Conservatism

Two types of conservatives

Two types of conservatives

Economic (liberalism, deregulation) and moral (return to traidtional values esp familiy values)

when did conservatism become conservatism

policies already existed in 1920s but became a tp down movement in 1950s

Harding quotes = mindset

presidency in 1920, "return to normalcy", "the business of America is business", "the best government is littel government" -- pro big business, trickle down theory, reduce taxes

another influence in 1920s foreshadows 80s

redscare which foreshadows RR evil empire

evangelicalism

emphasizing salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion, the authority of Scripture, and the importance of preaching as contrasted with ritual

evangelicalism before WWII

was not a political force but strongly behind the teaching of creationism in schools as an alternative to evolution and they supported prohibition.
More focused on revivalism rather than national politics --> ministers should rather "convert a soul and save the nation"

Ike

tried to distance himself from conservatism, expanded some New Deal programs (social security) and increased the minimum wage + willing to pursue a thaw in relations with the USSR.
He believed a President should be a moderator between the left and the right.

conservatism post WWII

more central in the Republican party = 1964 presidential race Barry Goldwater Republican candidate. but many ppl identified it with the extremism of the McCarthy era
1950s, major church groups remained on the political side-lines

magazine to develop conservatism

1955 William F. Buckley, Jr launched the National Review to develop conservatism into an ideology that could shape the national debate on important issues.
to bring together libertarians, conservatives. and anti-communists.
Buckley backed Joe McCarthy but distanced himself from white supremacists and anti-Semites.

importance of media

to form grassroot movement :
WFB Jr hosted "firing line" talk show in 1966-1990 and appeared in + than 140 newspapers

New-Right Network

origin : 1958 founding of the John Birch Society by Robert Welch, template for establishing a national organization with a tightly controlled message.
led to the "New-Right Network" of conservatism in the 1970s, made of conservative lobbying groups

watershed year for conservatism

1946 : Barry Goldwater ominated as senator over Nelson Rockefeller (liberal Republican)
was against great society, unions, social security, for roll back policy and Opposed Civil Rights Act

reception of BG candidature

support from YAFF, slogan "in your heart you know he's right"
BUT democrats response "in your guts you know he's nuts)
lost in a landslide to LBJ

BG campaign definedconservative values

1st conservative candidate
Now all reps have to deal with conservatives ==> Nixon sought his support in 68 and picked Conservative running mate Spiro Agnew

religious right

Moral Majority created in 1979 by Jerry Falwell part of the New Right Network, anti lgbt, abortion
used :
direct mailings, rallies, tele-evangelists

Ronald Reagan

(1981-89)
Known as the "Great Communicator"
Former Governor of California

context of Reagan presidency

backlash to the Great Society (integrated racial minorities) + Supreme Court decisions (unconstitutionality of school prayer in 1971 and Roe v. Wade in 1973)
was able to capitalize on the malaise of the Carter presidency and present his conservative vision of "Morning in America".

positions of RR on communism

strongly anti-communist : testified as a "friendly witness" as President of the Actors' Guild in Hollywood in front of McArthy's House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA)
→ Like Carter (in sense) looked @ world as moral place: on mission from God (Mother Theresa in hospital after assassination attempt)
→ USSR= "evil empire" 1983: Christian self-righteousness good v bad
→ Negotiate peaceful relations but from position of strength

RR military

aimed to build up the military and came up with the strategic defense initiative = star wars

RR foreign policy

He wanted to export American-style democracy unilaterally and was against international organizations.

RR socially

against unions : fired 11k air traffic controllers after went on strike and didn't come back
social conservative and pro-life, pro-school prayer, pro-family and anti gay. (against govt spending for AIDS research, said it was a punishment from God)
He had the full support of the evangelicals.

RR economically

came to office facing "stagflation".
went back to the trickle down theory, right after tax revolts --> Reaganomics, cutting the tax-rate from 70% to 28% at the expense of the middle class.
For the deregulation of certain industries, but not steel.
"Government is not the solution to our problems, Government IS the problem".

RR politically

able to appoint 3 justices (O'Connor, Scalia, Kennedy). but only Scalia was reliably conservative
won in a landslide victory over Jimmy Carter and re-aligned American politics in doing so.
A new category of voter, a Reagan Democrat, is part of the definition of 'the Reagan Revolution"

the Three Leg Stool of conservatism RR

social conservatives (consisting of the Christian right and paleo-conservatives), war hawks (consisting of interventionists and neoconservatives), and fiscal conservatives