Conservatism
Rise of the Conservatives
1980s
Liberal vs. Conservative
Liberal

Liberalism is a belief that government
has a responsibility to actively solve
society’s problems.
Conservative

A Conservative generally believes that
individuals should be given more
responsibility to make choices in the area
of economics and society’s problems
Why Conservatism?
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Backlash against entitlements and
Affirmative Action (reverse
discrimination?)
Opposition to big government programs
Outrage at hippie lifestyle
Desire for security (Increase defense,
limit immigration)
“Well, they look pretty undocumented to me.”
Goals of Conservatives

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Shrink the federal government
Reduce spending
Promote traditional morality and values
Strengthen national defense
Stimulating business by reducing
government regulations and lowering
corporate taxes
Conservative Support

Coalition: business leaders, frustrated
middle-class voters, fundamentalist
Christian groups

Elected Ronald Reagan 1980
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He was an actor, simplified things, very
comfortable in front of people
1980 Presidential commercials
Supply-side Economics
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Decrease taxes and reduce spending
Tax cuts would increase private
investments and stimulate the
economy
Largest tax cuts to the highest
incomes
Deregulation

Reduce the size and spending of the
federal government by cutting back on
the regulation of industry

Eliminated safety inspections on
nursing homes, deregulated the
airlines and Savings & Loan
Reduction in Social Welfare Programs

Cut mass transit, food stamps, welfare
benefits, job training, Medicaid, school
lunches, and student loans (Cut
domestic spending by over $40 billion)
War on Drugs
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Random drug testing at gov’t workplaces
Cut off college loans and public housing to
drug offenders
Anti-drug education in schools “Just say
NO”
Called drugs “our gravest domestic threat”
Long sentences for drug offenders, death
penalty for dealers, emphasis on stopping
entry at borders
War on Drugs Song
Civil Rights under Reagan

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End to Affirmative Action; saw as
reverse discrimination
Opposed abortion and ERA
Increased Defense Spending

SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars).
Keep US safe from enemy missiles.
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Still Developing - 2013
National debt went from $900 billion to $4
trillion; interest payments on debt accounted
for 21% of budget (more than budget for
education, health, environment, agriculture,
transportation, space, science, and
technology combined!)