1. Unit 31: 2000-Present: Challenges of the 21 st Century Created by Ellie Dinsmore 2013-14 AP US & Mr. Hoefler’s Teacher’s Aide 2014-15

2. Political Polarization Swing states determined federal elections Republican = traditional, religious, and limited or anti-government rural and many suburban areas… Southern white conservatives Democratic = diverse large urban centers and internationally minded coasts Republican leaders such as Newt Gingrich, Tom DeLay, and Trent Lott made party more conservative and partisan Gerrymandering of congressional districts to create “safe seats” -> rewarded partisanship and discouraged compromise in Congress

3. Disputed Election of 2000 Settled by Supreme Court VP Al Gore (champion of “working families”) vs. Governor George W. Bush (“compassionate conservative”) Gore received 500,000 more popular votes than Bush After partial recount in Florida, Bush leading by 537 popular votes FL Supreme Court ordered total recount, but US Supreme Court overruled, saying total recount violated Equal-Protection Clause of 14 th amendment Bush won FL’s 25 electoral votes, and won presidency with 271 votes to Gore’s 266

4. Domestic Policies of the George W. Bush Administration Republican Tax Cuts: aka Bush Tax Cuts $1.35 trillion tax cut -> lowered top tax bracket, eliminated estate taxes, increased child tax credit and limits for IRA and 401K contributions, and gave all taxpayers immediate tax rebate in 2003, tax cuts for stock dividends, capital gains, and married couples gave most of benefit to top 5% and doubled national debt Educational and health reform: No Child Left Behind Act- aimed to improve student performance and close gap between rich and poor students in public schools -> testing students nationwide, letting students transfer to better schools, funding reading programs, and training high quality teachers Gave seniors w/ Medicare option to enroll in private insurance companies, provided prescription drug coverage to seniors -> Democrats claimed legislation primarily designed to profit insurance and drug companies

5. Domestic Policies of the George W. Bush Administration Economic Bubbles and Corporate Corruption: Stock market crashed, unemployment climbed to 6%, poverty increased Fraud and dishonesty committed by business leaders hurt stock market and consumer confidence (i.e. Enron and World Com falsified stated earnings and profits) Fed Reserve cut interest rates to 1.25% Investors moved money to real estate, creating speculative real estate “bubble”

6. War on Terrorism Islamic Roots of Anti-Americanism - Terrorism: Sided with Israel over Palestine, intrusion of the Western world into Islamist realms, restrictive economic & political conditions in Middle East Early Terrorist Attacks: Truck bombing of WTC in NYC in 1993 -> killed six and made people understand threat posed by Islamist extremists Bombing of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 - > U.S. responded by bombing Al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and the Sudan -> Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden allied w/ Taliban (who had taken over Afghanistan) “Asymmetric warfare” used by terrorists -> two suicide bombers in rubber boat almost sank billion dollar warship, USS Cole, in Yemen in 2000

7. War on Terrorism September 11, 2001 Coordinated attacks by Al-Qaeda terrorists in commercial airliners on twin towers of World Trade Center in NYC, Pentagon near Wash. D.C., and fourth plane crashed in PA (passengers crashed plane when they realized they were being hijacked) Claimed nearly 3,000 lives Galvanized public opinion and empowered Bush administration to take action War in Afghanistan Bush wanted Al-Qaeda leaders “dead or alive” -> Taliban refused to hand them over U.S. assisted in overthrow of Taliban gov’t in 2001 -> U.S. bombing, Special Forces, and Afghan troops Hamid Karzai, w/ support of U.S., became head of Afghan gov’t, but country remained unstable and divided by Taliban insurgency and tribal conflicts

