1980s And 1990s

America in the 1980s and 1990s

President Ronald Reagan 

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“Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” Reagan appeals to diverse factions of Republican party, as well as Southern Democrats, working class 1980--Republicans win presidency, majority in Senate

Supply-Side Economics 

Reagan’s premise: cut spending to encourage private investment 

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Similar approach used by John F. Kennedy

Reagan cuts over three years Federal spending by more than $40 billion  Taxes by 25% 

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Economic recovery, but increasing deficit 1983--federal budget deficit $200 billion  Drop in unemployment  Increasing gap between rich and poor 

Facing the “Evil Empire” 

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Reagan: Soviet Union the "focus of evil in the modern world" Russians build up nuclear arsenal 1985--Mikhail Gorbachev assumes power in Russia 1985-88--Reagan-Gorbachev summits  1987--destroy

intermediate range missiles  “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Election of 1988 

Republican George Bush defeats Democrat Michael Dukakis  Bush

television ads attack Dukakis as soft on crime, unpatriotic  “Kindler, gentler nation”  “Read my lips, no new taxes”  Republicans lose seats in Congress 

Bush faces economic recession, ballooning federal deficit; raises taxes

Persian Gulf War  

August, 1990--Iraq occupies Kuwait January, 1991--Operation Desert Storm  Stated

purpose: defend American way of life  “Precision bombing” misses target 1 out of 3 

Outcome of Desert Storm  February

24--Iraqi force collapses  Bush’s approval hits 90%  Estimated 1 million Iraqi deaths as a direct result of a decade of economic sanctions

Shifting Population 

1980--majority shifts to the South and West Climate  Jobs in defense industry  1990--Los Angeles second-largest city 

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Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 stimulates immigration 1970-1990--14 million legal immigrants, especially from Latin America and Asia  1986--approximately 4 million illegal immigrants, about 200,000 per year 

Melting Pot or Multiethnic Diversity?  

Melting pot ideal waning Various metaphors of enduring difference existing in harmony on the rise

Economic Woes 

1990--economy in recession  Increase

in unemployment  Decline in Gross Domestic Product  Lower wages 

No permanent middle-class gains since 1973  Requires

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more hours, more family members working

1992--gradual recovery begins

Election of 1992 

Bush’s weaknesses  Increasing

deficit  Economic recession 

Democrat Clinton runs on promise to revitalize economy  “New

Democrat”  Downplays importance of foreign affairs 

Independent Perot runs on promise to cut the deficit

Clinton Agenda 

1993--Democrats split over NAFTA  Clinton

argues free trade would create jobs  Labor fears cheap labor in Latin America  

Clinton health care reform defeated 1994--Republicans win both houses of Congress with “Contract with America”  Republican

Congress enacts only 4 minor parts of Contract with America  House Speaker Newt Gingrich loses popularity

Triangulation 

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Clinton distances himself from conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats Clinton signs welfare reform bill to capture center Clinton mounts television advertising campaign to attack Republican cuts Defeats Republican Bob Dole  Stress

education, health care to win women and minorities

Attack on Serbia 

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1998--Claims of Serbian “ethnic cleansing” against Albanians in Kosovo March, 1999—Clinton orders air strikes against Serbian infrastructure May, 1999—60% of Serb electrical capacity destroyed  June 10, 1999—Serbs agree to evacuate all ground forces from Kosovo  7000 tons of explosives dropped, 1000 civilians killed  “Smart bombs” off-target over 25% of the time 

Another Perspective on Serbia 

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“As Slavs flee the protracted violence, Kosovo is becoming what ethnic Albanian nationalists have been demanding for years, and especially strongly since the bloody rioting by ethnic Albanians in Pristina in 1981 - an ''ethnically pure'' Albanian region, a “Republic of Kosovo” in all but name… The hope is that something will be done then to exert the rule of law in Kosovo while drawing ethnic Albanians back into Yugoslavia's mainstream. “ New York Times, Nov. 1, 1987

Realignment of Hawks and Doves 

Attacks on Serbia supported by:  Bob

Dole  Barbara Boxer (D-CA)  Jon McCain (R-AZ)  Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

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Attacks on Serbia Opposed by:  Pat

Buchannan  Alexander Cockburn (The Nation)  Charles Colson  Alan Keyes  Garry Wills

1990s Economy 

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1990s mark the longest sustained period of economic growth in American History Federal budget transformed from deficit to surplus Republicans argue for tax cuts  Democrats argue for shoring up federal programs 

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NAFTA 420,000 jobs sent to Mexico  Wages in Mexico drop 27% in real dollars  U.S. trade deficit increases by $39 million 

Terrorism at home 

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Ruby Ridge, Idaho, 1992—Federal agents shoot and kill survivalist mother and son Waco, Texas, 1993—standoff at Branch Davidian compound ends in death of 75 Oklahoma City, 1995—Timothy McVeigh explodes truck bomb at Murrah federal building 1996—the Unabomber, Theodore Kaczynski captured in Montana 1999—Violent protest at World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle

“It depends on what your definition of is is….” 

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After repeated denials, President Clinton admits to sexual relationship with intern Monica Lewinski Special prosecutor reports 11 possible impeachment charges to Congress; public sentiment for /against impeachment. House votes to impeach Clinton (similar to grand jury indictment); 2/3 Senate vote required for conviction on charges; Republicans press ahead but unable to win simple majority Clinton’s presidency badly damaged

A Divided Nation 2000 

Dominant trends of election year 2000  Economic

boom favors Democrats  Disappointment with Clinton’s failings favors Republicans 

The Candidates  Republican

George W. Bush calls for limiting government and relying on the market  Democrat Al Gore calls for expanded federal role in education and health care

Election of 2000 

Extremely close race ends up hanging on disputed Florida vote  Gore

leads in popular vote (eventually 500,000) and Electoral College (267)  Florida’s 25 electoral votes would bring Bush total to 271  

Gore calls for recount of Florida vote December 12, 2000—U.S. Supreme Court ends recount efforts with ruling in Bush’s favor

Voting Patterns in 2000 Election

Birthrate, 1820-2000

Death Rate, 1900-2000

Life Expectancy, 1900-2000

Urban/Rural Population, 1750-1900

Women in the Labor Force, 1890-1990