Conservative Challenge 1980-2000

1
Conservative Challenge1980-2000

• Rise of Conservatism
• Supply side economics
• SDI
• Central America
• End of Cold War

2
Rise of Conservatism

• National international phenomenon
• New Deal? Gt Society New Left losing appeal
• Centralized, socialized market economies lost
  support in W Europe
• Biggest surprise Collapse of Communism
• 1964 Goldwater Campaign beginning of
  resurgence of conservatism
• Policies of Nixon, Ford, writings of William F.
  Buckley economist Milton Friedman
• Evidence shift to the right
• By 1980 loose coalition of econ. polit
  conservs, religious fundamentalists, corporate
  sponsored PACs BIG force for change
• Opposed Big Gov, New Deal Liberalism, Gun
  Control, Feminism, Gay Rights, Welfare,
  Affirmative Action, Sexual Permissiveness, Drug
  use
• Responsible for undermining Family Values, Work
  Ethic, National Security

3
Leading Issues

• Late 70s lower taxes, improved morals, less
  affirmative action
• Taxpayer Revolt 1978 CA passed Prop 13
• Sharply cutting property taxes
• services fire, emergency, schools, etc
• Jack Kemp William Roth proposed legislation to
  cut taxes across the board 30
• Becomes basis for Reagan Tax Cuts

4
Moral Revival
In a now infamous letter, sent as a plea to
supporters to donate money to the Stop ERA
organization, Robertson claimed that the feminist
movement was "a socialist, anti-family political
movement that encourages women to leave their
husbands, kill their children, practice
witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become
lesbians.

• Televangelists
• Pat Robertson, (Christian Coalition) Oral Roberts
• Jim Tammy Fay Baker
• TV audience 60-100 million
• Jerry Falwells Moral Majority
• Rated politicians w/ moral report cards
• Financed campaigns to unseat liberals in Congress
• Phyllis Schlaffly led anti-feminist attack on ERA
  w/ Eagle Forum
• Group that argued for traditional Biblical view
  of womens role in society
• Religious fundamentalists attack secular
  humanism as a Godless creed taking over public
  ed
• Campaigned to get prayer in schools and only
  teach creationism
• Roe v Wade, 1973 legalized abortion
• Sparked right to life movement that now joined
  Catholics, Fundamentalists (life starts at
  conception)

5
Reverse Discrimination

• 1965- LBJ launched affirmative action to
  guarantee level playing field
• Equal access to education, jobs, housing for all
  minorities, women included
• After Stagflation of 70s, white males blame
  reverse discrimination for their problems
• Claim to be an endangered species
• Regents of UCLA v Bakke (1978) ruled college
  admissions could not be based on race alone

6
Reagan Revolution

• Actor turned politician- speaker for Goldwater
  campaign
• Gov CA in 70s
• 76 challenged (nearly won) Republican nomination
  from Ford
• Campaign 1980
• 1980-Sen Edward Kennedy challenged Carter for
  nomination hurt Carter in polls
• Reagan attacks Democrats Big Gov solutions to
  problems loss of prestige abroad
• Hostages in Iran
• Cites Misery Index of 28
• Rate of inflation added to rate of unemployment
• Asks TV audience are you better off now than you
  were 4 yrs ago?
• Republicans 51 pop vote 91 electoral vote
• Dems 41 Independent John Anderson (Moderate
  R) 8
• Significance Reps took Blue Collar vote

7
Reagan Revolution 2

• 1st time s. 1954 Republicans control Senate
• Defeated 11 liberal Dems targeted by Moral
  Majority
• Also got 33 seats in House
• Worked w/ So. Conserv Dems on many issues
• End of ½ Century of Dem dominance of Congress

8
Reagan Inauguration

• Iranians released hostages as Reagan was sworn in
  to office
• October surprise (Conspiracy theory)
  investigation later found insufficient evidence
• 2 months into 1st admin shot by John Hinkley (w/
  press sec Jim Brady
• Handled situation w/ charm, humor
• Increased popularity
• 4 key promises
• Lower taxes, reduce gov spending on welfare
• Build up armed forces, create more conservative
  CT
• Delivered all 4

