U.S. History 3
Chapter 24-1
“Into a New Century: 1992Today”
The Computer and
Technology Revolutions
Technology Changes American Life
1900’s: Wright Brothers invented the
Airplane
1950’s: Television became
“mainstream”
1969: Neil Armstrong walked on the
Moon
*1940’s, 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s:
Computer Technology is developed
Developing the Modern Computer
1946: U.S. military developed the first “modern”
computer
-It was as large as a basement and calculated
artillery locations and atomic bomb informationbasically, it was a giant calculator
After WWII: Private companies worked to shrink
the size of the computer and make it “practical”
1954: International Business Machines (IBM)
developed first commercial computer
Microchip- used silicon circuits to run complex
operations –”Silicon Valley” was born
Personal Computers- small computers equipped
with microchips that could be sold commercially
Transforming Business and
Industry
At first, personal computers were
expensive and hard to use
Apple: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak
developed the first “user friendly” PC
(APPLE II) in a garage
*Apple also developed the technology for
condensing complicated codes into “icons”
and a navigation tool called “the mouse”
Microsoft: Bill Gates developed the
technology for the “Microprocessor” that
allowed PCs to get smaller, faster, and
easier to use
ARPANET
ARPANET: was created by the military, so
different offices could communicate with
one another on a “network” (Computers
connected to one another and able to
communicate)
*this technology became the foundation of
the Internet (World Wide Web)
Amazon.com- revolutionized buying and
selling products by computer (then came
Craig’s List…etc)
Social Networking Sites- allow users to
communicate conveniently with one
another from any where in the world at a
relatively cheap price (MySpace,
Facebook)
Revolutions in Science and
Agriculture
Biotechnology- use of living organisms in the
making of new products
Medicine: Drugs, Artificial Hearts, Organ
Transplants…etc
*Lasers now used for surgery (remember “Star
Wars”)
Human Genome Project- plan to map ALL
human DNA: thought is that genetic diseases
(sickle cell) could be isolated and “cured”- some
feel information could be used as a “weapon”
(biological warfare)
Agricultural Technology- better machines,
irrigation, biologically “modified” foods- stay
fresh longer…etc.
1900: 50% of Americans worked on farms
2000: 2% did
A Communications’ Revolution
“Information Age” – Name given to the
1990’s and 2000’s.
Computers
Cell Phones
Internet
*Allowed people access to enormous
amounts of information
*Allowed people to get news from sources
other than the major networks- for good
or bad
Satellite Technology
Satellites- mechanical devices that
orbit the earth and are able to send
and receive information
1970’s: Ted Turner- 1980: Turner
used Satellite technology to form a
24-hour program called “Cable News
Network” (CNN)
A Changing American Economy
*Technology caused the “service industry”
to grow rapidly- Today 75% of U.S. Jobs
are in the “Service Industry” (Nurse,
Teachers…etc)
Globalization- process by which national
economies, politics, cultures, and societies
become integrated with those of other
nations around the world
Multi-national Corporations- Companies
that have their headquarters in one nation
but factories or stores in another (ALDI)
Positive- price of goods tend to drop
Negative- U.S. jobs tend to get
“outsourced” to nations that have a “lower
standard of living” because people will
work for less
Computers Transform Workplaces
*Most U.S. jobs require some form of computer
training (Bankers, Stockbrokers, Programming
Engineers…even teachers; I am using one right
now!)
The Service Sector Expands- Lawyers,
Teachers, Doctors, Research Analysts,
Consultants, Police Officers, Professional Athletes,
Movie Stars, Sales People, Fast Food Employees
*these jobs make up the lowest and highest
paying in the country (depends on level of
“formal” education)
1948: Richard and Maurice McDonald- opened a
restaurant based on “quick/cheap” service
Walton Family- Sam Walton formed a department
chain based on efficiency and cheap prices
Wal-Mart
Organized Labor (Union) Declines
Rise in service economy and the shrinking
of manufacturing led to a dramatic
decrease in labor union membership
1945- 35% of U.S. workers were “union”.
2000- 14% of workers were “union”
2011- 11%: Wisconsin voted on a bill that
stripped public workers of their right to
“collectively bargain” contracts
*Unions are often scapegoated for rising
prices and “outsourcing” during recessions
*Globalization allows companies to exploit
foreign labor markets (many Chinese and
other Asian workers face conditions similar
to American industrial workers in the
1800’s)
Unions Decline
*Because Americans expect a higher standard of
living, companies ship jobs overseas and then
ship the finished product back into the country
without penalty (Nike: a Vietnamese worker will
make $1.60 to produce a pair of shoes the
company will sell for $100 at Foot Locker…to you)
After shipping costs are added: You will pay $100
for a pair of shoes that cost $5 to make and ship
*Would you be willing to make $1.60/day?
