Reagan 1981-1989

Economic problems and the Election o Inflation 6%- rose every year o 1979- 10+% o Fed. raised interest rates o Unemployment 6% o 1980- 7.5% o Deficit o $68 Billion – Highest ever o 1980 - $73 Billion (page 79)

Other Factors that Make Reagan Popular Iran Hostage Crisis Soviet Aggression in Afghanistan Sandinistas in Nicaragua Economy Carter himself was not as charismatic as Reagan

Election 1980 Reagan’s Message: Reagan is popular Reagan’s Message: Problem with America was leadership solved by: Optimism Cut Taxes Shrink Government =Small Federal Government Cut spending Encourage private investment Keep Military strong Aid those countries fighting communism Ronald Reagan George Bush Republican 43,903,230 50.75% 489 90.9% James Carter Walter Mondale Democratic 35,480,115 41.01% 49 9.1%

Domestic-Influence of Nixon Reagan was the most important political figure of the age. Nixon’s Southern political strategy- wanted to get Southern vote- Reagan used Nixon’s strategy on School desegregation Judicial appointments Reagan used Nixon’s men Rumsfeld and Cheney

Domestic-Economics Reaganomics-still widely practiced Military spending=Keep Military strong Supply-side economics=Trickle down effect, Sometimes known as “Voodoo Economics” Introduced several tax cuts for wealthy Americans Lower taxes Deregulation- cut government oversight The economy had been in decline since 1973 With Stagflation

Domestic-Economics Cont. Problem with America was leadership solved by: Optimism Cut Taxes Shrink Government =Small Federal Government Cut spending Encourage private investment Aid those abroad fighting communism

Domestic-Social and Political Suburbs Civil Rights and Feminists movements broke down barriers Need for large amounts of money Upheaval of JFK, LBJ, and Nixon caused alienation Phyllis Shaffley- Against ERA… Equal Rights Amendment

Phyllis Shlaffly “Stop ERA” Equal Rights Amendment Anti-New Deal Anti-communism Anti-civil rights Arguments against the ERA: Destroys traditional family values Women’s legal protection from combat Single sex bathrooms Exemption from draft She reached out to religious conservatives Oppose membership in United Nations

Betty Friedan Pro Women’s Liberation Feminist A leading figure in the women's movement in the United States, her 1963 book  The Feminine Mystique  National Organization for Women (NOW), which aimed to bring women "into the mainstream of American society now [in] fully equal partnership with men". Pro ERA.

Gloria Steinem Gloria Marie Steinem (born March 25, 1934) is an American feminist,journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader of, and media spokeswoman for, the women's liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s. A prominent writer and key counterculture erapolitical figure, Steinem has founded many organizations and projects and has been the recipient of many awards and honors.

Domestic-Social and Political Cont. “Halting and ineffective” fight on AIDS Reagan's communications director Pat Buchanan argued that AIDS is "nature's revenge on gay men." Air Traffic Controllers strike Fired more than 11,000 of them when they ignored his order to return to work

Assassination Attempt March 30, 1981, shot by John Hinckley Jr. while leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel

Domestic New Federalism (championed by Nixon) “Political philosophy of devolution, or the transfer of certain powers from the United States federal government back to the states.”

Foreign-Iran Contra Affair Iran Contra Affair Video Nicarauga Revolution- Samoza, Sandinistas, Contras Reagan and CIA—to overthrow the Sandinista gov. Boland Ammendment- prohibited American Aid and $ and action with the Contras. Senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to Iran, the subject of an arms embargo Some U.S. officials also hoped that the arms sales would secure the release of several hostages and allow U.S. intelligence agencies to fund the Nicaraguan Contras

Foreign-Star Wars SDI “Starwars” (Strategic Defense Initiative) March 23, 1983 Ground-based and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles Focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic offense doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

With terrorist who took American hostages Iran has influence With terrorist who took American hostages Hostages in Lebanon Iran North negotiates 1. Arms sales in exchange for help with getting American Hostages released. Contras Colonel North Profits from Arms Sales go to the Contras = illegal act by President Nicaragua Sandinistas Reagan orders North to find a way to help Contras Reagan Admin Said no to Contra Support Congress

Foreign U.S. military led an international invasion of Grenada to topple a new Communist government there Aid those abroad fighting communism Foreign Policy- divisions caused by Vietnam

Foreign In foreign policy, Reagan was a full-fledged Cold War Hawk Supported repressive regimes and right wing insurgents in territories that opposed communism

“The age of Reagan is over” 2008, His conclusion Obama won nomination with Clinton’s support, Biden VP (who had foreign policy credentials) McCain – chose Palin VP who had conservative credentials