8. War on Terrorism Homeland Security Patriot Acts of 2001 and 2003 let U.S. gov’t obtain info and expand surveillance and arrest powers -> many Americans troubled by unlimited wiretaps, collection of cell phone and email records, use of military tribunals for suspected terrorist’s trials, and indefinite imprisonment of suspects in Guantanamo prison Bush administration created Homeland Security Dept. by combining more than 20 fed agencies-> largest reorganization since WWII -> CIA and FBI left out -> failure to “connect the dots” Congress created Director of Nat’l Intelligence to coordinate intel of agencies George W. Bush Foreign Policy Worked to expand European Union & NATO, support admission of China to WTO, and brokered conflicts between Israel and Pakistan Refused to join Kyoto Accord (prevent global warming), walked out of UN conference on racism, abandoned 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty w/ Russia, and wouldn’t negotiate w/ North Korea of Iran Bush Doctrine- containment and deterrence no longer effective in world of stateless terrorism, US justified in using pre-emptive attacks stop terrorists from acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) = unilateralist approach

9. War on Terrorism Iraq War 2002 State of the Union -> Bush calls Iraq, North Korea, and Iran “axis of evil” US intelligence could find no link between Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and 9/11 Bush administration pursued pre-emptive attack on Iraq to stop Hussein from building and distributing WMDs to terrorists Sec of State Colin Powell negotiated inspection plan w/ UN Sec Counsel, Iraq accepted UN inspections found no WMDs in Iraq, but Bush administration kept presenting claims of their existence, based on intelligence that was proved false

10. War on Terrorism Operation Iraqi Freedom Early 2003 -> Bush claims that Iraq hasn’t complied w/ UN resolutions -> “the game was over” w/ support of UN Sec Council, US launched air attacks on Iraq (Mar 19) Within 4 weeks, US overran Iraqi forces and captured capital of Baghdad and ended Hussein’s dictatorship Still couldn’t find WMDs -> criticism of “war of choice” and “regime change” mounted at home and overseas Didn’t end the violence in Iraq -> groups of insurgents continued to attack US and allied troops and each other Millions fled the country or were displaced -> Bush admin widely criticized for going to Iraq w/o enough troops to control country and disbanding military Barbaric treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib further diminished US rep

11. Elections of 2004 and a Bush Second Term Democrats optimistic coming into election -> selected Senator John Kerry of MA as candidate Republicans energized constituents on issues such as war on terrorism, more tax cuts, and opposition to gay marriage & abortion Bush = 51% of pop vote, 286 electoral votes Kerry = 49% of pop vote, 252 electoral votes Republicans also expanded control in Senate and the House, and at state level (esp. in South) -> party was at its strongest since 1920s

12. Elections of 2004 and Bush Second Term Four more years at war 2005 Iraq’s first election -> violence continued, Iraq elected prime minister etc Bipartisan Iraqi Study Group recommended making timetable for US withdrawal to make Iraqis take greater responsibility for their country-> Bush rejected it and sent 30,000 more troops in surge effort to establish order By late 2008, violence was down, US started to turn over control to Iraqi govt In Afghanistan, Taliban stepped up attacks Bush turned over two unresolved wars and incomplete efforts to deal w/ nuclear threats from Iran and N. Korea On the bright side, no major terrorist attack in US since 9/11 for Bush admin.

13. Elections of 2000 and Bush Second Term Washington politics Bush pushed Congress to privatize Social Security Argued for immigration reform -> blocked by conservatives Hurricane Katrina hit -> FEMA failed to anticipate and respond to crisis Scandals tarnished Republican party -> taking bribes from lobbyists, committing perjury, obstruction of justice, improper relations w/ congressional pages -> corruption in Congress Republican majority leader of House Tom Delay forced to resign (gerrymandering scheme in Texas) These failures and Iraq war helped Democrats win control of Congress in 2006 Bush appointed 2 conservatives to Supreme Court (John Roberts and Samuel Alito) and increased conservative majorities in federal appellate courts