Without benefits? Why/Why Not?
So much for “cheaper” products for “cheaper”
labor
Average wages for American workers has
declined (When adjusted for inflation) while
business profits have skyrocketed
The “Wealth Gap” continues to grow
U.S. History 3
Chapter 24-2
“Into a New Century: 1992Today”
The Clinton Presidency
1992 Presidential Election
1991: George H.W.
Bush had an
approval rating of
91%
1991-1992: U.S.
entered an
economic recession
Saddam Hussein
remained in power
and defiant
Federal Deficit had
risen
Bush raised taxes:
1988: “Read my
lips, no new taxes”
Clinton Raises the Challenge
William Jefferson
Clinton- Governor
of Arkansas
“New Democrat”attempted to
“reconcile” liberal
and conservative
ideas- find middle
ground
*Government was
important but had
become too large
and inefficient
Winning the White House
George H.W. Bush- Republican
Bill Clinton- Democrat
H. Ross Perot- Billionaire who ran as an
independent and promised to run the
country “like a business”
Clinton identified with “average”
Americans because he was from a
“modest” background
*Clinton won 43% of the popular vote to
Bush’s 37%
Clinton’s Domestic Policies
Family Medical Leave Act- guaranteed
12 weeks of unpaid leave from work to
care for a newborn, recover from serious
illness, or care for an immediate family
member with one
Healthcare Reform Fails- Hillary Clinton
was appointed to a health care task force
*Americans did not want the
government to run the health care
system
Dealing With Violence
1992-1993; Violent
crime rate extremely
high
Brady Bill- Gun
control bill named
after James Brady
(Reagan aide who was
wounded and
paralyzed during the
Reagan assassination
attempt)
Bill called for waiting
period and
background checks
when purchasing
firearms
$30 Billion- Given to
police departments
around the country
Dealing With Violence
1995: Oklahoma City- Timothy McVeigh
bombed a federal building killing 168
people and injured over 800 (many of
them children)
*McVeigh was a Gulf War Veteran and had
become an Anti-Government Extremist
*McVeigh later said that he did it as
retaliation for “Waco” and was executed in
Terre Haute, Indiana
1999: Columbine High School- two
students killed 12 classmates in Littleton,
Colorado
Clinton Wins Re-Election
Clinton adopted some
“conservative” ideas
(Crime Bills)
1996: Economy,
driven by the “.com
boom” began to grow
at a rapid pace and
unemployment
dropped.
Clinton was also able
to balance the budget
and inflation dropped
Clinton defeated Bob
Dole (Republican) and
H. Ross Perot
Scandals, Impeachment, and Trial
Whitewater- Bill and Hillary were under
investigation for their role in a real estate
scandal while he was the Governor of
Arkansas
Janet Reno- Attorney General appointed
an “Independent Counsel” –established
after Watergate
1994: U.S. Court of Appeals (Enforcing
Congressional Law), Appointed Kenneth
Starr- to investigate Clinton
*Starr was not able to find evidence of
Clinton wrongdoing, but some of their
“associates” were convicted
Impeachment
During the Whitewater Investigation, Starr
uncovered a potential relationship
between Clinton and a White House Intern
named Monica Lewinsky
Clinton denied the affair while under
oath (Perjury) and later admitted to it
*1998: Starr recommended Clinton be
impeached for Perjury and Abuse of
Power (related to cover-up)
*No charges were ever brought in the
Whitewater Investigation
Impeachment
Impeachment- Process of putting a sitting
President on trial for “Treason, Bribery,
and High Crimes and Misdemeanors”
System of Checks and Balances
House of Representatives: decides if a
President should be “impeached”
Senate: Conducts the trial and votes on
guilt or innocence (66% Guilty Votes for
removal)
Supreme Court: Presides over legal
procedures to ensure that all rules are
followed
Impeachment
Most Americans were disgusted by
Clinton’s actions but did not think that
they rose to an “impeachable” offense
level
Clinton was acquitted on all counts on
February 12th, 1999
*During the trial, Clinton ordered a
bombing campaign of Serbia (Over “ethnic
cleansing” in Kosovo) and many critics
accused him of “waging the dog” a
reference to a movie starring Robert
DeNiro in which a politician starts a war
(in Hollywood) to distract people from his
scandals at home
U.S. History 3
Chapter 24-3
“Into a New Century: 1992Today”
Global Politics and Economics
Competing in the Global Economy
The Role of Free Trade“Globalization” the concept of “Free
Trade” (Commerce free of tariffs and
extensive government regulations)
“Catch 22” – Americans want “low
cost” goods (From China), but don’t
want to lose high paying jobs to
China
“Outsourcing” – Business practice of
shipping jobs overseas to cut
production costs (Technical Support
for Comcast to India…etc.)
