Chapter 30: The Revelation of Conservatism

Noel Thomas, Dane Johannessen, and Scott Kralstein

 

Introduction

 

·        Many blue collar workers such as Craig Miller were laid off during the early 90’s

·        They were let go due to advances in technology

·        It is important to see that the great prospering middle class was slowly slipping away as technology, and a deep recession made making ends meet more difficult than it has been in the past.

 

The Conservative Transformation

The New Politics

·        Conservatism started taking over politics.

·        Conservatives believed “the best government is the one that governs least.”

·        Conservatives also stressed religious values

o       Conservatives were against abortions

o       They also saw a problem with the rise in drug use by all ages

·        Priests and Reverends

o       They gave speeches

o       Went on television to get their messages out

·        Politicians

o       Used new electronics such as, fax, email, internet

o       Also carefully created their television adds and commercials

o       Portrayed negative images of opponents rather than positive images of their candidates.

o       Also use the standard methods of books, articles and news reports.

·        Conservatives were the most successful

o       They helped elect many of their politicians into office.

·        One must understand that the conservatives played a huge role in politics directly relating to religious and moral values they sought suitable for America improve.

 

Conservative Leadership

·        Ronald Reagan

o       Republican

o       Lost in the 1976 election

o       Won in 1980 over Jimmy Carter and in 1984 over Walter Mondale

o       Used television and short anecdotes to gain popularity

o       Had an excellent approval rating  of 68%

o       For reducing federal government and increasing military might

o       Led republican party for control of the senate for the first time since 1955

o       Fell asleep in meetings due to his oldness, but still was loved

·        George Bush

o       Started as Reagan’s vice president

o       Achieved presidency in 1988 over Michael Dukakis

o       Also republican

o       Tried to seem as down to earth as possible

o       Had a great approval rating until the end of the Persian Gulf War

·        Democrats

o       Won Presidency in 1992

·        Houses of Congress

o       Controlled by republicans in 1992

o       Leader of the Senate was Robert Dole

o       New Speaker of the House of Representatives was Newt Gingrich

§         Believed strongly about the conservative Republican party

·        It is important to notice the change to a conservative government, and to witness the republican’s goal of improving the nation through strong likable presidents.  Weren't they offering more than being likable?  Isn't the reason that Reagan won - and that Gingrich and the Republicans in Congress won - because they offered IDEAS which resonated with Americans all across the country?  Let's not "sell" the Conservative Movement short here!  (If necessary, do more reading on the subject.)

 

Republican Policies at Home

·        The national debt was increasing

·        Reagan started what some called “Voodoo economics”

o       He lowered the taxes to stimulate business expansion and a larger supply of goods

o       He also cut back federal government funding on New Deal Programs

o       Created new tax reform

§         Lowered tax rates

§         Simplified brackets

§         Closed loopholes

§         Important step toward treating low income Americans

o       Implemented “New Federalism”

§         Took power from federal government and split it between state governments

§         Wanted state to deal with welfare programs

o       Also being a conservative Reagan was against abortion

·        George Bush followed Reagan’s plan

o       Was against abortion

o       Followed the economic plans

o       Decided no new taxes

o       More outspoken about conservative views compared to Reagan

·        Impact on the people

o       Gap between upper and lower class increased

o       Rich became richer

o       Poor became poorer and found it harder to make ends meet

·        This is interesting because Reagan’s economics were called “voodoo economics” because he wanted to decrease taxing to decrease national debt, which does not make sense.  It is however; important to realize that his main goal for reducing national debt was to take away from government spending and to use the tax cuts to help the population gain wealth, which did not work as planned.  Because only the rich became richer.  This is a common "tag line" for Republican tax-cuts, but it is simply not true.  It is the reflection of an ideology and a political agenda...not unlike comments made about "making the rich pay their fair share".  The argument is over what sort of tax cut to employ - as well as (hidden beneath that question) what sort of taxes to make use of in the first place.  Example:  the Progressive tax system (where the rate of taxes goes up the more you make) versus the Flat-rate system (where every one is taxed at the same rate).  Advocates for the Progressive rate say that the rich must pay their "fair share" - with "fair" meaning, "since they make more, they can afford to pay more, and they ought to be made to do so."  But, advocates of the flat-tax rate say, if every tax-payer must pay, say, 20% of his income, then this IS fair, because, even though the rich and the poor pay the same RATE, the rich end up paying much more in terms of actual dollars (because the 20% is of a higher total amount)...

