The Reagan Years

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The Reagan Years
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Reagan

• The Common man He tried to win over the
  Democrat working class
• President of Screen Actors Guild Conservative,
  anti-big government, Governor of California.
• Reagan attacked Carters foreign policy and big
  government ideals.
• Iranian hostages released when Carter left 444
  days in captivity and Reagan is glorified
• Hiring freeze on all government jobs, 37,000
  positions lost (Best and the Rightist).
• Tax cuts - 35 billion in social programs
• March 6, 1981 Reagan shot through arm and
  collapsed lung (Lennon, Pope Paul II, Egyptian
  Pres)

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First Female Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day
OConner in 1981 as a Justice.
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The Economy

• Reaganomics - 695 billion budget with tax cuts?
  Supply side economics (more consumables more
  profits money to the common folks)
• Democrats never met a tax they did not hike
• Recession (11 unemployment) until supply-side
  economics recovered and the economy grew in 1983.
• Two trillion dollar budget for military in 80s
  with a 200 billion deficit
• SDI Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars)
  Orbiting battle stations
• Balance of Terror reheats the Cold War
• Geneva talks with Soviets (slow) Three Kremlin
  leaders die and the US boycott Moscow Olympics in
  1980 and the Soviets boycott 1984 Olympics in LA.

5
International Issues

• Israel invades Lebanon to suppress Palestinian
  bases
• US sends troops in 1983 200 marines die from
  suicidal bomber, we leave.
• Reagan Teflon Pres
• to whom nothing harmful ever sticks
• Leftist coup in 1979 in Nicaragua by
  Anti-American Sandinistas (communist)
• Reagan accused them of being Soviet satellite,
  they were giving El Salvador weapons
• US advisors, CIA mined harbors, US aid to Contras
  (anti-Sandinistas)
• US troops to Grenada to end a Socialists movement

6
Another Round

• Reagan reelected over Mondale and Ferraro (First
  female on major ticket)
• Gorbachev becomes the chairman of the Communist
  party (Glasnost openness)
• Geneva Nov 1985 INF (Intermediate Nuclear
  Forces)Treaty to ban all intermediate Range
  Missiles in Europe.
• Problems Captive Americans by Muslim extremists
  in Lebanon and the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.
• US works with Iran to release hostages held by
  terrorist in Lebanon for weapons.
• Money from weapons diverted to Contras fighting
  the Sandinistas violated Congressional ban to
  help in Nicaragua and Reagans goal to not
  negotiate with terrorists
• Nov. 1986 Presidential Commission, Joint
  Committee, and Independent Council all
  investigate the Iran-Contra Affair.

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Reagan, Busch, and Gorbachev
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The Challenger Explosion Jan 28, 1986
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Oliver North on the Stand
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A New Regime

• Oliver North National Security Council aid
  guilty of obstructing Congress, destroying
  government docs, and illegal gratuity.
• Reagan seen as lazy, senile, overshadowed his
  real achievements
• Bush v Democrats in 1988 Gary Hart sex
  scandal, Joseph Biden plagiarizing speeches,
  Jesse Jackson Afro-American and Rainbow
  coalition, and Michael Dukakis no passion.
• Wealthy Senator from Connecticut
• Yale grad, WWII veteran, made a fortune in oil in
  Texas.
• Ambassador to UN, director of CIA, Vice Pres.
• Fall of Communism Solidarity movement in Poland
  in 1989Hungary, Czech, Bulgaria, East Germany,
  Romania, Soviets free elections and the
  Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
• Troops to Panama (89) to capture dictator/drug
  lord Manuel Noriega.