“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson◦Who are good examples of people that have

inspired others?

Can you think of events that have greater meaning than the event itself?

Bush throwing out first pitch after 9/11 in NYC?

Jackie Robinson breaking color barrier?

Tommie Smith and John Carlos at 1968 Olympics?

Do you believe in miracles?!?!Do you believe in miracles?!?!

Why was this event so important to the U.S.?

Has there ever been any other sporting event that has had this kind of impact on the United States?

Emergence of Conservative MovementEmergence of Conservative Movement

Concerns New Right

Believed state gov’ts, businesses and individuals needed freedom from Wash., D.C.

Entitlement program spending was $300 million

Civil Rights Act being abused

Support and promote single issues that reflect key interests

Oppose abortion, block Equal Rights Amendment, evade court-ordered busing, return to school prayer

Criticized affirmative action

Conservative GroupsConservative Groups

Conservative Coalition Moral Majority

Alliance of business leaders, middle-class voters, disaffected Democrats and fundamentalist Christian groups

Think Tanks and outside media promotion

Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson

Interpreted the bible literally and believed in absolute standards of right and wrong

Called for traditional values

“back to God, back to the Bible, back to morality”

Individual Conservative GroupsIndividual Conservative Groups

“Family Values”Called for lower divorce rateFewer out-of-wedlock birthsMore individual responsibilityRevival of prosperity and patriotism

Goals of Conservative MovementGoals of Conservative Movement

Shrink size of federal government and reduce spending

Promote family values and patriotic idealsStimulate business by reducing

government regulations and lowering taxes

Strengthen the national defense

Ronald Reagan BioRonald Reagan Bio

Born in Illinois in 1911

Sports broadcaster for WHO and the Iowa Hawkeyes

Hollywood actor and President of Screen Actors Guild

Spokesmen for GE

Democrat until 1950s then became conservative Republican

Campaigned for Barry Goldwater in 64

Governor of Cali in 1966 and 1970

Reagan wins election of 1980Reagan wins election of 1980

S.C. decisions on abortion, pornography, teaching of evolution and prayer in public schools concerned conservative voters

Iranian hostage crisis and weak economyThe Great CommunicatorCommitment to military and economic

strength52.6% of people voted; Reagan won 51%

of vote but carried 44 statesRepublicans get Senate for first time since

1954

The Great CommunicatorThe Great Communicator

What is the impact of his attitude?Why was his attitude precisely what the

U.S. needed at the time?Does his attitude reduce his credibility?Is President Obama (or any other

president you can think of) like this?Is it bad for someone in a position like this

to use humor?

ReaganomicsReaganomics

Budget Cuts◦Cuts in social programs ◦Entitlement programs helping middle class

remained (Social security, Medicare, Veteran’s Pensions)

◦10% cut in budget for mass transit, food stamps, welfare benefit, job training, Medicaid, school lunches, student loans

ReaganomicsReaganomics

Tax Cuts◦Supply-Side Economics: if people paid fewer

taxes they would save $$ banks could then loan $$ to businesses invest money in resources to improve productivity supply would increase prices decrease

◦Lowered income taxes by about 25%

ReaganomicsReaganomics

Increased Defense Spending◦Increase in military spending offset cuts in

social programs◦Revived the MX missile and B-1 bomber◦Strategic Defense Initiative – SDI – Star Wars:

Reagan asked scientists to develop a defense system that would keep Americans safe from enemy missiles

ReaganomicsReaganomics

Recession: worst since Great Depression◦1983 consumer confidence boosted by tax

cuts, decline in interest rates and lower inflation

◦Stock market surged, unemployment declined, GNP up 10%

Reagan doubled national debt

Changes under ReaganChanges under Reagan

Shift to the Right◦ Sandra Day O’Connor,

Antonin Scalia, and Anthony M. Kennedy on S.C.

◦ William Rehnquist is Chief Justice

◦ Bush adds more conservatives

◦ Looked at issues such as discrimination, abortion and affirmative action

Deregulate the Economy◦ Cutting back federal

regulation of industry◦ Removed price controls

on oil and eliminated federal health and safety inspections for nursing homes

◦ Cut budget of Environmental Protection Agency

Conservative Victories Conservative Victories

1984 1988

Reagan and Bush vs Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro

Carried every state except Minnesota

Michael Dukakis vs Bush

Bush campaigned for no new taxes and used attack ads saying Dukakis was soft on crime and unpatriotic

Low voter turnout

Social ConcernsSocial Concerns

Health Issues Abortion

AIDS: virus that destroys immune system and weakens body

Sharing needles, contaminated blood transfusions, infected mothers giving it to child

Roe v. Wade of 1973Pro-Life v. Pro-choiceWebster v.