 

See?  Now, in many cases, the rich DO take advantage of tax laws.  They can afford to hire lawyers and tax-consultants to help them avoid certain taxes (legally) which the middle class can't afford - and so some laws do favor the rich.  But two things must be said about that:  1st, the Democrats AND the Republicans (in Congress) can be 'charged' with corruption on that note, since many of them are amongst the wealthy themselves; and 2nd, as historians, we must look beyond the "spin" and ideologically motivated distortions of what actually IS.  In the case of tax policy, you've written some things here which are true, but you've missed the point in several other places.  Make sure you UNDERSTAND something before you openly criticize it!  First:  Tax cuts have been shown, again and again, to do the very thing which Reagan claim they would do. (And, JFK also believed in this, by the way; so, a Republican from 1980 and a Democrat from 1960!)  So, what DO tax cuts do?  By cutting the RATE of tax people (and corporations) must pay, you guarantee that people have MORE money in their bank accounts, wallets, etc.  That being said, while some may end up merely saving that money - and while some corporations may simply pass that money onto their stock-holders - a huge percentage of that money gets plowed back into the economy.  How?  By spending, investing, expanding businesses, hiring more workers, starting a new business, buying items previously not affordable, etc.  (And, even the money given to stock-holders often gets plowed back into the economy; the only money which does not help this situation is that which is saved...)  Once this money has been spent, then it ends up raising someone's revenue - and thereby increasing the NUMBER of people and businesses subject to being taxed.  SO - though this has been highly simplified, by reducing the RATE (or percentage) of tax, the government ends up increasing the VOLUME of that which is taxable (because more is being spent).  Likewise, if the government increases the RATE of tax, it ends up getting LESS because, since people and businesses are being taxed more, then cut back on investments, expansion plans, hiring of workers, purchases of luxury items, etc.  THIS IS NOT SPECULATORY - it is fact.  (Look it up; every time the tax rate is lowered, the amount of revenue brought in by the government goes UP.)

 

Now, there WAS a problem during Reagan's era, but it has been wrongly tied to the tax cut SIMPLY.  The problem is, that in addition to the massive cuts, the Reagan administration also engaged in an arms race with the Soviet Union; an expensive arms race.  And, even though gov't tax revenues skyrocketed, the costs of the arms race shot up even higher and faster.  So, Reagan helped produce a massive deficit. 

 

But even this is the subject of some discussion, since this period was also one of huge growth in the GNP (GDP) - a huge expansion of the economy...

 

So, let's avoid making broad generalizations!!!

 

Liberal Interlude

·        1992 Campaign

o       Bill Clinton- Democrat

o       George Bush- Republican

o       H. Ross Perot – Independent

o       All candidates used the television more than ever before

o       Clinton won the election

·        Clinton’s plans for change

o       Democrats now controlled both houses of congress again

o       Clinton elections for cabinet

§         Four women

§         Four African American

§         Two Latinos

o       Gained senate ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement

§         Appointed free trade between Canada, Mexico, and the United States

o       Secured passage of the Crime Bill

§         Banned manufacture, sale, and possession of 19 different assault weapons

o       Failed to win approval for health care reforms

·        Clinton’s decision to fill the cabinet with women and other minorities shows that he wants to give everyone a chance free from prejudice. 

 

Conservative Resurgence

·        Republicans start taking over

o       They take the senate and House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years

o       Won over 50 races kicking out some senior representatives

o       Picked 12 governorships

o       Took control  of seven of the eight largest states

o       Newt Gingrich was awarded new powers as the Speaker of the House of Representatives such as

§         Appointing committee members

§         Moving legislation along

o       Congress wanted massive cuts on all social services

·        The Republicans continue to win power even though their candidate did not win his presidency.  Through gaining this power they continue to push their views along even though they are constantly in a power struggle with the Democrats.

