CHAPTER 25
THE CONSERVATIVE TIDE
GENERAL INFORMATION
-
GOING INTO THE ELECTION OF 1980 THERE WAS A DEFINITE SHIFT TOWARDS
CONSERVATISM
o
TRADITIONALLY DEMOCRATS SUPPORT POLICIES
§ THAT INSTITUTE SOCIAL REFORM
o
TRADITIONALLY REPUBLICANS SUPPORT POLICIES
§ THAT SUPPORT PRIVATE
ENTERPRISE
-
THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE LATE 1970’S AND 1980’S
-
CAUSES
o
FRUSTRATION OVER
§ INFLATION
§ HIGH TAXES
§ CIVIL RIGHTS POLICIES
§ MORAL DECAY
-
LED TO THE FORMATION OF THE CONSERVATIVE COALITION OR THE NEW
RIGHT
o OPPOSED
§ LEGAL ABORTION
§ E.R.A
§ AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
o SUPPORTED
§ A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ALLOWING PRAYER IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
§ LEGAL LIMITATIONS ON
GOVERNMENT’S ABILITY TO LEVY TAXES
§ AN END TO REVERSE
DISCRIMINATION
25/2
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THE CONSERVATIVE COALITION EVOLVED INTO THE MORAL MAJORITY
(RELIGIOUS CONSERVATIVES)
o
SUPPORTED TRADITIONAL CONSERVATIVE VALUES
§ REDUCE THE SIZE OF
GOVERNMENT
§ PROMOTE TRADITIONAL MORAL
VALUES
§ STIMULATE BUSINESS BY
REDUCING GOVERNMENT REGULATION
§ STRENGTHEN NATIONAL DEFENSE
-
REAGANOMICS
o
REDUCE SPENDING
§ CUT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS
THAT ONLY BENEFITED MINORITIES AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
o
REDUCE TAXES
§ SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS – TRICKLE DOWN THEORY
· GIVE TAX CUTS TO BUSINESS TO
CREATE JOBS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BENEFIT THE AVERAGE CITIZEN
o
REDUCE MILITARY SPENDING
§ M X MISSILE
§ B 1 BOMBER
§ S.D.I. (STRATEGIC DEFENSE
INITIATIVE)
· STAR WARS
RESULTING OUTCOMES
o
NATIONAL DEBT WENT FROM $900 BILLION TO $4 TRILLION
§ DEBT CEILING TODAY IS $6.4
TRILLION
o
U.S. WENT FROM BEING THE #1 CREDITOR NATION TO THE
#1 DEBTOR NATION IN THE WORLD
25/3
§ BECAUSE OF
· BALANCE OF TRADE DEFICITS
· DEFICIT SPENDING
DEREGULATING
THE ECONOMY
-
THE INTENT WAS TO
o
INCREASE COMPETITION
o
ELIMINATE NEEDLESS GOVERNMENT REGULATION
-
ONE OF THE RESULTS WAS THE S. & L. CRISIS
o
TAXPAYERS WERE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG FOR OF $300 - $500 BILLION
-
ANOTHER RESULT WAS A DE-EMPHASIS ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
o
FUNDING FOR THE E.P.A. WAS SLASHED
o
MILLIONS OF ACRES OF PUBLIC LANDS WERE SOLD TO PRIVATE DEVELOPERS
o
IGNORED PLEAS TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN
o
OPENED UP THE CONTINENTAL SHELF TO OIL AND GAS DRILLING
SOCIETY
IN THE CONSERVATIVE ERA
-
AIDS BECOMES A DILEMMA
o
NOT RESTRICTED TO DRUG USERS AND HOMOSEXUALS
-
ABORTION RIGHTS ARE CURTAILED BY THE SUPREME COURT
-
THE WAR ON DRUGS IS INTENSIFIED
-
A CRISIS I N EDUCATION IS PERCEIVED
o
FALLING TEST SCORES
25/4
-
TURMOIL RETURNS TO THE CITIES
o
RODNEY KING INCIDENT
-
THE SUPREME COURT BECOMES MORE CONSERVATIVE
o
REAGAN FOLLOWS NIXON’S POLICY OF APPOINTING MORE CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS
TO THE COURT
§ SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR – FIRST
