9.2 Reagan and Conservatism

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Explain the causes and effects of continuting debates about the role of the federal government

INTRODUCTION

• Rebirth of conservative movement can be traced back to Goldwater

  • Election of Regan signaled arrival as dominant force

RONALD REAGAN AND THE ELECTION OF 1980

• Regan gained fame as effective political speaker in Goldwater campaign

  • Elected governor of California

    - master of the media & seen as likeable and sensible

    - became Republicans leading spokesperson

    - almost defeated Ford for Republican party nomination (1976)

    - won Republican presidental nomination (1980)

CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT

• Regan attacked Democrats for expanding gov & diminishing US prestiege

  • Pointed out “Misery index”

    - rate of inflation added to rate of unemployment

    - added to voter rejection of Carter & growing conservative force

    - Regan won by landslide in electoral college

SIGNFICANCE

• Regan took more than 50% of blue-collar vote (former New Deal voters)

  • Defeat of liberal Democratic senators (targeted by conservatives called Moral Majority)—→ Republican control of Senate

    - Republicans gained additional 33 seats in the House

    - 1980 election ended Democratic dominance in congress

THE REAGAN REVOLUTION

• Reagan became a popular leader

  • Suvived assassination attempt w humor & charm (view popular)

  • Regan administration started off positive (Iran hostages released)

• Reagan wanted to reduce influence of federal gov

  • pledged for lower taxes, reduced welfare, more arms, & conservative federal court (promises came with cost)

REGANOMICS

• Reagan advoated supply-side economics

  • Argued tax cuts & reduced gov spending would benefit private sector—→ production, jobs, & prosperity (Reaganomics)

    - contrased with Keynesian economics (belief that increased gov spending would boost consumer income & demand)

  • Critics compared Reaganomics to “trickle-down” economics

    - economics of the gilded age

    - belief that increased spending of wealthy would benefit poor

FEDERAL TAX REDUCTION

• Reagan’s early legislation is similar to economic reform of FDR’s 100 days

  • Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981

    - lowered personal income taxes by 25%

    - cuts to corportate tax, capital gains tax,& inheritance taxes (guarenteed tax relief went to upper-income taxpayers)

    - IRAs allowed small investments of $2000 w/o taxes

SPENDING

• Republicans cut more than $40 billion from domestic programs

  • Included food stamps, student loans, mass transportation

    - Reagan didn’t cut medicare or social security (still signed law increasing payments to system + raised benefit age to 67)

    - savings were offset by increased military spending

DEREGULATION

• Reagan reduced federal regulations on business & indsutry

  • Restrictions were eased on:

    - saving & loans institutions

    - mergers & takeovers by large corportations

    - environmental protection

    - emissions & auto safety (meant to help stuggle auto industry)

  • Federal land was also opened for drilling

    - increased coal & timber production

LABOR UNIONS

• Reagan took tough stand against unions

  • Fired striking federal air traffic controllers

    - violated their contract & decertified their union (PATCO)

    - many businesses follow this action (hired striker replacements)

  • Anti-union policies & loss of jobs—→ decline of union members

    - recession of 1982 & foreign competition further harmed wages

RECESSION AND RECOVERY

• Nation suffered recession in 1982 (bank failure & high unemployment)

  • Banks failed & unemployment reached 11%

    - recession & fall of oil prices—→ reduced inflation

    - lower inflation, tax cuts,& balloning federal deficits—→ recovery

  • Recovery widend income gap between wealthy & poor

    - high-income enjoy high income from low taxes & deregulations

    - low-income suffered more poverty

    - middle class remained stagnant or declined

SOCIAL ISSUES

• Regan followed through on appointing conservative judges

  • New cheif justice William Rehnquist

    - Sanda Day OConnor (first woman on court)

    - Antonin Scalia & Anthony Kennedy

  • Court called back affirmative action

    - hiring in promotions

    - Roe v. Wade (allowed for greater restrictions on abortions)

    - court did not end affirmative action or overturn Roe decision

THE ELECTION OF 1984

• Prosperity—→ public confidence in Reagan administration

  • Republicans renominated Reagan

    - campaigned on an optimistic theme

    - won every state except Minnesota

    - 2/3rds of white males voted Regan

  • Democrats nominated Mondale

    - favored by African Americans & low-income

BUDGET AND TRADE DEFICITS

• Tax cuts & increased in military spending—→ larger federal deficits

  • Tax cuts—→ increased consumption on foreign-made luxury

    - increased trade deficit

    - trade imblance—→ increased foreign ownership in industry

    - US became debtor nation (national debt tripled)

  • Several bills wre passed to increase taxes

    - Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Balanced Budget Act (was meant to lower national debt by forcing automatic spending cuts for gov)

    - spending cuts, tax increases, & revenues—→ reduced deficit

IMPACT OF PRESIDENT REAGAN

• During Reagans two terms:

  • Gov reduced resrictions on the economy

    - increased concern for large federal deficities

    - Placed money into hands of investors & high-income

  • Reduced growth of New Deal/Great Society welfare

    - no political party felt they could propose new social programs

    - Reganomics changed debate to issue of what gov should cut

• Reagans style, humor, & patriotism won over the electorate

  • Changed politics of the nation

    - brought former Democrats into Republican party

PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH

• George H. W. Bush was nominated as Republican candidate

  • Bush did not have ese in front of Camera

    - attacked Democrats as soft on crime & national security

    - appealed to voters by promising no new taxes or raises

    - won victory (Democrats failed confidence of white mid-class)

    - Bush faced host of domestic provlems (larger economic issues)