 

A Second Term for Clinton

·        The election

o       Bill Clinton – Democrat

o       Robert Dole – Republican

o       H. Ross Perot – Independent

o       Clinton wins again

·        Clinton’s new proposals

o       The “era of big government is over”

o       Decided to balance the budget himself

o       Signed welfare reform bill that cut benefits

§         Enraged liberals

§         Supported Republicans

o       Still believed in protecting Medicare and other programs threatened by Republicans

·        House of Representatives

o       Republicans lose seats, but still remain majority

·        Senate

o       Republicans gain two seats

·        It is important to notice that in order to maintain office Clinton has decided to take on some of the Republican views while still sustaining his own morals as to obtain popularity from both sides.  What do you mean by "morals" here?  Historically, Clinton ran as a "moderate" so as to win votes on both sides of the political aisle.  But, when he was in office, he tried to move to the so-called "hard left" on a number of issues.  He was thwarted in that attempt after the mid-term elections, when Conservative Republicans took control of Congress.  Thus, during his presidency, he battled with Congress - and, as you've written, was forced to compromise in order to "get anything done"...

 

An End to Social Reform

Slowdown in the Struggle for Civil Rights

·        Presidents did not help the civil rights movement

o       Reagan supported members to the Civil Rights Commission that did not support the commission’s goals

o       Bush followed Reagan’s views

o       The presidents caused government to stop pushing for school integration

·        Supreme Court did not help

o       Freeman vs. Pitts

§         Granted Suburban Atlanta school relief from desegregation

o       Let the ruling of a lower court stand

§         Did not allow colleges to award special scholarships to African Americans

·        Conservatives wanted the preferential treatment to those discriminated in the past to stopped

·        It is almost amazing to believe that as little as 17 years ago there was still racism towards the black community.  As John Hope Franklin, an African Historian said “Just about the time you sit down or sit back and say, ‘Oh, yes, we’re moving,’ you get slapped back down.”  This shows us how hard it still was for the African Americans to obtain full freedom.

 

Obstacles to Women’s Rights

·        Women still did not have equal rights as the men

o       Even though more jobs were available, they still worked at lower paying jobs

o       Those working at higher paying jobs could not advance as far as men

o       Women were still consistently paid less than men

o       Conservatives challenged the Supreme Court ruling on abortion

o       Supreme court claimed abortions illegal

o       Conservatives were against abortion

o       Conservatives eventually made abortion restrictions

§         Webster vs. Reproductive Health Services

§         Planned Parenthood vs. Casey

§         Young girls needed a parent or judge consent

§         24 hour waiting period was required before abortions

§         State courts became the official ruling over the abortion question

·        Black women

o       Paid less than white women

o       Confrontation between Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill helped dramatize racial questions and sexual harassment

§         Congress, the business community, and the workplace decided that the inappropriate behavior can no longer be tolerated

·        This seems a little more realistic to me compared to the Black racism because the abortion question is still a huge issue today.  It his however; surprising to me that there was still so much discrimination against women when it came to job opportunities because now that is not as much of a problem.  Your larger point is not entirely clear...needs editing!

 

The Limited Commitment to Latino Rights

·        Latino education was difficult

o       Some found it hard because they were Spanish speaking students

o       40 percent of Latino high school students did not graduate

o       Only 31 percent of Latino seniors applied for college

o       56 percent attended community colleges

o       Only 7 percent completed a course of study

o       Many became frustrated with the courses due to no connection with their backgrounds, and little relevance to their lives

·        The number of Latinos holding office increased

o       Between 1986 and 1987

§         Male Latinos holding offices increased 3.5 percent

§         Female Latinos holding office increased 20 percent

·        Latino workers still faced racial problems

o       Employment rate did not increase

o       Were forced to work mediocre jobs

o       Also were forced to show green card and social security card

·        Although the number of Latinos holding office increased, they still faced other discrimination problems.  They were not able to work the jobs they preferred because their educational background was not strong enough due to the high dropout rate before and during college.

 

Continuing Problems for Native Americans

·        Native Americans had to help themselves

o       Started developing business skills

o       Started realizing that they needed to become entrepreneurs in order to be self-sufficient

§         Choctaw was the most successful in this category by cutting their unemployment rate in half and generating $30 million annually

o       The Pequots built what became the most profitable casino in 1995

o       Indians still remained the nation’s poorest group

·        I do not know why I never realized this, but it seems that even the Native Americans began to adopt the “white man’s” passion for business.  They did it in a different way though.  As Dale Old Horn, the department head at Little Big Horn Institute, puts it “The Crow believe in sharing wealth, the whites believe in accumulating wealth.”

