d
Reaga
n
THE RISE OF THE
MODERN
CONSERVATIVE
MOVEMENT
Ronald Reagan
Born in Illinois, 1911
Lifeguard, Radio Announcer
Launched an acting career
during the Great Depression
Became conservative during
socialist and communist
threats in the movie industry
(HUAC)
Switched from Democratic to
Republican Party in the late
50s/early 60s
The 1980 Election
Between current
President Jimmy Carter
(Democrat) and
Republican Ronald
Reagan
The New Conservative Coalition
The NEW RIGHT
Conservative evangelical
Christians
To restore Christian Values in
America
Southern Democrats
Reduction of Social Programs
Called for reduction in size and
power of government
Favored return of US military
pride
Patriotic focus
The 1980 “Revolution”
Carter’s perceived
mishandling of major
challenges
Reagan’s ability to
communicate - “The Great
Communicator”
Few simple well-articulated
idea
MAP 30.4 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1980 (P. 903)
Assassination Attempt
John Hickley Jr. – assassin
Wanted to win Jodie
Foster’s heart
Three people shot,
including Reagan
Just 69 days into first
presidency
Reagan recovered to shot
in lung
James Brady, Press
Secretary suffered a head
shot and was disabled.
Supply-Side Economics a.k.a
“Reaganomics”
Cut taxes to put more
money into the hands of
businesses
Cut taxes on the wealthiest
Americans
Lower taxes = more
investment in the “supply
side” of the economy
Would:
promote and create new jobs
encourage capital
investment, and
lead to stimulated industrial
growth
ECONOMIC THEORIES
Supply Side Economics (generally favored by
conservatives):
Tax breaks to the wealthy capital accumulation
higher productivity lower prices job creation
higher tax revenues collected by the government
money to reduce federal budget deficits.
Demand Side or Keynesian Economics (generally
favored by liberals):
tax breaks to working/middle classes higher
productivity job creation higher tax revenues
collected by the government money to reduce
federal budget deficits.
Cutting Government
Regulation - “deregulation”
Continued Carter’s
programs to deregulate
key industries
Energy, Transportation
and Banking Industries
Challenged Air Traffic
Controllers in 1981 -
Fired those who refused
to go back to work
after a strike.
Slowed Federal Growth - New
Federalism (Reagan-style)
Limiting government
Eliminated public service
jobs
reduced unemployment
compensation
lowered welfare benefits
raised fees for Medicare
patients
Federal domestic
spending still grew for a
couple of years
Reagan and
Military Buildup
Sharp increase in military
spending = buildup
New weapons and new
technology
Neoconservatives (Neo-
cons = Dick Cheney,
Don Rumsfeld, Paul
Wolfowitz, Condoleeza
Rice, Richard Armistead,
Colin Powell, etc.)
Strategic Defense
Initiative (SDI) = better
known as Star Wars
Reagan and the Cold
War
Called Soviet Union the “evil
empire”
Reagan - Cold Warrior
Lebanon
Libya
Grenada
El Salvador
Nicaragua (Contra rebels
supported by US)
Reagan: Economic
Recession, and Recovery
1981-1982 Recession
Inflation slowed, consumer spending increased
Stock market grew
Federal deficit grew even as domestic spending
decreased
National debt = $909 billion in 1980 --- $3.2 trillion in
1990
Election of 1984
Patriotic Renewal
59% of popular vote
Second largest electoral
victory in history
1984 Olympics in Los
Angeles
Communist-bloc
countries boycotted
1986 - 100th anniversary
of Statue of Liberty
1987 - 200th anniversary
of the Constitution
Other issues 1984-1988
AIDS Awareness
Women’s Movement stalled (ERA failed in 1982)
Supreme Court conservatives
Sandra Day O’Connor
Anthony Kennedy
Antonin Scalia
Chief Justice William Rehnquist
More issues: 1984-1988
Farm Crisis - foreclosures
Manufacturing shift - from
metal and textiles (overseas
= outsourcing due to labor
costs)
Service sectors continued
to grow
Wealthiest Americans
flourished in the 1980s
Jan 28, 1986 - Space Shuttle
Challenger exploded
shortly after take off
Cold War Continued
Afghanistan
Soviet republic
In 1970s Afghans tried to fight
Soviets for independence
• 1980s
USA convinces Saudi Arabia to send
troops “mujahadeen” (holy warriors)
to fight against Soviets
One of the mujahadeen is Bin Laden
IRAN-CONTRA
What was it?
Sale of weapons to Iran to ransom US hostages
held in Lebanon and to finance
anticommunist contra-revolucionarios
(contras) in Nicaragua in order to depose the
Sandanistas
Illegal because Congress had limited amount of aid
US could provide (Boland Amendment)
US sold arms to Iran
Illegal because he could not sell arms to a “terrorist
state” without Congressional approval
Administration response: lied to the press and
Congress, withheld crucial documents
