The United States in the World Today: 1989-present

George H.W. Bush (continuing Reagan’s policies)

Domestic Agenda Americans with Disabilities Act

1990 NAFTA (North American Free

Trade Agreement) Clean Air Act 1990 Flag desecration constitutional

amendment (failed in the Senate) Supreme Court more

conservative

Bill Clinton- Democrat in the White House

Domestic Agenda Violent Crime Control and

Law Enforcement Act of 1994

Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993

Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1999

North American Free Trade Agreement 1992 (NAFTA)

Clinton’s Domestic Agenda continued… “Mend it, don’t end it”- fought off attempt to

end affirmative action Appointment of Gays to political positions “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy”- homosexuals

serving in the military Corporation for National and Community

Service 1993 School-to-Work Act 1994- high schools

students entering the workforce Supreme Court becoming liberal

George W. Bush: Conservative in Action

Domestic Agenda Office of Faith-Based Initiatives

(2001)- assisted religious groups fighting homelessness and drug addiction

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act- rejected by the House

Secure Fence Act of 2006- construction of fencing to reduce immigration

Bush’ s Domestic Agenda continued… Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit 2003- helped

retired people pay for drugs Embryonic stem cell research ban- limited federal

funding research Healthy Marriage Initiative 2005- helping low income

couples get married and married couples stay together

Marriage penalty- ended income tax provisions against married people

Federal Marriage Amendment- “Union of a Man and Woman”

Supreme Court became more conservative

U.S. Foreign Policy US/Soviet Relations

improved after the collapse of the Soviet Union

European Union (EU) formed- advanced economic integration of European countries.

Confronting Dicatators: Panama

Drug Trafficking- issue in South America

Bush sent 20,000 soldiers into Panama to over throw General Noriega

Noriega was sentenced to 40 years in Prison

Confronting Dicatator: Persian Gulf War

Saddam Hussein-leader of Iraq invaded Kuwait for their oil rich lands to pay war debts, after looting Kuwait they headed towards Saudi Arabia and its oil fields. If they were successful they would control over half the worlds oil reserves.

Operation Desert Storm- a Jan 16th, 1991 military operation in which UN forces, led by the United States drove Iraqi invaders from Kuwait

Cease fire occurred on Feb. 28th and Saudi Arabia was liberated. Fewer than 400 causalities but more complaints that chemicals used were harming veterans. Iraq suffered 100,000 deaths and following many Iraqi children suffered from cholera, typhoid and enteritis outbreaks

Responding to Ethnic Conflict and Genocide

Yugoslavia- Civil War broke out between conflicting republics who declared independence after Communism fell. In Bosnia the Serbs carried out a policy called ethnic cleansing- murder and removal of ethic groups. Clinton sent troops and the Dayton Accords- peace negotiations took place

Rwanda- Civil War between Hutu’s and Tutsis, Hutu’s killed more than 800,000 Tutsis with machetes. US refused to get involved due to other conflicts. Tutsis’s regained power and the Hutu’s fled to neighboring countries.

Easing Human Suffering Somalia- Civil War broke out and

United Nations sent food and relief, Fighting took place and Somalis draggeed a U.S. soldiers body through the streets and the public demanded Clinton to withdraw the troops.

North Korea- Severe floods led to a shortage of food and famine, the WFP world food program gave relief

Africa- HIV/AIDS epidemic- US sent 15 billion in aid to fight the disease

Global Trade

NAFTA- North American Free Trade Agreement- created a free trade zone between US, Mexico, and Canada caused controversy about factories relocating to Mexico…. Mixed results

GATT- General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade- established the WTO

WTO- World Trade Organization- set trade policies and mediate disputes

Terrorism 1993- World Trade Center bombings occurred by

Muslim terrorists September 11th, 2001- two hijacked commercial

airplanes struck the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. Then an hour later the Pentagon was struck. A fourth hijacked plane crashed near Pittsburg Pennsylvania. The deaths totaled 3,000.

War on Terrorism- war on al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden

Taliban-US toppled the radical Muslims in Afghanistan Iraqi Regime- Iraq, Iran, and North Korea “axis of evil”

who had Weapons of Mass Destruction (WBD)- which included chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.

Saddam Hussein- dictator of Iraq overthrown by the US Currently the United States is focusing on building

democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq

Impact of 9/11 People were

vulnerable People came

together to defend our way of life

The Administration took action and started a war on terror.

Safeguarding Equality

US tried to balance Safety and Equality Racial Profiling-

practice of using physical traits to decide whether to investigate or arrest someone

Airports increased security

Preserving Opportunity

Balancing security and opportunity by Screening Foreign Visitors: Passport and Visa requirements

were stricter, created long delays for applicants

Government sharpened its focus on illegal immigrants

Heated debate…

Securing Liberty Balancing Safety and Freedom:

The Department of Homeland Security Department of Homeland

Security- created government agency to defend the nation after 9/11

National Response Plan- to prevent and deter terrorist attacks

A 5 level threat system ranging from low to severe

Protecting Rights Balancing Security and Privacy

Rights: Debating the Patriot Act Patriot Act- 342 page bill that

loosened many restrictions on intelligence gathering by U.S. Security

Now government may tap phones and inspect homes with a warrant in secret

Patriot Act also allows officials to seize and search computer records for data that might lead to terrorists

Defining Democracy

Debating the Limits of Presidential Power: Military Commissions

Guantanamo bay- POW- 660 prisoners detained from 42 nations described as unlawful enemy combatants (fighters in armed conflict with the US who were not part of a regular army)

Rasul v Bush- 2004, detainees against Bush, but military commissions were set up (military courts)

Hamdan v Rumsfeld- Bush did not have constitutional authority to set up military court.

Military Commissions Act of 2006- authorized the use of military commissions to try enemy combatants and rules for the trial

Pursuing American’s Founding Ideals

Our commitment to the ideals of EQUALITY, OPPORTUNITY, LIBERTY, RIGHTS, and DEOMCRACY are what bind us together as Americans.

Like our founders, we know that a nation built on ideals is never finished- it is always becoming… What to become is up to each generation to decide!!!!!