 

Pressures on the Environmental Movement

 

·        Environmentalists face trouble

o       Ronald Reagan

§         Promotes economic growth

§         Does not care about preserving environment

o       George Bush

§         Signs clean air legislation which excited environmentalists

§         Later eased clean air restrictions to help business

§         Against signing a treaty framed to conserve plant and animal species

o       Bill Clinton

§         Stands in the middle

§         Protected large stretches of forest

§         Permits more logging than has been done in the past

·        It is interesting to see how one decision can affect another because as presidents try to please a certain group, such as the working class and businessmen, they are hurting a different group, such as the environmentalists.  And vice versa.  Every step to help the economy can in affect crush the environmentalist’s hope to preserve the wilderness as was true during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.  So, why not work on Conservation, rather than Preservation.  Conservation allows these varied groups to work together (if only they will...)

 The Post Industrial Economy

 

The Changing Nature of Work

·        Automation and technological advances had a significant impact on the workplace, decreasing the number of assembly line jobs.

o       Availability of jobs decreased as a result of automation.

·        Widespread introduction of the computer into the workplace caused workers to lose the satisfaction from actually performing their work as opposed to mechanically with a computer.

·        Although computerization made jobs less strenuous, Americans seemed to work more hours.

·        The changing nature of work forces people to assimilate into this new computer age.

 

The Shift to a Service Economy

·        The United States shifted from a heavily industrial based economy to a service one.

·        The shift is accounted for by the decline in the country’ s industrial sector due to insufficiently investment in U.S. productive capacity, the oil crisis, and the Vietnam War.

·        Countries such as Germany and Japan have become major players in the global market.

o       U.S. buys steel from Japan due to greater cost efficiency than producing the steel itself.

o       Shows drop of U.S. in the global market as well as the recovery of war torn WWII countries.

 

Workers in Transition

·        Shift to service economy caused many job losses.

o       Workers now found themselves working in low paying service jobs with small scopes for advancement.

  ·        Union membership faltered as a result of the economic shift;

o       The average wage significantly increased

o       The shift from blue collar to white collar work

o       The increase in the number of women and young people in the workforce

o       Managerial opposition to unions

o       Union organizing efforts became more costly and thus less used.

·        Striking was no longer an effective way to object to working conditions.

o       Bosses simply reacted by firing all strikers and hiring new employees.

·        The number of farms as well as farmers slumped, most farmers struggling to stay above the poverty line while the majority of the income stayed in the hands of the top 1% of farmers.

o       Overproduction and  the borrowing of money to meet global demand for American farm goods came to have a negative effect on farmers after the recession of 1980-82 where prices along with demand for U.S. goods decreased, leaving farmers in debt and out of business.

o       Loss of farms to farmers was similar to giving up their ways of life, following the hard transitions made by their companions in the industrial sector to a service economy.

·        Union membership faltered as a result of the economic shift;

o       The average wage significantly increased

o       The shift from blue collar to white collar work

o       The increase in the number of women and young people in the workforce

o       Managerial opposition to unions

o       Union organizing efforts became more costly and thus less used.

·        Striking was no longer an effective way to object to working conditions.

o       Bosses simply reacted by firing all strikers and hiring new employees.

·        The number of farms as well as farmers slumped, most farmers struggling to stay above the poverty line while the majority of the income stayed in the hands of the top 1% of farmers.

o       Overproduction and  the borrowing of money to meet global demand for American farm goods came to have a negative effect on farmers after the recession of 1980-82 where prices along with demand for U.S. goods decreased, leaving farmers in debt and out of business.

o       Loss of farms to farmers was similar to giving up their ways of life, following the hard transitions made by their companions in the industrial sector to a service economy.

The Roller Coaster Economy

·        Economic uncertainty resulted in a cyclical period of boom and bust, spanning from the early eighties to nineties.

·        Recession of 1980-1982

o       Began with Federal Reserve Board increasing the money supply in order to combat the deficit.

o       Under the Reagan administration, unemployment rose to 10.8% and approximately 12 million Americans were out of work.  

o       Inflation rates peaked at 12.4%, eventually lowering to 5% during the Reagan administration.

·        Economic conditions improved in late 1983 to early 1984 for upper and middle classes.      

o       Reagan pushed federal tax cut to promote consumer spending and revitalize the economy.

