a military coup on the Island of Granada in 1983, the moderate communist leader is assassinated and a radical leader is imposed. A medical college with many American citizens attending, is threatened… Reagan orders an invasion of Granada, the radicals are removed from power and students are rescued.

Reagan’s aggressive behavior toward the Soviet Union Forced the Soviets to maintain a large military budget, and by the mid 1980’s the Soviet Union was in economic turmoil . A New Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev came in power and made dramatic Reforms in the Soviet Union. Economic Restructuring tolerated Capitalist ideas, and Glasnost, (Openness) allowed for people to speak more openly. More Importantly, Reagan and Gorbachev made a great advance in SALT talks (Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty). In Berlin, Reagan famously demanded “ Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down this Wall.” In 1989, the Berlin Wall was torn down.

And OPENNESS

• Reagan’s Supreme Court appointments changed the course of a progressive court . In 1981, Reagan appointed the first woman Supreme Court justice, Sandra Day O’Connor. But in his 2nd term Reagan Appointed two more Justices, Antonin Scalia (1986) and in 1987 he selected Robert Bork as Supreme court Chief Justice , but Democrats in the Senate Rejected him as being too conservative and a slightly less conservative Anthony Kennedy(1988) became a justice, while Justice William Rehnquist became a very Conservative Chief Justice.

• Reagan had promised to balance the budget, but by the end of his presidency the National debt went from $1 Trillion to $2.8 Trillion . In 1979 the United States began to suffer a trade deficit and in 1985 had become a nation with, for the first time the United States became a debtor nation rather than a creditor nation.

In his political campaign of 1988, George Bush Chose a young conservative Indiana Senator, named Dan Quayle, his running mate. They faced Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis and his choice for Vice President, Lloyd Bentsen of Texas. This campaign was a particularly brutal one. Bush waged a successful campaign focused on Dukakis’ record on crime… It had just a tinge of racism attached to it. The Willie Horton campaign helped Bush get elected in 1988.

• 1989, George Bush Invaded Panama to arrest President Manual Noriega and bring him back to the United States to stand trial for Drug Trafficking (slightly Ironic because if Noriega had been selling drugs on the streets of New York he would have had diplomatic Immunity)

• Manual Noriega had been a paid agent of the CIA for years, but he was also involved in Drug trafficking.

• As to the invasion, a report by former Attorney General Ramsey Clark claimed over 4,000 deaths. The report estimated the number of displaced civilians to be over 15,000.

• Congress passed the Gramm- Rudman Act in 1985… this law required a balanced budget by 1991…. This was not accomplished until The End of Democrat Bill Clinton’s term as president in 1997- 2000.

• The 1980’s and the 1990’s changed employee expectations considerably from previous decades. Unions lost great numbers of members, as “Downsizing” … the reduction in the workforce, as companies slimmed down, or increased

automation, or OUTSOURCED jobs to overseas factories. Outsourcing began as a

fear of blue collar workers, but eventually the trend moved to middle management

white collar jobs as well.

• Organized labor rapidly declined in the 1980’s. Not only was Downsizing a hindrance to Unions, but the Government was once again siding with management. When Air Traffic Controllers went on Strike, Reagan told strikers they were breaking the law and if they did not return to work in 48 hours they would be fired. Workers that did not return to work were fired.

• In his August 1988 National Convention Speech, George Hubert Walker Bush Made the declaration ;”Read My Lips, No New Taxes!” but in dealing with a Democratic majority in Congress, Bush had to compromise with congress to get the deficit under control The compromise included spending cuts and the largest tax increase in history. In 1992 election, Patrick Buchanan challenged Bush in the Republican Primary, Attacking Bush’s backing out of his promise. When Bush ran against Clinton in the general election, it helped Clinton Win, (it didn’t hurt that Ross Perot, Running as a 3rd party Independent Candidate took more votes than any 3rd party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt in 1912.)

The Courts under Bush• In 1989, the now majority conservative Supreme court upheld the

right of a state to restrict the use of public funds and institutions for the purposes of an abortion.

