The Resurgence of Conservatism

1980-1996

Late ‘70s Racial Issues Milliken v. Bradley

School busing issueBakke v. University of

CaliforniaReverse discrimination vs. affirmative action

1980 ElectionBy 1980, many

Americans frustrated with Carter’s mismanagement:InflationHigh interest ratesHostages in Iran

DemocratsABC Movement: “Anyone But Carter”

Ted Kennedy rises to challenge Carter

Chappaquidick affair killed his candidacy

RepublicansRonald Reagan from California gets nomination

Ronald ReaganFormer governor, B-

movie actor, & Screen Actor’s Guild President

Darling of “right wing” & neo-conservatives (“new right”)

Anti- Counterculture, New Deal & Great Society

Became the champion of the “forgotten man”

Spoke out against the evils of federal intervention in local affairs

Reagan wins with 51% of popular vote but 489 to 49 in electoral votes

Republicans gain control of Senate for 1st time in 25 years

Inauguration sweetened by release of hostages

Reagan’s Domestic Policies

Reagan RevolutionCabinet composed on the

“Best & the Rightest”“Government is the

problem”Promoted smaller gov’tLess “tax & spend”Welcomed by Americans

Proposition 13 spurred a tax revolt

Reagan worked with Senate & “boll weevils” to cut $35 billion in federal social programs

Reagan ShotMarch 30, 1981: John

Hinckley shot Reagan12 days later, 69 year old

Reagan walked out of hospital & received huge public sympathy

Hinckley found not guilty by reason of insanity

Reaganomics “Supply-side economics”Reagan cut taxes on the

“trickle down” idea that if people had more $$$$, they would invest instead of spend on consumer goods

Reagan Tax Cut1981: Congress granted

his 25% across-the-board reduction in taxes over 3 years

Reagan BudgetGets Congress to agree

to $695 billion budget that increased defense spending, made cuts in domestic programs, & created a $38 billion deficit

Reagan Recession (1982)Unemployment hits 11%Businesses & banks

foldedAuto industry hit hardestDemocrats charge

Reagan cuts hurt poorest Americans hardest

“Tight money” policy under Carter really the cause

1983: Economy turns around & “Reaganomics” vindicated

1980s saw 1st increases in gaps between rich & poor

YUPPIESYoung Urban

ProfessionalsSymbolic of increasing

wealth of upper classes & pursuit of wealth of 1980s culture

Rolex watches & BMWs

Defense SpendingMany argue that the real

growth in GNP of the 1980s resulted by the nearly $2 trillion of defense spending

Caused budget deficits of nearly $200 billion a year in the 1980s

Rising Interest RatesGovernment borrowing

kept interest rates highElevated the value of the

US dollarHelped some but hurt

American exportersTrade deficit reached

record high in 1987

S & L Bailout1982: Reagan pushes

deregulation of savings & loan industry

Allowed riskier loansLoans not repaid leaving

heavy debts1989: Gov’t forced to bail

them out ($500 billion)

Reagan & The Cold War

“The Evil Empire”Reagan condemned

USSR as “the focus of evil in the modern world”

Believed in negotiating from a position of strength

Embarked on a new arms race with Soviets to expand the US military capabilities

Soviets would be forced to compete

Our economy could do this, theirs could not

Star WarsSDI: Strategic Defense

InitiativeSpace-based missile shield & laser defense system

Viability of program limited funds, but an effective diplomatic tool

Poland 1982: SolidarityRising labor movementPut down by Soviets &

Polish CommunistsReagan imposes

sanctions on USSR & Poland

KAL Flight 007September 1983: Soviets

blow up Korean airliner killing 269 civilians

By end of 1983, all arms control negotiations broken off

1984: Soviets boycott LA Olympics

Middle East TroublesLebanon

1982: Invaded by Israel1983: Reagan sent Marines

October 23, 1983: Suicide bomber crashed truck into Marine barracks killing 241

Reagan withdraws & suffers no political damage

Labeled the “Teflon President”

Libya1986: Reagan orders bombing of Qaddafi HQ

Iran-Iraq War

Latin AmericaNicaragua

Leftist Sandinistas controlled country

Reagan begins support of “contra” rebels against Sandinistas

Grenada1983: Military coup brought Marxist regime to power

Reagan sends 6000 troops to overrun tiny island

End of the Cold WarMikhail Gorbachev

1985: Began instituting radical reforms

Glasnost: “openness” allowed freedom of speech & ended secretiveness of Soviet bureacracy

Perestroika: “restructuring” reorganized the Soviet economy to allow free market practices

Required a shrinking of Soviet defense budget

1985-87: INF TreatySoviets cease deploying Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces in Europe

Iron Curtain FallsPolitical & economic cost

of maintaining Soviet sphere of influence too great

1989:August: Solidarity prevails in Poland

October: Hungary

November: Berlin Wall fallsNovember: BulgariaDecember: Romania & Czechoslovakia

President Bush & Gorbachev reduce ICBMs

Dec 1991: Soviet Union falls ending Cold War

1984 ElectionDemocrats nominate

Walter Mondale & Geraldine Ferraro

Republicans renominate Reagan & Bush

Reagan wins 525 to 13 with 60% of popular vote

Iran-Contra Scandal1985: National security &

intelligence operatives begin selling arms to Iran to pressure release of hostages

Money diverted to aid Nicaraguan “Contras” despite Congress’s refusal

Senate investigation televised condemning Reagan’s actions

Oliver North, Admiral John Poindexter, & Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger all indicted & convicted

Tarnished Reagan’s reputation by making him seem lazy & a mental lightweight

Reagan’s LegacyDespite scandal,

remained popularEconomically, left US a

debtor nation & made government social spending practically & politically impossible

1988 ElectionDemocrats

“Seven Dwarfs” give way to Michael Dukakis

RepublicansReagan’s VP George Bush

Bush’s promise of “no new taxes” = victory