“Globalization: Good or Bad?”
Republican Philosophy –
“Outsourcing” will lower
consumer prices
Dirty “industrial” jobs will
export our “pollution” to
other countries while we
replace it with a white
collar job that is “cleaner”
(Requires College)
*Philosophy will ONLY work
if business lowers prices
instead of keeping bigger
profits; also, Americans
need to increase their level
of education to do that
“higher paying” white
collar jobs
Democratic Philosophy
“Outsourcing” helps big
business make more
profits at the expense of
the middle class
Prices do not drop as much
as they should
Product quality suffers
because of lack of
regulations in other
nations (Lead paint in toys
from China)
Good paying jobs are “lost”
to China and replaced with
low paying jobs
Ex. Steel worker loses his
job at $75,000/year
Job is replaced by three
low level “service jobs” at
$23,000/year
Globalization: What is the artist’s personal feelings
about globalization?
Step 1: What
picture/images do you
see?-Literally
Step 2: What words
give “clues” to the
picture’s meaning
Step 3: Can you
connect the
images/words to any
events that you know?
Step 4: What is the
overall message of the
picture
Step 5: Answer the
Question
Global Trade “Blocs”
Trade Bloc- Trade partnerships formed
between multiple nations in a general
geographic area (For economic trade and
security)
European Union- formed in 1993 by
European nations
*Adopted a common currency (Euro) by
2000 (More valuable than U.S. Dollar)
North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA)- Mexico, United States, and
Canada-1992
*Final Provisions went into effect in 2008
*Many Industrial Jobs have been lost to
Mexico where people are willing to work
for less and the government is more
relaxed in environmental issues
Expanding Global Trade
General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT)- 1994: Attempted to lower
tariffs and open more “free trade”
World Trade Organization- 1995:
Replaced GATT
Settles trade disputes between nations
*Many fear that the WTO favors business
over environmental concerns and worker
rights
*Many fear that a recession/depression in
one nation would start a “chain reaction”
(2008 U.S. Housing Crash led to a
worldwide recession)
Americans on the Global Stage
Under Clinton, Americans tended to favor
financial aid to former Soviet Republics, but
frowned on any military intervention
1980s-1991 Somalia- Civil War had created a
widespread famine (lack on food)
1992- United Nations sent in a peacekeeping
force that also distributed food
1994- After an intense firefight in which many
international and American troops were killed,
the UN began to pull out of Somalia (Black Hawk
Down)
Haiti- 1994: After a military coup over threw the
President, the U.S. intervened to restore the
Democracy
Fighting Ethnic Cleansing in
Eastern Europe
Ethnic Cleansing- removal of specific
ethnic group from a region (through
murder and violence)
Balkans- Area of E. Europe, comprised of
many different ethnic groups, that were
once under Soviet control
Yugoslavia- (Catholic Croatians, Orthodox
Serbians, Albanians, Bosnian Muslims, and
Ethnic Albanians began to fight)
*Atrocities were committed on all sides
*World was slow to react and hundreds of
thousands of people were killed
Galvanizing (Uniting) NATO Forces
1995-Clinton convinced NATO to start bombing
Serbian held areas
Dayton Accords- Set up Bosnia as a “multinational” city
1998- Kosovo- Serbian President Slobodan
Milosevic – Carried out “ethnic cleansing” by
removing Ethnic Albanians from city
*Fighting spread to Macedonia and Albania
*This occurred during Clinton’s impeachment
hearings and many accused him of trying to
“distract” Americans
*NATO forced Serbia to withdraw and Milosevic
was arrested for “crimes against humanity”
*Russia immediately occupied Kosovo in fear that
the U.S.- I guess the Cold War is “gone but not
forgotten”
America and the Middle East
1990s- Fighting between Israel and the
Palestinians intensified
Trying for Peace in Israel- Oslo,
Norway
“Declaration of Principles” 1993
Palestinians get: Self control of Jericho
and the Gaza Strip
*West Bank and Jerusalem still in dispute
2000: Yasir Arafat- Palestinian Leader
Ehud Barak- Israeli Prime Minister
* Met at Camp David but could not agree
Dealing With Terrorism
1993: al Qaeda- Terrorist organization
(Muslim Extremists) led by Osama Bin
Laden (Saudi born; helped push the USSR
out of Afghanistan (With CIA Training);
offered Saudi Arabia help during Desert
Storm but was denied; became enemy of
U.S. when troops stayed in Saudi Arabia
after First Gulf War
Bomb exploded in basement of World
Trade Center (NYC); Six were killed
1998: Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania- U.S. Embassies Bombed (225
Killed)*Clinton fired rockets at bases in
the Sudan but did not invade
2000: Yemen- USS Cole is bombed; 17
American Sailors Killed
U.S. History 3
Chapter 24-4
“Into a New Century: 1992Today”
The George W. Bush
Presidency
An Election Controversy
2000 Presidential
Election
George W. BushRepublican
Governor of Texas
Al Gore- Democrat
and Clinton’s Vice
President
Ralph NaderGreen Party
A Tight Race
Gore received 500,000 more votes than
Bush in the “Popular Vote” But Bush won
the “Electoral College” by a 271-266
Margin (270 Needed to win)
Florida- 25 Electoral Votes were in dispute
Bush won Florida by 327 Popular Votes
*Democrats wanted a hand recount
*Republicans sued to stop recounts in
Miami-Dade County (High Minority
Populations that tend to vote Democrat)
*Ballot confusion caused many to
accidentally vote for wrong candidate
Bush v. Gore- Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in
favor of Bush and he was awarded all 25
Electoral Votes in Florida
Bush Launches an Ambitious
Bush inherited a budgetAgenda
surplus from Clinton
Bush cut taxes by 1.3
Trillion Dollars
Bush created a budget
deficit with tax cuts
No Child Left Behind- bipartisan (supported by both
major parties) bill aimed at
improving education
*Schools held accountable
by standardized tests
(ISTEP)
* Under law, failing schools
could be taken over by
government
*Information had to be
posted by school districts for
parents (test scores)
Medicare Reform- Medicare
extended to cover drug
prescriptions for Seniors
http://mustang.do
e.state.in.us/SEAR
CH/snapshot.cfm?s
chl=3809
The United States is Attacked
September 11th, 2001
Four commercial passenger planes were high
jacked by Islamic Terrorists (al Qaeda)
American Airline Flight #11- Hit the North Tower
of the World Trade Center at about 8:45am (EST)
(92 People On Plane)
United Airline Flight #175- Hit the South Tower of
the WTC at 9:03am (EST) (65 People On Plane)
American Airline Flight #77- Hit the Pentagon
(Washington D.C./Arlington, VA) at 9:40 am
(EST) (64 People On Plane)
United Airline Flight #93- Crashed into a field
near Shanksville, Pennsylvania at 10:07 am after
passengers attempt to “retake” the plane (44
People On Plane)
2,977 People (victims) were killed at the WTC
and 19 Highjackers were killed
America’s War on Terrorism
Afghanistan- Osama Bin Laden was being
protected by the Islamic Extremist Government
known as the Taliban
*Bush ordered the Taliban to turn over Bin
Laden-they refused
*Bush launched an invasion of Afghanistan (With
support of world)
Bush to the world: “You are either with us, or
against us”
*Tora Bora- U.S., British, and Afghan rebels trap
Bin Laden in a mountainous region on the
Pakistan border- Decision is made to let the
rebels lead the assault since they are more
familiar with area- Bin Laden Escaped and later
mentioned incident in video
*Bin Laden believed to be in Pakistan today
Improving National Security
Department of Homeland SecurityCabinet position set up by Bush to
handle “internal crisis” that threaten
national security
*DHS has prevented about 20
potential terrorist attacks in U.S.
since 2001
Patriot Act- Gave law enforcement
“broader” powers to monitor and
detect potential terrorists
Launching Operation Iraqi Freedom
1991-2003: Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein defied U.N.
Sanctions numerous times and Iraqi forces consistently
fired on U.S. aircraft patrolling the “No Fly” zone set up by
the U.N.
