Transcript Chapter 31
Chapter 31 Power and Politics Since 1974 Web Gerald Ford’s Caretaker Presidency Domestic Policy Appointed Nelson Rockefeller, a liberal,as his vice president Pardoned Richard Nixon Whip Inflation Now (WIN) campaign Battled with Congress over economic program Foreign Policy South Vietnam collapsed, April 1975 Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia, April 1975 Majaguez incident, May 1975 Election of 1976 Ford challenged for Republican nomination by Ronald Reagan Democrats nominated Jimmy carter Promised to give government back to the people Won a narrow victory Jimmy Carter’s Domestic Policy Welfare initiatives Requested additional cash assistance and more jobs for the needy Failed to win congressional approval Energy initiatives Ambitious energy program, pursued unilaterally Decrease reliance on foreign oil and natural gas Expand domestic energy production Discourage gasoline use through new taxes Encourage energy-saving measures to foster conservatism Promote non-Petroleum energy sources Congress rejected Economic initiatives Ambitious economic agenda Lower unemployment and inflation Stimulate greater economic growth Balance federal budget Failed to accomplish any of his goals Economic crisis affected cities and urban areas as well Jimmy Carter’s Foreign Policies Amnesty for Vietnam War draft resisters Panama Canal treaties Camp David peace accords’ Concern for human rights Best known feature of Carter’s foreign policy Helped to trigger trend toward democratization in 1980s and 1990s Immediate impact was ambiguous Crisis in Iran, November 1979 Hostage situation at U.S.Embassy in Tehran Despite constant attention, Carter unable to resolve the situation Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, December 1979 Series of ineffectual, non-Military responses Election of 1980 Edward Kennedy tried to Challenge Carter for Democratic nomination Republicans ran Ronald Reagan Opposition to domestic programs Stronger national defense Seized on economy, traditionally a Democratic issue Won with just over 50 percent of vote ©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. 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Presidential Election, 1980 Ronald Reagan’s Domestic Policies Pursuing supply-side economics Justified tax cuts for wealthy by saying they would stimulate growth Period of non-inflationary growth, 1982-1986 Unemployment remained high High government spending resulted huge federal deficits Borrowed abroad and piled up largest foreign debt in the world Economic benefits unevenly distributed throughout society “Underclass” especially hurt Constructing a Conservative Agenda General anti-union policy Air traffic controllers, 1981 Appointment of conservatives at all levels Judges and justices Non-judicial appointments Eliminated and reduced some social welfare programs Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Food Stamps Election of 1984 Reagan wildly popular Democrats ran Walter Mondale Expansion of social-welfare programs Higher taxes to pay for expanded programs Reagan won landslide victory Reagan’s Second Term Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act of 1985 Mandated balanced federal budget by 1991 Family Support Act of 1988 Mandated training programs for welfare recipients and eventual purging of welfare rolls Supreme Court Appointments of William Rehnquist and Antonin Scalia Defeat of Robert Bork Charges of corruption and mismanagement Savings and loan crisis Reagan’s Foreign Policy Renewed Cold War Dramatic increased in defense spending Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or Star Wars International Offensive abroad Funded various conservative groups abroad Radio Mart to Cuba CIA activities Aid to anti-Communist forces in Afghanistan Funding for contras in Nicaragua General funding for opposition movements in countries aligned with the soviet Union Willingness to use U.S. Military power Lebanon, 1982 Grenada, 1983 Iran-Contra Affair U.S. aid for contras blocked by Democratic-controlled Congress in 1984 Circumvent by having wealthy conservatives and other countries provide aid Against backdrop of violence and kidnappings of Americans and other westerners in Middle east Administration sold arms to Iran in exchange for help in winning release of captives Flew in face of stated policy of not rewarding captors Then funneled profits to contras as way of getting around congressional ban Caused public outcry Investigators unable to paint as serious constitutional crisis Beginning of the End of the Cold War Thaw in U.S. Soviet relations after 1985 Role of Mikhail Gorbachev “Glasnost” and “perestroika” Loosened Moscow’s grip on Soviet Empire Reykjavik summit, October 1986 Reagan plan for wholesale ban on nuclear weapons ©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. Collapse of the Soviet Bloc George H.W. Bush’s Domestic Policy Election of 1988 Republicans nominated Bush, Reagan’s vice-president Democrats nom9inated Michael Dukakis