9
Supply side economics

• Reagans Director of Office of Management
  Budget David Stockman
• Advocate of supply side econ
• Tax cuts cuts in spending should increase
  investments in private sector
• This should increase production, jobs, prosperity
• Unlike Keynesian econ that used increased Gov
  spending to boost consumer income demand
• Supply Side trickle down econ of 20s
• Wealthy prospered
• Some of their profits spending benefit middle
  class poor

10
Federal Tax Cuts

• Congress passed most cuts R asked for
• Including 25 personal tax cut over 3 yrs
• Cuts in corporate income tax
• Most tax relief benefits rich
• Top income tax rate down to 28
• Small investors can put up to 2k per yr into IRA
• Individual retirement accounts
• No tax until w/drawal

11
Spending Cuts

• w/ help from Boll Weevils (Conserv S. Dems)
• 40 Bill cut from
• Food Stamps,
• Student loans,
• mass transportation
• Savings off set by increased military spending
• No cuts in Medicare, Social Security
• Retirement age goes up from 62 to 65
• Taxed benefits go to wealthy recipients

12
Deregulation

• Promised to get Government off the backs of the
  people.
• Reduced regulations on businesses and industry
• S L institutions
• Mergers takeovers by large corps
• Environmental protection
• Auto emissions auto safety
• Secretary of Interior James Watt
• Opened Federal land to coal timber production
  offshore waters to oil drilling
• Oil spills follow

13
Labor Unions

• 1 time president of Screen Actors guild
• Now anti-union
• Fired thousands of striking Federal Air Traffic
  Controllers
• Violating contract by walking out
• Decertified their union
• Many businesses now hired replacements for
  striking workers
• Government support for anti union drive leads to
  decline of unions in 80s
• Recession of 82 foreign competition drives down
  workers wages

14
Recession Recovery

• 82 worst recession in 50 yrs
• Banks failed
• Unemployment rose to 11
• Fall in oil prices, recession stop inflation
• Down to 4
• 83 recovery begins
• Japanese auto industry agreed to voluntary quotas
  on car exports
• Wider gap between Rich Poor
• Upper income sees increase in standard of living
• Poor sees decrease

15
Social Issues

• Conservatives on the court
• Sandra Day OConnor first woman
• Antonin Scalia
• Anthony Kennedy (after Bork Borked)
• New Chief Justice William Rehnquist
• Court cut affirmative action in hiring,
  promotions
• Court limits Roe v Wade
• Allows state restrictions

16
Election 84

• Reagan for Republicans
• Democrats Jesse Jackson Rainbow Coalition
• Walter Mondale (Carters VP) w/ Geraldine Ferraro
  (NY)
• Reagan takes every state except MN (Mondales)
• 2/3 white males vote for Reagan
• 2 groups favor Dems African Americans Poor

17
Budget Trade deficits

• Tax cuts increased military spending
• Federal deficits of over 200 Billion per yr
• 1980-88 National debt from 900 Bill ? 2.7
  trillion
• Tax cuts stimulate consumption, not investments
• Esp of foreign made luxury items
• Lead to Trade Deficit
• Up to 150 Billion per yr
• Much foreign ownership of US real estate and
  industry
• 1985 US becomes debtor nation for first time
  since WWI
• Congress passed Graham Rudman Hollings Balanced
  Budget Act
• Across board spending cuts
• Limited by Congress, Courts
• Still reduced budget deficit 220 Bill 1986--?
  155 Bill 1988
• Yearly deficits of 200-300 billion killed Dem
  arguments for social programs like proposed
  Universal Health Care

18
Foreign Policy

• Goals of RR restore military might superpower
  prestige of US
• Intensify cold war w/ USSR
• the focus of evil in the modern world
• Sound check joke that went out live
• Increased spending for defense and aid to anti
  communist forces in Latin America hallmark of
  first term
• Build up Sec Defense Caspar Weinberger projected
  doubling of defense budget by 1986
• Proposed spending billions for new weapons like
• B1 bomber
• MX missiles
• Expanded Navy from 450-600 ships
• SDI

19
SDI

• Strategic Defense Initiative
• Star Wars to critics
• Plan build hi tech system of lasers particle
  beams
• To destroy enemy missiles before they could enter
  US
• Costly, would escalate arms race
• Outmoded before production
• Congress cut RR proposals, still defense budget
  grew
• 171 Bill 1981
• 300 Bill 1985