• Micheal Dukakis was nominated as Democratic candidate

  • Dukakis was more low-key

    - lost election but Democrats won majorities back in congress

    - belief in checks & balances—→ legislative gridlock

NOMINATION OF CLARENCE THOMAS

• Bush’s nomination of Clarence Thomas to replace Thurgood Marshall

  • Thomas faced strong opposition

    - stong conservative judicial philosophy, opposed efforts against racism, sexual harrassment charges, ect

  • Final senate vote approved confirmation

    - majority of Republicans voted for him

    - 2nd African Ameircan member of Supreme Court

TAXES AND THE ECONOMY

• Intervention to save weak savings & loans insitutions (S&Ls) would cost taxpayers $250 billion

  • Bush feared increase of federal deficit

    - agreed to $133 billion in new taxes (went against tax pledge)

    - new taxes—→ increased top income tax rate & raised federal exise taxes (beer, wine, cigars, gas, luxury items)

    - recession began during 1990

    - prosperity of Regan ended (unemployment, decreased income)

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

  • Prohibited discrimination against citizens disabilities

    - included physical or mental

    - applied in hiring, transportation, public accommodation

    - brought disabled individuals into mainstream of American life

POLITICAL INTERTIA

• Budget issues & declining trust in gov—→ lack of ability for Bush

  • Attempted to cut federal programs

    - proved difficult in midst of recession

  • Administration offered little hope to Americans

    - many felt left out by economic changes of “Regan Revolution”

POLITICAL POLARIZATION

• Nation continued to become more divided

  • Conservative south v. Moderate-liberal Northeast & West

    - traditional, religious, limited-gov, rural towns (voted Red)

    - diverse, large, urban centers (voted Blue)

    - swing states determined presidental elections (Ohio, Florida)

• Shift of conservatives from Democrats to Republicans changed politics

  • Southern conservatices took of Republican party

    - became more conservative & partisan (moderates lost power)

    - Lincoln party—→ Reagan party

    - political split deepened

  • Both parties manipulated boundaries to create “safe seats”

    - rewared partisanship & discourgaed compormise

    - close elections divided gov—→ legislative stagnation

DIVISIONS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

• Resurgence was most apparent in state legislature & congress

  • 1980s—→ control of houses being closely contested

    - led to legislative stalement & government shutdowns

    - Republican conservatives has the edge (espcially electorally)

    - Democrats often won popular vote but not electoral

THE MEDIA

• Conservative v. liberal conflict—→ growing divide across nation

  • Changes in media intensified partisanship

    - CNN & cable provided platforms with different views & voices

    - talk radios provided another outlet (mainly for conservatives)

  • Media became more polarized after FCC ruling

    - fairness doctrine (made news honest, equiatable, & balanced)

    - doctrine was abolished bc it violated freedom of speech

ABORTION

• Roe v. Wade allows abortions w/o government restrictions

  • Created ongoing moral debate over abortion

    - conservatives argued humans exist at conception (murder)

    - liberals argued woman had right to control their own body

    - issue produced continual fight over judges (to uphold or restrict)

GUN RIGHTS

• Regan assassination attempt—→ renewed discussion for gun ownership

  • Brady Bill (1993)

    - required background checks & 5-day waiting period to buy arms

  • National Rifle Association (NRA)

    - mobilized supporters to overturn bill & defeat politicians

  • District of Columbia v. Heller

    - ruled 2nd amendment allowed right to possess fire arms

    - created a new hrudle for regulation of gun ownership

    - debates grew more intense over mass shooting

    - gun regulations were opposed by Republicans & conservatives, while supported by Democrats & liberals

WOMENS EQUALITY AND SAFETY

• Women increased their participation in society

  • labor force, narrowing pay gap, college education

    - continued to lag in equality (pay & hiring)

  • Women were more likely to report gender discrimination

    - #MeToo movement (exposed sexual abuse in society)

    - wanted to give opportunity to surviors to file complaints

    - businesses began to improve policies & end gender-pay

    - conservatives felt reforms went too far

AFRICAN AMERICANS AND JUSTICE

• Civil rights movement opened up opportunities for African Americans

  • Mobilization into middle class & leadership positions

    - legacy of segregation & discrimination was still evident

  • Poverty & incarcenration (rates were higher for black men)

    - brutal police beatings & killings of unarmed black men

    - Rodney King raised discussion on racial disparity & justice

  • Black Lives Matter

    - campaigned for reforms in police training & arrest

    - George Floyd—→ international protest & divide

LGBTQ RIGHTS

• Equality on sexual orientation divided conservatives and liberals

  • President Clinton failed to end discrimination in military

    - Dont ask, dont tell (allowed lgbtq to serve, but w/o oreintation)

  • Congress passed laws to protect LGBTQ

    - made it federal crime to assault someone for sexual oreination

    - states began expanding same-sex marraige

  • Obergefell v. Hodges

    - ruled 14th amendment protects rights of same-sex marriage

    - was objected by few due to religious or cultural values

IMMIGRATION

• Immigration from Latin America & Asia—→ divisions

  • Continued conflict over immigration

    - native-born found fault within newer arrivals bc of their ethnicity

    - issues of amnesty for illegal immigrants became roadblock

    - crtics argued undocuemented should leave & apply to enter

ECONOMY AND HEALTH

• Difference between growing wealthy & struggling poor—→ debates

  • Health care coverage

    - some argued health was a right

    - others argued it was a personal responsibility (not gov)

  • Affordable Care Act (2010)

    - meant to helo make healthcare more affordable & accessible

    - divided Washinton with Republicans trying to repeal it

  • COVID-19 Pandemic (2020)

    - raised doubts about healthcare system during crisis

CONCLUSION

• Political polarization between liberals & conservaties became critical

  • Prevented political system from dealing with challenges

    - caused former allies & observers to question US leadership