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1980 Elections Carter in trouble  Inflation  Iran Hostages  Sense that America Slipping  Carter seemed wishy-washy; didn’t come across as a strong leader  Democrats unenthusiastic; primary challenge from Teddy Kennedy. ABC-Anybody but Carter  John Anderson—Third Party Candidate

Reagan’s Strengths Came across as strong Great on TV. Former actor Campaigned on Idea that America could be great again. People want to hear that Offered new solutions on economy Argued that the era of New Deal is over “Government is the problem, not the solution”

Reagan Revolution Return of Conservatism Neo-Conservatives Reagan Democrats Social Conservatives Push back against  New Deal  Great Society  Social liberalism of 1960s and 1970s  Detente

Reagan Philosophy Free markets Less Regulation Reduce Federal Spending on Social Programs More Power to States Tax Cuts Stronger Military Foreign Policy that challenges the Soviets; détente doesn’t work

Reagan Presidency Landslide Hostages released on inauguration day Supply Side Economics (Reaganomics)  Leads to bigger deficit  Recession in first two years  Economy recovers in first term and booms for the rest of the decade  Re-elected easily in 1984

Congress Democrats maintain control of House  Southern Dems vote for Reagan, but still vote for democratic candidates (their type of democrat) in congressional and state races  Tip O’Neil—Democratic Speaker of the House who is the counter-point to Reagan Despite this, Reagan gets most of his policies through in some form

Renewed Cold War Opened a new arms race  Reagan doesn’t believe the USSR can keep up and maintain their economy  New Missiles, planes, tanks, etc.  All this new military spending helps fuel economy  Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI; Star Wars)

Cold War Thaw Michael Gorbachev—Last Soviet Premier Recognizes that Soviets must cut defense spending Glastnost and Perestroika Ban on Intermediate Range Nuclear Missiles

Reagan Problems Assassination attempt Invasion of Grenada Bombing of Libya Star Wars Iran-Contra  Oliver North  Nicaragua  Iran

Bush in ‘88 Bush the moderate  “Kindler, Gentler America” Michael Dukakis First Iraq War (Persian Gulf War  Bush popularity high Economic down-turn  Bush popularity tanks  Reasons

Key Things in Bush Years Fall of Berlin Wall and Iron Curtain End of Communism in Eastern Europe and Russia China and Tienanmin Square

Bill Clinton Election in 1992 over George Bush  “It’s the economy stupid”  Ross Perot gets 20% of vote but no electoral votes

Clinton Presidency NOT a return to liberalism/progressivism  “The era of big government is over” Failed efforts to reform Health Care 1994 Conservative revolution in Congress  GOP Controls house for first time in 46 years  Newt Gingrich  Contract with America  Completion of the Republican Revolution

Bill Clinton After inheriting recession, the economy roars  Reduction in Cold War spending  Tech revolution fuels business  Balanced Budget for first time in forever Wins re-election in 1996 comfortably over Bob Dole Peacekeepers in former Yugoslavia Troops in Somalia Impeachment—Monica Lewinski Al Gore looses to George W. Bush in 2000  It all comes down to Florida and the Supreme Court