§         Similar events occurred earlier this year with Ben Bernanke of the Federal Reserve lowering the sub prime mortgage rates to promote consumer purchasing of houses.

o       Inflation and unemployment declined while the GNP grew annually.

·        Economic upswing masked a number of problems

o       Millions of Americans struggled to maintain their position in the middle class but still remained poor.

o       The huge and growing budget deficits reflected economic instability

§         Stock market crash of 1987, where prices dropped even lower than that of “Black Tuesday” in 1929.

·        Recession of 1990-1992

o       Caused by an amalgamation of extravagant military spending and uncontrolled growth of programs such as Medicare and Medicaid

o       The huge increase in national debt eroded business confidence, affecting the economy as a whole.

o       The American workforce declined as millions were laid off during this period, substantially increasing the unemployment rate again.

            o       State governments resorted to massive spending cuts in order to balance their budget.

 ·      Economic recovery began in mid 1992, the unemployment rate dropped and the federal deficit was reduced

     within the next three years.

 

Demographic And Regional Change

 

  Urban and Suburban Shifts     

  ·        By 1990, the presence of minorities such as Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians increased.

 ·        Cities grew poorer as the poorest of minorities occupied them, while the more affluent whites moved to the suburbs.

o       Note the same pattern of inhabitance as shown in the early 20^th century: the rich live in suburbs while the less fortunate live in cities as shown in cities.

 

Western Development

·        The population moved west as urbanization occurred.

o       The western metropolis became a characteristic of the twentieth century.

o       Motel invented as result of move west, making automobile travel easier.

             o       Tourism became a major industry along with the motion picture industry based in Los Angeles.

·        Western development ended thoughts of the West as a recently tamed new frontier, to a region comparable in  technological advancement as the East.  Although some areas are still impoverished, the  U.S. is now almost homogeneous in its technological state.

 

The New Pilgrims

·        The number of immigrants significantly grew in the past 30 years, occupying one fifth of the U.S. population.

·        Immigration Act of 1965 spurred an influx in immigration.

o       Brought Asian and Latin American immigrants as well as Cuban and Vietnamese refugees.

o       U.S. seen as safe ground for those from other countries.

·        Illegal immigration became a pressing issue.

·        Congress passed Immigration Reform and Control Act in 1986 in an attempt to limit the influx of illegal immigration while also offering amnesty to those that have resided in the U.S. since 1982.

·        Immigration Act of 1990 refined admission of immigrants into the U.S. and administrative procedures for naturalization.

o       Raised immigration quotas by 40 percent.

o       Allotted a certain number of visas for immigrants, recognizing the past contributions of them

o       As, well this act provided swift deportation of aliens who had committed crimes in the U.S.

·        Asian immigrants were labeled as the “Model Minority” and “America’s Super Minority” due to their success in the U.S.

·        In the 1970s and 1980s, America’s efforts to help immigrants coincided with social assistance programs of the liberal welfare state.

o       Affirmative action programs provided aid to both legal and illegal aliens and bilingualism along with multiculturalism became more common with the new wave of immigration.

·        Anti-immigration feelings echoed as the structure of the economy changed and good jobs became less scarce.

o       Proposition 187 required teachers and clinic doctors to deny assistance to illegal aliens and to report them to police.

·        Immigration itself has made the U.S. a diverse nation with various ethnic backgrounds; however, despite attempts for its prevention, illegal immigration is still remains as big of a problem today as it was then.  Millions of dollars have been allotted to the legislation that was passed the previous year for the construction of a “Super Wall” in order to protect the border.  As well, many illegal immigrants misuse government aid which directly comes out of the taxpayers’ pockets.    

Growing Up

·         In 1981, the rate decreased from 24 to 16 births per 1,000 people in a 20-year period

·         The Labor Department estimated that in the late 1970s, only 7% of families matched the stereotypical pattern of a breadwinning dad, homemaker mom, and two children.

·         Divorces became very popular in 1980 with nearly 1.2 million granted divorces

o        Ronald Regan was the first divorced person to be elected president

·         This sparked a path to a new lifestyle that we all are accustomed to today.  In the 70’s and 80’s, people just started getting used to divorced families; however, today we as a society are very used to this.

