Reagan Outline

By Jeremy Keeshin Abrams, Laflamme, Sapinsely, Abecassis Chapter 32, 927-944, Reagan domestic and Foreign 1) Reagan and the Rise of Conservatism a) Ronald Reagan, actor, California governor and later president of the United States, helped lower taxes and cut spending on social programs as well as help diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. He was significant because his new conservative ideology brought a feeling of calmness and optimism to the country. b) Jerry Falwell, Virginia media evangelist founds fundamentalist group the Moral Majority. c) Population in 1970s shifts to Sunbelt, attracts white-mid upper class, helps conservative shift d) Neoconservatism was a revitalized conservative movement stressing the need for capitalism and focus on the positives of America. It was significant because it showed the shifting ideas in the U.S. 2) Reagan in Power a) Reagan Victory i) In election, blames Carter for inflation, and uses economy as major point. ii) Carter portrays Reagan as a war hawk unsuitable for the nuclear age iii) Election of 1980 (1) Reagan (R ) 489 (2) Carter (D ) 49 iv) Reagan victory ends half century of Democratic dominance b) Cutting Spending and Taxes i) Supply-side economics, or trickle down, was the idea that the private sector spending would help boost the economy. This was significant because it was one of Reagan’s major reasons for the tax cut. ii) Regan cuts spending and taxes. c) Limiting the Role of the Government i) Reagan tries deregulation of industry ii) Appoints Sandra Day O’Connor to Supreme Court 3) Reaganomics a) Recession and Recovery b) The Growing Deficit i) Gramm-Rudman was a plan to slow and end the growing budget deficit by stretching it out until 1993. It was significant because it was how Reagan dealt with the deficit. c) The Rich Grow Richer d) Reagan Affirmed i) Election of 1984 (1) Reagan (R ) 525 (2) Mondale (D ) 13 4) Reagan and the World a) Challenging the “Evil Empire” i) U.S. puts weapons in NATO countries in reach of Moscow ii) Strategic Defense Iniative (SDI), called “star wars” by the media, was an antimissile system using lasers and particle beams to destroy incoming

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By Jeremy Keeshin Abrams, Laflamme, Sapinsely, Abecassis missiles. This was significant because the U.S. wanted security in the time of this nuclear war. Turmoil in the Middle East i) US involved in Lebanon civil war, terrorist bombing causes US to pull out. Confrontation in Central America i) US cuts off all aid to Nicaragua ii) Boland Amendment prohibits any US agency from spending money in Central America Trading Arms for Hostages i) Iran-Contra Affair (1985) was an important event during the Reagan administration when secret arms sales to Iran were traded for promises for American hostages in Lebanon to be released, and the proceeds went covertly to the Contras in Nicaragua. This was significant because it marked a sharp turn in the Reagan administration when people were more skeptical of the president although most of the blame was moved away from him. Reagan the Peacemaker i) Gorbachev becomes new soviet leader ii) Intermediate Nuclear Forces agreement helped lead to reconciliation with Soviet Union and coming closer to the end of the Cold War, which was significant because it boosted Reagan’s image after the troubling Iran-Contra Affair.

Respect.