MALAISE1974-1980
EUGENIA LANGANMATER ACADEMY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLHIALEAH GARDENS, FLORIDA
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
TODAY
WHY MALAISE?
WHAT LED TO THE CONSERVATIVE REVOLUTION OF 1980?
LONG-RANGE
HOW HAS THE AMERICAN IDENTITY (SELF-IMAGE) CHANGED THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, AND WHY?
WHEN DID THE ERA OF PROGRESSIVE REFORM BEGIN AND END, AND WHY?
WE WENT THROUGH THE VERY DIVISIVE AND VIOLENT 1960s
WE LOST A WAR FOR THE FIRST TIME
A PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT WERE FORCED TO RESIGN FOR THE FIRST TIME
CREDIBILITY GAP
WOUND UP WITH UNELECTED PRESIDENT, VEEP - ONE TERM
THEN INEXPERIENCED CHANGE PRESIDENT – ONE TERM
AS ALWAYS, "IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!"
BUT INSTEAD OF GROWING MORE RADICAL, MOST PEOPLE GREW MORE CONSERVATIVE
GERALD W. FORD – ONE TERM!
UNELECTED
NIXON PARDON
OPEC OIL EMBARGO INFLATION/ STAGFLATION RECESSION OF 1974
WIN FED INCREASED INTEREST RATES TAX CUTS "TO CREATE JOBS" DEFICITS! MORE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WORKING
REAL WAGES PEAKED IN 1974 AND DECLINED UNTIL 1982 – NOTE THEY HAVE NEVER RETURNED TO '74 LEVEL
REMEMBER THIS CHART? % 0F NATIONAL WEALTH HELD BY TOP 1% WEALTHIEST INDIVIDUALS: NOTE THE TREND SINCE MID-1970s. TODAY TOP 10% HOLD 75%, TOP 1% HOLD 40.4 (DUE TO BUSH TAX CUTS, GREAT RECESSION OF 2007 AND BANK/ CORPORATE BAILOUTS
INCOME DISTRIBUTION
OIL PRICES -- WHEN THEY GO UP SO DO THE PRICES OF ALMOST ALL OTHER GOODS (ALL THAT MUST BE TRANSPORTED!)
1973 – OPEC OIL EMBARGO
1979 – OIL CRISIS DUE TO IRANIAN REVOLUTION
OVER DECADES – GDP FLAT AND MODEST
DECLINE OF SKILLED INDUSTRIAL JOBS
'74-76 – EFFECT OF FORD TAX CUTS W/ NO SPENDING CUTS
"WHIP INFLATION NOW" – A FAILURE"STUPID IDEA" ACCORDING TO ALAN GREENSPAN
THE MAYAGUEZ INCIDENT, 1975: "WAG THE DOG"
FORD'S APPROVAL RATINGS –NOTE THE UPTICK IN '75 DUE TO THE MAYAGUEZ INCIDENT
1976: JIMMY CARTER AND WALTER MONDALE (ONLY 50.1% OF POPULAR VOTE)
CARTER'S MAIN QUALIFICATION: NOT A WASHINGTON INSIDER
WALKING TO THE INAUGURATION
THE SWEATER, THE FIRESIDE CHATS, AND . . .
CARTER:
ENERGY CRISIS: "MEOW" – THE MORAL EQUIVALENT OF WAR
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, 1977
NATIONAL ENERGY ACT, 1978
DEREGULATION OF OIL PRICES, TAX SUBSIDIES (ENERGY POLICY ACT)
1979 – WINDFALL OIL PROFITS TAX
SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION ACT. OPPOSITION TO NUCLEAR ENERGY
COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT OF 1980 (CERCLA) -- SUPERFUND
DEREGULATION OF TRANSPORTATION RATES (STAGGERS RAIL ACT, 1979, MOTOR CARRIER ACT, 1980)
WORSE INFLATION – FED IMPOSED DOUBLE-DIGIT INTEREST RATES (SLOWDOWN)
RECESSION, 1978
PANAMA CANAL TREATY, 1978
IRANIAN REVOLUTION, 1979
HOSTAGE CRISIS AND BOTCHED RESCUE ATTEMPT, 1980
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA V. BAKKE, 1980. BURGER COURT.
LAWSUIT BY WHITE MAN DENIED ADMISSION TO UC DAVIS MED. SCHOOL ALLEGING “REVERSE DISCRIMINATION” DUE TO UNIVERSITY’S AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM
HOLDING: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS LAWFUL AS A REMEDY FOR PAST DISCRIMINATION, BUT IT CANNOT IMPOSE QUOTAS.
ELECTION OF 1980: RONALD REAGAN, GEORGE H.W. BUSH, 50.7% OF POPULAR VOTE, CARTER/ MONDALE 41%
MORNING IN AMERICA?