post-watergate: anger, apathy, alienation q. how did the 1970s set the stage for the 1980s?
TRANSCRIPT
Post-Watergate: Anger, Post-Watergate: Anger, Apathy, AlienationApathy, Alienation
Q. How did the 1970s set the stage for the 1980s?
Malaise: n. 2. A vague Malaise: n. 2. A vague or unfocused feeling of or unfocused feeling of mental uneasiness, mental uneasiness, lethargy, or lethargy, or discomfort.discomfort.
I. Economic MalaiseI. Economic Malaise
End of the “golden era”: End of the “golden era”: 1947-19731947-1973
A) Underlying structural A) Underlying structural reasons: reasons: relative relative economic economic declinedecline
““Benefits” of bombingBenefits” of bombing
A) Underlying structural A) Underlying structural reasons: reasons: relative relative economic economic declinedecline
B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and RMNRMN
A) Underlying structural A) Underlying structural reasons: reasons: relative relative economic economic declinedecline
B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and RMNRMN
C) OPEC and Oil Shock: C) OPEC and Oil Shock: “stagflation”“stagflation”
A) Underlying structural A) Underlying structural reasons: reasons: relative relative economic economic declinedecline
B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and RMNRMN
C) OPEC and Oil Shock: C) OPEC and Oil Shock: “stagflation”“stagflation”Stagnation + inflation began Stagnation + inflation began
before, but oil shock worsened before, but oil shock worsened Fed + Pres errorsFed + Pres errors
II. Political MalaiseII. Political Malaise
A. A Ford, Not a LincolnA. A Ford, Not a Lincoln
II. Political MalaiseII. Political Malaise
A.A. ““A Ford, Not a Lincoln”A Ford, Not a Lincoln”
B.B. Jimmy Carter: Problems Jimmy Carter: Problems without Solutionswithout Solutions
Campaign '80Which message will resonate with voters?
"Let's talk better mileage"
- Jimmy Carter
"Kill the Bastards"
- Ronald Reagan
Fake: From “The Onion”
II. Political MalaiseII. Political Malaise
A.A. ““A Ford, Not a Lincoln”A Ford, Not a Lincoln”
B.B. Jimmy Carter: Problems Jimmy Carter: Problems without Solutionswithout Solutions
C.C. Decline in Voter Decline in Voter ParticipationParticipation
- all the same, why care?- all the same, why care?
40
45
50
55
60
65
1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988
% Voter Turnout Presidential Elections: 1964-1988
III. Cultural Malaise: The III. Cultural Malaise: The “Me” Decade“Me” Decade
San FranciscoSan FranciscoA) People’s Temple: Jim A) People’s Temple: Jim Jones—Don’t Drink the Jones—Don’t Drink the KoolAidKoolAid
Jonestown, Guyana
November 18, 1978
III. Cultural MalaiseIII. Cultural Malaise
San FranciscoSan FranciscoA) People’s Temple: Jim A) People’s Temple: Jim Jones—Don’t Drink the Jones—Don’t Drink the KoolAidKoolAid
B) Patty Hearst and the B) Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation Symbionese Liberation ArmyArmy
III. Cultural MalaiseIII. Cultural Malaise San FranciscoSan Francisco
A) People’s Temple: Jim JonesA) People’s Temple: Jim Jones—Don’t Drink the KoolAid—Don’t Drink the KoolAid
B) Patty Hearst and the B) Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation ArmySymbionese Liberation Army
C) Dan White, Harvey Milk, C) Dan White, Harvey Milk, and the “Twinkie Defense”and the “Twinkie Defense”
Really just argued that it was a symptom of the Really just argued that it was a symptom of the depression, not the causedepression, not the cause
George Moscone
Harvey Milk Dan White
Disco: symptom or Disco: symptom or cause?cause?
