politics
unit 9
LiberalDemocratshavepreviouslydominatedthepoliticalscene
shifttowards aconservativeresurgance
RichardNixon Geraldford
writingsandbroadcastsof thepopularpoliticalcommentatorWilliamFBuckleywhofusedtraditionalconservatismand
classicalliberalism
EconomistMiltonFreemonrejectedKeynesianeconomics
against adecline ofAmericanmoralesandgovernmentoverreach
conservativesrebelled
wantedtorestrictthescopeofthefederalgovernment
stemthetideofgayrightsfeminismandaffirmativeaction
opposed abortionandtheincreasingsexualpermissiveness inAmericanCulture
FusionofEvangelicalistsandRepublicans
OralRobertsandPatRobinsonbecameextremelypopular
valueswithChristianityandconvincedAmericansthiswaslegitimate
intertwinedconservative
Jerryfallwellestablishedthemoralmajoritygroupthataimedtounseatliberalrepresentatives incongres's
RighttoLifemovementopposedabortionespecially in the wholesalelegalizationand Roev wade
AntiAbortionviewsunifiedChristiansandprotestantswhobelievedlifebeginsatconceptionthereforeabortionismurder
Distaste foraffirmative action
ProgramestablishedundertheJohnsanadministrationthataimedtocreatequality ofopportunityforminoritygroups in
educationandtheworkplace
WhiteAmericanssawthis asanevilthatkeptthemfromadvancing intheirownlives
calledcollegeboardssettingracequotasreversediscrimination
Increasing pressurefrombusinesstoremovegovernmentregulationsweakenlaborunionsandlowertaxes
RonaldReagan
Reagancameacrossto thepublicas verylikeable
capitalizedontheconservativesentimentsofAmericansbycriticizingthedemocratsforexpandingthe
federalgovernmentand
reducinginternationalAmericangreatness
Senatechangedfrom a democraticto arepublican
majority
forcesandappointedconservativejudgestothesupremecourt
ReducedtaxescutgovernmentspendingincreasedAmericanmilitary
Reaganomics
Supplysideeconomicssuggestedeconomicgrowthoccurswhentaxesaredecreasedandbuisnessregulationsareremoved
consumerswillbenefit
sincemoregoodsareavailableat lowerprices
Directrejectionof Keynesianeconomics
criticsarguedthiswas atrickledowneconomyandargued it didnotworkinthe1920s
Reaganmostlysuccessfulin implementinghiseconomicvisionforAmerica
EconomicRecoveryActcutincome taxesandcapitalgainstaxesdramatically
Taxrelieftendedtobenefitmostlytheupper classesinstead ofthemajorityofAmericans
Reagancutgovernmentspending onwelfareprogramsbutmassivelyincreasedmilitaryspending
Regulatorycutssuchasreducedregulationofautoemissionsandsafety
Federallandswereopened fortheextraction ofcoalandtimber
CountAppointments
AppointedSandra DayOconnerthefirstfemalejusticeonthesupremecourt
SchaleaandAnthonyKennedyappointed
conservativecourtpasseddecisionsthatlimitedaffirmativeactionandmadeabortionmoredifficult
EndoftheCold War
vs
interventionin Nicaragua
Nicaraguahadpreviouslybeenledby aright
wingdictator
Nicaraguabecamecommunistbecauseof anuprising leadingtheUStosend aidtocontrastodislodgethecommunistgovernment
UshadpreviouslybeensupportingIranintheirwarversusIraq
someofReagansstaffarranged aplantosecretlysellweaponstoIrancontrasand
thenusedtheprofitfromthistoaid
theconchasinNicaragua
IllegalsincecongresshascontroloverUSfunds
AffectedReagansreputationsincealthoughhewasnotinvolveditshowedhewasoblivioustowhatwashappeningaroundhim
BuildupofAdvancedweaponry
StrategicDefenseinitative SDI wantedtobuildlazerbasedweaponsystemsthatcould shootdownenemymissiesfromspace
