Transcript REAGAN - Edublogs

EUGENIA LANGAN
MATER ACADEMY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
HIALEAH GARDENS, FLORIDA
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
 WHAT LED TO THE CONSERVATIVE
"REVOLUTION" OF 1980?
 WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT A COUNTRY THAT
ELECTS AN ACTOR PRESIDENT?
 WHAT WAS "REAGANOMICS" AND DID IT WORK?
MOVIE ACTOR AND TV STAR RONALD REAGAN
ELECTION OF 1980
 REAGAN POSITIONS:
 ECONOMY:
 "SUPPLY-SIDE" ECONOMICS – CUT TAXES  STIMULATE
BUSINESS AND EFFECTS WOULD "TRICKLE-DOWN" TO
CREATE JOBS AND PROSPERITY FOR EVERYONE
 DISMANTLE GREAT SOCIETY, MORE POWER TO STATES
("NEW FEDERALISM") AND BALANCE BUDGET
 IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS: GET THEM FREED
 FOREIGN POLICY: INCREASE MILITARY AGAINST "EVIL
EMPIRE"
 WOMEN'S RIGHTS:
 OPPOSED ABORTION (ABOUT WHICH PRESIDENTS
CAN DO NOTHING
 NEITHER PRESIDENTS NOR MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS NOR STATE POLITICIANS CAN BAN
ABORTION -- WHY DO THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO TAKE
POSITIONS ON IT IN CAMPAIGNS?
 PROMISED TO APPOINT WOMAN SUPREME COURT
JUSTICE
 SCHOOL PRAYER: SUPPORTED IT – SAME
QUESTION AS ABOUT ABORTION!
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
 GEORGE H.W. BUSH, REAGAN'S
RUNNING MATE
 FORMER CIA DIRECTOR, U.S.
REPRESENTATIVE AND AMBASSADOR
TO CHINA, U.N. AMBASSADOR – BUT
LOST REPUBLICAN PRIMARY TO AN
ACTOR
 DURING PRIMARY: CALLED SUPPLYSIDE "VOODOO ECONOMICS" AND
SUPPORTED ABORTION RIGHTS
 FLIP-FLOPPED WHEN REAGAN
TAPPED AS VEEP RUNNING MATE (AND
STAYED FLIPPED TO GET ELECTED
PRESIDENT IN 1988!)
 REAGAN FIRSTS:
 FIRST ENTERTAINER TO BE ELECTED PRESIDENT
 OLDEST PRESIDENT – 69 WHEN ELECTED, 77 AT END
OF TERM
 FIRST PRESIDENT TO HAVE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
WHILE IN OFFICE
 FIRST DIVORCED PRESIDENT -- BUT MAJOR
SUPPORTER OF "FAMILY VALUES"
ELECTION OF 1980: RONALD REAGAN, GEORGE H.W.
BUSH, 50.7% OF POPULAR VOTE, CARTER/ MONDALE
41%
IN CONGRESS – DEMOCRATS RETAINED CONTROL OF
HOUSE, REPUBLICANS GAINED MAJORITY (53 SEATS) IN
SENATE
NOTE DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT THAT AIDED REAGAN (AND
OTHER CONSERVATIVES) – BY 1980, THE POPULATION
OF THE "SUN BELT" (SOUTH) EXCEEDED THAT OF
NORTHEAST
AND WITH THE RISE OF THE SUN
BELT: THE NEW "CHRISTIAN
RIGHT"
TELEVANGELIST JERRY FALWELL
AND THE "MORAL MAJORITY"
 "FAMILY VALUES"
 ANTI-ERA, ANTI-ABORTION, ANTI-GAY, ANTI-DÉTENTE
 ANTI-JEW, ANTI-CATHOLIC, ANTI –MUSLIM, ANYONE NOT A
"FUNDAMENTALIST" PROTESTANT
A FOURTH GREAT AWAKENING? BUT THIS ONE WAS
PRIMARILY POLITICAL AND IT CONTINUES
A MIRACLE! AS REAGAN MADE HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS,
THE HOSTAGES IN IRAN WERE FREED!
“HONEY, I FORGOT TO DUCK!”
 ECONOMIC RECOVERY TAX ACT OF 1981 (ERTA)
 CUT INCOME TAX RATES 23% ACROSS THE BOARD
 TOP RATE FROM 70% TO 50% (-20%)
 BOTTOM RATE FROM 14% TO 11% (- 3%)
 CUT WINDFALL OIL PROFIT TAX
REAGAN SIGNING ERTA INTO LAW AT HIS RANCHO DEL CIELO, CA
SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
GDP CHANGES (BLUE LINE) – AVERAGE GROWTH = RED
LINE == RECESSIONS IN 1982!
