Modern United States History: Bush to Obama

George H.W. Bush: Election of 1988 and Domestic Policy

The Presidential Election of 1988 * The election featured a contest between Republican candidate George H.W. Bush and Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis. * The campaign was noted for being particularly negative, which resulted in a low overall voter turnout. * George H.W. Bush won the popular vote by a margin of $54\%$ to $46\%$ . * Despite the Republican presidential victory, the Democratic Party secured the majority in both houses of Congress.
Economic Challenges and Domestic Budgeting * The administration faced a large budget deficit and a continuously growing national debt. * During his campaign, Bush made a famous pledge: "Read my lips: No new taxes." * However, due to the mounting debt, he was eventually forced to cut government spending and raise taxes. * This policy reversal alienated many of his core supporters, causing them to turn against his administration.

George H.W. Bush: Foreign Policy and Global Transitions

The End of the Cold War * The Berlin Wall was brought down in $1989$ . * The Soviet Union officially collapsed in $1991$ . * Following the collapse, the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) was formed.
The Persian Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) * Invasion of Kuwait: In August of 1990, Iraqi forces led by Saddam Hussein invaded the nation of Kuwait. * Coalition Building: Bush organized an international coalition of forces with the objectives of forcing Iraq to leave Kuwait and ensuring the stable flow of Middle Eastern oil to the United States. * Coalition Scope: Ultimately, a total of $34$ nations joined the U.S.-led coalition. * Military Phases: * The war commenced in January of 1991 with an intensive aerial bombardment of Iraqi military forces and installations. * Iraq attempted to dismantle the coalition by attacking Israel with Scud missiles. The strategy was to provoke Israel into joining the war, which would likely cause Middle Eastern coalition members to withdraw their support. * Ground operations began on February 24, successfully forcing Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait. * Outcome: The conflict was a decisive coalition victory. An official cease-fire was signed in April of 1991.

Post-Cold War Geographic and Demographic Shifts

Population Growth in the Sunbelt * A significant population increase occurred in the Sunbelt region, driven by several technological and infrastructural factors: * Widespread use of air conditioners. * Reduction in the cost of air travel. * Development of better highways. * Immigration: Both legal and illegal immigration contributed to the rise in the total U.S. population. * There was a notable rise in the number of foreign-born individuals in states adjacent to the Caribbean and Mexico.

Political Diversity: Third-Party Movements

The Libertarian Party * Core Principles: Individual liberty, low taxation, and the avoidance of foreign entanglements. * Advocacies: Individual privacy, government transparency, and the individual right recognized by the 2nd Amendment. * Social Stance: Contends that the government lacks the authority to define or restrict personal relationships. * 2016 Election: The candidate was Gary Johnson, who received $4.5$ million votes.
The Green Party * Core Principles: Grassroots public participation in government, non-violence, and global responsibility. * Advocacies: Environmental protection, future sustainability, social justice, equality, and the continued fight for gender equality. * 2016 Election: The candidate was Jill Stein, who received $1.5$ million votes.

Economic Policies and Technological Innovation (1990s–Present)

Free Enterprise and Marketplace Innovation * The Capitalism (Free Enterprise) system drives competition, which in turn leads to technological innovation and marketplace application. * Key examples include cell phones, inexpensive personal computers, and GPS (Global Positioning) products.
Workplace Transformations * Robotics: Utilized specifically to aid in manufacturing processes. * E-commerce: Facilitates business transactions via the internet. * Satellites: Improved global communication and allowed the standard workday to move beyond the traditional $9$ -to- $5$ format.
Scientific and Strategic Impacts * Innovations such as satellite communications, computers, and petroleum-based products are primary factors in U.S. economic development and a higher standard of living. * Petroleum-Based Products: These are more than just fuel; items such as Crayola crayons and Gillette Foamy shaving cream illustrate the country's oil dependency.
NASA Innovations * Research in rocket engineering and space exploration has led to inventions currently used in everyday households.

The 21st Century Global Economy and Immigration

Global Interdependence * Economic events in one region of the world now have direct impacts on other parts of the world. * Current economic emphasis is placed on urban centers, technology, and "Green" initiatives. * Multinational Corporations: Significant examples include Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Nike, Nintendo, Starbucks, and Wal-Mart.
Modern American Immigration Trends * Over the last few decades, the U.S. government has worked to reduce illegal immigration. * The American public is divided regarding policy, caught between the identity of a "nation of immigrants" versus proponents of closed borders. * Current policies are noted to favor specific groups.