Saddam Hussein killed 187,000 Kurdish Civilians with
Chemical Weapons between 1986-1988
Post Gulf War: Hussein killed thousands of Kurds who had
rebelled after the Gulf War
Weapons of Mass Destruction- Nuclear, Biological, and
Chemical Weapons
*Bush thought that Hussein had been developing
WMD’s as late as 2001 (It was later proven that most
WMD’s were dismantled in the Mid/Late 1990’s)
March 19th, 2003- Bush launches an invasion of Iraq
(Operation Iraqi Freedom)
*Public support for war dropped when it was
discovered that there were no WMD’s in country
*Hussein’s government collapsed and he was
eventually captured, tried, and executed for “crimes
against humanity”
*President Obama has promised to end U.S.
Operations in Iraq by 2012-2013
Other Issues Faced by Bush
November of 2004; Bush narrowly defeated
Mass. Senator John Kerry in the Presidential
Election
August 2005: Hurricane Katrina: Gulf Coast
*Bush was criticized heavily for the government’s
slow response in aiding poor minority victims
*During a nationally televised fundraiser,
outspoken hip hop artist, Kanye West stated:
“George Bush doesn’t care about black people”
Bush’s approval rating began to fall
2008: The economy started to struggle and a
“banking crisis” threatened to throw the U.S. into
a deep recession or depression
Election of 2008
2006: Democrats won back control of the House
and Senate in Midterm Elections-Republicans
looked vulnerable
Barack Obama- African American (1/2 at
least) Illinois Senator who ran on idea of
“Change”
Joe Biden- Catholic Senator from Maryland
(Obama’s VP Candidate)
John McCain- Popular GOP Senator, Vietnam
War Veteran, Former POW, and Arizona
Senator who ran as a ”Maverick” (McCain
often broke with is party on votes)
Sarah Palin- Alaska Governor (McCain’s VP
Candidate)
November, 2008- Obama defeated McCain in
a landslide
January 20th, 2009- President Obama is Inaugurated
as the first black president of the United States (By
Chief Justice John Roberts; who is from LaPorte)
Banking Crisis
Causes:
Banks made “risky” (Sub-prime) loans for homes (0% Down)
Borrowers defaulted on loans when interest rates adjusted
Banks lost money and began to close
*Home values declined and Americans became trapped in “upside
down” mortgages (Owed more than “true” value of house)
Housing prices in “inflated” markets- (CA, NV, FL) began to crash
when supply of buyers declined
FL 1998- $100,000 House sold for $500,000 by 2007
*Overproduction of new homes put over 2,000,000 “unoccupied”
houses on the market
Predatory Lenders targeted poor, elderly, and minority owners and
pushed them into unsafe loans
American ignorance in understanding home equity, interest rates,
and loan terms
The Great Recession 2008-2009; Worst economic downturn
since the Great Depression (Unemployment grew to almost 12%)
*President Bush Proposed a plan to “inject” billions of
dollars into the economy to prevent a depression
*President Obama also supported plan
T.A.R.P. (Troubled Asset Relief Program)
– Gave taxpayer money (in the form of loans) to banks and
companies that asked
– *Many Americans did NOT support plan and began calling it a
“bail out”
Health Care Reform
President Obama passed a controversial Health
Care Reform Bill through Congress in 2009
*Bills ‘requires’ ALL citizens to purchase health
insurance in the hope of driving down costs
*Republicans argue that the bill gives the
government too much power
*Republicans also think the law is
“unconstitutional” because of the ‘requirement’ to
purchase health insurance
Mitch Daniels- Republican Governor who has
joined a class actio lawsuit to sue the Federal
Government and get the Health Care Bill
Repealed
Taxed Enough Already Party (TEA Party)- Party
(Of Conservatives) who fear the health care law
will increase taxes and take away personal
freedom) (Sarah Palin is seen as leader)
2010 Midterm Elections- The Tea Party had a
huge influence on the Republican Party as it took
back control of the House of Representatives
U.S. History 3
Chapter 24-5
“Into a New Century: 1992Today”
Americans Look to the Future
Immigrants Shape the Nation
Immigration Act of
1990- Increased
immigration quotas by
40%
Today; Immigrants
represent 10% of the
population (about
30,000,000)
By 2050, it is
estimated that:
49% = White
25% = Latino
20% = Black
5-10% = Asian
Latinos Exert Their Influence
2000: 27% of all immigrants were Mexican
17% from other Latin American nations (44% of
all immigrants are Latino)
1/3 of the populations of TX, CA, AZ, and NM are
Latino
*Between 10-20 Million Immigrants are
considered “illegal” (Aliens; Undocumented)
2010: Arizona- passed a controversial
immigration law that is very strict at trying to
stop the flood of illegal immigrants into the state