Pledge to bring competence and honesty t0o the White House Avoided talk of taxes and new domestic programs Featured much negative campaigning Bush won, but margin of victory not as large as originally believed Domestic programs Civil Rights Act of 1991 Bush failure to veto angered conservatives Accepted new taxes as way of addressing deficit Democratic Congress and Republican White House often approached gridlock George H.W. Bush’s Foreign Policy End of Cold War Began in Poland in 1989 One by one, nations of Eastern Europe overthrew their Communist governments Provinces that comprised the Soviet Union also declared independence Global economy Administration pushed for economic liberalization Redefinition of “national Security” Help to bring democracy to Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala Overthrow of Manuel Noriega in Panama, December 19989 George H.S. Bush’s Foreign Policy (cont.) Persian Gulf War Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, August 1990 Operation “Desert Shield:” UN action against Iraq Launched military offensive in January 1991 Stopped short of removing Saddam Hussein, something the UN had not authorized Temporarily boosted Bush’s popularity Administration not very successful in setting post- Cold war diplomatic goals Mixed foreign policy legacy Election of 1992 Bush lacked coherent vision of either domestic or foreign policy Allowed conservative activists to dominate 1992 Republican Convention Didn’t appeal to democrats who had supported Reagan and then Bush in 1988 Democrats ran Bill Clinton Focused on economic issues Increase spending for job creation and long-term growth Comprehensive revision to nation’s health care system Reduce taxes for middle-class Americans Cut the deficit Shrink size of government Won by comfortable margin Bill Clinton’s Domestic Policy Social Issues Abortion counseling at family planning clinics Family leave for working parents Americorps program Brady Bill Economic issues Tax increase and spending cuts to reduce deficit Setbacks on health care and personal financial history Republican Congress, Democratic White House Elections of 1994 brought big GOP victories Contract with America Rolling back federal spending Cutting many programs and government regulations Overplayed hand Public not ready for overt “revolution”Government shutdowns in late 1995 and early 1996 blamed on Republicans Strong economy buoyed Clinton’s presidency Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 Ended AFDC program Created Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Each state to formulate its own welfare-to-work program Victory and Impeachment Election of 1996 capped Clinton’s political comeback Defeated Bob Dole and Jack Kemp Legislative cooperation with Republicans Timetable for deficit reduction Public scrutiny of the president’s private life Kenneth Starr investigation Impeachment attempt Economic growth kept Clinton’s popularity high Post-Cold War Foreign Policy Clinton had expansive, internationalist vision Debate over when to sue U.S. Military power in localized conflicts Critics feared nation would get sucked into disputes with no clear way out Defenders hailed flexibility and the opportunity to work with allies Efforts to promote peace and defuse conflict Nuclear disarmament efforts Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, 1995 Lowering trade barriers and expanding global markets highest priority World Trade Organization Election of 2000 Democrats ran Al Gore Distanced himself from Bill Clinton Probably a mistake Republicans ran George W. Bush Election results initially too close to call Gore carried popular vote by 500,000 Electoral college tally hung on results in Florida Original tally gave state to Bush with less than 1,000 vote victory Democrats demanded recount in selected counties Controversy reigned for a month Supreme Court finally intervened Stopped selected recount, saying it was unconstitutional Declared Bush winner by 5-4 margin Five conservative Republicans versus 2 Democrats and two liberal Republicans ©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. Presidential Election, 2000 George W. Bush’s Domestic Policy Economic downturn Stock Market decline Growing Federal and State deficits Corporate accounting scandals Administration policies Tax cut plan described as an economic stimulus package Energy policy that favored oil companies Controversial educational policy Mandatory nationwide test of children to assess schools’ effectiveness George W. Bush’s Foreign Policy September 11, 2001 Bush Doctrine Preemptive war to protect U.S. interests Huge increase in Bush’s approval ratings War on Terrorism Became administration’s foreign policy focus Patriot Act Broad executive branch latitude over surveillance and detention of people considered threats to national security Iraq Administration mounted campaign against Saddam Hussein Web Aiding terrorists Stockpiling weapons of mass destruction Began preparing for preemptive war in fall of 2002