14. Elections of 2000 and Bush Second Term The Great Recession Housing boom of 2002-2007 fueled by risky mortgages and speculators “flipped” properties for a quick profit -> Wall Street sold these high risk loans as “securitization” to investors -> poor regulation of financial institutions Housing prices began to dip -> the bubble burst -> prices collapsed, foreclosures climbed, investments lost value -> investors panicked, caused bank failure -> liquidity crisis b/c banks lacked funds/wouldn’t make loans Soaring gas prices, stock market decline, rising unemployment Early 2008 -> fed gov’t tried a $170 billion stimulus and took over a few critical financial institutions -> Fannie May and Freddie Mac Lehman Brothers (large Wall Street bank) went bankrupt -> financial industry panic -> forced Bush admin to ask Congress for additional funds to help U.S. banks and restore credit markets -> bad U.S. credit rating Economic Stabilization Act (2008) -> $700 billion Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) to purchase failing assets from financial institutions (like mortgages) Destroyed investor confidence and significantly affected 2008 election

15. Election of 2008 Hillary Clinton = early favorite but Barack Obama got Dem nomination Joe Biden as Obama’s VP Republicans picked John McCain for prez and Sarah Palin for VP Obama 364 electoral votes, McCain 174 Economic crisis, Obama’s message for change, and a well-funded grassroots campaign helped Obama win Dem.’s also increased their majorities in the House and Senate First African American president of U.S. -> 44 th president Obama now faced worst economic crisis since Great Depression, two unfinished U.S. wars, and a world increasingly skeptical of U.S. power and leadership

16. The First Obama Administration, 2009- 2013 Obama appointed Hillary Clinton as Sec. of State, Eric Holder as first Afr. American Attorney General Reappointed Republican Robert Gans as Sec. of Defense to provide operational continuity in Middle East The Transition Economic crisis dominated power transition Congress approved 2 nd half of controversial TARP funding ($350 billion) At Obama’s request, Bush used +$10 billion of TARP funds to support failing automakers, General Motors (GM) and the Chrysler Corporation

17. The First Obama Administration, 2009- 2013 Presidential initiatives Obama signed a lot of executive orders to overturn actions of Bush administration Formal ban on torture, expanded stem cell research, ended restrictions on federal funding of overseas health organizations Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act- strengthened protection of equal pay for female employees Didn’t carry out all of his campaign pledges Promised to close prison at Guantanamo Bay, but was unable to win needed support from Congress

18. The First Obama Administration, 2009- 2013 Economic stimulus Effects of “Great” or “Long” Recession (started in 2007) Stock market recovered by 2013 -> unemployment at 10% in 2009, 7% in 2013 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009-$787 billion economic stimulus package designed to create or save 3.5 billion jobs, included $288 billion tax cuts to stimulate spending, and $144 billion to help state and local gov’ts maintain jobs and services, balance of package was for construction projects, health care, education, and renewable energy Obama admin very involved w/ recovery of domestic auto industry -> temporarily took over GM, helped sell Chrysler to Fiat, “Cash for Clunkers” program (incentive for people to sell old cars and buy new ones) Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act- improve regulations of banking and investment firms, protect taxpayers from future bailouts of big business, also set up new Bureau of Consumer Protection to regulate consumer products

19. The First Obama Administration, 2009- 2013 Health Care Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010- “Obamacare”- extended affordable health care insurance thru combo of subsidies, mandates, and insurance exchanges introduced medical and insurance reforms to control health care costs required insurance companies to accept patients regardless of pre-existing conditions and to spend at least 80% of each dollar on medical care, or rebate their customers Republicans strongly opposed law Confused many Americans w/ its complexity

20. The First Obama Administration, 2009- 2013 Budget deficits Recession lowered fed tax income collected and increased gov’t spending on recovery programs -> tripled annual deficit to $1.75 trillion in 2009 and increased nat’l debt from $9 trill in 2007 to $16 trill in 2012 Economists worried about long term growth of nat’l debt As Baby Boom generation reached retirement, Medicare and Social Security costs will increase, adding to deficits Bowles-Simpson Plan- proposed $2 of spending cuts for every $1 increase in revenue -> widely praised, but rejected by Democrats for cut to social services and Republicans for its tax increases