BecameknownasStar Wars
US increased militaryspendingsothesovietunionincreaseddeploymentofmissiesagainstNATOnations
Mikhail G orbachevwasareformerandaimedtoendpoliticaloppressionexperienced sovietcitizensandintroducefreemarket
by
principlesto revivetheSovieteconomy
Gorbachev'sreforms
ledtodiplomaticrelationsbetweentheUSandthesovietunion
IntermediateRangeNuclearForcesTreatymadeaprovisiontodestroyall intermediaterangenuclearmissies
GeorgeH.WBush
Gorbachevdecidedtodecrease Sovietinfluenceintheeastbynolongersupportingothercountriescommunistefforts
Polandelected anoncommunistgovernmentandtherestofthesovietbloc followedsuitincludingEast Germany
SovietUnionofficiallyfellin1991
Diplomaticrelations ledtothedismantlingofnuclearweapons
treaty
signedbetween usandRussiawhobothagreedtoreduce theirnumberofnuclearwarheadsto10,000andlater3,000
providedforuseconomic
Treaty aidtorebuildtheRussianeconomyafterthecollapseoftheSovietunion
Bill Clinton
Americaexperienced itslongestpeacetimeeconomicboomduringhispresidency
EconomicboomduetotechnologicaladvancementssuchastheinternetandemailwhichallowedAmericanstoparticipate in
more
economicopportunities
Technologicaladvancementsincreasedproductivitywithmoreindustriesbecomingincreasinglymechanized
Employmentandlaborunionparticipation in manufacturingandagriculturalindustries declined
Wagesdidnotincreaseinsteadstagnatedcreatinga widereconomicdividebetweentheclasses
CellPhonessocialMediatransformedthedailylivesofAmericancitizens
Socialcommunitiesformeddigitallyandcouldfriendpeoplefaraway
Immigration
growingpopulation inthe
Fastest southandwestduetolarge scalemigrationstothesunbeltstates
Immigrantsaccountedfor28 ofthe American population
ImmigrationReformandcontrolactcreated a fairprocessforimmigrantentryintoAmericabutwascriticized forgiving
amnestytosomeImmigrantsthat enteredillegally
Hispanicimmigrantsbecamethelargest minorityintheUS
Americanpopulationwouldhavedeclined ifnotforimmigration
NativistsworriedaboutimmigrantstakingjobsespeciallyintheAgriculturalsector
Migrantsimportantpartofthelabor forcethatcontributedtotheeconomicprosperity
LargeportionofAsianimmigrants
21stcentury
GeorgeWBushelectedpresident in anintenseelectionthathadtobesolvedbythesupremecourt
September11ᵗʰ2001
alqaedausedtechnology tocoordinate anattackonAmerica
hijacked 4commercialairplanessenta crashingintotheworld tradecenteroneintothepentagonandthe4thneverreachedits
target thepassengerswereabletotake
s ince controloftheplane
Unilateralagreementthat mustbeserved
justice
BushenteredthewaronterrordemandingtheTaliban governmentinAfghanistanturnovertheleaderofanQuedaresponsible
fortheattackssuchasOsamaBin Laden
TalibanrefusedtocomplysotheUSsenttroopsintoAfghanistan
59118m TasteInti Obama'spresidency
PatriotActs
Increasedgovernmentpermissiontoenact surveillanceamongthecitizens
createdthe DepartmentofHomeland securityrepresenteda largegovernmentreorganization
Securitycombined20otherfederalagenciestoprotect
Homeland theusfromterroristattacks
EnvironmentalDegragation
increasingAmericandependenceonfossil
fuelssuchasoil
Renewedbecause of
exportedalotofoiltotheUS leadingtoanuswarwith
IraqinvadedKuwaitwho
Iraq
Increasingalarmoverclimatechangebroughttoattentionby AlGorewhoarguedthatfossilfuelswereincreasinggreenhouse
gasemissionsthereforewarminguptheplanet
