Chapter 28 section 2: The Reagan Years By: Mr. Thomas Parsons

I. The Road to the White House A) Ronald Reagan worked as a broadcaster and actor, which helped him with public speaking and his image. B) Reagan had been a Democrat and a supporter of the New Deal. C) But during his time as the president of the Screen Actors Guild he began shirting to conservative ideas. D) Barry Goldwater asked Reagan to speak in a televised broadcast.

II. Reagan as governor A.) Reagan caught the attention of several wealthy entrepreneurs who convinced him to run for governor of California in B.) He was re-reelected in 1970, and ten years later won the Republican nomination for president.

III. Reagan Campaigning A) Reagan’s Campaign for the 1980 presidential election appealed to Americans who were frustrated with the economy and weakened nation. B) He promised to cut taxes and increase defense spending. C) He won the election with nearly 51% of the popular vote and 489 electoral votes.

I. Reagan’s Domestic Policies A) Ronald Reagan’s first priority was the economy and its affects on unemployment and high inflation. B) Conservative economist disagreed on how to address the problem. C) The monetarists believed that too much money in circulation caused inflation, and raising interest rates was the solution. D) The supply-side economics argued that the economy was weak because steep taxes were taking money away from investors.

II. Reaganomics A) Reagan combined the two types of economics by encouraging the Federal Reserve to raise interest rated by using massive tax cuts. B) Critics called this Reaganomics or trickle down economics. C) They believed that it would help wealthy Americans, but would do little for average Americans.

III.Budget Deficit A) Cutting tax rated meant less money for the government and an increase in the budget deficit (where spending exceeds income). B) To control the deficit Reagan cut social programs. C) These cuts were still not enough to balance the budget.

IV.Government regulations A) Reagan saw government regulations as another cause of economic problems. B) He signed an executive order eliminated price control on oil and gasoline, which resulted in lower gas prices. C) It would also ease on pollution regulations on automobile industries and airline industries.

V.Supreme Court Appointments A) Reagan took his conservative ideas to the federal judiciary. B) He wanted judges to follow the original intent of the Constitution. He nominated the first woman to the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor. C) In 1986 Reagan chose the most conservative associate justice, William Rehnquist to fill the spot left by retiring Chief Justice Warren Burger.

VI.Democrats making history A.) As the 1984 election approached the economy made President Reagan the favorite. B.) The Democratic candidate was Walter Mondale. C.) He chose Geraldine Ferraro to be his running mate, the first female to run for vice president for a major party. D.) Reagan won in a landslide receiving all electoral votes except those from Mondale’s home state and Washington D.C.

I.Reagan Builds Up the Military A.) President Reagan adopted a new foreign policy that rejected containment and détente. B.) Reagan’s phrase regarding the Soviet Union was “peace through strength. C.) He launched the largest peacetime military build up in American history. D.) With the increase in the military build up, the defense budget drove the annual budget deficit from $80 billion to over $200 billion.

II.The Reagan Doctrine A.) Reagan believed that the United States should support guerrilla groups trying to overthrow Communist of pro-Soviet governments. B.) This became known as the Reagan Doctrine. C.) Reagan sent $570 million to aid Afghan guerrillas in Afghanistan. D.) The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was unsuccessful due to their resistance. E.) The Soviets withdrew from the region in 1988.

III.Nicaragua A.) Reagan was concerned about Soviet influence in Nicaragua, so he secretly armed the Sandinista. B.) Sandinista guerrilla forces known as the contras, Spanish for counter-revolutionary. C.) After Congress learned of the policy, they banned further aid to contras.

IV.Iran Contra scandal A. It was discovered in November 1986 that individuals in Reagan’s administration illegally supported contras. B. Weapons were sold to Iran in exchange for the release of American hostages in the Middle East. C. The profits from the arms were given to the contras. D. Marine Colonel Oliver North testified he and other NSC and CIA officials tried to cover up their actions.

V. New Approach to Arms Control A. Reagan would deploy nuclear missiles in Western Europe to counter Soviet missiles in Eastern Europe. B. Reagan would offer to cancel the deployment if the Soviets removed their missiles. C. Reagan proposed the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START). D. START would reduce the number of nuclear missiles on both sides. E. The Soviets refused.

VI.Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) A. In 1983 Reagan proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative nicknamed “Star Wars”. B. This plan called for the development of weapons that could intercept and destroy incoming missiles.

VII.Reagan and Gorbachev C. In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev became the new leader of the Soviet Union. D. Gorbachev decided to resume talks with Reagan on cutting back the nuclear arsenal. E. Gorbachev promised to reduce his nuclear arms if Reagan ended SDI. F. Reagan refused. G. Instead Reagan challenged Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall.