IIH Reagan

Reagan & HW Bush's Administrations' questions on flashcards

What did the consensus figures show about the average american in the 1980s?

The average american was older, more likely to be living in the southern or western parts of the country.

The conservative cause drew strength from which movement?

The New Right

The New Right movement was started by who?

Evangelical christian groups such as the Moral Majority

What was this New Right focused on?

Focused on social issues rather than economical ones.

Which group of people did FDR champion?

The “Forgotten Man”

Which group of people did Reagan champion and what did he condemn?

Reagan championed the common man and condemned federal intervention in local affairs, favoritism for minorities, and the elitism of overconfident bureaucrats.

Who were the neoconservatives?

These were the harshly ANTI-SOVIET policy individuals who championed the free market capitalism, and wanted to be free from government restraints.

What did Reagan do before getting into politics?

Reagan was an actor before getting into politics

How did Reagan’s former job help him in the political realm.

This gave him the ability to connect and catch their attention.

What was the ABC movement?

The Anything But Carter movement was a showing of dissatisfaction of Carter’s ineptitude (lack of skill). It aimed to promote any alternative candidate other than Jimmy Carter during the 1980 presidential election—with even his own party wanting him gone.

How was Reagan able to put incumbent Jimmy Carter on the defensive during the election?

Using his acting skills, Reagan attacked Carter’s fumbling performance in the foreign policy sector. Additionally, he attacked the high interest rates, inflation, and faltering economy.

During the election how did Carter attack back at Reagan?

He did so by calling him trigger happy.

Who won the election?

Ronald Reagan won BARELY in the popular vote but by a lot in the electoral college.

Carter was the first elected president to be…

voted out of office since 1932.

What does this political cartoon show?

This picture mocks how the victory of Reagan will now bring a conservative shift to the political realm of the US.

An unusually intelligent, articulate, and well meaning president meant that Carter had been hampered by…

His lack of managerial talent which. This led to events out of his control such as soaring oil prices, high inflation, and the insulting of hostages still being held in Iran.

On the day or Reagan inauguration what had happened?

On this day 52 americans had been released from captivity after 444 days.

What did Reagan mean with the statement “Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem.”

He believed that the government had too much freedom to intervene with economic growth and political freedom… advocating for the reduction in …

• size of federal government

• influence of the federal government

By 1973 how had most of the government’s spending changed?

The department of defense was allocated more money to spend than other departments.

What was proposition 13?

This was a tax revolt started by Californians that cut property taxes and forced painful cuts in government services.

What kind of federal budget did Reagan propose?

He proposed one that cut more than 35 billion dollars in social programs like food stamps and federally funded job-training centers. 

Who were the boil weevils?

These were southern conservative democrats who abandoned their party to support the president.

Had people known that Reagan had been shot?

No, not until years later.

Who shot Reagan? Was he part of any conspiracy?

John Hinckley and no.

Why is it that no one knew about the assination?

No one knew because the administration wanted to avoid any panic during the time.

Supply side economics?

Lowering taxes and budget discipline to hopefully stimulate investment and productivity. This fosters growth.

What happened because of the start of Supply Side economics?

Right after it started in 1982, the unemployment rate jumped up and businesses failed.

Why was the economic growth that came in 1983 (what year/event is that after?) not seen as uniform growth.

This growth was really important but drove social classes further away from one other in terms of income.

What is a Yuppie?

A young person with a high income.

What was the reason for the economic growth?

The military buildup (increased dep. of def. spending) was most likely the cause.

How did the economic upturn of the 1980s impact the budget deficit?

The government budgets, due to the tax cuts and increased defense spending, were overdrawn and were increased instead of decreasing like the plan was.

What did increased borrowing and deficits affect?

It affected international trade by making everything more expensive.

Which country was the world’s heaviest borrowers in the global economy of the 1980s?

America

What did Reagan denounce the Soviet Union as?

As the focus of evil in the modern world

“Peace through strength”, what does it mean and who said it?

The idea that having strength will deter other countries.

Reagan announced that the SDI (strategic defensive initiative), what was it and why did the US pursue it?

A defense system to blow up attack missiles, and they pursued it as it would give them a huge technical advantage over Kremlin.

How did Poland’s movement… where workers united to push for more democracy… impact international relations. What was it called?

Called the solidarity movement and it strained Soviet Union and US relations.

Why were relations continuing to deteriorate in the SU?

Old age/ill health of leaders and lack of movement between the two countries.

Why did Reagan send troops to Lebanon in 1983?

He did this to keep international peace but it didn’t help at all.

Why were the troops from lebanon removed?

They were removed as 200+ troops were killed in a suicide bombing before.

Why was reagan named the Teflon President?

This was his nickname as nothing stuck to him.

Who were the Sandinistas from Nicaragua connected to?

Connected to the SU and were a political party in Nicaragua.

Who was Reagan aiding in Nicaragua?

He was aiding El Salvadorian government to fight against the communist sandinistas.

What island were troops sent to by Reagan in 1983?

Grenada

Why were troops sent to Grenada?

Sent by Reagan in 1983 the military coup was meant to protect american citizens and overthrow the Marxist government.

How did movie The Day After change peoples thought on peace through strength?

They started to take the idea of nuclear war more seriously.

What was Reagan’s campaign in 1984?

“It’s morning again America'“

What reasons are given for people to re-elect reagan.

Less inflation, less unemployment, more home buying, happier country.

Who was Mondale’s running mate?

Congress woman Geraldine Ferraro of NY.

What reason was given to people to not vote for Mondale?

Why would you want to go 4 years into the past — because she was Carter’s VP

Who won the 1984 election?

Ronald Reagan by a lot.

Who is the new Soviet Union leader.

Mikhail Gorbachev.

What is Glasnot?

Openness, a policy introduced by ikhail Gorbachev to give people freedom of speech and more political liberty to the SU.

What is Perestroika

Restructuring, a policy introduced by Gorbachev to revive the soviet economy through free market trade.

In order for Gorbachev to instill the Glasnost and Perestroika what needs to happen?

He needs to shrink the military and bring attention to the economy…best action was to end the cold war.

What was signed by Reagan and Gorbachev to work towards ending the war?

They signed the INF treaty to end the usage of nuclear missiles in europe.