“Born in the USA,” Bruce Springsteen

(1984)

Born down in a dead man's townThe first kick I took was when I hit the groundYou end up like a dog that's been beat too muchTill you spend half your life just covering up

Got in a little hometown jamSo they put a rifle in my handSent me off to a foreign landTo go and kill the yellow man

Come back home to the refineryHiring man says "Son if it was up to me"Went down to see my V.A. manHe said "Son, don't you understand"

I had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet CongThey're still there, he's all gone

He had a woman he loved in SaigonI got a picture of him in her arms now

Down in the shadow of the penitentiaryOut by the gas fires of the refineryI'm ten years burning down the roadNowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go

Reagan is upstaged by a chimpanzee in a distinctly silly 1951 B-movie comedy, suggesting his acting career may have seen better days

Reagan as the host of the GE Theater TV program and the corporation’s public spokesman—his articulation of the generally conservative GE view furthered his transformation from a New Deal liberal Democrat to a Goldwater conservative Republican

Reagan’s official painting as the new governor of California in 1967

Twenty years before, the Nixon-Kennedy debates highlighted the emerging need for successful political candidates to look and sound good on TV—just like actors. The ultimate realization of this trend

was the election of a president who actually was a professional actor.

Nixon and Kennedy in 1960 Ronald Reagan in 1980

The more things change...

Contrasting personalities and ideologies: The pessimistic stern discipline of Carter versus the undemanding sunny

optimism of Reagan

Roe v. Wade Roe v. Wade (1973)(1973)

A 7-2 majority ruling struck down state laws that completely prohibited women’s access to abortion

Majority opinion argued this violated a woman’s right to privacy in making this decision in consultation with her doctor

Justice Harry Blackmun, writing for the majority, laid out these guidelines:

First Trimester: States had no compelling reason to interfere with woman’s decision

Second Trimester: States could establish some limits on access to abortion

Third Trimester: States could prohibit abortion except in cases where the mother’s life was threatened

The Politics of AbortionThe Politics of Abortion

Abortion rights becomes a central issue for Abortion rights becomes a central issue for the conservative coalitionthe conservative coalition Social ConservativesSocial Conservatives

Religious Right, attack for moral reasons and Religious Right, attack for moral reasons and dislike of feminist movementdislike of feminist movement

Political (small-government) ConservativesPolitical (small-government) ConservativesActually Actually decreasesdecreases government interference in government interference in individual lives, so should have supportedindividual lives, so should have supported

Argued it was a case of “judicial activism” that by-Argued it was a case of “judicial activism” that by-passed the democratic processpassed the democratic process

ReaganomicsReaganomics

Rejects Keynesianism in favor of supply side theory: Cut Rejects Keynesianism in favor of supply side theory: Cut taxes on the rich who will invest more and spur the taxes on the rich who will invest more and spur the economy so the wealth will “trickle down” to lower economy so the wealth will “trickle down” to lower classesclassesAcross the board 25% tax cuts in 1981, though Across the board 25% tax cuts in 1981, though especially benefited the wealthyespecially benefited the wealthy

Pay $4000 in taxes, save $1000Pay $4000 in taxes, save $1000 Pay $400,000 in taxes, save $100,000Pay $400,000 in taxes, save $100,000

Also supposed to be large cuts in state welfare systemAlso supposed to be large cuts in state welfare system Cut smaller welfare programs primarily benefiting the very poor Cut smaller welfare programs primarily benefiting the very poor

like Aid For Dependent Children, Food Stamps, Head Start, like Aid For Dependent Children, Food Stamps, Head Start, school lunchesschool lunches

Did NOT take on the truly expensive middle-class “entitlement Did NOT take on the truly expensive middle-class “entitlement programs”: Social Security and Medicareprograms”: Social Security and Medicare

The 1983 RecoveryThe 1983 Recovery

Reaganomics certainly deserves some Reaganomics certainly deserves some credit, as did increase investmentcredit, as did increase investment

Two other factors equally or more Two other factors equally or more important:important: The Decline of OPEC: In 1983, the cartel The Decline of OPEC: In 1983, the cartel

began to fall apart and world oil prices began to fall apart and world oil prices dropped significantly for the first time since dropped significantly for the first time since 19731973

The fracturing of the OPEC cartel in 1983 leads to sharp declines in world oil prices, giving a major boost to the oil-

fueled American economy

The 1983 RecoveryThe 1983 Recovery

Reaganomics certainly deserves some Reaganomics certainly deserves some credit, as did increase investmentcredit, as did increase investment

Two other factors equally or more Two other factors equally or more important:important: The Decline of OPEC: In 1983, the cartel The Decline of OPEC: In 1983, the cartel

began to fall apart and world oil prices began to fall apart and world oil prices dropped significantly for the first time since dropped significantly for the first time since 19731973

Military KeynesianismMilitary Keynesianism

Reagan’s massive increase in military spending, 1981-1986 (in 2003 $)

Military Keynesianism:

•Reagan’s military spending is the largest ever in peace time

•Just as with WWII, this huge infusion of federal dollars helps to jump-start the economy and take the US out of the 1970s recession

Reagan meets with the dynamic new reform-minded Soviet Premier, Mikhail Gorbachev, in Reykjavik, Iceland, 1986

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, an early sign of the disintegration of the old Soviet Empire and the

eventual collapse of the USSR in 1991

A Reagan A Reagan Revolution?Revolution? Helped end Cold Helped end Cold

WarWar Cut federal taxesCut federal taxes

But on the other But on the other hand:hand: Increased size of Increased size of

government and government and government government spendingspending

Did not achieve Did not achieve the social the social conservative conservative revolutionrevolution

Despite his attempts to look coolly liberal on late-night talk shows, Bill Clinton will be a moderate-to-conservative president

The inauguration of President Bush, January 2001

2002 political cartoon

Questions?Questions?

Your Final Attendance Quiz:Your Final Attendance Quiz:Ronald Reagan:Ronald Reagan:

A.A. Once starred in a movie with a chimpanzee named Once starred in a movie with a chimpanzee named BonzoBonzo

B.B. Claimed to have helped film the liberation of a Nazi Claimed to have helped film the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp during WWII, although he in concentration camp during WWII, although he in fact spent the entire war in Californiafact spent the entire war in California

C.C. Often followed the scheduling and political advice Often followed the scheduling and political advice of his wife who based her advice on the of his wife who based her advice on the recommendations of an astrologerrecommendations of an astrologer

D.D. All of the aboveAll of the above