20
Central America

• RR supported right wing dictators friendly to
  the US
• To keep communists out and to overthrow Marxist
  Sandinista regime in Nicaragua since 1979
• CIA director William Casey used covert action in
  unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Sandinistas
• (mil aid) -? Contras
• Anti-Leftist rebels in Nic
• Trying to seize power from Sandinistas
• 1985 Dems (opposing our Nic. Policy) passed
  Boland amendment prohibiting further aid to
  Contras
• El Salvador- RR admin spent 5 bill to support
  Salvadoran Gov against coalition of leftist
  guerrillas.
• Right wing death squads connected to El Salv.
  Army killed over 40k civilians, including
  American missionaries

21
Grenada

• Small island, Caribbean coup pro Cuban regime
• Oct 83, Marines invaded to prevent establishing
  communist military base.
• Saw air strip being built
• Grenada claimed it was for tourism
• Medical students rescued

22
Iran Contra Affair

• Effort to aid Nicaraguan contras
• Blunder/scandal
• Origin Troubles in Iran since 1980
• Iran v Iraq war
• National Security advisor Robert McFarlands plan
  (secret) sell US anti-tank aircraft missiles to
  Irans gov for its help freeing Americans held
  hostage by radical Islamic Fundamentalists
• 1986 Oliver North- staff member of NSCs idea
  use profits from arms deal w/ Iran to fund
  Contras
• RR denied knowing about illegal act (Boland
  amendment)
• Violated congressional budget authority
• Tv congressional investigation
• Picture emerged uninformed hands off prez taking
  naps, manipulated by advisors
• Leaves office one of most pop presidents of 20th
  C
• Most Amers dont care about Iran Contra affair
• Oliver North seen as hero by some

23
Lebanon, Israel, PLO

• Set backs for Reagans foreign policy
• 1982, Israel, w US approval, invaded S. Lebanon
  to stop PLO terrorist raids into N. Israel
• US became involved in evacuating PLO to safe
  haven and sending in peace keeping forces to stop
  Lebanons civil war
• Apr 83 Arab suicide squad bombed US embassy in
  Beirut killing 63
• Summer 83 Arab terrorists drove bomb filled truck
  into US Marine barracks killing 241
• 84 US pulls out of Lebanon.
• No gains.

24
PLO (2)

• Sec St George Schultz pushed for peaceful
  settlement of Palestinian Israeli conflict by
  setting up homeland for PLO West bank territories
  occupied by Israel s. 1967 war
• Ams pressure Yasser Arafat in 88 to recognize Is
  rt to exist
• Some question remained does PLO go along with
  Arafat on this? Probably not.

25
Improved US- Soviet Relats

• 85- Reformer Mikhail Gorbachev- New Sov leader
• Wants to bring two major reforms
• Glasnost openness to end political repression,
  greater political freedom for citizens
• Perestroika some free market economic practices
• To achieve- must stop arms race fix Soviet
  economy
• 87 Gorb Reagan meet agree remove, destroy
  all intermediate range missiles (INF agreement)
• 88 Gorb starts pull out of Afghanistan
• Puts pressure on Iran/ Iraq to send war. End of
  Cold War??

26
Assess RR policy

• RR believed our military built up could force
  USSR to concede defeat abandon Cold War
• Others credit Kennans containment, Gorbs
  initiatives
• Constitutional limits force RR retirement
• 1st pres S. Ike to complete 2 terms in office.
• Alzheimers admits S. early 90s

27
Bush End of Cold War

• Former ambassador to UN, CIA director
• Election 88 Dem control of Senate 86
• Dems hope that huge deficit and Iran-Contra
  scandal will help in 88
• Michael Dukakis, Gov MA, Dem Candidate w/ Sen
  Lloyd Bentsen (TX) v. George Bush w/ Sen Dan
  Quayle (IN)
• Wimp v Shrimp (Opus cartoon, Berkley Breathed)
• Image problem
• Bush charged Dems soft on Crime, showed Willie
  Horton commercial abo Weekend Furlough program.
  Anti Black?
• Bush promise Read my lips, no new taxes
• Big victory but Dem majorities in both houses