WOMAN APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME COURT
§ WILLIAM REINQUIST
– APPOINTED AS CHIEF JUSTICE TO REPLACE EARL WARREN
o
THE LIBERAL COURT OF THE 1960’S COMES TO AN END
-
SIGNIFICANT POPULATION MOVES FROM THE “RUST BELT” TO THE “SUN BELT”
o
TRANSFERS POLITICAL AND ELECTORAL POWER FROM THE NORTHEAST TO THE SOUTH
AND SOUTHWEST
THE
EQUAL RIGHTS STRUGGLE
-
WOMEN
o
THE ERA DIDN’T ACHIEVE PASSAGE
o
MANY WOMEN ARE ELECTED TO BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE
§ GERALDINE FERRARO IS THE
FIRST FEMALE TO BE NOMINATED TO A PRESIDENTIAL TICKET
o WOMEN PUSH FOR PAY EQUITY TO
FIGHT THE GLASS CEILING
-
AFRICAN AMERICANS
o
JESSE JACKSON BECOMES THE LEADER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
§ HE SUPPORTS AFFIRMATIVE
ACTION PROGRAMS
-
LATINOS DOUBLE IN POPULATION
o
BECOME A POLITICAL FORCE IN THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST
25/5
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SOVIET UNION
o
MICHAIL GORBACHEV INITIATES
§ GLASNOST – POLITICAL OPENNESS
· GOVERNMENT BECOMES MORE
DEMOCRATIC
· DECREASES CENSORSHIP AND
ALLOWS MORE POLITICAL PARTICIPATION (FREE ELECTIONS)
o
THIS LEADS TO AN INCREASED NATIONALISM WITHIN THE REPUBLICS
§
THIS LEADS TO THE DISSOLUTION OF THE USSR AND THE CREATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH
OF INDEPENDENT STATES – A CONFEDERATION
§ PERISTROIKA – ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING
· ECONOMY BECOMES MORE
CAPITALISTIC
§ REGAN AND GORBACHEV SIGN THE
I.N.F. TREATY. AND START II
· CALLED FOR A REDUCTION BY
75% OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
· ALLOWS FOR ON SIGHT
INSPECTIONS
-
EASTERN EUROPE
o
COMMUNISM IS DISMANTLED
§ STARTS IN POLAND WITH
SOLIDARITY AND ENDS WITH YUGOSLAVIA
§ FEARS OF REBALKANIZATION
EMERGE IN EUROPE
· FEAR OF ULTRANATIONALISM LEADING TO W.W. 3
§ A UNIPOLAR
WORLD IS ALL THAT REMAINS
· Def – A WORLD DOMINATED BY A
SINGLE SUPERPOWER
25/6
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THE CARIBBEAN
o
THE IRAN CONTRA SCANDAL
§ REAGAN AND OLLIE NORTH
§ ARMS WERE SOLD TO IRAN AND
THE PROCEEDS WERE USED TO FINANCE THE CONTRA REBELS IN NICARAGUA
· THIS GOES AGAINST STATED
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
o
REAGAN DENIES ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THESE EVENTS
§
TEFLON PRESIDENT
§ ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
o
PANAMA
§ MANUEL NORIEGA
IS OVERTHROWN WITH THE HELP OF THE SEALS
· Y – HE IS CONNECTED WITH THE
DRUG TRADE
· HE IS EXTRADITED, TRIED AND
SENTENCED TO 40 YEARS IN AMERICA
o
WHERE DO WE GET THE AUTHORITY TO ENTER (UNILATERALLY) A FOREIGN NATION
AND ARREST THE LEADER OF THE COUNTRY
§ AGAINST INTERNATIONAL LAW
-
THE MIDDLE EAST
o PERSIAN GULF WAR
§ A U.N. COALITION (DESERT
STORM) EXPELS IRAQUI TROOPS FROM KUWAIT
§ GEORGE BUSH SEES A NEED TO
· GUARANTEE THE TERRITORIAL
INTEGRITY OF A FOREIGN NATION
o
CYNICS SEE A U.S. NEED TO MAINTAIN THE FLOW OF OIL FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
§ NORMAN SCHWARTZKOPH
AND COLIN POWELL BECOME HOUSEHOLD NAMES