Chapter 30: The Conservative Ascendancy

1974-1987

I. The Overextended Society

1970s

A. A Troubled Economy1. Stagflation

2. Oil embargo =a. Gas doubles

b. Rationing

c. Dept. of Energy – trickle effect?

d. Local gov’t

3. Outsourcing effects?

4. Women in the workforce

B. Sunbelt/Snowbelt

1. Population shifts – Why?

a. Sunbelt

b. Snowbelt/rustbelt

Gerald Ford (1974-1977)

1. Nixon pardon

2. WIN?Effectiveness?

C. Jimmy Carter ( 1977-1981)

1. “Outsider”

2. Effects of deregulating airline industry

3. Banks

4. inflation

Urban Politics1. Politics at the local level increased

2. AA politicians increased

3. Fiscal crisis of ’70sa. Politicians ineffective

b. Job programs ineffective

c. Affirmative Action = “reverse discrimination”

d. Conservatives endorse candidates who favored law-abiding, hard-working, tax-paying majority, not minorities, jobless and criminals

Endangered Environment

1. Three Mile Island, Pa.

2. Love Canal, NY.

3. Florida Everglades

4. Silent Spring

5. Resultsa. Earth Day

b. Recycling

c. Decreased meat consumption

d. Personal gardens; organic

e. Environmental groups

II. The New Conservatism

30.2

II. The New Conservatism

A. The New Right1. “Moral majority”

2. Televangelists• Jerry Falwell

3. Jesse Helmsa. KKK, segregation,

tobacco companies, Watergate, pollution

b. MLK

c. Becomes Senator of North Carolina

B. Anti-ERA, Anti-abortion

1. Fora. Balanced budget

Amend.

b. School prayers

c. Death penalty

2. Against1. Gov’t funded day

care

2. Reforms establishing educational equity

3. Social services for battered women and single moms

4. ERA

C. Equal Rights Amendment

1. To end gender discrimination

2. Phyllis Schlafly

D. Roe v. Wade (1973)

1. Crime for state to allow abortions

2. Women have the right to choose

E. “The Me Decade”

1. Personal well-being

2. Emotional security

3. Therapy

4. Health and fitness

30.3: Adjusting to a New World

A. A Thaw in the Cold War1. Both US and SU’s economy suffering2. Deficit spending3. Nat’l debt

a. 1950 - $257 Bb. 1980 - $908 B

4. Late 1970sa. Decreased productivity, personal savings and skilled

workforceb. inflation

SALT II

1. Started with Ford, ended with Carter

2. Not ratified by US due to SU invasion of Afghanistan

B. Foreign Policy & “Moral Principles”

1. No economic support for violations of human rights

a. Brazil,b. Argentinac. Chiled. S. Africa

2. CIA reforms3. Camp David Accords4. Return of Panama

Canal 2000

C. Camp David Accords (1978)

1. Egypt recognizes Israel's rights to exist

2. Nobel Peace prize

3. Return of the Sinai Peninsula; stop settlements there but continue in other disputed areas

4. Sadat assassinated

Begin, Carter, el-Sadat

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e1/DF-SN-82-06759.jpg

D. Iran Hostage Crisis

1. Shah Phalavi overthrow by fundamentalists

2. Led by Ayatollah Khomeini

3. US allows shah entry into US due to cancer treatment = hostage situation

Current: Ali Khamene’i

E. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

1. Landslide win

2. Supported by “moral majority” and Jesse Helms

3. Voter turn out – about 50%

30.4 Reagan

A. “The Great Communicator”1. From Illinois

2. Actor turned politician

3. anticommunist

4. Gov. of Californiaa. Decreased state welfare

b. Decreased state employees

c. Income on tax revenues shared w/local gov’t

d. Spoke out against student protesters during V. war

B. Reaganomics

1. Supply-side economicsa. Increase production by decreasing taxes and

deregulating industries

b. Consumers will then benefit from a greater supply of goods and services at lower prices.

c. Industry will then have more money to:i. Invest

ii. hire employees, therefore, putting more money into the economy

iii. Resulting in more people to tax on income

C. Economic Recovery Tax Act 1981

1. Decrease income and corporate taxes

2. Decrease max. tax on income from 70% to 50%

3. Decrease ma. Capital gains tax from 25% to 20%

4. No distinction between earned and unearned income (inheritance/gifting)

D. Methods of increasing productivity during the Reagan years

1. Decrease regulations on EPA standards, workplace safety and consumer protection

2. Deregulated industries, esp. car pollution standards

3. Develop reserved wildlife lands and wetlands

4. Encourage speculation in market trading (reality=corruption)

E. Reagan’s Recession, Recovery, & Fiscal Crisis

1. Highest debt ever! Rich are getting richer!

2. 1982 recession: Unemployment @ > 11%

3. National debt has tripleda. 1980 - $914 Billion

b. 1989 - $2.7 Trillion

c. Today - $11.896 trillion! ($42,000)

4. Interest on debt was 14% of federal budget; only allotted for 7%

5. We became the world’s biggest debtor nation

F. Reagan Doctrine

Instability in underdeveloped countries due to influence of the SU

G. Iran-Contra Scandal1. “Arms-for-hostage” deal

2. US selling arms to Iran so they can fight Iraq

3. US gives money to Nicaraguan Contras to help overthrow the Sandinistas

4. Violates the Boland Amendment – no aid to contras of Nicaragua

H. Collapse of Communism1. Mikhail Gorbachev (1985)

a. Economic and political reforms via glasnost and perestroika

b. Allowed for some capitalist practices

c. Stopped the arms race

d. Freed dissidents from prison

2. Wall falls on November 9, 1989

3. Gorbachev resigns Dec. 25, 1991