The New Course

Chapter 31, 32

Election of 1988Bush Sr.’s line “Read my lips – no new taxes” appealed to voters (Dukakis wanted to raise taxes) and his challenges to Dukakis on crime and defense helped

The Democrats were counting on the scandals in Iran and the huge deficit spending to drive their campaign, and while Dukakis was soundly beaten, they did have majorities restored in Congress, which created a gridlock

Bush and Foreign PolicyBush’s Foreign Policy was dominated by changes in the communist world:

1) Tiananmen Square – students protest in China for democracy and freedom, but the Chinese communist party use tanks to kill hundreds and stop the protests

2) Eastern Europe – Poland and other countries toppled their communist governments and Germany was finally reunited after the Berlin Wall was torn down

3) Soviet Breakup – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania declare independence and form the CIS as independent nations, leaving Gorbachev a leader with no country

4) End of the Cold War – Bush and Gorbachev (and eventually Boris Yeltsin) made several agreements to reduce nuclear warfare and end tensions (START I, START II)

Other Foreign Policy moves included:

1) Invasion of Panama – removal of General Manuel Noriega from power

2) Persian Gulf War – Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait, Operation Desert Storm forces a quick surrender from Iraq (Bush gets praised for victory)

Unification of Germany

Persian Gulf War

Bush and Domestic PolicyDomestic Problems under Bush were:

1) Clarence Thomas – nominated for the Supreme Court to replace Thurgood Marshall, he proved controversial due to his conservative stances (which angered African-Americans) and his alleged sexual harassment of Anita Hill

2) A Poor Economy and Mounting Debt – The Recession in 1990 ending Reagan prosperity and The Savings and Loans Crisis suggested a weakening economy, and taxpayers were unhappy that $250 billion was needed to save the companies and that $1 trillion would be added to the debt

3) New Taxes – Republicans felt betrayed when Bush combated the rising debt with higher taxes ($133 billion)

4) Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Bush’s Domestic Policies:

1) Americans with Disabilities Act prohibited discrimination against citizens with physical or mental disabilities

2) Cuts in federal programs

Savings and Loan Crisis

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Election of 1992The disillusionment in Washington in 1992 was clear when the 27th Amendment was passed (limiting the raising of salaries by Congress) but the Presidential race did bring plenty of intrigue

Bush seemed out of touch with Americans concerned about his domestic failures (rather than his foreign policy successes) and Clinton, a baby boomer and “New Democrat” was able to steal the election with Democrats also sweeping Congress

Ross Perot, an Independent who didn’t win a single electoral vote, did Bush no favors by spoiling the election and stealing 20 percent of the usual “Republican” vote

Domestic Policies with Clinton

• Setbacks

- Clinton’s attempts at health care reform, economic stimulus, campaign finance reform, and environmental regulations were all filibustered by the Republicans

• Accomplishments- Family and Medical

Leave Act, “Motor-Voter” Law, Brady Handgun Bill and Anti-Crime Bill (both of which funded more police and restricted sale of guns), Deficit Reduction through tax increases

Clinton’s Domestic Agenda

Midterm Elections and Reform

• Midterm elections saw the changing of the guard as both houses swung Republican (Democrats were perceived as inept and unpopular due to increased taxes)

• “Contract for America” created by Newt Gingrich had a goal of a balanced budget but led to government stalemate

• Oklahoma City Bombing• Finally, in 1996, Clinton agreed with Republicans to

a balanced budget and they were helped by a surging economy, allowing the first budget surplus since 1969

Conservatives in the 1990s

The Contract for America, written by Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey, and Tom DeLay – an attempt to increase responsibility and rules within the US Government

The Booming 90s

Clinton’s Foreign Policy• Peacekeeping missions in Somalia, Haiti, Northern

Ireland• European incidents – Russia stopping civil war in

Chechnya, removal of Milosevic from power by the Serbian in the Balkan Wars (leading to the breakup of Yugoslavia)

• Asia – North Korea, India, Pakistan making nuclear weapons and diplomatic treaties with Vietnam and China

• Middle East – Iraq defies weapons inspectors, assassination of Yitzak Rabin slows progress between Israel-Palestine relations

• Globalization – WTO, IMF, EU, and NAFTA

Clinton’s Foreign Policy

Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin Clinton and Jiang Zemin

Election of 1996Clinton’s reelection was sealed as the economy became more prosperous and the Republicans were made to look more extreme, but the election is more remembered for the massive campaign spending on attack ads and little actual substance, with even the dynamic Perot a non-factor in the election

Clinton’s Second Term

• Economic expansion continued (4% growth) and new technologies were created

• Struggled with Republicans over what to do with extra money (Republicans wanted tax cuts, Clinton wanted expansion of health care and social security, reduced debt)

• Clinton was impeached for lying about sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, but public opinion saw conviction as a Republican attempt to remove Clinton

• Democrats gained seats in the House and Senate in the 1998 midterm elections

Election of 2000In the closest election since 1876, Gore (for “working families”) won the popular vote and Bush Jr. (a “compassionate conservative”) won the electoral vote, but only after the more conservative Supreme Court had ruled that Florida’s 25 votes should go to Bush

The disputed election still remains a sore topic of debate between Republicans and Democrats