Chapter 40-42_80s to present_ppt_APUS

- _{Reagan - Reaganomics}

- Domestic policy – Supply Side Economics and Debt!

- _{Foreign Events – Contras, Cold War, Star Wars!} - George Bush - A Thousands Points of Light!

- _{Domestic policy – Tax Increases, Americans with}

Disabilities

- _{Foreign Events – Persian Gulf War} - _{Clinton – Years of Prosperity}

- _{Domestic policy – Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, NAFTA} - _{Foreign Events – NATO in Bosnia, Africa}

- _{George W. Bush – Age of Terrorism} - Domestic policy – Patriot Act

- _{Foreign Events – War in Afghanistan and Iraq}

- Trends of the latter 20th _{centuries – immigration, cultural} diversity, role of women, globalization, etc.

The 80’s and Ronald Reagan

1980 – 1988

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We

didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must

be fought for, protected, and handed on for them

to do the same.”

Reagan – Domestic Activity

• Rise of the “moral majority” (Conservative, Christian, upper class voters “yuppies”) and dissatisfaction with Carter – Reagan able to win.

• Moral Majority or Religious Right – pro

conservative values (anti feminism, gay rights, abortion, etc.).

• _{His philosophy: Lower taxes, reduce size and power of}

federal government, cut spending on social programs.

• Supply-side economics (Reaganomics) - cuts in taxes would create economic growth that would bring in more tax revenue (it is very controversial as to

whether this worked or not…).

• _{Massive military spending led to large deficits (deficit} spending) - added $2 trillion to the national debt.

• _{Deregulation of Industry – lessened government role}

in large corporations and banks.

Reagan – Foreign Events

The Middle East and Latin America

• _{Covertly supported and helped finance Iraq (putting}

Saddam Hussein in power) in the Iran-Iraq War from 80-88.

• _{Covertly supplied weapons to the Mujahedeen}

against Soviet Invasion in Afghanistan (largest covert war in US History)!

• _{Contras – a series of covert CIA led coups in Latin}

American nations to contain the spread of

communism (Nicaragua – the Sandinistas, El Salvador, Grenada).

• _{Iran-Contra Scandal exposed (1985) - Weapons}

were sold to Iran in return for the Iranians help in releasing hostages held in the Middle East.

• _{Money made was then given to the Contras -}

Reagan – Foreign Events

The Cold War

• _{Referred to the Soviet Union as the "evil empire"}

and "the focus of evil in the modern world."

• _{New Arms Race - used deficit spending to create}

mass amount of weapons and bombs (created the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or “Star Wars”).

• _{Gorbachev (USSR leader) sought an end to the}

Cold War because the Soviets could not afford the military spending.

• _{Glasnost (openness of media) & Perestroika}

(restructuring the economy) were meant to revive the Soviet economy.

• INF Treaty banned a certain type of offensive nuclear missiles.

• _{Reagan calls for Gorbachev to “tear down that}

The End of the Cold War/Middle East

Conflicts and George Bush Sr.

1988 – 1992

“I will keep America moving forward, always forward, for a better America, for an

endless enduring dream and a thousand Points of

Light. This is my mission, and I will

complete it.”

Bush Sr. – Domestic and Foreign

Activity

Domestic

• _{Ran on continuing more of Reagan-esque polities.} • _{Faced a huge debt issues due to military spending –}

forced Bush to raise taxes when he stated he would not.

• _{“Read my lip, no new taxes.”}

• _{Passed the Americans with Disabilities Act – prohibited}

discrimination on citizen’s with mental or physical disabilities.

• _{Due to taxes and waning conservativism – losses}

popularity. Foreign

• _{USSR collapses – Europe is re-united and must rebuild}

East Europe.

• _{Tiananmen Square massacre – pro democracy student}

Bush Sr. – Persian Gulf War

• Two years after the Iran-Iraq War Stalemate – Saddam Hussein (Iraqi leader) invades Kuwait.

• _{In the meantime…Osama Bin Laden creates Al}

Qaeda (Islamic fundamentalist group - goal is to eliminate Western influence in the Middle East).

• _{Neighbor nation, Saudi Arabia, calls for US}

assistance (to keep oil flowing to the west).

• _{US with UN backing performed air attacks}

on Iraq.

• _{Instated Operation Desert Storm – land}

invasion of Iraq and liberated Kuwait (lasted days).

• _{Very few casualties – Iraq left Kuwait and}

accepted a cease-fire agreement.

• _{Saddam Hussein left in power to be monitored}

The 90’s and Bill Clinton

1992 – 2000

“It turns out that advancing equal opportunity and economic

empowerment is both morally right and good economics, because discrimination, poverty

and ignorance restrict growth, while investments in education, infrastructure and scientific and technological research increase it,

creating more good jobs and new wealth for all of us.”

Clinton – Domestic Activity

popular vote.

• _{His philosophy – moderate in terms of liberal agenda}

(believed the “New Democrat” to be more “middle of the road”).

• Ex: when confronted with the issue of gays and lesbians in the armed forces – created the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy to avoid the issue.

• Ex: Signed (partly due to conservative congress) the Welfare Reform Bill – restricted welfare

benefits and illegal immigration.

• Decreased the deficit and balanced the budget – experienced great economy growth and prosperity!

• The Lewinsky Affair tarnished the rest of his

presidency – second president to go through the impeachment process.

