Define: Deregulation- federal debt - glasnost- Perestroika Identify: Sandra Day O’Connor -

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Define: Deregulation- federal debt - glasnost-Perestroika Identify: Sandra Day O’Connor - The Reagan Presidency Sec. 32-1 Pages 922-926

Transcript of Define: Deregulation- federal debt - glasnost- Perestroika Identify: Sandra Day O’Connor -

Define: Deregulation- federal debt - glasnost-Perestroika

Identify: Sandra Day O’Connor -

The Reagan PresidencySec. 32-1 Pages 922-926

Ronald Reagan/George H.W.Bush

Start of a conservative movement – traditional American values – emphasis on family life, hard work, respect for law and patriotism

View that federal gov’t made too many rules, collected too many taxes, spent too much money on social programs

Reagan Revolution

Air traffic controllers went on strike in 1981 Pres. Reagan ordered them back – firing those who refused – placing military staff to do jobs Showed nation as president he would use his position to stand firm and carry out policies in which he believed Deregulation –act of cutting the restrictions

and regulations that gov’t places on business New rules for auto exhaust systems – safety

measures made easier

DEREGULATION

1981- Appointed Sandra Day O’Connor, first woman, justice to Supreme Court

Appointed Antonin Scalia – Anthony Kennedy Most of the justices shared Reagan’s

conservative views

SUPREME COURT HISTORY

Believed lower taxes would allow people and corporations to invest in new businesses

Believed in less gov’t spending Supply side-economics – stimulate the

economy by increasing the supply of goods and services

1981- Congress lowered taxes – cut $40 billion for school lunches, student aid, welfare, low-income housing, food stamps

Reagan increased military spending – Soviets were possible threat

REAGONOMICS

US gov’t spent more than it collected- borrow money to make up difference

Federal debt – amount of money owed by the gov’t

1970-1980 $381 billion to $909 billion 1980 – 1990 - $ 3.2 trillion By 1983, recession eased, but gov’t debt

increased 1985 Congress passed Gramm-Rudman-Hollings

Act – eliminate fed’l debt by 1991 – if Congress &

President cannot agree on voluntary spending cuts, law calls for automatic cuts.

FEDERAL DEBT

Fight Communism- massive military buildup

Expanded arsenal of tanks, ships, aircraft and nuclear missiles

“Star Wars”- Strategic Defense Initiative – proposed antimissile defense system – provide defense shield against enemy missiles- scientists unable to develop technology

FOREIGN POLICY

Nicaragua – Communist rebels (Sandinistas) overthrew gov’t

Reagan sent aid to contras (group battling the Sandinistas)- source of disagreement between president and Congress

1983- Granada rebels staged uprising –

800 US medical students on island – sent in troops to rescue – establish pro-democracy gov’t

LATIN AMERICA

1982- US marines sent to keep peace in war-torn Lebanon. Car bomb blast killed more than 60 people in US embassy in Beirut- later 241 Americans and 58 French killed in attacks on military headquarters

Reagan withdrew all US forces from Lebanon than become more involved in the struggle.

MIDDLE EAST

Republicans – Reagan/Bush – used booming economy as optimistic theme in campaign Democrats – Walter Mondale/Geraldine Ferraro (woman as VP)Reagan wins all but one state’s electoral votes.

1984 ELECTION

1984-Terrorists with ties to Iran gov’t held US citizens hostage in Lebanon

Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North and Navy Vice Adm. John Poindexter arranged for sale of weapons to Iran in return for freeing US hostages. Money from secret arms sale went to help the Nicaraguan contras.

Critics charged this violated Constitution by interfering with Congress’ role in making foreign

policy Hearings held to see if Reagan broke law – no

proof

IRAN-CONTRA SCANDAL

1985-New Soviet general secretary- Mikhail Gorbachev- reformer – policy of glasnost – policy allowing more open discussion of political and social issues, as well as more widespread news and information

Gorbachev moved to allow more democracy- perestroika- policy of gov’t and economic reform in the mid-1980s in the Soviet Union

1987-Intermediate long-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) – US & Soviets to reduce number of nuclear missiles in arsenal – reduce threat of nuclear war

SOVIET UNION