America in the 1980’s

Reagan to Bush

Disco to Techno

Yuppies to Slackers

Ronald Reagan• 40th President of the United States.

– A former Hollywood actor.– He had been a two term Governor of

the state of California.– Ran for President with the promise to

make “your life better”• Asked people if they were better off

today than they were four years ago….if the answer was no, then it was time for a change.

• Elected by an overwhelming majority!• Promoted a positive message through

weekly Saturday afternoon radio addresses.

The Reagan Revolution• Reagan launches an economic recovery program known as “supply

side” economics. (Same as Hoover!)– He argued that tax cuts would put more money in businessmen’s

pockets.– Then, that would trickle down to the consumer…because businesses

would have more money to invest, hire more employees and the effects of the situation would “trickle down” to the consumer.

• October 1981 - Reagan initiates a tax cut. 5% in 1981 and 10% in 1982 and 1983.

• 1986- he simplified the tax system so that all people paid the same % of taxes within the same tax bracket.

• Deregulation - 2nd part of his plan. Eliminated the barriers put up by the Progressives at the turn of the Century and allowed free expansion of American business

Military buildup• Reagan had called the USSR the “evil empire”.

• The US spent $1.5 trillion on defense in a 5 year period.– Millions of dollars in new programs.– Stealth bombers, nuclear submarines,

and military hardware built under Reagan.

• SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative.– Reagan’s Star Wars plan.– It would put a satellite into space around

the Earth that could shoot down Nuclear weapons before they reached their targets.

– Reagan wanted to make sure the world was safe for Democracy.

Reagan’s 2nd Term Highlights• Olympic Games (1984) - American Patriotism at it’s highest

point. Success of Athletes restores pride in America and carries over into Ad campaigns and marketing of new products.– America wins 174 Gold, Silver & Bronze medals! (No Russians!)

• Supreme Court - 1st Woman, Sandra Day O’Connor appointed to the Court by Reagan.

• Challenger - Destroyed 73 seconds into liftoff in January of 1986.

• Iran - Contra - information discovered that the US Govt was giving $1 million per day to the Contra rebels in Nicaragua to overthrow that countries Government.

• S&L Scandal - because of deregulation in 1st Term, many banks made bad investments in shady land deals and holding companies. Congress had to bail them out with $250 billion in loans!

George Bush• 41st President of the United

States.– Reagan’s VP, former director of the

CIA.– He lacked the charisma of Reagan

and was somewhat out of place.• He wanted to continue the

Reagan legacy but with his own stamp on it!

• 1988 - ran against Michael Dukakis for the Presidency.– Dukakis led in the polls at one point

by 17 points!– Bush went on the Offensive.– Portrays Dukakis as soft on crime.– Willie Horton case - helped Dukakis

to lose the election.

Foreign Policy Success• “Perestroika” - USSR had a new leader, Mikhail

Gorbachev, who promoted a new program of “openness” between the USA and USSR.– Bush capitalized on this opportunity and warmed up to new

relations between the two countries.• Berlin Wall - Communists let the wall be torn down in

1989 and eventually the two German nations became one.

• Gulf War I - Saddam Hussein had invaded nearby Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in 1990. The US sent in troops and weapons to restore order and push Hussein back into Iraq.– US finished the War in only 42 days! Cost the lives of 240

American soldiers.

Election of 1992• Bush had promised “no new taxes” in 1988, yet had raised

taxes during his first term.• Two men vie for the Democratic Nomination: Bill Clinton,

Governor of Arkansas and Al Gore, Senator from TN.• Clinton had been elected Governor at the age of 32 in 1978.

He was reelected after being defeated in the 1980 election and served through the late 1980’s.

• Al Gore had been a reporter in Vietnam for Stars and Stripes and then ran for election in his father’s Senate seat in the 1980’s. He called himself the environmental candidate.

• Clinton won the nomination and chose Gore as his running mate.

• Ross Perot entered the race as a Third Party candidate after he organized volunteers to get his name on the ballot

Campaign of 1992• Issues:

– National Debt – grew from $1 trillion to $4 trillion in the Reagan/Bush era (12 yrs)• Government continued to deficit spend throughout

the 80’s and 90’s• 1990 alone:

– $1,252,850,000 spent– $1,031,462,000 collected in taxes!

– Instead of raising taxes to cover costs, Government simply borrowed the money!

– Independent Ross Perot may have been a little bit strange, but he made people think about where our money was going!

Bill Clinton• 42nd President of the United States.

– Wins election because he focused on the economy.

– “It’s the economy stupid!”– Clinton used the power of the

Government to get the economy going again.

• Much of his belief system based on JFK, his hero!

• Clinton won the election because Perot’s candidacy drew voters away from Bush.

• Clinton wins the White House and the Democrats win the majority of seats in Congress.

• Frequent patronage of McDonald’s was often the target of jokes and embarrassment!

Clinton Presidency• Clinton allowed the US military to adopt a “Don’t ask don’t

tell” policy with relation to Gays in the military.– Helped to create more than 22 million new jobs – Homeownership rate increase from 64.0% to 67.5% – Lowest unemployment rates in 30 years – Higher incomes at all levels of society.– Largest budget deficit in American history converted to

the largest surplus – Lowest government spending as a percentage of GDP

since 1974 – Higher stock ownership by families than ever before

Clinton Presidency• Restored America’s faith in the

global marketplace.• America comes out of the recession

of 91-92.• Clinton takes credit for the

successes.– Truth is, America rebounds because

of previous administrations policies in some cases.

• His staff suffers though many scandals.

• Clinton comes within a couple of votes of Impeachment for lying under oath!

Clinton Impeachment• Dec. 19, 1998

– House charged him with two articles of impeachment– Charges: Perjury & Obstruction of Justice– Arose from an investigation by Kenneth Starr– Clinton denied having a sexual relationship with a former

Arkansas Government employee, Paula Jones. He actually had!

• Impeachment Trial : Jan 7, 1999 – February 12– Perjury: 45 for and 55 against– Obstruction of Justice: 50 for and 50 against– Clinton was disbarred from practicing law by the state

of Arkansas as well as the US Supreme Court as a result of his impeachment!

George W. Bush • 43rd President of the United

States.• Elected in 2000 in the closest

Presidential election in history.• Election was not actually

decided until December after a recount of votes from the state of Florida.

• Only the 2nd time that the son of a former President was elected as the President of the United States.

• Supreme Court decided to halt the recounts in Florida.– Bush v. Gore– 1st time they decided an

election.

Tribute in Light, 2001

Ground Zero, September 10, 2002

Problems for GW Bush• Election of 2000 – Divided the Country almost

equally in their support of a candidate.– Bush v. Gore (2000) Supreme Court Case to order the state of

Florida to certify election returns.

• Economy – economic downslide caused by failure of dotcom growth industries of the 90’s.

• War with Iraq – Bush went to war in Iraq after false intelligence reports from Great Britain and the United States indicate Iraq had WMD.

• Questions – many people do not like the President’s leadership style. His hard charging, ask questions later mentality turns people off!