Princeton Review Chapter 13

Reagan presented himself as the opposite of the unpopular Jimmy Carter.
He stressed positive aspects of America and advocated supply-side economics.
Supply-side economics: Reduced corporate taxes to stimulate investment, which would trickle down, but it initially benefited the rich more.
New Federalism: Shifted power from the national government to the states, with states responsible for welfare and the national government for Medicaid (never fully achieved).
Increased military spending: Funded the SDI (Star Wars), escalating the arms race with the USSR, contributing to the Soviet Union's bankruptcy and the end of the Cold War.
Tax cuts and increased military spending led to a federal budget deficit.

Aimed to end the Cold War by winning it on every front.
Supported right-wing insurgents against communism.
Intervention in Grenada to topple communism.
Iran-Contra Affair: Secretly sold weapons to Iran to fund Nicaraguan Contras after Congress cut off aid.
Sent marines to Lebanon as part of a peacekeeping force, resulting in 240 service members' deaths.
Improved Soviet relations: Arms race led to bargaining table due to high costs.
Mikhail Gorbachev's policies of restructuring (Perestroika) and openness (Glasnost) loosened Soviet control over Eastern Europe.

Advocated for a "kinder, gentler nation" and declared "no new taxes."
The Cold War ended with the dismantling of the Berlin Wall.
Operation Desert Storm: Airstrikes against Iraqi targets, leading to quick victory and UN inspections for weapons of mass destruction.

Fastest-growing ethnic minorities: Hispanics and Asians, resulting from the Immigration Act of 1965.
Increase in racial and ethnic diversity sparked debate on immigration policy and affirmative action.
Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) outlawed employment of undocumented immigrants and granted legal status to some pre-1982 entrants.
Diversity seen as both an asset (economic and cultural enrichment) and a liability (burden on social services, threat to American identity).

First Democrat elected since Carter; Al Gore as Vice President.
Economy jump-started by a technological revolution and globalism.
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): Eliminated trade barriers among the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
1994 Congressional Election: Newt Gingrich's Contract with America aimed to reduce taxes and reform welfare.
Cooperation with Republicans on welfare reform.
Clinton-Lewinsky scandal led to impeachment; acquitted by the Senate.
"Don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay soldiers.
Appointed Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer to the Supreme Court.

Controversial 2000 Election: Supreme Court halted recount, Bush won; marked a rise in neoconservatism.
Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld.
Neoconservatism: Focused on American corporate interests through military action and global trade.
Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the 24th Amendment (abolishing poll taxes) increased African American voters.
Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice served as Secretaries of State.

White middle-class flight to suburbs (white flight) left poor populations in cities with insufficient funds.
Urban riots in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago after MLK's assassination and in 1992 in South Central Los Angeles after Rodney King verdict.
Busing of students in 1974-1975 led to violence and white families moving or sending children to private schools.
$Milliken v. Bradley$ (1975): Supreme Court limited inter-district remedies for segregation.

September 11 attacks led to the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) to curb the Taliban and uproot Al-Qaeda.
2020 peace agreement led to US withdrawal in 2021, making it the longest war in US history.
War in Iraq: Allegations of weapons of mass destruction and human rights violations led to the 2003 invasion; US remained until 2011.

Evangelicalism became prominent; fundamentalists denounced moral relativism.
Leaders like Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson mobilized citizens to support the Republican Party.
Newt Gingrich's 1994 congressional election led to a divided government.

Globalism connected the world, spurred by new technology.
Dot-com bubble involved speculation on Internet companies.
Decline in manufacturing jobs replaced by retail jobs, followed by growth in healthcare.
Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 restricted union activities; Ronald Reagan fired striking air traffic controllers.
Wage stagnation and income inequality due to the decline in unions and wealth consolidation.
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 repealed the Glass-Steagall Act, contributing to recession.

Recession disproportionately affected male-dominated jobs; women became primary breadwinners in many families.
Increase in women elected to office; Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign; Geraldine Ferraro and Sarah Palin nominated as running mates.

Financial crash of 2008: Bush and Obama provided financial assistance to major banks.
Obama's Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).