chapter # 32 the republican resurgence 1980-1992
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter # 32Chapter # 32
The Republican The Republican Resurgence 1980-Resurgence 1980-
19921992
Reagan in PowerReagan in Power
High Inflation hurt High Inflation hurt Carter’s Carter’s chance for chance for reelectionreelectionReagan –republican and Reagan –republican and former former Hollywood actorHollywood actor
Reagan elected Reagan elected VP George BushVP George Bush
ReaganomicsReaganomics
Reagan blamed conditions on Reagan blamed conditions on high high government spendinggovernment spending
Embraced a concept of supply-Embraced a concept of supply-side side economicseconomics
Reduce government spending Reduce government spending and and private private business would business would be free to spend more be free to spend more moneymoney
Recession and RecoveryRecession and Recovery
Supply-side theorySupply-side theory
Cut spendingCut spending
Reduce taxesReduce taxes
Increased defense spending Increased defense spending
= 1 trillion over 5 years= 1 trillion over 5 years
This all together lead to a recessionThis all together lead to a recession
The President stuck to his beliefs and The President stuck to his beliefs and refused to bendrefused to bend
He did agree to a slight tax increaseHe did agree to a slight tax increase
The economy rebounded in 1983The economy rebounded in 1983
People gave credit to the Reagan People gave credit to the Reagan administration for solving the administration for solving the problems problems of the Carter administrationof the Carter administration
DeficitDeficit
$70.5 billion 1976 pre-Reagan$70.5 billion 1976 pre-Reagan
$207.8 billion 1983 $207.8 billion 1983
$221 billion 1986$221 billion 1986
$155 billion 1988$155 billion 1988
Gap between the Rich and Poor
Blue collar jobs decreased – steel, auto
Some companies moved production overseas (cheaper labor)
Service jobs increased- accountants, lawyers, technicians (white collar jobs) (increase in women)
1990 1 in 3 workers was white collar
1 in 5 worked in factories
Inequality in distribution of wealth
Top 5th made as much money as other 80% of population
Top 5th owned 80% nations household wealth
Reagan saw Russia as the “Focus of Evil”
Increased military spending – missiles est..
New arms race would strain the economy of both nations
Star Wars – Defense missile system
50,000 nuclear war heads between 2 nations
Middle East
Conflict between Palestine and Israel
Reagan wanted Palestinian homeland
Israel continued to build Jewish settlements in the West Bank (disputed area)
June 6, 1982 Israel invaded Lebanon (united States did nothing to stop this
Lebanon sunk into a full scale Civil war that had been raging since 1975 (Muslims v. Christians)
American Marines were sent to help keep the peace
Muslims saw the Marines as aiding the ChristiansOne attack killed 239 Marines
Marines left February 1984
Central America
United States often supported regimes that oppressed their people
Nicaragua Somoza leadership was overthrown by
Sandinista Rebels
Reagan accused the Sandinista of taking aid from Cuba/Russia
Reagan felt that the United States was at risk to Communism
CIA began supplying Contras
Congress blocked aid / spending money in Nicaragua – Left Contras on their own
El SalvadorRevolution / rebellion / Rebels since
1970’s
Reagan sent aid to Napoleon Duarte (ignoring charges he may have had 40,000 civilians killed)
Aid helped secure reelection of leadership
Grenada
Had close ties to Cuba / built a huge airfield
2,000 marines invaded Granada 10-25-1983 v. 800 Cuban workers and soldiers
American forces claimed victory / displayed captured Soviet weapons on TV
Iran Contra Affair
Robert McFarland wanted to trade arms to Iran for hostage release (held in Lebanon)(Iran was fighting a war against Iraq)
Oliver North arranged the trade of weapons
Some hostages but not all and Iran captured more (they saw that we were willing to pay high cost for hostage release)
Oliver North and others came up with the idea to trade weapons to Iran for profit and use the money to aid the Contras (violation of government)
Reagan administration denied involvement but many people lost faith in it
Gorbachev
1985 Reagan and the new Soviet leader Gorbachev met. They would meet 4 times and agree to a reduction in missiles
Reagan’s popularity soared to a 70% rating / high than before the Iran-Contra Affair
Aids
Outbreak started in early 1980’s
Most likely started in Africa
Mostly Gay men victims
Aid hysteria swept the nation
1989 100,000 cases
War on Drugs
1980’s rapid spread of cocaine
Considered to be a danger to American Society
1986 5.8 million using cocaine
Just Say No (Mrs. Reagan took this slogan in her fight against drugs
Helped reduce drug use with middle class but had little effect in ghettos
Reagan used federal law enforcement to fight against drug smuggling
Labs in other countries were destroyed but rebuilt almost as fast as they were destroyed
1989 – poll of Americans said illegal drugs were their greatest concern
Election 1988
George Bush – president
VP Dan Quayle
Tiananmen SquareChinese students were protesting for democracy
Government sent troops – tanks used
Several hundred protesters were killed and thousands injured
Chinese used martial law
Poland
1989 called for free electionsIdea of democracy spread through satellite countries (freely elected governments)HungaryEast GermanyCzechoslovakiaBulgariaRomania
Mikhail Gorbachev
His reforms lead to the fall of communism1991 he was arrested by those hoping to gain power
Boris Yeltsin – elected president of the new Russian Republic Stopped the planned coup and Gorbachev was released
Yeltsin then disbanded the communist party
Chapter#33
Thurgood Marshall 1st African American Supreme
Court Justice
Replaced by BushClarence ThomasAnita Hill accused him of sexual
harassmentStill confirmed
New Immigration issuesMost from Latin America & AsiaStrain on public services
Still a concern in 2013
Chinese – largest group of Asians in America
African AmericansEducation proved to be a key to
African American SuccessBlacks divided into two catagories1. Affluent2. Low income
Affirmative action had some success in leveling the playing field
CaliforniaPoverty level black society feels they
are neglected by society
Police accused of beating Rodney King
Leads to riots in LA
Bill Clinton elected president 1992Serves two termsScandal involving Monica Lewinski
House impeached him for lying under oathSenate failed to convict
Oklahoma City BombingFederal Building (169 dead)Timothy McVeigh
Later convicted and executed
Ruby Ridge
Waco
George W. Bush elected president 2000
Serves two termsSeptember 11, 2001
Attack on World Trade CenterPentagon
United States respond by attacking Afghanistan terrorist hideouts
United States invades Iraq
Iraq government defeatedSaddam Hussein executedNew democratic government established
Still a place of violence / fragile peace
Barack Obama president – 2009Nobel Peace Prize
Health Care
Period of grid lock between republicans and democrats as both side blame the other.
Rising deficit
Drops “Don’t ask don’t tell” and allows gays to serve openly in military.
Elderly vs. healthcare and social securityMedicare and medicade
Focus of threat in future
Iran
North Korea
The End