Reproductive Health Care Services: states have right to impose restrictions on abortion

Social ConcernsSocial Concerns

Drug Abuse Education

Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No!” Campaign

Should U.S. legalize certain drugs?

Should we increase money spent on treatment facilities?

A Nation at Risk: 23 million Americans cant follow instruction manual or fill out job application

More homework, longer days and year, increased pay for teachers

Social ConcernsSocial Concerns

Urban Crisis◦high unemployment◦bad infrastructure◦inadequate funds for sanitation and health

services◦Deteriorating schools◦Growing divide between wealthy and poor◦LA Riots after beating of Rodney King

Fight for RightsFight for Rights

Women◦Unable to get Equal Rights Amendment ratified◦Geraldine Ferraro◦47 women in House of Representatives in 1992

and 6 Senators◦Earn 75 cents for every $1 men make◦Pay Equity: pay rates based on job

requirements in 20 states by 1989◦Family benefits

Fight for RightsFight for Rights

African Americans Latinos

Mayors in LA, Detroit, Chicago, and more

L. Douglas Wilder first governor (1990)

Jesse JacksonRichmond v. J.A.

Croson Company: limited scope of affirmative action

9% of population by 1990

Toney Anaya in NM and Robert Martinez in Florida

Issue of bilingual education

Fight for RightsFight for Rights

Native Americans Asian-Americans

Teach about their past

Return of ancestral lands

Reagan slashed aid to Native Americans opened up casinos

Low crime rates, low school dropout rates, low divorce rates

High unemployment and poverty

Fight for RightsFight for Rights

Gay Rights

Setback due to AIDS crisis

1992 Republican National Convention condemned gay activism

Questions to ConsiderQuestions to Consider

Make an argument for pro-choice or pro-life?Should we legalize marijuana?Should we lengthen the school year? School

day? Increase pay for teachers?Should there be bilingual education in schools

across the country?Should men receive the same family benefits

as women?Should same-sex couples be allowed to

marry?

End of the Cold WarEnd of the Cold War

1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev becomes General Secretary of Communist Party

Increases defense spending and economy is pushed to brink of collapse

Glasnost: (openness) open to criticize the gov ’t steps toward freedom of press

Perestroika: less gov’t control of economy, introduction of private enterprise, establish democracy

INF Treaty – on-site inspections of military installations

““Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.””

Gorbachev allows non-communist parties to organize in satellite nations and push toward democracy

Reagan challenges him to back up his words

Berlin wall opened for first time in 28 years

German nations united in 1990

Countries break away from communism

Soviet Union DeclinesSoviet Union Declines

Nationalism grows in non-Russian republics

Gorbachev resigns in 1991

1992 – Bush and Yeltsin declare end of Cold War and sign START II pact in 1993

Communism in ChinaCommunism in China

Government loosened grip on business and eliminated price controls

Students demand greater voice in gov ’t

1989 – Tiananmen Square

“The government has won the battle here today. But they have lost the people’s hearts.”

NicaraguaNicaragua

US helps Anastasio Somoza to power in 1930s very strict dictator

Civil War from 1977-79: National Guard vs. Sandinistas

US sends aid to SandinistasIn 1981, Reagan cuts aid and supports

Contras10,000 men in Contra army and aided by CIA

agents Boland AmendmentFeb 25, 1990 – Violeta de Chamorro is

elected President in free election

Central American and Caribbean Central American and Caribbean PolicyPolicy

Grenada Panama

Reagan sends 2,000 troops to overthrow pro-Cuban government

18 soldiers die

20,000 soldiers overthrow General Manuel Antonio Noriega for drug trafficking

Taken by force to Miami for trial and sentenced to 40 years in prison

Middle East Middle East

Iran-Contra Scandal Persian Gulf War

1983 – terrorist group loyal to Iran take Americans hostage in Lebanon

Reagan approves sale of arms to Iran for release of 7 hostages and sends profits to Contras

Oliver North and televised hearings; found guilty of cover-up

Saddam Hussein looking to erase war debts

1990 – Iraq invades Kuwait

Operation Desert Storm◦ Kuwait liberated

Bush Domestic PolicyBush Domestic Policy

Rising deficits and recession in 1990Forced to raise taxes and approval rating

plummetedEnded 12 years of Republican leadership