·         Single-parent families, particularly those headed by women, became common

o        By 1990, 25% of children lived in a house headed by either one woman or one man

·         During tough times, new children created problems for both man and woman

o        Man:  An extra mouth to feed made a difference to a family on the fringe

o        Woman:  Required women to consider the relationship between family and career 

·         Rising death rate among young, especially those between 15-24, was disturbing

·         AIDS was discovered in 1981 and complicated the process of growing up

o        AIDS became the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 25 and 44

o        U.S. surgeon general mailed a brochure “Understanding AIDS,” to every house              

·         The epidemic of AIDS has led to thousands, if not millions of deaths around the world and is still a huge threat to society today.  Is it a threat to all of society, truly?  Isn't it rather a threat to certain specific high-risk life-styles?

Growing Old

• Between 1900 and 1980, the population of the country tripled
  • The number of people over 65 rose eightfold and continued to rise
• The life expectancy changed from 47-74 due to the advance in medical care.
• This advance in medicine allowed a lot of middle and lower class adults to live longer.  As well, simple sicknesses that were originally not easily cured were now cured easily.
• Elderly wanted to continue work making less jobs available for younger people
• As more Americans retired, the government could not generate the money needed to pay without the assistance from the general government feud.
• Alzheimer’s disease was increasingly suffered by Americans due to old age
  • Ronald Reagan suffered from this incurable disease in 1995
• Americans faced difficult decisions about how to care for older parents
• Retirement villages and nursing homes provided opportunities of places to live for the elderly, but the decision to place a parent under institutional care was severe
• As the life expectancy rose, so did the budgets of families around the world.  Paying for the elderly to live in a safe environment was not easy on most middle-class and lower-class families.

Growing Poor

• Despite the increase of wealth by already rich Americans, many people were growing poorer

o        32 million people had an income lower than $13,000 for a family of four

o        One of every three working Americans experienced this poverty

o        The net worth of a white household was 12 times greater than that of a black’s

·         During the 1980s, the number of homeless people quadrupled

·         There were many reasons why people became homeless

o        People fell pray to drugs or alcohol

o        Some started in life in disturbed families or had learning disabilities

·         Throughout the years, the difference between the wealthy and the poor increased dramatically.  This played a great effect on society.

·         With the growing disparity in wealth, racism increased during the 90’s  

o        With several incidents occurring, people believed that people of color could not obtain equal justice under law  

 

The United States in a Changed World

 

·         As the United States triumphed in the end of the Cold War, and international changes occurred

o        Communism in the Soviet Union collapsed and democracy/capitalism was adopted

o        The Middle east and Africa, underwent large governmental changes 

·         The United States now had to examine its role in the world

·         The United States now had to answer questions such as how involved it would become in peacekeeping missions in troubled lands.  This question still exists today as many people in the United States question President Bush for sending troops to Iraq in order to maintain world peace.

 Triumph in the Cold War 

·         Reagan takes power, asserts U.S. interests far more aggressively then had Carter

o        Took a large defense budgets and a militaristic approach toward the Soviets 

·         Regan’s first term:  promoted an increased atomic arsenal

·         Regan’s second term:  softened his belligerent stance

o        Reagan began resolving conflicts between the US and the Soviets with Mikhail Gorbachev, the new Soviet leader

o        In 1987, The two heads of state developed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

§         Provided withdrawal and destruction of 2500 Soviet and American nuclear missiles in Europe

·         George Bush maintained steady relationship

o        The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in 1991

§         Dramatically decreased the stockpiles of long-range weapons

·         In early 1992, Bush and Yeltsin proclaimed a new era of “friendship and partnership”

o        Formally declared an end to the world

·         As time went on Communist regimes throughout Europe collapsed

o        Many Communist satellites broke loose and rejected communism

o        Germans tore down Berlin wall in response to Gorbachev’s softening stance toward the West

·         Down with communism went the Berlin Wall.  Communism died in Europe and the idea of democracy became ideal to most Europeans.  However, ending communism came with a price.  As Americans gave weapons to Middle-Eastern countries such as Afghanistan, Americans paid the price later.  Recently, these weapons that we have lent to these countries have been used against us in the War on Terrorism.