21. The First Obama Administration, 2009- 2013 The Tea Party and mid-term elections Dems. controlled Congress for Obama’s first 2 years -> could pass landmark legislation w/ little or no Republican support Opposition to deficits, growing nat’l debt, and “Obamacare” = conservative and libertarian movement known as the Tea Party -> focused on economic issues, limited gov’t, gun rights, school prayers, abortion, immigration 2010 -> Reps. took over House, reduced Dem.’s Senate majority Congress in gridlock Divided gov’t = budget stalemates = threat of gov’t shutdown & debt default Couldn’t agree on taxes and spending cuts -> debt ceiling needed to be raised -> finally agreed on $900 billion spending cut and additional $1.4 trill cuts to be determined by bipartisan super-committee (which failed) Standard & Poor downgraded the U.S. AAA credit rating 2012 = least productive year in Congress since 1947 (passed 61/3914 bills)

22. The First Obama Administration, 2009- 2012 Obama’s foreign policy Obama = opposition to Iraq war, promised to end unilateral approach overseas -> promised withdrawal from Iraq Iraq 2009 -> Obama developed plan to wind down U.S. ground combat in Iraq U.S. continued military and air support thru end of 2011, when last forces withdrawn -> drawdown in Afghanistan Nearly 4,500 U.S. soldiers died and 32,000 wounded Iraqi deaths = over 100,000 After U.S. left, Sunni and Al-Qaeda insurgents continued to terrorize majority Shiite gov’t

23. The First Obama Administration Afghanistan Obama made fighting Al-Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan a priority Added 170,000 troops in 2009, then 30,000 more in 2010 Counterterrorism surge = effective in Afghanistan, but drone attacks on terrorists in Pakistan intensified anger against U.S. Death of Osama bin Laden May 2011 -> CIA and Navy SEALS clandestine operation killed leader of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden His death raised question of whether U.S. role in area was complete 2012 -> Obama and Pres. of Afghanistan signed long-term partnership agreement -> U.S. to train and support Afghanistan’s military and end combat mission by 2014

24. The First Obama Administration, 2009- 2013 Arab Spring 2009 -> Obama went to Univ of Cairo, gave speech calling for “new beginning” to relations between Islamic world and U.S. 2010 -> wave of protests across Middle East and N. Africa called “Arab Spring” Civil unrest and armed rebellions toppled gov’ts in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Yemen -> ongoing civil war in Syria -> gov’t in Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia made concessions to protesters to maintain peace -> fall of dictatorships Obama’s sympathy for pro-democracy protesters upset U.S. allies in conservative oil-rich Persian Gulf states Obama criticized in U.S. for not intervening more forcefully in failed states such as Libya and Syria

25. The First Obama Administration, 2009- 2013 Asia and Europe U.S.’s economic and strategic future closely tied to Pacific Rim, couldn’t do much though b/c of Middle East -> limited president’s plan to “pivot” Asia Economists predicted that by 2030, Asian economies would be as large as combine N. America and Europe economies (ending Western dominance) U.S. preoccupation w/ Middle East, terrorism, and budget gridlock allowed China opportunities to spread its influence EU struggling thru debt crisis (euro crisis) -> German leadership saved the euro as common currency

26. Elections of 2012 Issues related to Great Recession and Obamacare, job creation and long-term fiscal health of U.S. = important Obama (incumbent) won Dem. nomination, Mitt Romney won Rep. Obama 332 – 206 Romney, Obama with 5 million person advantage in pop. vote Obama carried swing states such as FL, VA, OH, won 71% of Hispanic vote (1/6 people are Hispanic) Political analysts predicted that unless Republicans gained more Hispanic support, they would become uncompetitive in future

27. Second Obama Administration Budget Brinkmanship Expiration of Bush tax cuts at end of 2012 Jan. 1, 2013 -> Congress passed compromise tax bill that preserved Bush cuts for incomes of $400,000 or less, but allowed top tax rate to go back to 39.6% for higher incomes Congress unable to compromise on budget, so “sequester” cuts went into effect in March In Oct., Republican efforts to defund Affordable Care Act resulted in 16 day gov’t shutdown and threatened default on nat’l debt Last minute legislation put off budget issue until early 2014 Approval rating of Congress around 10%, world was questioning U.S. economic world leader role

28. Second Obama Administration Gun Violence Mass shooting at movie theater in CO, killing of 26 young kids and teachers in CT sparked gun debate How to keep guns out of hands of people w/ mental health problems? Obama’s proposals to tighten gun laws and background checks faced opposition from gun’s rights advocates Terrorism in Boston -> Boston Marathon bombing Homegrown terrorism -> two self-radicalized brothers set off two bombs at finish line of Boston Marathon, killing 3 and injuring 250+ Men motivated by extreme Islamic beliefs Local police and FBI able to hunt down escaping suspects Showed how difficult it was to prevent attacks by isolated individuals.