INFLATION – NOT AS BAD AS IN 1970s, BUT STILL A
PROBLEM IN 1980s
FEDERAL RESERVE KEPT INTEREST RATES HIGH IN 1980s
TO COMBAT INFLATION
Unemployment Rate: 1980-9
Year
% Unemployed
1980
7.0
1981
7.5
1982
9.5
1983
9.5
1984
7.4
1985
7.1
1986
6.9
1987
6.1
1988
5.4
1989
5.2
Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States.
Table 608.
MASSIVE INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS BEGAN IN
1980S, DUE IN PART TO DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION
SUPPLY-SIDE THEORY – THE LAFFER CURVE
BASED ON A SKETCH LAFFLER DREW ON A NAPKIN –
THEORY THAT VERY LOW AND VERY HIGH TAXES SUPPRESS
GOV. REVENUE. NOTE THAT IT DOESN’T SUPPORT
“TRICKLE-DOWN” OR MASSIVE TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH!
HOW WELL DOES SUPPLY-SIDE/ TRICKLE DOWN WORK?
RED LINE = AVERAGE MARGINAL TAX RATE. GREEN BARS
= CHANGES IN GDP (SOURCE ALSO BEA!)
 SO WHAT DID REAGAN REALLY DO? HE RAISED
TAXES (LARGEST PEACETIME TAX INCREASE IN
HISTORY) AND INCREASED FEDERAL SPENDING!
 SOME REAGAN TAX INCREASES:
 1982:
 TAX EQUITY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT (TEFRA) –
RAISED TAXES $37 BILLION (1% OF GDP) – FURTHER
REDUCED TOP TAX RATE TO 23% BUT LIMITED
DEDUCTIONS, ETC.
 HIGHWAY REVENUE ACT: INCREASED GAS TAX BY $3.3.
BILLION – SALES TAXES ARE REGRESSIVE!
 1983: SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AMENDMENTS RAISED
SOCIAL SECURITY TAX – IT IS CAPPED – GOES UP TO
ABOUT $108,000 (ADJUSTED ANNUALLY FOR INFLATION) –
ANYTHING OVER IS TAX-FREE – FAVORS HIGH EARNERS!
 OTHER HIDDEN TAX INCREASES IN DEFICIT REDUCTION
ACT OF 1984 AND OMNIBUS BUDGET RECONCILIATION ACT
OF 1985.
WHO GOT THE BIGGEST BENEFIT FROM REAGAN AND
BUSH INCOME TAX CHANGES?
FEDERAL DEBT:
TOP IN TRILLIONS
OF $
BOTTOM, AS % OF
GDP
RED BARS =
REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENTS, RED
BARS =
DEMOCRATIC
PRESIDENTS
 SO IN WHAT SENSE WAS REAGAN A CONSERVATIVE?
 FISCALLY?
ONLY IF HIGH TAXES, HIGH FEDERAL SPENDING, AND HIGH
FEDERAL DEFICITS ARE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE!
 WHY IS HE ADMIRED BY OBAMA AND REPUBLICANS ALIKE
AS A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE?
 WHY DOES OBAMA SAY THE NEW DEAL DIDN'T END THE
GREAT DEPRESSION?
 WAS REAGAN CONSERVATIVE OTHERWISE?
SOMETIMES – HE WAS A PRAGMATIST!
 REAGAN ON CIVIL RIGHTS
 OPPOSED CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 AS INTRUSION
ON BUSINESS; OPPOSED VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965
AS "HUMILIATING" TO SOUTH
 VETOED CIVIL RIGHTS RESTORATION ACT OF 1987
(ACT APPLIED CIVIL RIGHTS ACTS TO FEDERAL
CONTRACTORS AND FUNDS RECIPIENTS)
 FIRST PRESIDENT SINCE ANDREW JOHNSON TO
VETO CIVIL RIGHTS ACT! (CONGRESS OVERRODE
VETO)
 CUT FUNDING FOR FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS
ENFORCEMENT
 FEW BLACK APPOINTEES – BUT HARD TO FIND A
BLACK REPUBLICAN THEN!
 REAGAN ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS:
 SUPPORTED HYDE AMENDMENT (1976 ANNUAL RIDER
THAT BARS USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO PAY FOR
ABORTIONS)
 1981: APPOINTED SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR TO SUPREME
COURT (FIRST WOMAN)
ON DRUGS: NANCY REAGAN'S "JUST SAY NO"
CAMPAIGN  ENACTMENT OF HARSH DRUG LAWS +
MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES  U.S. HAS HIGHER %
OF POPULATION IN PRISON THAN ANY OTHER NONDICTORIAL NATION
AND SPEAKING OF DRUGS:
REAGAN NOMINATED U.S. COURT
OF APPEALS (D.C.) JUDGE
DOUGLAS GINSBURG TO SUPREME
COURT IN 1987
GINSBURG HAD TO WITHDRAW
WHEN PRESS REVEALED THAT
HE'D SMOKED MARIJUANA WITH
HIS STUDENTS AT HARVARD LAW
SCHOOL
BUT HE'S STILL ON THE D.C.
