TSWU:
– What does it mean to be conservative or
liberal? What were the conservative and
liberal perspectives on Ronald Reagan’s
policies?
Ronald
Reagan
The Rise of the
Modern
Conservative
Movement
Ronald Reagan
•
•
•
•
Born in Illinois, 1911
Active in college.
Lifeguard, Radio Announcer
Went to California to launch an
acting career during the Great
Depression
• Became increasingly
conservative in face of radical
socialists and communists in
the movie industry
• Switched from Democratic to
Republican Party in the late
50s/early 60s
The 1980
Election
The Last Days of the Campaign
• Up until October 28, 1980 Carter
lead in all major nation-wide polls
• The incumbent usually wins reelection…
– Why?
– Give examples.
• The two candidates square off in
a televised debate…
– “Ask yourself this question… ‘Am I
better off now, than I was four years
ago?’ If the answer is ‘No’, then vote
Republican on November 2.”
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=loBe0W
Xtts8
Election of 1980
The 1980 “Revolution”
Reagan’s First Days in Office
• Reagan’s early success
based off of Carter’s
perceived simple
mishandling of major
challenges
• Combined with
Reagan’s ability to
communicate as “The
Great Communicator”
• Centered around a few
simple well-articulated
ideas
The New Conservative&
The New “Right”
• The NEW RIGHT
– Conservative Evangelical Christians
– Called Moral Majority
• To restore Christian Values in America
– Southern Democrats
• Its Central Ideas Were:
– Reduction of Social Programs
– Reduction in Size and Scope of government
– Patriotic focus
– “Reagan Democrats”
– Favored return of US military prominence
“Government is not the answer to our problems,
GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM!”
Supply-Side Economics a.k.a
“Reaganomics”
• Cut taxes to put more money
into the hands of businesses
• Cut taxes on the wealthiest
Americans
• Lower taxes = more
investment in the “supply
side” of the economy
• Would:
– promote and create new jobs
– encourage capital investment,
and
– lead to stimulated industrial
growth
Cutting Government Regulation “Deregulation”
• Energy,
Transportation
and Banking
Industries
• Challenged Air
Traffic Controllers
in 1981 - Fired
those who
refused to go
back to work after
a strike.
New Federalism
(Reagan-style)
• Limiting government
– Eliminated public service
jobs,
– reduced unemployment
compensation,
– lowered welfare benefits,
– raised fees for Medicare
patients
• Federal domestic spending
still grew for a couple of
years
Reagan: Economic
Recession, and Recovery
• 1981-1982 Recession
• Inflation slowed, consumer spending
increased
• Stock market grew
• Federal deficit grew even as domestic
spending decreased
• National debt = $909 billion in 1980 --$3.2 trillion in 1990
Reagan’s
Military Buildup
“Peace Through
Strength”
• Sharp increase in military
spending
• New weapons and new
technology
• The only way to defeat the
USSR was to have more
weapons than they did
• Strategic Defense Initiative
(SDI) = better known as
“Star Wars”
Election of 1984
Patriotic Renewal
• “It’s Morning in America, Again”
• 59% of popular vote
• Second largest electoral victory
in history
• 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles
• Communist-bloc countries
boycotted
• 1986 - 100th anniversary of
Statue of Liberty
• 1987 - 200th anniversary of
the Constitution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fyI671ePfE
Soviet Relations
Called Soviet Union the “evil empire”
• Reagan succeeded in
breaking down
barriers between the
U.S. and the Soviet
Union
• Policies helped bring
an end to tensions in
the cold war.
• “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
Brandenburg Speech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtYdjbpBk6A
Other issues 1984-1988
• AIDS Awareness
• Women’s Movement stalled
(ERA failed in 1982)
• Supreme Court
conservatives
– Sandra Day O’Connor
– Anthony Kennedy
– Antonin Scalia
– Chief Justice William
Rehnquist
More issues: 1984-1988
• Farm Crisis - foreclosures
• Manufacturing shift - from
metal and textiles (overseas
= outsourcing due to labor
costs)
• Service sectors continued to
grow
• Wealthiest Americans
flourished in the 1980s
• Jan 28, 1986 - Space
Shuttle Challenger exploded
shortly after take off
Scandal
• S & L Crisis
• Savings and Loan
institutions deregulated
and some corrupt
individuals used this to
make huge personal
fortunes
• S & L’s collapsed in late
1980s
• $2.6 billion in savings
lost
• Iran Contra Scandal
• Selling arms (to Iran) for
the release of hostages
to support Nicaraguan
Contras
• Covered up
• Reagan admitted
covering up
• No long term impact
• “Teflon” president.
Reagan
Conservative Hero, or Undercover Liberal?
This is a two day activity;
Day 1:
1) Go to the following website
http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/other/conservative-vs-liberal-beliefs/
2) Create a matrix choosing 5 of the 9 items:
Gun Control
Immigration
Healthcare
Death Penalty
Taxes
Gay Marriage
Welfare
War on Terror
Education
3) Decide if you are CONSERVATIVE or LIBERAL!
Topic
Conservative
Liberal
Reagan
Conservative Hero, or Undercover Liberal?
Day 2
1) Create a “HERO” OR “WANTED”
poster criticizing OR celebrating
Reagan’s term in office.
2) Using the powerpoint, two-faced
handout, and examples, make your
own posters
3) This is due at the end of class today!