The Conservative Counter Revolution in the era of Bush and Regan

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The Conservative Counter Revolution in the era of
Bush and Regan
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Lots of change

• From 1950 to 1970 the U.S. had gone through
  dramatic changes. Economically the country was
  experiencing the post W.W. II boom. Socially
  white middle class America was realizing that
  with all their success. There were minorities
  that were not being given a fair shake at the
  American dream.

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Social change

• 1950s 1960s 1970s Civil Rights movement,
  Vietnam, and 2nd wave feminism were the hot
  topics.
• The rights of African Americans were in the
  spotlight in the 70s with the implementation of
  Affirmative Action

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Economically

• Until 1970 American middle class were living the
  American dream.
• Personal Income was on the rise
• Taxes were under control
• As a country, the U.S. was starting to go into
  debt.

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What upset the American dream you ask?

• Alarming rise in unemployment.
• Personal earnings eroded by inflation
• Rise in local Taxes
• Elevation into higher tax brackets
• Result Increased Cost of living

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Americans were becoming upset

• Their finances were becoming strained and they
  began to distrust their leaders
• Nixon Watergate.
• Ford temporary replacement for Nixon.
• Carter peanut farmer who was weak

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Fuel to ignite the fire

• California passed prop. 13 in1978
• Drastically reduces taxes at the local level.
• Other states become angered
• Tax revolts in other states surface
• Pop Quiz who was the govenor of California at
  this time?

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More fuel!

• Affirmative action
• Minorities were getting special treatment. This
  was the perception of middle class America.
• We are having a hard time and our leaders are
  concerned with those with less voting power. We
  will fix them! Quote from white middle class
  America.

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Change was on the horizon because

• White middle class America was struggling
  economically
• Taxes and inflation on the rise
• Oil embargo
• Minorities perceived as threat to jobs
• A hero was needed to rescue America

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THE HERO

• There came a pale rider and he rode a horse call
  defense spending.
• In the original version the rider himself was
  named death
• In this story his name was Ronald Regan and he
  would attempt to ride in and save the day.

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Figures of the Conservative Counterrevolution
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Ronald Reagan

• Born Feb. 6, 1911 in Tampico Ill.
• Graduated from Eureka college with a major in
  economic and sociology. Went on to join the army
  and was later promoted to the rank of captain.
• 1945-1965 he acted in 53 motion pictures and one
  TV movie.
• 1948 he supported Harry Truman for president and
  in 1952 he campaigned as a democrat for
  Eisenhower.
• 1962 he changed his party registration to
  Republican.

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Reagan cont.

• 1965 he published an autobiography entitled
  Where is the rest of me?
• 1968 he ran for president but later joined in
  supporting Nixon.
• 1970 he is re-elected governor.
• 1980 he is elected 40th president of the US over
  Jimmy Carter.
• As a conservative he idealized self made man who
  upward mobility through the traditional virtues
  of hard work, persistence, and risk taking.

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Reagan cont.

• He believed that the economy worked best when
  when government took no role
• He viewed the 19th century as the Golden Era when
  free enterprise and individualism dominated. He
  believe that race and culture did not hold people
  back, and that all people had the opportunity to
  prosper.
• He appealed to people because he stood for moral
  beliefs. This was much needed after Watergate.
• He supported supply side economics which
  emphasized the use of government spending to
  offset inflation and recession.

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George Bush

• Was Reagans vice president, but won the
  presidency in 1988 over Dukakis.
• Tried to attract blue and white voters.
• Once elected to worked to lower taxes and
  increase military spending.
• During his era the budget stalement continued
  with deficits, and social spending rose at a high
  rate.

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Bush cont.

• In 1990 the budget settlement made that
  disallowed the use of defense cuts to fund social
  programs.
• In the area of drug education he did not
  emphasize treatment programs, just emphasized
  stopping the import of drugs.
• In 1992 after the Rodney King event Bushs
  administration worked to give money to urban
  areas. However, many people argue that the money
  given was inadequate.
• Riots arose in protest questioning the issue of
  racism.

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Outgroups

• Conservatives tend to reject programs that work
  to equalize people. They argued that doing this
  would be reverse discrimination.
• In 1992 studies showed that the economic position
  of lower class. Factors for this was the loss of
  unionized jobs in the 70s and 80s, cuts to
  welfare programs and raises in taxes for the
  poor.

