Republican dominance and its opponents 1981-92 Flashcards
what was Reagans economic policy and beliefs explain
Reaganomics was the economic policy of Reagan which is supply side neoliberalism which is trickle down economics where there is tax cuts for the rich so they in theory reinvest money into the economy to create opportunities for the poor/working class
how successful was Reagan in dealing with the USA economic problems
Success?:
⚫there was sustained economic growth
⚫deregulation resulted in a growth in job creation
⚫reduced inflation
Failures?:
⚫widened income inequality
⚫high interest rates affected borrowing costs
⚫federal spending actually increased due Military expenditure
⚫deregulation caused savings & loans crisis
⚫Reagan’s policies disproportionately affected vulnerable populations due to welfare cuts
give me SFD on success’s of Reagan in dealing with economic problems in the US
⚫Real GNP (rate of growth above inflation) grew by 11% between 1981 and 1984
⚫1981-1989 saw a sustained increase in GDP annual growth rate of 3.5%
⚫reduced unemployment from 10.8% in 1982 to 5.3% by the end of 1988
⚫inflation rate was 10.8% in 1981, Reagan polices reduced it to 4.4% by 1987
give me SFD on failures of Reagan in dealing with economic problems in the US
⚫number of people defined as poor increased from 11.7% of population in 1979 to 15% in 1982
⚫Reagan policies led to a massive increase government debt from $914 billion in 1980 to $2.7 trillion by 1989
⚫economic policies led to a high trade deficit with the rest of the world amounted to $170 billion and the US become the worlds greatest debtor nation (owing billions to other countries)
how successful was Bush Sr in dealing with the economic problems
Overall Bush Sr inherited lots of the economic problems from the Reagan Administration and so was forced to raise taxes.
give me SFD for Bush Sr success in dealing with economic problems
⚫economy experienced job growth as 2.7 million jobs were created
⚫Bush Sr negiotiated NAFTA (North American Free Trade agreement) which expanded economic opportunites
⚫inflation remained stable it reduced form 4.6% in 1989 to 2.9% in 1992 which increased consumer confidence
give me SFD for Bush Sr failures in dealing with economic problems
⚫wage growth remained stagnant for many workers
⚫rising budget deficit
⚫US experienced a recession in 1990/91
To what extent was the Religious Right (RR) influential in the period 1981 to 1992
Political influence:
⚫RR and the silent majority became active in politics due to the rise of counterculture
⚫RR alliance with the Republican party as they heavily supported each other
⚫RR contributed financially to Politics
Social Influence:
⚫RR had influence over social issues such as school prayer and abortion
⚫RR had popular media presence (tv & radio) which influenced social views
Legal influence:
⚫Reagan was influenced by the RR to appoint conservative supreme court candidates
⚫Certain Acts were passed to appease the RR and their agenda
give me SFD evidence for RR influence 1981-1989
Political evidence:
⚫2/3 of evangelicals voted for Reagan
⚫Jerry Falwell helped raise $100 Million for Moral Majority causes
Social Evidence:
⚫The National right to life committee had 11 millions supporters in 1980
⚫Jerry Falwell had a radio show called The Old Time Gospel Hour which was on more than 300 Radio stations and had an audience of 1.5 Million People.
Legal Evidence:
⚫Reagan appointed Sandra Day O’Connor in 1981 and William Rehnquist and Antonin Scalia as judges in 1987
⚫The Equal Access Act 1984 was passed which allowed religious groups to operate in public schools
⚫The Anti-drug abuse act 1986 was passed to introduce stricter penalties for drug offences which is part of the RR agenda
How far were the years 1981 to 1992 a period of cultural challenge for American Youth
⚫the emergence of new music like rap, hip hop and punk that challenged traditional norms and youth engaged in these subcultures
⚫technological advancements like personal computers make subcultures more accessible for youth
⚫conservative shift challenged the liberal sentiments of the youth of the 1960s and 1970s
Give me SFD for the position of women improving in US years 81-92
⚫1992 Planned Parenthood v Casey, Supreme Court upholds Roe v Wade on the right to abortion
⚫more women in politics e.g. Geraldine Ferraro, 28 women in congress
⚫38% women working in 1960, by 1990 57.8% of women working
⚫33% of new doctors were women in 1980s compared to only 4% new doctors were women in 1970
⚫in the 1990 40% of women were lawyers, in 1970 it was 8.44%
⚫Sally Ride became the first women in space in 1983
⚫according to Andrew Hacker from 1972 to 1985 the female share of management jobs grew from 20% to 36%
⚫ Campaigns for equal pay
give me SFD for the position of women NOT improving in the US years 1981-92
⚫women still not equal to men in terms of earnings and still underrepresented as less 20% of all doctor, lawyer were women and even less in executive roles
⚫sexual harassment still common in the workplace - Tailhook Scandal 1991
give me SFD for the position improving for ethnic minorities US years 1981-92
⚫More ethnics in politics e.g. Andrew Young elected Mayor of Atlanta 1981
⚫Harold Washington becomes the first black mayor of Chicago 1983
⚫Clarence Thomas became a supreme court justice in 1991
⚫More ethnics in Uni as in 1983 it was 38.2% by 1992 51.5% because of Affirmative Action
⚫By 1992 the number of black owned business had risen to 621,000 from only a few hundred thousand in the 1960s
give me SFD for the position NOT improving for ethnic minorities US years 1981-92
⚫70% of blacks pulled over, disproportionality imprisoned and 30% of Blacks were in poverty
⚫Native Americans had no autonomy (Duro v Reina)
⚫Rodney King Riots proved there was still racial tension
give examples of changes in popular culture 1981-92 US
⚫For example personal computers, games consoles like Nintendo and CD players
⚫MTV and Cable TV
