New Conservatism

• Democrats discredited• Jimmy Carter• Iran Hostage Crisis

• The conservative revolution and Ronald Reagan• Ronald Reagan’s public image• Reaganomics• Irancontra• Fall of communism• The culture wars

Ronald Reagan Ad from the 1940s

Reagan’s Biography

• Born February 6, 1911, making him the oldest President to be sworn into office, at 69 years of age

• Started working life as a radio announcer for a sports program in 1932

• Enlisted in the military reserves in 1937

• Was ’discovered’ by Warner Bros. Studio and became a contract ’B’ movie actor

Biography cont.

• Became President of the Screen Actors’ Guild; spoke out publicly against ’Communism’

• Elected Governor of California from 1966 to 1974

• Ran as a Republican in 1980 and won a victory against Jimmy Carter to become President. Won in a major landslide again in 1984.

Government under Reagan

• ’Reaganomics- largest tax cut in United States History

• Wanted smaller government and less intervention in Americans’ lives

• ‘The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.’

Reaganomics: "The Gods are angry," April 12, 1981

Deregulation: Invasion of the corporate body snatchers, April 21, 1985

Strategic Defence Initiative

• Introduced in 1983, this defence project would use ground and space-based systems to protect the U.S. from strategic nuclear ballistic missiles.

• Was dubbed ’Star Wars’ by critics who believed the technology was expensive, if not impossible to achieve

"Our bags are packed"--Weinberger on Star Wars program, January 25,

1987

Iran-Contra Affair

• Scandal involving the use of proceeds from covert arms sales to Iran to fund the Contras of Nicaragura, which had been specifically outlawed by Congress.

• This became the biggest scandal in the 1980’s and Reagan professed ignorance of the plot’s existance.

"Speak softly and carry a big stick," December 21, 1986

Fall of the Wall

• ”General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear this wall down!

Ronald Reagan, speaking at the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987.

The fall of Berlin Wall, 1989

Reagan and the Berlin Wall