The Conservative Ascendancy

Cynicism and Optimism in Post-Watergate America

I. Nixon’s Legacy

A. New Federalism : Give states more control over the use of federal aid

• - Nixon wanted to scale back New Deal and Great Society programs

B. “Southern Strategy” – wooed southern voters away from Democratic party

C. Détente: an ease or a relaxation in tensions between the U.S. and USSR (arms limitation, relative security, etc.)

D. Watergate – Cynicism and Distrust toward government; new campaign finance regulations

II. Ford Presidency

• Nixon’s Pardon- “end the national nightmare”?
• Others Jailed
• Public distrust of

government

B. Amnesty Plan

1. Ford pardons “draft dodgers” for 2 years’ public work

C. INFLATION: OPEC Oil Embargo 1973

• Reason: for our support of Israel
• Prices of gas and oil doubled
• Rationing of gas and federal incentives help ease shortages
• Inflation topped 10% - worst recession since WWII
• Stagflation – high unemployment coupled w/ high inflation.

III. Presidency of Jimmy Carter

• From Plains, Georgia
• Peanut Farmer
• Baptist upbringing
• “Competent and compassionate Government”
• Governor of Georgia
• Washington “outsider”

B. Carter’s Achievements

• Helsinki Accords: human rights
• Camp David Accords, 1977: Peace treaty b/w Israel and Egypt
• Panama Canal Treaties, 1977: turn canal over to Panama

C. Carter’s Failures

Iranian Hostage Crisis

1. Revolution led by Islamic Fundamentalist toppled pro-American Shah Reza Pahlavi.

2. Shah receives cancer treatment in U.S.

3. Revolutionaries take U.S. embassy hostage for 444 days

• Boycott of 1980 Olympics: USSR invades Afghanistan
• Economic Crisis: Stagflation
• High inflation, slow economic growth, rising unemployment
• Continued Energy Problems: OPEC boycott

Nuclear Accident: 3 Mile Island

IV. President Ronald Reagan

“Government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem.”

A. Reagan’s Domestic Policies

Reaganomics: Supply-side, Trickle-down Economics

• Cut taxes of wealthy
• Reinvest in business

- Deregulation

B. Balanced Budget?

• Reduced social welfare programs

- Cut welfare, Medicaid, etc.

• Cuts to EPA
• Increased spending on defense & military:
• “STAR WARS” (SDI)
• Result: National Debt Rises

C. Farm Aid

• World Wide Recession
• Gov’t provides subsidies to help farmers
• Deficit grows

D. Immigration

- Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986) - Forbade employers from hiring illegal immigrants, but offered amnesty for many illegal immigrants

Reagan’s Foreign Policy

• Questioning Détente?

B. Central America (Reagan Doctrine)

1. El Salvador: Sent $ and advisers help back anti-communist forces

2. Nicaragua – U.S. supports Contras fighting Cuban backed Sandinistas (unknown to Congress)

a. Congress cuts off aid

C. Covert CIA actions support pro-U.S. governments and fight left-leaning gov’ts

C. Middle East

• Rise of terrorism in 1980’s to promote political and Islamist (fundamentalist) causes
• Lebanon: 1983 U.S. marines killed by bomb laden truck into their barracks

Reagan’s Second Term 1985-1989

• Economics

1. Uneven distribution of wealth

2. Tax cuts for 60% of Americans

3. Favor the Rich

4. Cut federal programs

B. Iran Contra Affair

• Sold weapons to Iran in exchange for Iranian help to release hostages in Lebanon
• $ from sale given to Contras to fight leftist Sandinistas in Nicaragua
• Congressional committee cleared Reagan
• Col. Oliver North and CIA operatives found guilty

C. Glasnost and Perestroika

• Tough stand against communism and increased defense measures forced Soviets to raise its on military spending
• “Mr. Gorbochev, tear down this wall!”
• Gorbochev pursued policies of Glasnost and Perestroika to encourage political and economic reform in Soviet Union.

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D. Apartheid in South Africa

1. Strict economic sanctions until apartheid ended.

E. Rise of the Christian Right

• Individuals like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, along with groups such as Moral Majority, push Republicans to pander to Christian fundamentalists, who became an important and essential conservative constituency.

Trends in Government 1960-1980

• Welfare:

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• Cold War:

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• Size of Government:

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• Tax Burden:

President Ronald Reagan 1981-1989

• Limit Welfare programs: stress self-reliance
• Confrontation with communism to end Cold War
• Reduce government size and power
• Reduce tax burden for the wealthy by cutting taxes

“A Conservative Revolution?”

George H. W. Bush (1989-1993)

Foreign Policy

• Collapse of Soviet Union & End of Cold War
• Fall of Berlin Wall
• Invasion of Panama and ouster of Manuel Noriega
• Persian Gulf War
• Iraq invaded Kuwait
• Operation Desert Shield/Storm – bombing campaign against Iraq, followed by ground troops in Kuwait to defeat Saddam Hussein.

Domestic Issues

• Americans with Disabilities Act – outlaws discrimination against people with disabilities and requires reasonable accommodations be made for them.
• Economic slump
• Forced to raise taxes, violating a campaign slogan (“Read my lips: no new taxes.”)

Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

• “New Democrat” – More moderate
• Failed health care overhaul
• Oversaw period of economic growth and tech innovation
• Midterm Elections - Conservative Backlash, “New Right” – cut taxes, scale back welfare
• Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America”
• Balance Budget and Surplus
• Terrorism - Oklahoma City, WTC, ’96 Olympics, USS Cole
• Foreign Policy - Somalia; Genocide in Rwanda; Bosnia & Kosovo (Ethnic Cleansing); Nuclear proliferation
• Globalization – NAFTA; WTO protests
• Impeachment - affair, perjury, and acquittal; Partisanship intensifies

George W. Bush (2001-2009)

• 2000 Election – closest since 1876; recount in Florida halted by Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore
• Bush Tax Cuts – cuts across all income levels, but benefitted wealthiest and contributed to budget deficits
• No Child Left Behind – education reform, testing
• 9/11 – Al Qaeda – radical Islamic fundamentalists
• War on Terror; War in Afghanistan; War in Iraq
• Patriot Act – gave gov’t brad surveillance powers; limited civil liberties. Dept. of Homeland Security
• The Great Recession – worst since Great Depression; housing bubble burst; credit & financial sector crisis; Wall Street bailouts (TARP stimulus)

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Barack Obama (2009- )

• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - $787 Billion economic stimulus during Great Recession – tax cuts, $ for construction, education, etc.
• Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) – Extended healthcare through combination of subsidies, mandates, and insurance exchanges. Opposed by conservatives.
• Rise of Tea Party – Right-wing activists (conservatives and libertarians) supporting limited government, low taxes, and socially conservative causes (gun rights, “family values,” etc.)
• Foreign Policy – drone warfare; drawing down wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; killing Osama bin Laden; Arab Spring; ISIS.

Contemporary Issues

• Graying of America
• Budget Deficits and National Debt
• Immigration reform
• Gay rights and same-sex marriage
• Campaign finance
• Gun Violence
• Climate Change
• Health Care

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• Income/Wealth Gap
• Partisanship 🡪 Gridlock
• Tech boom
• Privacy/Surveillance
• Sunbelt Migration
• Racism
• “Culture Wars”
• Entitlement reform
• Social Security, Medicare