28
Communism in China

• Tiananmen Square- China, Spring 89- Student
  demonstration for freedom televised around world
• Crushed by Chinese Communist gov w/ tanks..
  Killing hundreds, ending brief period of openness
  in China

29
Eastern Europe

• Open challenges to communism mount
• Gorbachov no longer supports govs of eastern
  Europe w/ arms, armed forces
• Poland- Lech Walesa led outlawed Solidarity
  movement? toppled Communist gov there.
• Hungary, Czech, Bulgaria, Romania all removed
  Comm govs
• Comms forced out of E. Germany after protestors
  there tore down Berlin Wall, hated symbol of Cold
  War
• Oct 90 2 Germanies reunited w/ blessings of NATO
  and USSR
• E. Republics of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
  declared independence
• 91 failed coup against Gorb by communist
  hardliners
• Dec remaining Republics dissolved Soviet Union
• Gorb leader w/o country

30
Russia

• Boris Yeltsin, pres of Russia, joins 9 former
  Soviet republics to form loose confederation
• CIS Commonwealth of Independent States
• Yeltsin disbands Communist party in Russia
• Attempts to establish Democracy and free market
  economy

31
End of Cold War

• Sweeping agreements to dismantle nukes
• START I agreement (91) reduced warheads to 10k
  on each side
• Late 92 START II reduced to about 3k each,
  offered econ assist to Russian economy
• Bush US worried about civil wars violence in
  former Soviet Union
• 91 Yugoslavia disintegrates
• 92 Bosnia Herzegovina Civil War starts
• US questions do we still need heavy defense
  spending and military bases?

32
Panama

• Dec 89 US troops invade to remove dictator
  General Manuel Noriega
• Head of drug cartel
• To stop importation of P drugs
• Troops stay to establish new Gov

33
Persian Gulf War

• 90 Saddam Hussein (Iraq) invaded oil rich Kuwait
• Threatens Western oil sources in Saudi Arabia
  Persian Gulf
• Bush built coalition of UN members to pressure
  Hussein to w/draw
• US embargo on Iraq- little effect
• Congress approved military action
• Jan 91 Desert Storm- ½ mill Amers joined
  military units from 28 nations
• 5 weeks air strikes ground war under Gen
  Schwarzkopf
• Iraq concedes defeat w/d from Kuwait
• Sets fire to oil wells on way out
• US stops short of removing Hussein from power
• Still Bush approval rating nearly 90

34
Domestic Problems

• Nomination of Clarence Thomas
• 2 replace Thurgood Marshal, ret. (nomd by LBJ)
• Controversial
• Thomas conservative charged w/ sexual
  harassment of former employee Anita Hill
• Public confirmation hearings of Hill testimony
  dismissed her charges
• Sen confirms

35
Taxes Economy

• Savings and Loans failed after deregulation by RR
• Cost to tax payers to replace insured deposits
  to bail out some s ls 250 billion
• Fed budget deficits 250 bill per yr
• National debt 1 trillion more under Bush
• 1990 Bush agreed to Congress Revenue
  Enhancements of 133 billion
• Top tax rate goes to 31
• Fed taxes increased on Beer, Wine, Cigs, Gas,
  luxury cars, boats
• Recession begins, unemployment goes up
• Education President cut funding for schools

36
Anti incumbent mood

• Stagnant economy
• Huge budget deficit
• Disillusionment grows, w/ push for term limits
• US Term Limits Inc v Thorton (95) Sup Ct rules
  states cannot limit terms of federal lawmakers
  w/o constitutional amendment
• When it was revealed that many House members had
  written bad checks from a private House bank,
  public confidence lessened even more.
• The 27th Amendment banned congressional pay
  raises from taking effect until an election had
  seated a new session of Congress, an idea first
  proposed by James Madison in 1789

37
Bill Clinton the First Baby-Boomer President

• 92 Bill Clinton w/ Al Gore Jr. (Dems)
• Clinton accused of dodging draft, womanizing
• Dems promote econ growth, strong defense, anti
  crime
• Repubs focus Family values
• Third party Ross Perot
• Dems win, get control of both houses
• More minorities, women in cabinet than ever
• Janet Reno Attorney Gen
• Donna Shalala Sec of Health Human Services
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Supreme Ct