*Many critics say that the law is set allow police
to “racially profile” Latinos
*Supporters demand that the U.S. Government
enforce border security (Minutemen Project)
Eric Holder- Obama’s Attorney General; Has
filed a lawsuit against the State of Arizona in
regards to immigration law
A Surging Asian Population
2000: Asians make up 23% of
IMMIGRANT population
-China
-Philippines
-India
*
Debating
Immigration
Many immigrants DO NOT speak English
*Some states are pushing to make English the “official” language
Bilingual Education- Immigrants learn subjects in their native
language while learning English (Prevents students from “falling
behind)
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986- Attempted to
punish employers for hiring illegal workers
George Bush- Tried to pass a bill that would make it easier for
illegal immigrants to become citizen’s
* Most Americans do not support this Amnesty Bill because they
think it rewards people for “ignoring U.S. laws” and “cutting in
line”
*Even some Latinos and other immigrant groups point out that
they were expected to “assimilate” to enjoy American
opportunities
*It would be unfair to those that immigrated the right way if
people who violate the law are allowed to become citizens
*Anchor Baby Debate- Some immigrants have snuck into the U.S.
and have had children- Under the 14th Amendment, these
children are American citizens
*Some people feel that the 14th Amendment should be changed
to address this “loophole” in the immigration process
Changing American Demographics
The Changing Family- 1960: 70% of
households headed by a working father
2000- Only 15% (Dual earner families and
single parent homes are more common)
Divorce rate= 50%
1960 = 5% of Children born out of
wedlock
2000
White = 25% born to single mothers
Latino = 33%
African American = 50%
Debating Affirmative Action
Affirmative Action- giving preference to
minority and women applicants in
job/education process
Proponents- needed to “reverse”
generations of discrimination
Opponents- is a form of “reversed”
discrimination that hurts whites
(Especially poor whites)
U. of Texas – Ruled unconstitutional by
Federal Court
2003: U. Of Michigan – Race COULD be
one of SEVERAL factors in determining
admission
Expanding Rights for All
Women and Minorities have made dramatic
political gains since the 1960s and 1970s
2002- 33% of African American families made
over $50,000/year
2002 – 17% of African Americans held Bachelor’s
Degrees (20% is national average)
*There is still disparity; however, the “pay gap”
has decreased dramatically
Women have also earned incomes that are more
in line with men
*Women also have more “child care” benefits at
work
Violence Against Women Act- Federal
Government spent more on programs to arrest
and prosecute criminals who commit violent acts
against women
America Grows Older
1900: Life Expectancy < 50
2000: Life Expectancy 77
1960: $100,000,000 Spent on Welfare
2003: $1,400,000,000 (Simple math; people are living
longer and collecting longer)
Baby Boomers (Americans born between 1945-1965) are
entering retirement and starting to collect Social Security
(Life expectancy was mush shorter when SSA was passed
by Franklin Roosevelt
Possible solutions
Privatize Social Security- allow young workers to invest
some of their Social Security in individual retirement
accounts (Could have been a catastrophe in 2008 when the
stock market collapsed)
Raise the Retirement Age to 70- Many Baby Boomers do
not support this plan
* Baby Boomers are very politically active (They were the
youth of the ’60’s…remember?) and politicians fear losing
their jobs if they anger them
AARP (American Association of Retired People)- Fight
politically for elderly Americans
Facing the Future
One way or another, you will help write the next chapter of
this bookWhat will it say?
What will your children and grandchildren learn about your
generation’s contribution to America?
Will you be as proud of your contribution as the Civil Rights
and Baby Boomers are about theirs?
Will you be a part of America’s progress or a contributor to
its problems?
Throughout its history, the United States has risen to many
challenges it has faced.
It isn’t perfect, but it is a lot better at dealing with issues
than nations that have come before it.
The reason this has occurred is because it has taken people
from all parts of the world and given them a chance and
opportunity to be great
America’s most valuable resource, her people, have helped
a nation grow from an “agricultural experiment” into the
wealthiest, fairest, and most powerful nations in the world.
After your generation has had its chance to lead, will the
next generation be able to say the same thing?