CIRCUIT!
REAGAN AND THE SUPREME COURT: HE RESHAPED IT
 IN ADDITION TO SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR, HE APPOINTED
ANTONIN SCALIA AND ANTHONY KENNEDY (ONLY SCALIA
TURNED OUT TO BE CONSERVATIVE -- BUT NO MORE
"LIBERAL" COURT)
JUSTICE SCALIA
JUSTICE KENNEDY
"BORKED"!
1987 – SAME SUPREME COURT
VACANCY: REAGAN APPOINTED
JUDGE ROBERT BORK TO THE COURT
(FORMER HARVARD PROF. AND
SOLICITOR GENERAL)
SENATE REJECTED BORK
 HIS ROLE IN WATERGATE
"MIDNIGHT MASSACRE"
 HIS MANY SCHOLARLY
PUBLICATIONS ON CONSTITUTIONAL
ISSUES
RESULT: PRESIDENTS WON'T APPOINT ULTRAQUALFIED PEOPLE TO SUPREME COURT AND SENATE
HEARINGS ARE A JOKE!
 MORAL MAJORITY SAID AIDS WAS DIVINE PUNISHMENT
OF GAY PEOPLE (AND LITTLE KIDS WHO GOT BLOOD
TRANSFUSIONS AND PEOPLE WHO GOT AIDS FROM
DENTISTS?)
REAGAN ON DEFENSE: BIG INCREASE IN DEFENSE
SPENDING (BUT NO WAR!) AND PROPOSED STRATEGIC
DEFENSE INITIATIVE (STAR WARS)
REAGAN ON FOREIGN POLICY
 THE SOVIET UNION WAS "THE EVIL EMPIRE"
 BUT: RONNIE AND GORBIE!
INF AND START
TREATIES (INF 1987,
START PROPOSED BY
REAGAN BUT RATIFIED
1991)
BUT WHEN THE SOVIET
UNION WAS ON THE
POLITICAL-ECONOMIC
SKIDS DUE TO
AFGANISTAN, REAGAN
(AGAINST NIXON’S
ADVICE) REFUSED TO
SEND ECONOMIC AID
 AND OF COURSE CONTINUING AID TO BRUTAL SOUTH
AMERICAN DICTATORSHIPS – LIKE "REVOLUTIONARY
JUNTA" IN EL SALVADOR
JUNTA HANDIWORK: FOUR AMERICAN MARYKNOLL NUNS,
ALSO ARCHBISHOP OSCAR ROMERO, MURDERED – OK
WITH U.S.!
 AND SECRETLY (BECAUSE CONGRESS
PROHIBITED IT), ARMING CONTRAS IN NICARAGUA
TRYING TO DEPOSE SANDINISTA GOVERNMENT
ABOVE: CONTRAS
LEFT: AUGUSTO
SANDINO
RIGHT: SANDINISTA
DANIEL ORTEGA
1984 ELECTION
DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE
WALTER MONDALE WITH
FIRST WOMAN VICEPRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
GERALDINE FERRARO
DEMOCRATS KNEW THE
COULDN'T WIN AGAINST
"UNCLE RONNIE"
WHY?
IRAN-CONTRA SCANDAL
 1986: LEBANESE NEWSPAPER REPORTED THAT U.S.
SOLD ARMS TO IRAN (THROUGH ISRAEL) TO GET
HOSTAGES RELEASED IN 1981. ARMS SALES
CONTINUED UNTIL STORY CAME OUT
 FOLLOWUP REVEALED – MONEY WENT TO BUY
ARMS FOR NICARAGUAN CONTRAS (IN VIOLATION OF
FEDERAL LAW)
 SPECIAL COMMISSION (CHAIRED BY TEXAS
SENATOR JOHN TOWER) AND SENATE HEARINGS
FOLLOWED
 ON NOVEMBER 13, 1986, AFTER STORY OF ARMS
SALES TO IRAN CAME OUT, REAGAN GAVE TELEVISED
SPEECH:
 "MY PURPOSE WAS... TO SEND A SIGNAL THAT
THE UNITED STATES WAS PREPARED TO REPLACE
THE ANIMOSITY BETWEEN [THE U.S. AND IRAN]
WITH A NEW RELATIONSHIP... AT THE SAME TIME WE
UNDERTOOK THIS INITIATIVE, WE MADE CLEAR
THAT IRAN MUST OPPOSE ALL FORMS OF
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AS A CONDITION OF
PROGRESS IN OUR RELATIONSHIP."