38
False Start for Reform

• Clinton calls for acceptance of Gays in military
  but has to settle for dont ask dont tell
  policy
• Appointed wife, Hillary, to revamp health and
  medical care system
• Critics blasted her, and revision- unveiled in
  Oct 93
• She goes down in polls becomes liability
• 96, Clinton shrunk Fed deficit to lowest level in
  a decade
• Passed gun control bill (Brady Bill)
• Anti crime bill

39
Terrorism

• Radical Muslim group bombed World Trade Center,
  NY- killing 6
• Timothy McVeigh bombed Federal building in OK
  (95) killing 169
• Branch Davidians faced off w/ ATF (feds) Waco,
  TX- resulted in fire that burned compound,
  killing men, women, children

40
Politics of Distrust

• 94 Newt Gingrich led Reps on attack of Clinton
  failures w/ conservative Contract With America
• Reps won all incumbent seats plus 8 in Senate, 53
  in House.. G bcms new Speaker
• Imposed new fed laws that put more obligations on
  state local govs w/o providing revenues
• Clinton forced to sign Welfare reform bill that
  cut programs
• G also suggests sending children of welfare
  families to orphanages
• Robert Dole lost (Rep) in 96.. Ross Perot distant
  third

41
Abroad

• Clinton sent troops to Somalia
• Meddled in Northern Ireland w/o results
• Denounced Chinas abuse of human rights
• Threatened to punish China but trade too
  important.
• Committed troops to NATO for peace keeping in
  former Yugoslavia
• Sent troops to return Jean Bertrand Aristide to
  power in Haiti
• Supported NAFTA made free trade zone of Mexico,
  US Canada
• Helped form World Trade Organization to work on
  tariffs, trade
• 93 met w/ Yitzhak Rabin Yasir Arafat at White
  House
• 95 Rabin assassinated, ending hopes for peace

42
Sea of Troubles

• 93 Clinton ran into trouble with failed real
  estate investment in Whitewater Land Corp
• Vince Foster, Jr committed suicide.. Manager of
  Clinton investments
• Clinton begins second term w/ Rep majorities in
  both houses
• Kenneth Starr report on Clinton investigated
  alleged abuses
• 4 yrs investigation cost 30 million. Tried to
  find wrong doings in Whitewater case.
• Dead end
• Total findings
• Firing White House travel agents, possible misuse
  of FBI files, perjury on testimony given during
  Paula Jones deposition.. Lied about relationship
  w WH staffer Monica Lewinski
• Lewinski tapes made during phone convo w/ friend
  discussed relationship
• Impeachment of Clinton- hearings impeached by
  House Republicans, acquitted by Senate.

43
Election 2000

• George Bush Jr. v Al Gore Jr
• Gore wins popular vote Bush wins electoral vote
• Controversy over FL 25 electoral votes, a recount
  in Fl
• Election called in FL before last three precincts
  were in (Dem)
• Margin was close, recount put Bushs lead to 300
  votes but Gore wanted hand count of key counties
  as allowed by law
• Fl Sec St Harris halted recount when Palm Beach
  missed deadline (Bro Jeb Bush Gov)

44
George W Bush

• 9/11/01 in first year of first term
• Announced war on Terror
• Ordered invasion of Afghanistan, Iraq (2003)
• Failure to find weapons of mass destruction
  confused public perception of war aims
• Refusal to take responsibility for abuses at Abu
  Grahib
• Massive Cut taxes for upper classes plus hands
  off deregulation of banking industry led to
  rising deficits, bank failures
• No Child Left Behind Act required state standards
  be met punished schools w/o helping students
• 2005 handling of Hurricane Katrina and aftermath
  of destruction widely criticized.
• Pres seemed out of touch with human suffering
  here.

45
Bush economic policy

• Running for president, argued that Gov surplus
  belonged to the people promised to give it
  back.
• Unemployment tripled in two terms
• Poverty rate increased
• Deregulated banks ease credit requirements
• Leads to housing bubble
• Collapse of banks, business failures, rise in
  unemployment
• Values of securities tied to Real estate pricing
  fell
• Global bank failures follow
• Wall street crashed
• Severe recession starts Dec 2007 (blamed on
  previous admin)
• 2008 Gov bailed out banks, Auto makers