• Upon the Retirement of Supreme court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Bush nominated another African American, Clarence Thomas… Thomas’ Senate confirmation hearing Hit a snag when a former employee, Anita Hill charged that she had been sexual harassed by Thomas, Thomas referred to the matter as a political “Lynching”. A national Poll revealed that 4 out of 10 women said that they had been the object of unwanted sexual advances from men. Thomas was still confirmed by the Senate.

• In 1991, George Bush used the Military again to attack a former ally of the U.S. Saddam Hussein. Hussein had attacked the border country of Kuwait, (he had charged that Kuwait was Slant drilling into Iraqi oil reserves) In November of 1990, the United Nations Security Council voted to authorize the use of force if Iraq did not withdraw from Kuwait by January 1991. Bush had full UN Support when the US led forces invaded Kuwait and pushed Hussein out in OPERATION DESERT STORM . Because there was no “Exit Strategy” the Elder Bush chose not to invade Iraq to get Hussein out of power. Ten years later his Son would ignore the fact that there was no exit strategy and invaded Iraq.

• The Persian Gulf war was popular with Americans because the casualties were low, It was brief (about 3 months) and it seemed to banish the embarrassment of Vietnam.

• An African American, Rodney King is pulled over by the Los Angeles Police. He resists arrest and the Police officers use excessive force to subdue him. The beating is video taped and network news plays the tapes repeatedly. The Officers are brought up on charges and the all white upper middle class Jury refuses to convict. A riot ensues for days. Sixty people died in the riots and property damage was estimated at $850 million dollars.

• In 1992, The Democrats nominated Bill Clinton for President and Al Gore as Vice President. These were the first Post War “baby boomers” to make it to the Whitehouse. George Bush had won points for the Persian Gulf War, but the economy was in a recession, and Bill Clinton’s Unofficial slogan was : “it’s the Economy, Stupid!” Ross Perot took 19% of the Popular vote (no electoral votes) and Bill Clinton took 43 % to Bush’s 38%

• The Introduction of the World Wide Web in 1991, made the internet more accessible to people throughout the world, and became a business boost for the 1990’s. This helped to pull the U.S. Economy out of its recession. By 1997 the economy had lower levels of unemployment, increasing productivity, and a boom in information technology.

• In 1994, California voters approved proposition 187 which barred even documented aliens from some state social services.

• Despite polls showing support for women’s rights, the Feminist Movement was weakened by traditional views held by older Americans and persons from traditional cultures.

• Aids, which was neglected in the Early Reagan years, due in part because the disease was seen as a homosexual disease, receives more public attention when the single female population becomes the leading victim.

• During his first term, Liberals were generally pleased with Bill Clinton’s appointments to the cabinet and Supreme Court.

• His “don’t ask Don’t Tell” policy towards gays in the military was tolerated as a compromise.

• In the 1990’s 1 in 5 Americans was without healthcare, Insurance premiums (costs) were rising quickly. And medical costs were rising faster than the pace of inflation.

• His Appointment of Hilary Clinton to head the creation of a Health Care Plan was attacked by conservatives and praised by liberals… But ended in a horrible stalemate.

• In 1994, the Republicans in congress, led by speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, campaigned their “Contract with America” which was a pledge to create Term Limits for Congressmen, create Tax cuts, cutback federal regulations, Balance the budget and reduce entitlement programs. Things Republicans have always said they would do, accept they were not able to get a term limit amendment on the floor. And Republicans have always outspent Democrats

• Just as the Conservative Nixon was able to go to China without being labeled a communist, So Bill Clinton was able to Change Welfare. Clinton abolished AFDC, required most adult recipients to find work within two years, and set a five year limit on payments to any family, and finally he gave states wide discretion in running their welfare programs.

• According to the textbook, ever since Operation Desert Storm the U.S. has been frustrated in its efforts to resolve conflicts with Iraq…. Saddam Hussein would allow UN inspectors to come in and investigate his Nuclear facilities and check for other “Weapons of Mass Destruction” but would kick the inspectors, and resist cooperation.

• In the 1996 Election year, Gingrich miscalculated how much support the Contract with America had. When Republicans shut down the government The American people reacted strongly in favor of Clinton and he Won Reelection .

• KOSOVO BOsnia