Conservativism and reagan
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Transcript of Conservativism and reagan
Political Test: Do you know if you are a “conservative” or a “liberal”?
Take a guess at which you are and write that in your QW and explain 2 details about yourself that you feel make you one or the other.
Some of you might not know, just guess at it. You’ll find out the meanings later today if you didn’t know.
CONSERVATISM & REAGAN
America was Changing
As America reached the 1980’s, people’s ideals began to shift
America was becoming a more conservative nation
The new conservative group and the liberals will begin to clash on the roll of government
Domination of Liberation
Liberals had dominated American society for most of the 1900’s
A person might consider themselves liberal for a number of reasons A belief that the government should regulate the
economy Should play an active role in helping the
disadvantaged Tax burdens should be placed on the wealthy Suspicious of the government on regulation of social
behavior Big on free speech and privacy
New Conservatives
Feel if the government regulates the economy, it makes the economy less efficient Which results in less
wealth and more poverty
Believe in free enterprise and very little government interference
New Conservatives
Unlike liberals, generally have a fundamental distrust of the growing power of government
Believe in the original intent and wording of the Constitution
New Conservatives
For these reasons conservatives oppose high taxes and government programs that transfer wealth
Feel that taxes and government programs can take away the hard work and fortune of Americans
New Conservatives Many
conservatives believe that religious faith is very important
Feel that most social issues are from one’s morality and character Which can be
guided properly by a devotion to religion
The Geography
Geographical regions tend to support either liberal or conservative ideas
One of the early problems to the rise of conservatives was that they tended split their votes
As the late 50’s and early 60’s rolled around there was a shift in the conservative population to the South and West
This would become known as the, Sun Belt
Conservatism and Religion
Conservatism also tended to draw people who felt that American society had lost its traditional values
American’s with deep religious values were shocked by the Counter Culture and Hippie movement of the 1970’s
Conservatism and Religion
The Feminist Movement seemed to go against them as well Felt it
challenged the traditional family
Conservatism and Religion Religious revivals began to
gain popularity with the likes of people such as Billy Graham
Ideas of “born again” Christianity
They began to run their own newspapers, magazines, radio stations and television networks Earned the nickname
“televangelists”
A new Coalition
By the end of the 1970’s, the new conservation coalition of voters was coming together
Although they still carried with them some differing believes they all believed in one thing: America had lost its way
A new Coalition Watergate, high
taxes, and special interest politics had weakened the faith in the government
Rising unemployment, riots, drug abuse, the hostage crisis in Iran
They argued that America was tired of upheaval and change
A new Coalition They argued that
America was tired of upheaval and change
Wanted stability and a return to what they remember they considered better times
Ronald Reagan would seem to offer some that opportunity
Ronald Reagan
Reagan believed that government policies were responsible for the countries social and economic problems
He would use his experience as a Hollywood actor and governor of California to lead a successful campaign to the presidency
His ideas of supporting high interest rates and tax cuts become known as Reaganomics
Election of 1980
Reagan’s campaign appealed to Americans who were frustrated with the economy and worried that the US had become weak internationally
Election of 1980
Reagan promised Tax cuts Increase spending
(think about this, essentially he was saying,) “I want to earn less
money, but spend more!”
This will lead the US to debt later
Election of 1980
In addition, Reagan called for a ban on abortion
During one debate he would ask Carter supporters
“Are you better off than you were four years ago?
The answer was …no With the support of the
new conservatives, Reagan would win the election
Reagan’s Domestic Policies
Believing that government was the problem, Reagan cut services
Felt Americans should not look to Washington for answers
His first goal was to fix the economy and its stagflation
assassination attempt occurred on March 30, 1981, just 69 days into the presidency of Ronald Reagan.
While leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., President Reagan and three others were shot and wounded by John Hinckley, Jr.
Reagan suffered a punctured lung, but prompt medical attention allowed him to recover quickly despite his age.
Reagan was the first serving United States president to survive being shot in an assassination attempt
Reaganomics
Reagan would combine two ideas to create his own solution
“Monetarism” Argues that was too much money in
circulation So you increase interest rates to limit
people’s desire to borrow “Supply-side economics”
Argued the economy was too weak because taxes were too high
Combining the two and you get Reaganomics
Reaganomics
“Trickle-down economics” The idea was simple, help the wealthy
Americans and corperations and then they will help the less fortunate
Meaning, start with the top and because they are doing so well, they will be struck with the desire to pass the wealth to less fortunate
Cutting it all Up
Cutting the tax rate mean that the government would receive less money
This would create a budget deficit, so to offset it, Reagan cut social programs Welfare Food Stamps School Lunch Programs
Economy Finally Booms
By 1983 the economy is booming Unemployment had
fallen Production was up Wages were
increasing It looked like Reagan
had done it He would be elected
to a second term
Reagan’s Second Term
During his second term Reagan would see the largest military build up during a time of peace in American history
Reagan was rejecting the ideas of BOTH containment and détente
In his view he didn’t want to negotiate or try to contain communism He wanted to destroy it
Peace Through Strength
Reagan spent nearly $1.5 trillion dollars over 5 years in military build up
Meanwhile Reagan is continuing to drive up the national deficient
Peace Through Strength
However, he was providing jobs with his spending
Again Reagan hoped to offset his spending by eliminating more government programs
Also he was banking on the boom in the economy to bring in more tax revenue
Iran-Contra Scandal
As it turned out Reagan would have his own scandal
American weapons were being sold to rebels in Iran in exchange for American hostages
Reagan said he never knew this illegal arms sale was happening
Even though he claimed he did no wrong it would taint his second term
Star Wars
Regan also invested in a new defensive program called the Strategic Defense Initiative, or SDI
The plan was nickname the “Star Wars” defense for its supposed ability to shoot down incoming missiles with lasers from satellites.
Tear Down This Wall
Reagan’s biggest credit is often for his work towards the end of the Cold War
He would work with new Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to end the division
Asked for the biggest symbol of that division to be destroyed
Tear Down This Wall
“Mr. Gorbachev…tear down this wall!”
The Berlin Wall, would fall
Often considered one of Regan’s biggest successes