Bill Clinton: 1992 Election and Domestic Policy

The 1992 Presidential Election * Candidates: George H.W. Bush (Republican), Bill Clinton (Democrat), and Ross Perot (Independent). * Ross Perot's Impact: As a billionaire with a massive, expensive campaign, Perot gained enough support to split the Republican vote, facilitating Clinton's victory. * This election served as a demonstration of the significant impact third-party candidates can have on results.
Hillary Clinton * Served as First Lady from $1993$ to $2001$ , notably maintaining an office in the West Wing. * Served as a New York State Senator and later as Secretary of State under Barack Obama. * Became the first female candidate in a general presidential election in $2016$ .
Family & Medical Leave Act (1993) * This legislation required covered employers to provide employees with job-protected, UNPAID leave for qualified medical and family reasons. * This act is cited as an example of government expansion.

Bill Clinton: International Trade and Scandal

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) * Signed in January 1994 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. * Objective: To stimulate economic growth through free trade (where governments do not restrict imports/exports). * Theory: Free trade reduces the likelihood of military conflict between participating countries. * Pros: Total trade rose from $\$337$ billion in $1993$ to $\$1.2$ trillion in $2011$ . * Cons: Approximately $700,000$ U.S. jobs were moved to Mexico. * Note: NAFTA was replaced by the USMCA in 2020 under the Trump administration.
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) * Negotiated during a UN conference to regulate and promote international trade via the reduction of tariffs and trade barriers. * It was replaced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in $1995$ .
The Clinton Scandal and Impeachment * Issue: Clinton was dishonest regarding an inappropriate relationship with a White House employee. * Impeachment: He was impeached on grounds of perjury and obstruction of justice. * Outcome: He was NOT removed from office. * Societal Impact: The scandal raised questions about whether an immoral president could still be a "good" president. While his approval ratings remained high due to a strong economy, public trust in the government declined.

George W. Bush: National Security and War

The 2000 Election * Al Gore won the popular vote, but George W. Bush won the election by $5$ electoral votes. * Controversy centered on voting abnormalities in Florida, which led to Congress stopping a recount.
September 11, 2001 * The terrorist group al-Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden, executed suicide hijackings, flying planes into the World Trade Center twin towers and the Pentagon. * Basis for Attacks: al-Qaeda's anti-U.S. stance was rooted in heavy U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern affairs and the presence of U.S. military bases in the region. * Osama bin Laden was eventually killed by Seal Team 6 in Pakistan in May 2011.
The War on Terror * The U.S. invaded Afghanistan and later Iraq as part of "The War on Terror." * USA PATRIOT Act of 2001: Standing for "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism," this law was designed to help locate terrorists after 9/11. * Criticism: Many Americans argue it infringes on Constitutional rights and liberties; there is a movement for its repeal. * Department of Homeland Security (2003): A cabinet-level department established post-9/11 to protect the U.S. against external threats.

George W. Bush: Domestic Crisis and Economic Recession

Hurricane Katrina (2005) * Impacted New Orleans, LA, leading to a failure of the levee system. * Resulted in $1,800$ deaths and $\$81$ billion in damages. * The federal and state governments were criticized for failing to coordinate rescue efforts.
Environmental and Banking Policies * Advanced Energy Initiative (2006): Encouraged the purchase of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hybrid cars, seeking to make cellulosic ethanol affordable. * Community Reinvestment Act (1977): Required banks to provide loans to low and middle-income neighborhoods. Agencies were set up to regulate these banks, but this eventually contributed to the 2008 housing fallout involving Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
The Great Recession of 2008 * Characterized by a mortgage crisis and soaring oil prices. * Loss of $2.6$ million jobs in 2008 (the most since the Great Depression). * The Federal Reserve injected large sums into the economy via stimulus packages.

Barack Obama: 2008 Election and Major Legislation

The 2008 Election * Candidates: John McCain (Republican) vs. Barack Obama (Democrat). * Obama utilized the internet extensively to mobilize supporters, raise funds, and attract voters. * Barack Obama became the first Black president of the U.S.
Economic and Healthcare Policy * American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: A program designed to avoid a depression and stimulate the economy. * ObamaCare (2010): Officially known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). * Goals: Provide affordable insurance, lower the uninsured rate, and reduce healthcare costs. * The Tea Party, a grassroots conservative movement, emerged to protest "big government" in response to these policies.
Judiciary * Sonia Sotomayor: Appointed to the Supreme Court in 2009. She is the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the court.

Questions & Discussion

Historical Inquiry: How have technological innovations, military conflicts, global economic interdependence, and political controversies affected the U.S. since the end of the Cold War?