The Resurgence of Conservatism

Moral Decay Televangelism

Pat Robertson Oral Roberts Jim Bakker

“Moral Majority” Jerry Falwell

Affirmative Action Conservatives argue

it was “reverse discrimination”

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

(1978)

Election of 1980 Ronald Reagan “Are you better off

now than you were four years ago?”

Jimmy Carter

Two Months Later…

Ronald Reagan – 40th President Regan Revolution

Lower Taxes Buildup Military Conservative Courts Reduce Government

Spending

Reaganomics (Supply Side Economics)

Tax Reduction… Spending Cuts… Deregulation… Critics charged

“Trickle Down” Method (1920’s)

Recession and Recovery

1982 recession Reaganomics… Inflation rate falls to

4% 1983 Recovery “Yuppies”…

Election of 1984

Reagan’s Foreign Policy Orlando 1983 – Declared Soviet Union “the

evil empire”

Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)

“Star Wars” Military Spending … Unknown at the

time…

Iran – Contra Affair “Ollie” North

Middle East Beirut, Lebanon 1983

PLO Yassir Arafat recognizes Israel’s right to exist…

1986 Attack on Libyan dictator & terrorist Quadafi

“Mr. Gorbachev: Tear Down This Wall”

Mikhail Gorbachev 1985 Glasnost… Perestroika… INF Treaty Pulls out of

Afghanistan

The Legacy of Ronald Reagan

Election of 1988 George H.W. Bush

(R) “Read my lips – no

new taxes!”

Michael Dukakis (D)

George H.W. Bush – 41st President

1989-Tiananmen Square - Beijing

Communism begins to Crumble Lech Walesa –

Solidarity - Poland

Nov. 9, 1989 Berlin Wall “Falls”

U.S.S.R. Dissolves Baltic States began to

break away from Soviet Union…

Failed Coup against Gorbachev…

Gorby resigns December 25, 1991

Boris Yeltsin forms Commonwealth of Independent States

Bush and Foreign Policy December 1989

invasion of Panama Manuel Noriega

“Rock n Roll” at the Vatican Embassy

Persian Gulf War Aug. 1990 Saddam

Hussein invades Kuwait

Upsets the “New World Order”

Bush builds a coalition.

Jan. 1991 – Operation Desert Storm

“Stormin” Norman Schwarzkopf…

Colin Powell..

Bush’s Domestic Policies The Good

Americans with Disabilities Act -1990

Education “kinder, gentler,

America”

The Bad Tough fight for

Clarence Thomas Recesssion

The Ugly Savings & Loans… Raised taxes

Election of 1992 George H.W. Bush

(R)

Bill Clinton (D)

H. Ross Perot – Reform Party

Bill Clinton – 41st President Early Setbacks

Universal Health Care-Hillary

Whitewater

Early Accomplishments Family Medical Leave

Act (1993) “Deficit Reduction

NAFTA

Contract With America Republicans win both

houses of Congress in 1994 first time since 1957

Newt Gingrich

Oklahoma City - 1995 Timothy McVeigh

Election of 1996

Clinton’s Second Term Good economy Internet develops Budget Battles Scandals…

Clinton’s Scandals Blamed on a “vast

right-wing conspiracy” Alleged sexual

harassment cases while Governor of Arkansas

Impeached First time since 1868 Perjury, Obstruction

of Justice Republicans lose

seats in fall elections and Gingrich resigns

Senate refuses to convict

Clinton’s Foreign Policy Somalia 1993 Haiti 1994 Middle East Asia

Balkan Genocide 1990’s Slobodan Milosevic

dictator of Serbia… U.S./NATO bombing

of Bosnia and Kosovo

America at the Turn of the Century Globalization World Trade

Organization (WTO) International

Monetary Fund (IMF) Group of Seven (G-7)

2000 pop: 281 million (3rd largest)

South & West fastest growing

Hispanics largest minority

Graying population

American (continued) Traditional Family

declines Home ownership

climbs Large gap between

rich and poor

The Lone Superpower

New Challenges European Union (EU)

Election of 2000

Vote hinges on Florida

Democrats ask for a recount

“Hanging Chads” Bush v. Gore (2000) Closest election since

1876

George W. Bush – 42nd President “Solid South” now

firmly Republican… 2001 Tax Cuts… 2001 Recession…

September 11, 2001 al Qaeda hijacks 4 commercial

jets 2 are crashed into the Twin

Towers of the World Trade Center in NYC one at 8:46am and one at 9:03am.

Both buildings collapse within 2 hours

2,974 people die in these attacks

Jet #3 crashes into the Pentagon at 9:37am

Jet #4 was headed for the U.S. capitol………………………………………………………………………………Shanksville, PA 10:03 am

Masterminds Khalid Sheik

Mohammed (arrested 2003 Pakistan)

Osama bin Laden (still at large- the most wanted man in the world)

In response to the attacks, President George W. Bush announces a global War on Terrorism