the reagan revolution and the roaring 80s
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The Reagan Revolution and the Roaring 80s. Use the packet given to you and pgs. 1039-1047, 1052-1056 in the Enduring Vision to read up on the era of the Reagan Revolution. The rise of the conservative movement. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Reagan Revolution and the Roaring 80s
Use the packet given to you and pgs. 1039-1047, 1052-1056 in the Enduring Vision to read up on the era of the Reagan Revolution.
The rise of the conservative movement The failed Goldwater
Presidential campaign of 1964 marked the beginning of a new conservative movement in America
Intellectuals/writers/publications/think tanks
William F. Buckley, Milton Friedman, etc.
Many conservatives opposed:
Big government, The New Deal, The Great Society Gun control, feminism, gay rights, welfare programs, the sexual
revolution, drugs Abortion rights:
Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 Affirmative action:
Regents of the Univ. of California vs. Bakke (1978) supported the conservative cause, deciding that college admissions could not be based on race alone.
Many conservatives supported:
Lower taxes Deregulation and smaller government Traditional moral/religious/family values in
opposition to “secular humanism;” “right to life” movement
School prayer, teaching of creationism in public schools
Reagan: his background
Charming and gregarious, yet remote and passive
Film and TV actor, TV host President of the Screen Actors’
Guild Spokesman for General Electric A lifelong Democrat who
switched parties in 1962 Governor of California Radiated confidence and
optimism
Reagan in his Hollywood days
1980 election
Carter challenged in Democratic primaries by Sen. Ted Kennedy
Iran hostage crisis continues Massive unemployment and inflation continues Reagan: “Are you better off now than you were
four years ago?”
The results: a Reagan rout!
The inaugural address
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=43130
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/18/politics/10-inauguration-moments
“Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”
Also, on the day of the inauguration, the Iranians released 52 American hostages!
Assassination attempt: March 31, 1981 Shot in the chest by
John Hinckley His aide James Brady
was paralyzed; became leading gun control advocate: http://www.bradyca
mpaign.org/
“Supply-side economics”
“Reaganomics” Tax cuts would lead to increased federal tax revenues Lower government spending would spur private sector and
foreign investment A rejection of Keynesian economics that FDR advocated Critics called it “trickle-down” economics and “voodoo
economics”
The impact on the national debt
http://www.skymachines.com/US-National-Debt-Per-Capita-Percent-of-GDP-and-by-Presidental-Term.htm
Other Reagan policies
Deregulation: “getting government off the backs of the American people:” auto industry, banks, Wall Street especially.
Tough stand on unions: fired the air traffic controllers on strike
Recession and recovery
Worst recession since the 1930s: 1981-82 11% unemployment Inflation dropped significantly, to 4% Economy rebounded starting in 1983, just in time
for the 1984 election! However… increasing gap between rich and poor;
middle class stagnation/decline
1984: An even bigger Reagan rout!
Foreign policy
Called the Soviet Union “The Evil Empire” Massive military buildup and increased spending (almost doubles
the Pentagon budget in three years); “Star Wars” SDI spaced-based missile defense project
Supported anti-Communist dictators and movements in Nicaragua, El Salvador, invaded Grenada to overthrow a pro-Cuban regime
Beirut bombing, 1983: 241 sleeping Marines on a peacekeeping mission killed in their barracks
Iran-Contra scandal: in secret, weapons were sold to Iran, profits used to fund the Contras
Improved US/Soviet relations
Early 80s: harsh rhetoric 1985: new leader, Mikhail Gorbachev Glasnost: openness Perestroika: some free-market practices 1987: both sides agree to remove and
destroy intermediate nuclear missiles Gorbachev begins withdrawal from
Afghanistan Famous speech: “Mr. Gorbachev, teat
down this wall!” http://www.cbsnews.com/830
1-503544_162-57450779-503544/remembering-reagans-tear-down-this-wall-speech-25-years-later/
80s society and culture The AIDS epidemic Materialism and excess New forms of music and pop culture: MTV, rap,
etc. Blockbuster movies: Indiana Jones, ET, Back to
the Future TV: The Cosby Show, Dynasty, Cheers New technology: the Walkman! http://www.boston.com/ae/blogs/mediaremix/
2013/04/flashback_8_pivotal_pop_cultur.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/joe-dziemianowicz-top-10-80s-pop-culture-trends-article-1.1312866
http://www.liketotally80s.com/80s-culture.html