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Immigrants

• After the Immigration Act of 1965 a large amount
  of immigrants came from many different areas.
• This people faced problems in the workforce due
  to language barriers and discrimination.

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Gay Men and Lesbians

• In 1970 they won civil rights to some extend.
  However, in 1980 the AIDS epidemic occurred.
• Edward Brandt the assistant director of health
  asked for 55 million to use for research to
  search for a cure. The Reagan administration
  refused it to him. The American Life Lobby said
  that it was an outrageous legitimization of a
  lifestyle repugnant to the vast majority of
  Americans.
• Ideas changed somewhat when heterosexuals like
  Magic Johnson were diagnosed with HIV.
• Prevention programs were established.

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People with Disabilities

• Rehabilitation Act of of 1973 funds were given to
  programs to help this people become independent.
  Emphasize was placed on helping them get out of
  medical institutions.

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Women

• Women liberation movement of 1980s worked to get
  women into the workforce, however there was still
  a glass ceiling.
• Abortion was and still is a major issue in
  womens rights. The case Webster v. Reproductive
  Health Services in 1989 made new restrictions on
  abortion.

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Welfare PolicyReagan and Bush Administration
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Reagans Policies

• Reagan and Bush appealed to americans who wanted
  political and social stability after such tramas
  in the 1960s and 1970s.
• Reagans conserative counterrevolution
  substantially reduced domestic spending,
  massively increasing military spending, and
  reduced policy roles of the federal government.

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Tax cuts and Tax Reform

• The tax cuts in 1981 enriched affluent
  individuals and corporations far more than other
  americans.
• The tax reform of 1986 drastically reduced tax
  rates of affluent americans.
• By increasing deficit spending, Reagan was asking
  for future generations to fund his defense and
  tax-reduction policies.
• Also the administration hoped to foster
  conservative policies long after the 1980s by
  devising tax, the deficit, and defense policy
  that would create a shortage of resources for
  social spending.

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Bush Administration

• Bush was more responsive to social problems than
  Reagan but they both had the same views on
  policies.
• Many Americans had descended from middle class to
  lesser economic status, as unionized jobs were
  replaced by lesser paying ones.
• Lack of medical insurance, homelessness, AIDS,
  growing economic inequality, poor schools in
  racial ghettoes of inner cities, family violence,
  the feminization of poverty, and the crack
  epidemic were all problems the Reagan and Bush
  administration that cried out for solutions and
  creative programs.

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Themes of the Reagan and Bush Administration

• Ronald Reagan wins a landslide victory over Jimmy
  Carter!!!

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Themes (cont)

• Ominbus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) makes
  deep cuts in social programs and establishes
  seven block grants.
• Economic Tax Act of 1981(ERTA) sharply reduces
  personal and corporate taxes.
• Presidential task force on Regulatory relief
  established.
• Executive order mandates mixed review of
  regulations by the office of management and
  budget.

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Themes (cont)

• In 1981-1983 the nation had its deepest
  recession since the 1930s.
• In 1982 Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) was
  enacted to help with training on the job.
• Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA)
  raises corporate taxes and cuts social programs.

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Social Security Amendments

• Diagnostic-related Groups (DRGS) were introduced
  to finance Medicares hospital fees.
• Social Security amendments were increase the
  retirement age, reduce some benefits, and subject
  pensions of some retirees to taxes.

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Reagan wins Again!!!

• Reagan wins landslide victory over Walter Mondale
  for second term in office.

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Themes (cont)

• In 1985 the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
  Control Act was enacted.
• 1986- Tax reform reduces highest tax rate and
  eliminates many deductions.
• In 1987 the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless
  Assistance Act was enacted to help the homeless
  find a place to stay or live.
• In 1988 the enactment of the Family Support Act
  which helped support needy families.

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Bush Wins!!!!

• George Bush is elected in 1988.

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Themes (Cont)

• The enactment of Americans with Disabilities Act
  and the child care and development block program.
• In 1991 was the enactment of the Civil Rights act
  giving everyone more freedom in what they already
  had.

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Los Angeles Riots

• In 1992 the Los Angeles Riots erupted.
• The cause of these riots was the beating of an
  unarmed African American named Rodney King.
• Four white police officers beat King badly for no
  reason and got the whole incident on tape. None
  of these officers were convicted of a harsh
  sentence.
• African Americans were fed up with the police
  brutality in certain sections of Los Angeles.