Unit 10: Changing & Enduring Issues

• Element: SSUSH25.d

• Describe domestic and international events of Ronald Reagan's presidency including Reagonomics, the Iran-contra scandal and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

• Element: SSUSH25.e

• Explain the relationship between Congress and President Bill Clinton including the North American Free Trade Agreement and his impeachment and acquittal.

• Element: SSUSH25.f

• Analyze the 2000 presidential election and its outcome emphasizing the role of the electoral college.

• Element: SSUSH25.g

• Analyze the response of President George W. Bush to the attacks of September 11, 2001 on the United States, the war against terrorism, and the subsequent American interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Political Differences:Republicans/ Democrats/Conservatives Liberals

• Past presidents?

• Why might they be on the rise?

• Characteristics?

• Past presidents?

• Why might they be on the downfall?

• Characteristics?

Republicans Democrats

• Economy:• Limited gov’t

involvement to stimulate economic growth

• Reduce taxes

• Decrease regulation of industry

• Economy:• More gov’t

involvement to lessen extreme economic inequalities

• Social programs

• Gov’t regulation of industry

Republicans Democrats

• Foreign policy:• Favored relying

on our own national defense and actively fighting against communism in other countries

• Social:

• Foreign policy:• Favored international

diplomacy to combat communism in other countries

• Social:

The Late Cold War Era

SSUSH25.d Describe domestic and international events of Ronald Reagan's presidency including Reagonomics, the Iran-contra scandal and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Ronald Reagan, #401981-1989

• Ronald Reagan defeats Carter in 1980.• How?

• Ronald Reagan united economic and cultural conservatives to win the White House in 1980

• Other Republican helpers:• Anti-bussing• “Moral Majority” – Jerry Falwell• Sun Belt – population movement to the South

“Government was the problem, not the solution”

• Congress slashed support for the poor (food stamps, school lunches, & Medicaid)

• Biggest tax cut in the nation’s history (25% over three years)

• Major increase in military spending

Supply-Side Economics

•AKA: Reaganomics, trickle-down economics, voodoo economics

•If taxes are reduced, people will work more & have more $$ to spend, and the economy will grow!

•Wealthy got the most tax cuts.

Economic results were mixed…

• Inflation dropped sharply• People in poverty increased & unemployment

rate grew to over 10%• The economy did recover and unemployment

dropped; however, many of these jobs were low-paying with few fringe benefits

• The national debt soared with the combination of tax cuts and military increases

• Lots of legal immigration (7.3 million from L.A.) and some undocumented.

The U.S. in the 1980s:Society

• “Yuppies” or young urban professionals were concerned with their private lives rather than public issues.

• Upper-middle-class standard of living depended on both husband and wife holding full-time jobs

• Cocaine addiction; crime; and AIDS were a problem

• Campaigns were started against drunk driving and tobacco smoking

Reagan Re-Elected in 1984

• Economy was better.

• Attempted assassination in ‘81.

• Appointed 3 justices to the Supreme Court including the first woman, Sandra Day O’Connor.

Reagan and Foreign Policy • 1. Built up military:

• Peace should come through strength

• 2. Support the anti-communists • EX: supported Anit-Soviet rebels in Afghanistan and

Contras in Nicaragua; Grenada

• 3. Met with Gorbechov • Gorbechov wanted less gov’t controlled economy

• Reduced number of nuclear weapons in the world

Soviet Union Collapses: Cold War Ends • Reagan’s speech – 1089

• Berlin Wall came down• President Bush Sr. & Yeltsin

• Poland, Czechoslovakia & Hungary – democratic elections

• Soviet Union disintegrated into separate republics (ex: Russia)

• Communists fell from power• August 1991

Not all is well, especially in the Middle East…

The Iran Contra Affair

• Issues with Lebanon, Libya, & Iran.

• 1985 – US sold weapons to Iran & Iran promised to pressure terrorists in Lebanon to release USA hostages.• Not effective

• Went against our policy of negotiating with terrorists

Watch Reagan Assassination Attempt Video

#41 George Herbert Walker Bush (1989-1993)

Not in the standards – poor guy…

George Herbert Walker Bush (1989-1993)

• Major Political Events:

• 1. “No New Taxes” Pledge: “Read My Lips, No New Taxes!” • He broke his central promise by agreeing to a

compromise with Congress in 1993, that included increases in the gasoline tax, Medicare premiums, and the top income tax rate.

George Herbert Walker Bush (1989-1993)

• 2. Persian Gulf War: In August 1990, Iraqi troops invaded the Persian Gulf nation of Kuwait, known as Operation Desert Storm.

• Kuwait controlled 10% of the world’s oil reserves.• Using the UN, Bush build a coalition to oppose

Saddam Hussein.• After six weeks of bombing military infrastructures,

more than 100,000 bombing missions, the ground war began. • It only took 100 hours under Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf to

overwhelm the Iraqi army and liberate Kuwait.

#42 William Jefferson Clinton(1993-2001)

SSUSH25.e Explain the relationship between Congress and President Bill Clinton including the North American Free Trade Agreement and his impeachment and acquittal.

William Jefferson Clinton(1993-2001)

• Major Political Events:

• 1. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell – Gays in the military.

• 2. NAFTA Trade Agreement – North American Free Trade Agreement, removed all trade barriers among the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Major Political Events

• 3. Tax cuts for Middle America – yeah right• Democrats lost control of Congress 2 years in

• Impeded a lot of legislation

• 4. Impeachment for perjury on the stand during the Congressional hearings into the Monica Lewinski “situation.” • He was found not guilty of perjury (AQUITTED) and

was not removed from office.

#43 George W. Bush (2001-2009)

SSUSH25.g Analyze the response of President George W. Bush to the attacks of September 11, 2001 on the United States, the war against terrorism, and the subsequent American interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

SSUSH25.f Analyze the 2000 presidential election and its outcome emphasizing the role of the electoral college.

Election, 2000

• Closest election in history.

• Al Gore – Democrat

• George W. Bush – Republican & incumbent

• Winner of popular vote?

• Florida?

• Electoral College?

George W. Bush

• September 11th, 2001

• War on Terrorism – Afghanistan and Iraq

• Re-elected in 2004

• Proposed two amendments:• Banning gay marriage

• Banning flag burning

Barack Obama (2009-present)

• Not in the standards yet… what do we know?

Accomplishments

• Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

• Removal of troops from Iraq

• Passage of a controversial health care plan

• Successful re-election in 2012

• More to come