 

 Steps Toward Peace in the Middle East 

·         Along with Europe, Americans were equally involved with events in the Middle East

·         After Saddam Hussein made his intentions of unifying Islamic nations known, the United States and other nations invaded Iraq in Operation Desert

o        The United States and the other nations performed a 28-nation coalition

§         Iraqis were overwhelmed by the coalition forces

·         Bush’s unwillingness to become bogged down in an Iraqi civil war left conflict unfinished

·         This is really funny, because his son, President George Bush, has different ideas and is very willing to become bogged down in an Iraqi civil war.  However, Bush leaving Iraq while Hussein continued to harm his people made Operation Desert seem to be a waste.

·         After the US left, Hussein regained all of his power

·         Clinton, the newly elected president, tried to play peacemaker and brought former foes Yitzhak Rabin (the Israeli prime minister) and Yasir Arafat (the Palestinian leader) together to make amends in wishes to make peace.

·         In 1995, Israel and the PLO signed an agreement

o        Israelis handed over control of the West Bank of the Jordan River

·         However, violence continued to occur along with the assassination of Israeli prime minister Rabin 

Turbulence in Latin America 

·         The United States intervened frequently in Latin American fairs in an effort to stabilize this unstable region.

·         However as fighting continued, U.S. officials despaired of finding a solution

·         Regan authorized the CIA to arm and train counterrevolutionaries in Nicaragua

o        Known as contras

·         Peaceful elections in early 1990 drove the Sandinistas out and brought fighting in Nicaragua to an end

·         After success in the Cold War, Latin American countries experienced successful stabilization efforts.  Salvador and Nicaragua seemed to emerge from the turbulence and Haiti let go of their military dictatorship.  Peace seemed to be coming for Latin American countries.

Upheaval in Africa 

·         The United States wanted to settle relationships in a very volatile Africa.

·         In South Africa, Nelson Mandela, a black activist who had been imprisoned for 27 years for his resistance, worked with the United States

o        1994, in which blacks voted for the first time, was when Mandela was elected president

o        America provided aid to re-build

·         However, there were more struggles in places such as Somalia, Rwanda, and other regions in Africa

o        This caused the U.S. to use military strength to stabilize the regions. 

·         It is very evident that the United States became a huge participant in world affairs in order to establish peace.  All over the country Americans sent troops to send a message.  As well, America’s reputation of being a world power became evident throughout this chapter.

 

 

 

-Identification-

 (Supposed to be three lists:  IDs, Vocab, Geography)

 

ü     Conservatives- the group in America that does not want much change and does not believe in a strong government

ü      Jesse Helms- the Senator of North Carolina and a strong believer in a limited government

ü      Reverend Jerry Falwell and Father Charles E. Coughlin- religious leaders during the 1980’s who used the television and radio to strengthen the religious values of large audiences in the community.

ü      Ronald Reagan- the Republican President during 1980-1988 and he believed in lowering the governmental involvement in the country.

ü      Jimmy Carter- the presidential candidate who lost against Reagan in 1980

ü      Walter Mondale- Democratic presidential candidate who lost to Reagan in 1984

ü      George Bush- Republican president during 1988-1992 and believed in Reagan’s ideas although at first called his economic plans “Voodoo Politics”

ü      Michael Dukakis- governor of Massachusetts and Democratic presidential candidate who lost to George Bush in 1988

ü      Voodoo Economics and Reaganomics- Reagan’s plan to reduce to taxes in order to increase business expansion which would lead to a greater supply of goods.

ü      Robert Dole- Republican Majority leader of the Senate during 1992 and presidential candidate in the 1996 election

ü      Newt Gingrich- outspoken Republican congressman from Georgia who was elected new Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1992

ü      Bill Clinton- governor of Arkansas and Democratic president during 1992-2000 who passed the crime bill and was a strong believer in trying to fix the health care system in the United States

ü      H. Ross Perot- a billionaire congressman from Texas who was the third person to run for president during the 1992 election besides Bill Clinton, and George Bush

ü      Freeman vs. Pitt- Supreme Court case that granted relief from desegregation to a suburban Atlanta school on the grounds that it was not possible to counteract demographic shifts.

