1980s to Present
Day
I. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)
A. Domestic Policies
1. Supported New Federalism
a. Money from federal govt goes to local govt to support social programs
2. Reaganomics
a. Supply side economics ( large supply of goods will bring down prices)
b. Tax breaks given to businesses and wealthy and would “trickle down” to others groups
c. Tax cuts and domestic spending
d. Increased Military spending
e. Deregulation of industry
3. Federal Deficit and National Debt grew
4. Trade Imbalance ( bought more than sold overseas)
5. Mazzoli-Simpson Act of 1986 legalized illegal aliens who had been in US since 1981
B. Foreign Policy
1. intervened in Grenada (1983)
2. Reagan Doctrine (1986)
a. No longer contain communism but would roll back communism
b. aided “freedom fighters” in Afghanistan, Nicaragua, and Cambodia.
3. Increased military spending
a. Star Wars
b. Build up military
c. Forces Soviets to do the same
4.War on Terrorism
a. policy of not negotiating with terrorists established
b. bombed Libya when implicated in terrorist activities
C. Iran-Contra Affair
1. US sold arms to Iran in exchange for release of American hostages in Lebanon
2. Profits sent to “Contra” rebels in Nicaragua
a. Congress had passes a law denying US aid to Contras
b. money sent secretly
3. Investigation
a. Reagan cleared of any wrong doing
b. Several officials convicted of lying to congress and sent to prison
II. George H.W. Bush (1989-1993)
A. Domestic Policy
1. Budget Deficit
a. Had to decrease the growing deficit
b. Increased income taxes for the wealthy
c. Cut military spending
2. Supreme Court Appointments
a. Conservatives gain control of court in 1991
b. Tougher treatment of criminal defendants
c. Reduced abortion rights
3. Recession
a. By 1990 moved into it
b. Reduced spending by consumers, corporations, and federal and state govt
c. Foreign competition leads to layoffs at home
4. Civil Unrest
a. 1992 Rodney King Trial police found not guilty of brutality
b. LA riots kill 70 people and cause millions in damage
5. Americans with Disabilities Act 1990
a. No discrimination against people with disabilities in employment and public accommodations.
b. Equal treatment at work and in buildings, stores, trains and busses.
B. Foreign Policy
1. Invasion of Panama (1989)
a. Steps against Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega
b. Noriega taken back to US and put on trial for drug dealing
c. Democratic leaders put in place
2. End of the Cold War
a. November 1989 Berlin Wall comes down
b. Germany reunited
c. 1991 Soviet Union falls apart and replaced by Commonwealth of Independent states
3. Somalia
a. 1992 humanitarian air-lift to Somalia
b. Troops to secure food shipments
C. Persian Gulf War
1. Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait and claims it part of Iraq
2. UN asks him to withdraw
3. he refuses
4. US leads troops into Iraq in Jan 1991.
5. War over by Feb 1991 with Saddam Hussein agreeing to:
a. Pay for damages\
b. Submit to weapons inspections
III. Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
A. Domestic Policy
1. Budget
a. Limited spending
b. Increased taxes for wealthy
c. Introduced gasoline tax
2. Health Care Reform
a. Appointed wife Hillary Rodham Clinton to head task force
b. Give every American guaranteed health care
c. Failed
3. Crime Bills
a. Increased funds for police
b. Increased money for prisons
c. Banned sale of automatic weapons
4. Economic Recovery
a. NAFTA (North American free Trade Agreement) trade association with Mexico and Canada
b. Unemployment goes down
c. Business profits up
d. Spending up
e. Federal surplus
B. Foreign Policy
1. Russia friendly policy
2. Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Kosovo
a. Intervened to force compromise peace
b. NATO bombed Serbia in retaliation to Muslims being persecuted in Kosovo
3. Promote peace in middle east between PLO, Israel, and Jordan
4. threatened China with decrease trade due to human rights violations but helped China join the World Trade Organization
IV. George W. Bush (2001-present)
A. Election of 2000
1. battles John McCain for nomination of Republicans
a. Dick Cheney is running mate
2. Al Gore is Democratic candidate
3. Gore wins popular vote but electoral vote in balance due to Florida
4. Florida election officials declare Bush winner of state
5. Supreme Court stops manual recount due to lack of uniform standards
6. Bush wins election
B. Major Events
1. tax cut to restart economy
2. September 11, 2001
a. Terrorists attack World Trade Center and Pentagon
b. 3,000 killed
c. Osama Bin Laden linked to the attacks
d. Leads to terror level warnings
3. War on Terrorism
a. Attacked Afghanistan under the Taliban
b. Afghanistan had let terrorists train in camps
c. Hunting for Osama Bin Laden
d. Helped to set up new government in Afghanistan
4. War in Iraq
a. US bombs and sends troops to find Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
b. No WMD found
c. Over 900 US servicemen and women killed
d. Saddam Hussein captured and to be tried for crimes against humanity
e. Interim government set up
f. Problems exist still US and Coalition troops still there
g. Kidnappings and murders of foreigners