Modern Issues
Modern Issues: Supreme Court Supreme Court Impact/Role: Cv. Rts mvmnt serves as model for achieving equal justice and extend civil rights Protects individual right enumerated in Constitution and protects rights of privacy Sup Ct. invalidates legislative and executive actions that exceed authority Supreme Court membership has changed: ‘New’ Sup Ct. includes women and Minorities: Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Clarence Thomas
Modern Issues: Sandra Day Oconnor/Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Modern Issues: Immigration Immigration – moving from one country to another: recent immigrants come from Asian and Latin American countries Reasons for immigration: Political Freedom and Economic opportunity Issues: strain on gov’t services, filling low paying jobs, border issues, pathway to citizenship, bilingual education and increased cultural diversity
Modern Issues: Immigration Contributions: Diversity in music, the arts, and literature Role in the labor force: Cesar Chavez- organizes migrant workers in Cali Expanded source of scientists and engineers
Modern Issues: Space/Technology 1960s: JFK – promises better effort of space exploration: NASA John Glenn: 1st American to orbit the Earth Neil Armstrong: 1st person on the moon – “that’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” Sally Ride: 1st female astronaut
Modern Issues: Technology Technology Changes daily life Work: telecommuting (work from home) Growth of service industry – technology support, software Change in workforce: Outsourcing/off-shoring Learning: Distance learning, virtual classrooms (NOVANET) Playing: gaming industry Science/Medicine: Dr. Jonas Salk develops Polio Vaccine Technology connects the world: Cable TV/24 Hour News: CNN Personal Computers Cellular Phones World Wide Web (internet)
Modern Issues: Ronald Reagan President Reagan and conservative republicans push or advocate for: Tax cuts, less federal gov’t (states have more responsibilities) Appointment of judges that practice ‘judicial restraint’- less interpertation Reduction of federal gov’t and programs Strengthen American Military
Modern Issues: Ronald Reagan
Modern Issues: ‘Reagan Revolution’ This conservative nature (tax cuts, less gov’t) extends past his presidency: George H.W. Bush (dad) continues policies Bill Clinton election: centrist- liberals move to more conservative policies Republicans sweep congressional and state elections throughout the 1990s Election of George W. Bush (son)
Modern Issues: Governing Hot issues: economy – 1990s- Gov’t promotes full employment and low inflation through: Federal Reserve: monetary ($) policies that control supply of money and credit to expand or contract economic growth President and Congress: attempt to regulate economy through taxation and gov’t spending
Modern Issues: Post Cold War Policies Goals of US: connect to rest of world Foreign Aid: assist other countries in pursuit of democratic gov’ts Humanitarian Aid: assist people in peril because of natural disasters and misfortune Human Rights: assist people that are opprosed by dictator rule, gov’t policies
Modern Issues: G.H.W. Bush (Dad) Oversees the collapse of communism in eastern europe: Reunification of Germany Collapse of Yugoslavia Break up of Soviet States Persian Gulf War: 1990-1991 1st women serve in combat role Operation Desert Storm: end Iraqi occupation of Kuwait
Modern Issues: George HW Bush (Dad)
Modern Issues: Bill Clinton North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): open trade between Mexico, Canada and US Full diplomatic relations with Vietnam Helps force end of apartheid (segregation) in South Africa NATO action in Yugoslavia
Modern Issues: Bill Clinton
Modern Issues: George W. Bush (son) Terrorist Attacks: 9/11/2001- NYC bombing of World Trade Center by Al-Qeda US responds: War in Afghanistan/Iraq Heightened security: Patriot Act – gives gov’t access to more personal info
Modern Issues: George W. Bush (Son)