ü      Sandra Day O’Connor- first women Supreme Court justice appointed in 1984 by Ronald Reagan

ü      Geraldine Ferraro- a Democratic member of Congress who became the first women vice presidential candidate for a major party

ü      Webster vs. Reproductive Health Services- allowed women to maintain the right to abortion, but allowed state legislatures to add on limitations

ü      Henry Cisneros, Federico Pena, Governor Toney Anaya, and Lauro Cavazos- Latino Americans who made political gains during the early 1990’s

ü      Dale Old Horn, Choctaws, Ben Nighthorse Campbell- Native Americans who made gains in America during the early 1990’s

ü      Al Gore- Clinton’s vice president and a dedicated environmentalist

ü      Bruce Rabbit- Clinton’s Secretary of Interior who gained environmental support during his tenure as governor of Arizona.  

ü      Recession: a period of an economic contraction  

ü      Immigration Act  of 1965-part of Johnson’s Great Society Program; authorized more open and impartial acceptance of immigrants from all different countries, leading to a large increase in immigration 

ü      Attorney General William French Smith-Lawyer and 74th Attorney General, Republican

ü      Gross National Product (GNP)- the total monetary value of all final goods and services produced in a country during one year

ü      Gross Private Domestic Investment- the measure of investment used to compute GDP

ü      Milton Friedman- A University of Chicago professor who promoted the free play of market forces and a sharp restriction of government activism in regulating the economy.

ü      Christian Coalition-group that financially supported candidates who were solid on conservative values such as reinstating school prayer, defeating the Equal Rights Amendment, and ending legalized abortion.

ü      “Sound Bites”-15 to 30 seconds of recording in which a politician would state their view on a topic to the people

ü      “Spin Doctors”- individuals who had the responsibility of putting the best possible “spin” on a negative statement by a politician

ü      Richard Viguerie-was the New Right Mastermind on how to tap into the conservative population for political and financial ends, developed a direct-mail appeals that assisted conservative candidates around the country

ü      Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Enterprise Institute-released books, articles, and reports that helped elect Ronald Reagan to the Presidency as well as other conservatives

ü      “Teflon” Presidency-nickname of Reagan’s presidency because criticisms and disagreements never hurt his approval ratings

ü      New Federalism-instituted by Reagan, hoped to shift responsibilities from the Federal government to the State and Local governments

ü      North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)-Aimed at promoting free trade between Canada, Mexico, and the United States

ü      Planned Parenthood vs. Casey-Supreme Court Case Planned Parenthood vs. Casey reaffirmed what was previously ruled but made it more difficult to obtain an abortion

ü      Pequots- Indian tribe in Connecticut that built a casino, which soon turned into the highest grossing casino in the nation

ü      Leonard Chapman-commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service 

ü      Mikhail Gorbachev-Leader of Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991 when he and Ronald Reagan took down the union.

ü      Boris Yeltsin-Russian president at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union

ü      Operation Desert Storm: Mission in Iraq to take down the plots of Saddam Hussein

ü      Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (1987)-Took 2500 nuclear missiles in Europe

ü      The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (1991)-Limited the number of nuclear weapons in possession of a country

ü      Nelson Mandela-South African who worked to get a government with equality in voting and representation 

ü      Saddam Hussein-Iraqi ruler who planned on unifying all Islamic nations

ü      Yasir Arafat-Palestinian leader

ü      Yitzhak Rabin-Israeli prime minister 

Geographical Places:

ü      Arizona

ü      Chicago

ü      Detroit

ü      El Paso, Texas

ü      Groton, Connecticut

ü      Houston, Texas

ü      Los Angeles, California

ü      Louisiana

ü      Louisville, Kentucky

ü      Miami, Florida

ü      New York

ü      Oklahoma

ü      Phoenix, Arizona

ü      San Francisco, California

ü      Texas

ü      Washington

 

 

Solid work. 91/A-

 

However, I'd like to see some links put into the text though - why not make use of the technology available, and point your readers toward other resources?  Also, though it probably sounds "ultra-picky"...there is a "presentation issue" your group ought to pay more attention to:  punctuation - and consistency of use.  Some sentences and phrases end with "."; some just end with the last word and no punctuation. (Edit!)

 

Also, while your commentary is thoughtful, there are places where you have not thought through your claims!  (See my comments, above.)  Additionally, you should have LESS outline - you do NOT need to refer to everything and, in fact, were supposed to focus on the most important items!  LESS is MORE.

 

Finally, while I believe you do have all the required material, at first glance it seems that you did not include a "Vocab" list.  Don't mix lists!