Clinton – Foreign Events

Globalization

• _{Passed NAFTA (North Atlantic Free Trade}

Agreement) – free trade zone between Canada, US , and Mexico).

• _{Accused of stealing US jobs as companies took}

their manufacturing to Mexico.

• _{Also promoted the World Trade Organization (to}

promote free trade). Conflict

• _{Worked with NATO to send air strikes on Serbia}

during the Bosnia genocide.

• _{Failed to act in the genocide in Rwanda.} • _{Early signs of terrorism arise…}

The Millennium and George W. Bush

2000 – 2008

“The action we take and the decisions we

make in this decade will have

consequences far into this century. If America shows

weakness and

uncertainty, the world will drift toward tragedy. That will not

happen on my watch.”

W. Bush – Domestic Activity

● _{Elected with a VERY slim margin – led}

to a recount in Florida (which is where his brother was governor).

● _{Led to a law suit (Bush v. Gore) –}

courts sided with Bush and he won the election.

● _{Seen as a “good times” president}

who would continue the prosperity of the 90’s with little action –

surrounded himself with his father’s advisors.

● _{Then 9/11…leads to the creation of} the Patriot Act – government can spy on the American people (listen to

phone conversations, hack email,

etc.) in the name of National Security. ● _{Modern example of the limitation}

W. Bush – Foreign Events

purposefully flown into the World Trade Center in NYC, the Pentagon in DC, and a failed attempt at the White House (crashed in PA).

• _{3,000 people killed in total.}

• _{Within a month, Al Qaeda led by Osama Bin Laden}

was identified as the group who planned 9/11.

• _{Intel linked Bin Laden to “the Taliban” in}

Afghanistan – a political group what supported fundamentalist Islam and were anti-western.

• _{Remember the Mujahideen (means Muslim}

Rebels)…fought the Soviets with our covert funding and CIA led assistance.

• _{After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and no}

public assistance from the US - they evolved into the Taliban.

• _{Created a new era in US History – the Age of}

W. Bush – Afghanistan and Iraq Wars

• _{Led to the almost immediate declaration of war with Afghanistan.} • _{Becomes a “cat and mouse” type of war – The Taliban would}

set up a base in one area…the US would “clear” the area and then the Taliban would set up a new area of control.

• _{Afghanistan is mountainous and harsh – no one has EVER}

conquered Afghanistan due to the terrain and the grit of its people (except the Mongols).

• _{By 2002, new British intel of “Weapons of Mass Destruction”}

located in Iraq – also portrayed as an ally to Al Qaeda and a violent dictatorship under Saddam Hussein (remember…we put him there to defeat Iran in the 80’s).

• _{US declared war with 93% congressional support – the}

international legality of the war is questionable according to the UN international law.

• _{Within the first few weeks, the US took the majority of Iraq -}

had a fight for certain strong holds – led to “insurgent” guerrilla warfare.

• _{Many injuries due to IED’s and lots of PTSD from this war.}

Culture and Trends of the 80’s,

90’s, 00’s

Globalization

• _{Products are now manufactured mostly outside US – leads to a large shipping industry (need for}

oil!).

• With the help of the internet – this exponentially increases and cultural diffusion with it.

• Creates a “Global Village” effect – the world is now very close and connected.

• _{Also creates increased pollution and negative environmental effects – Global warming and}

Greenhouse effect! Women

• Have made positive strides – still experience inequalities (representation, pay, reproductive rights, etc.).

Immigration

• Post 1980 Immigration increased – mostly came from Latin America and Asia.

• _{Debates about immigration are intense - Issues over cultural diversity/acceptance continue…} • _{Asian Americans gain status in society –move into science and technology fields.}

• _{Latin Americans – experience racial profiling and continue to be the fastest growing population}

Culture and Trends of the 80’s, 90’s, 00’s

African Americans

• Experienced large amounts of poverty in highly populated areas such as inner cities - Led to increases in gang violence and the drug trade.

• Have made many strides towards equality – increase in black congressmen and first black president!

• Issues of racism still exist which leads to social upheaval and riots: notable examples are Rodney King Riots in 1992, Cincinnati riots of 2001.

American Indians

• Gambling transformed many American Indian communities - brought prosperity to many tribes.

• The new wealth allowed tribes to design their own museums, support retention of tribal languages, and maintain aspects of their culture.

Gay Rights

• As HIV-AIDS spread—the CDC confirmed 98,835 cases by 1988— gained awareness through the Magic Johnson campaign.

• Gay activists became increasingly militant…Eventually in 1992, Congress appropriated approximately $2 billion for AIDS research.

The Silent Majority grow into a mainstream movement in the 80’s – the Moral Majority

emerges (Christian

Conservative Consumers who are pro military) drive mass culture with Ronald Reagan as

their idolized leader.

Bush and Reagan’s

Neo-Conservatism diminishes due

to political opposition in Congress, a re-focus on inner

city poverty and increasing National Debt (caused by

Reagan and Bush).

Clinton uses this to create a moderate movement back

to liberal ideals (but not really)…coining himself a

“New Democrat.” – creates

“on the fence” political leadership (which is why he

is popular).

W. Bush wins with 50%, illustrating a divide in America

politically – 9/11 defines his presidency leading to the Age of

Terrorism and focus on the

Middle East limiting civil liberties and creating a further voter