1. 1980S AMERICA US Studies

2. 1980s part
CONSERVATISM one

3. A CONSERVATIVE ERA
Issue Liberal Viewpoint Conservative Viewpoint
Role of Government in the MORE government LIMITED government (lower
Economy involvement (social taxes, less business
programs; business regulations) to stimulate the
regulations) economy (Free Market)
Foreign Policy International diplomacy Rely on our military and
and multilateralism acting unilaterally
Why?
•The Federal Government had gotten too big and
powerful
•This deterred economic growth
•Social programs (especially welfare) were NOT working
•This deterred individual initiative
•Ronald Reagan’s Inauguration

4. WHAT‟S WRONG WITH LIBERALISM?
National values have degraded
(Counterculture)
Families had broken up (Women‟s
Movement)
Abortion was now legal
Organized religion in decline
Taxes and debt had risen (Vietnam and Great
Society)
Civil Rights Movement had “gone too far”
(Affirmative Action )

5. 1980s part
REAGAN PRESIDENCY two

6. REAGAN‟S ELECTION
Backlash favored Reagan
Bad economy helped too:
“Are you better off now
than you were four years
ago?”
Carter Administration was
inept (Hostage crisis)
Charismatic; Great
Communicator
Spoke of America‟s
greatness

7. 1980 ELECTION

8. REAGAN REVOLUTION
,
Step One: Economy
 Supply-Side: Tax Cuts for
all Americans; most for
wealthiest
 Stimulate economy &
create jobs
 Balance the budget (cut
spending)
 Lots of deregulation
Result: deep recession
at first

9. ECONOMIC TURNAROUND
 Economy improved by
1983:
 Inflation down
 GNP up
 Incomes increased
 Employment rose
 But…
 Homelessness up
 Poverty increased
 Record budget deficits
 Savings & Loan scandal

10. MILITARY ACTIONS
Largest peacetime
military spending
(make USSR
bankrupt)
SDI
Grenada (1983)
Invasion
Nicaragua (1983)
support Contras
Result: US begins to
forget Vietnam

11. TAKE NO PRISONERS
Air Traffic Controllers—
illegal to go on strike
(13,000 did)
$10,000 raise/32-
hour week
Reagan—two days to
return
Fired them: “I meant
what I said”

12. UNBELIEVABLE POPULARIT Y

13. OTHER 80S ISSUES
Civil Rights—African-Americans elected to
office; MLK Day—national holiday
Renewed patriotism (Statue of Liberty; 1984
Olympics)
AIDS
Manufacturing jobs gone
Entitlements still around (Social Security,
Welfare, Medicare )

14. 1980s part
GEORGE H. W. BUSH three

15. BUSH PRESIDENCY
1988 Election: very nasty
Bush presidency focused on
foreign policy
“Read my lips, no new
taxes…”
Persian Gulf War (tomorrow)
Economy faltered
(downsizing)—lost„92 )