The Rise of the New The Rise of the New RightRight
The New RightThe New Right
Major shift in national politics: Major shift in national politics: Democrats (esp. liberals) dominant Democrats (esp. liberals) dominant 1932-19681932-1968
Like the New Left: break from pastLike the New Left: break from past Emphasize social and cultural Emphasize social and cultural
conservatismconservatism Although also political and economicAlthough also political and economic
Old Right: NortheastOld Right: Northeast New Right: Southeast and SouthwestNew Right: Southeast and Southwest
I. Decline of the New I. Decline of the New Deal CoalitionDeal Coalition
New Deal CoalitionNew Deal Coalition: working : working class, suburban whites, minorities, class, suburban whites, minorities, Catholics, white southernersCatholics, white southerners
Benefits to blacks limited by Benefits to blacks limited by Southern DemocratsSouthern Democrats
1960s: loss of “moral compass”1960s: loss of “moral compass” Republicans: common sense Republicans: common sense against liberals, bureaucrats, against liberals, bureaucrats, communists, blackscommunists, blacks
II. Cracks in the New II. Cracks in the New Deal CoalitionDeal Coalition
A. White Southerners and Civil RightsA. White Southerners and Civil Rights 1948: Strom Thurmond and Dixiecrats1948: Strom Thurmond and Dixiecrats 1964: Barry Goldwater1964: Barry Goldwater
Breaks Solid SouthBreaks Solid South First use of “New Right”First use of “New Right”
1968: George Wallace, American 1968: George Wallace, American Independent PartyIndependent Party Support: Deep South, blue collar NESupport: Deep South, blue collar NE
A. Backlash Against CRMA. Backlash Against CRM 1966: Reagan and CA Governor’s 1966: Reagan and CA Governor’s
Race— Rumford Fair Housing Act Race— Rumford Fair Housing Act (1963): no discrimination in housing; (1963): no discrimination in housing; repealed in referendum 2:1 (later repealed in referendum 2:1 (later reinstated)reinstated)
Affirmative Action: 1978 Affirmative Action: 1978 Regents of Regents of the University of California the University of California v. v. BakkeBakke ““reverse discrimination”reverse discrimination” Quotas out, race as Quotas out, race as aa factor factor
Busing: boycotts, private schoolsBusing: boycotts, private schools
B. Backlash Against B. Backlash Against Student MovementStudent Movement
Reagan and Wallace vs. Pat Reagan and Wallace vs. Pat Brown and UC BerkeleyBrown and UC Berkeley
Brown sent in cops, but poured Brown sent in cops, but poured in $ (tuition $100/yr)in $ (tuition $100/yr)
Gov. Reagan: make the Gov. Reagan: make the ungrateful brats pay and ungrateful brats pay and workworkno time for activismno time for activism
C. Backlash against the C. Backlash against the Women’s MovementWomen’s Movement
1972: ERA passes Congress 1972: ERA passes Congress overwhelminglyoverwhelmingly
1973: 1973: Roe Roe v. v. WadeWade Phyllis Schlafly: “Stop ERA” and Phyllis Schlafly: “Stop ERA” and
Eagle Forum—ERA and feminism Eagle Forum—ERA and feminism are a “satanic assault on the are a “satanic assault on the home”home” Stops ERA 3 states shortStops ERA 3 states short
D. Backlash against the D. Backlash against the Gay Rights MovementGay Rights Movement
Most shocking to the New RightMost shocking to the New Right 1975: CA repeals sodomy law by 1975: CA repeals sodomy law by
1 vote1 vote Anita Bryant, “Save Our Anita Bryant, “Save Our
Children”Children”
III. Reagan’s Message III. Reagan’s Message and “Cultural War”and “Cultural War”
1. Not strong civil rights, 1. Not strong civil rights, but did not race bait: roll but did not race bait: roll back Federal government, back Federal government, less “social engineering”: less “social engineering”: can’t legislate moralitycan’t legislate morality
2. Reclaim American 2. Reclaim American respect abroad: Build up respect abroad: Build up military to stand up to military to stand up to USSR and IranUSSR and Iran
3. Side-step 3. Side-step uncomfortable uncomfortable facts of the past: facts of the past: “Mickey Mouse “Mickey Mouse History”; we History”; we won Vietnamwon Vietnam
4. Cut taxes: 4. Cut taxes: “Voodoo “Voodoo Economics”Economics”
1992 Republican Convention in 1992 Republican Convention in Houston: Pat Buchanan proclaims Houston: Pat Buchanan proclaims a “cultural war” for America’s soul a “cultural war” for America’s soul Helps lose Bush the election: Helps lose Bush the election:
Reagan arose at peak of Reagan arose at peak of conservative popularityconservative popularity
Bush II and resurgence (as much Bush II and resurgence (as much structural as popular; 9-11)structural as popular; 9-11)