29. Second Obama Administration Foreign Policy Middle East remained unstable Civil war in Syria = focus of int’l debate after dictator Assad used chemical weapons (poison gas) on civilians -> U.S. threatened to bomb them in retaliation Crisis avoided w/ aid of Russia who got Syrians to agree to give up all chemical weapons Iran -> election of a new leader gave opportunity to start new negotiations about their nuclear energy program -> U.S. goal to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons Developed nations (i.e. U.S.) faced increasing competition for natural resources from developing nations (i.e. China, India) Conflicts over territorial waters in East and South China Seas and Artic Ocean

30. Rulings of the Roberts Court With Bush’s appointment of Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito, Supreme Court had 5-4 conservative majority Obama appointed Sonia Sotomayor in 2009 and Elena Kagan in 2010 Both women replaced a moderate or liberal judge so balance did not change

31. Rulings of the Roberts Court Affirmative Action and Voting Rights 2007 -> ruled 5-4 that local school districts could not use race to assign students to achieve diversity Court deferred to states on voting rights -> upheld Indiana law requiring photo ID card to vote (supporters argued that would prevent voter fraud, critics said it would hinder poor/minorities from voting) 2013 -> Shelby County vs. Holder -> struck down provision of Voting Rights Act of 1965 that required states with history of voter discrimination to obtain federal approval for changes in voting laws -> Roberts argued that times had changed, and minority voters no longer needed the same protections -> sent Act back to Congress to be rewritten

32. Rulings of the Roberts Court Elections and Money Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission (2010) -> corporations are “legal persons” and have same right as individuals to buy ads to influence political elections 2013 -> SC heard arguments to overturn federal limits on campaign financing -> some worried this would open the door to wider corruption of elected officials Environment Obama admin. used stimulus bill to promote reduced reliance on oil and more alternative energy -> many disagreed w/ science behind global warming and opposed tighter controls of greenhouse gases MA vs. EPA (2007) -> ruled 5-4 that EPA had authority under Clean Air Act to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases

33. Rulings of the Roberts Court Gay Rights and Same Sex Marriage Congress repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”- end military discrimination of gays In 5-4 ruling, declared 1996 Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional and let stand CA court’s overturn of a state law banning same sex marriage As of 2013 - 14 states allow same sex marriage, 35 ban it Gun Rights D.C. vs. Heller (2008) – 2 nd amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm unconnected w/ service to the militia Justice Scalia used original intent argument to support majority opinion

34. Rulings of the Roberts Court Health Care Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) under continuous attack -> legal debate about whether gov’t had authority to mandate Americans to buy health insurance or pay a penalty National Federation of Independent Business vs. Sebelius (2012) – conservative Chief Justice Roberts ruled w/ liberal judges that requiring Americans to buy health care or pay a fine was a constitutional exercise of Congress’s authority to levy taxes, but then voted w/ conservatives to limit Congress’s authority under interstate commerce clause and limited its power to force states to expand Medicaid A lot of states used the latter ruling to justify not expanding Medicaid (“too expensive”), and, as a result, a lot of low-income families didn’t receive health insurance

35. Rulings of the Roberts Court Immigration Estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in US – border security issues Chamber of Commerce vs. Whiting (2011) – ruled that a state had the right to require employers to check immigration status of potential employees AZ vs. US (2012) – ruled that federal immigration law pre-empts most of state’s anti-immigration law With a divided Congress unable to address the complex issues of the times, more decisions were falling on the courts to settle, from elections to health care. If so, the Roberts Court may become one of the more powerful Courts in American history.