 WHEN HE TESTIFIED BEFORE THE TOWER
COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 2, HE SAID HE DIDN'T
REMEMBER AUTHORIZING THE ARMS SALES
THE MASTERMIND:
MARINE COLONEL OLIVER
NORTH (WORKING FOR
NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISOR IN WHITE HOUSE)
HAD HIS SECRETARY FAWN
HALL SHRED ALL
DOCUMENTS, NOVEMBER
21
NORTH WAS CONVICTED
OF PERJURY AND
OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE
BUT CONVICTION WAS SET
ASIDE ON A TECHNICALITY
THEN PRESIDENT GEORGE
H.W. BUSH PARDONED HIM
REAGAN'S FIRST NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, ROBERT
MC FARLAND
REAGAN'S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISORS MC FARLANE,
JOHN POINDEXTER, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE CASPAR
WEINBERGER, AND SEVERAL OTHER ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS WERE INDICTED FOR PERJURY
PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH PARDONED THEM
THE "TEFLON" PRESIDENT
MARCH, 1987: "I NEVER LIED TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE" -- BUT TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HE
"DIDN’T KNOW" HIS ADMINSTRATION DID.
EARLY-STAGE ALZHEIMER’S – MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN!
69% APPROVAL RATING
"RONNIE AND NANCY"
JUNE 6, 2004
AND BUSH I
1988 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION:
VICE PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W, BUSH – WWII VET, BUT HAD
TO DEAL WITH "WIMP FACTOR" SO PICKED LIGHTWEIGHT
DAN ("POTATOE") QUAYLE AS RUNNING MATE
DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE – MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR
MICHAEL DUKAKIS
BUSH'S INFAMOUS WILLIE
HORTON AD – WHILE DUKAKIS
WAS GOVERNOR, HORTON
GOT WEEKEND FURLOUGH
FROM MASS. PRISON AND
COMMITTED A RAPE
CAMPAIGN ISSUES: THE ECONOMY, THE DEFICIT AND
WAR ON DRUGS, AND . . .
"READ MY
LIPS. NO
NEW
TAXES"
RESULT: BUSH 53.4%, DUKAKIS 45.7 OF POPULAR
VOTE
REAGAN "COAT TAILS!"
Tiananmen Square
REALPOLITIK: BUSH DIDN’T LET CHINESE 1989 MASSACRE
OF STUDENT DISSENTERS INTERFERE WITH GRANTING
CHINA MFN STATUS (G.A.T.T. URUGUAY 1989)
 1989 INVASION OF PANAMA TO REMOVE MANUEL
NORIEGA FOR MURKY REASONS (PROBABLY WAG
THE DOG) -- U.N. RULED IT A VIOLATION OF
INTERNATIONAL LAW
 1990 BUDGET DEAL: BUSH AGREED TO NEW TAXES:
RAISED INCOME TAX, MEDICARE TAX, GAS TAX, ETC.
 SO: GULF WAR, 1990. WAG THE DOG!
1991: SOVIET UNION FELL ON HIS WATCH (THANKS TO
REAGAN, NOT HIM)
OCTOBER, 1991: BUSH APPOINTED CLARENCE
THOMAS TO REPLACE JUSTICE THURGOOD
MARSHALL
CIVIL RIGHTS HERO: LEAD
COUNSEL FOR NAACP IN BROWN,
ETC., JUDGE, U.S. COURT OF
APPEALS, 2D CIR.(NEW YORK),
SOLICITOR GENERAL OF THE U.S.
CHAIR, EEOC. BRIEFLY, JUDGE,
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS, D.C.
CIR.
THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT CHARGE – LAW
PROFESSOR ANITA HILL AT THOMAS'S SENATE
HEARING
WITH HER LAWYER, MY PARTNER WARNER GARDNER
THOMAS CALLED
THE SENATE
HEARING A "HIGHTECH LYNCHING"
WAS CONFIRMED 5248 VOTE
TO BECOME THE
SILENT JUSTICE
SHOWN HERE WITH
WIFE VIRGINIA WHO
LAST YEAR CALLED
ANITA HILL’S OFFICE
AT AROUND 6:00 AM
ON A SATURDAY TO
CHEW HER OUT
 RECESSION OF 1990-92
GDP DOWN > 3%,
UNEMPLOYMENT
UP (CHART TO
FOLLOW)
CAUSES – OIL
PRICES
INCREASED DUE
TO IRAQ WAR,
PANIC OVER
STOCK MARKET
CRASH OF 1987,
S&L CRISIS AND
BANK FAILURES IN
1980s.
JAMES CARVILLE, CLINTON'S LEAD
CAMPAIGN STRATEGIST IN 1992: "IT'S THE
ECONOMY, STUPID!"
1992 ELECTION -- POPULAR VOTE: CLINTON, 43.0%,
BUSH 37.5%, H. ROSS PEROT 18.9%
NEXT: A NEW KIND OF DEMOCRAT – THE THIRD
WAY OR TRIANGULATION - IS IT IN THE MIDDLE?