How Successful Were P.Reagan And Bush Senior In Dealing With The USA’s Economic Problems?

Question 1

What period marked the Republican dominance of the federal government in the USA?

Answer 1

1981 to 1992

This period included three successive presidential elections won by Republicans.

Question 2

Who were the two Republican Presidents during the period of dominance from 1981 to 1992?

Answer 2

Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush

Reagan’s policies and leadership significantly influenced this era.

Question 3

What social movement gained influence in the USA during the 1980s?

Answer 3

The Religious Right

They opposed the liberalization of society that occurred in the 1960s and 1970s.

Question 4

What was the economic condition in the USA before Reagan took office?

Answer 4

High unemployment and double-digit inflation

Unemployment averaged 6.2% in the 1970s compared to 4.1% in the 1960s.

Question 5

What was Reagan’s economic plan called?

Answer 5

Program for Economic Recovery

This plan aimed to address the economic issues inherited from the previous decade.

Question 6

Fill in the blank: The Equal Rights Amendment failed to become part of the US Constitution in _______.

Answer 6

1982

This was a significant event in the fight for women’s rights.

Question 7

What was the federal budget deficit in 1986?

Answer 7

$221 billion

This figure reflects the financial challenges during Reagan’s presidency.

Question 8

What was one of the major cultural shifts in the 1980s regarding youth?

Answer 8

A period of cultural challenge

The decade saw clashes between conservative and liberal values.

Question 9

How did the status of ethnic minorities and women change in the 1980s?

Answer 9

It improved

Although progress was made, challenges remained.

Question 10

What event in 1992 marked the end of Republican dominance in the USA?

Answer 10

The election of Bill Clinton

Clinton’s victory represented a significant political shift.

Question 11

True or False: The 1980s were solely characterized by conservatism.

Answer 11

False

Popular culture continued to reflect liberal views, which conflicted with conservative ideologies.

Question 12

What was the average unemployment rate in the 1970s?

Answer 12

6.2 percent

This was a significant increase compared to the previous decade.

Question 13

Fill in the blank: Reagan’s economic policies focused on reducing _______.

Answer 13

federal spending

This approach aimed to stimulate economic growth.

Question 14

What healthcare program was associated with the 1980s?

Answer 14

Medicare

Medicare was a key component of healthcare policy during this period.

Question 15

What significant budgetary challenge did the federal government face in the 1980s?

Answer 15

Rising federal budget deficits

These deficits were a result of Reagan’s economic policies.

Question 16

What campaign did Nancy Reagan launch during the 1980s?

Answer 16

Just Say No campaign

This campaign aimed to combat drug use among youth.

Question 17

What economic policy did Reagan abandon upon taking office?

Answer 17

Reagan abandoned demand-side economics in favor of supply-side economics.

Question 18

What was the main goal of Reagan’s supply-side economics?

Answer 18

The main goal was to encourage economic growth by cutting federal spending and lowering taxes.

Question 19

What significant legislation did Congress pass in Reagan’s first year?

Answer 19

Congress passed the Omnibus Reconciliation Act and the Economic Recovery Tax Act.

Question 20

What was the impact of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act?

Answer 20

It cut government spending on over 300 programs, resulting in a reduction of $963 billion from 1981 to 1987.

Question 21

How much did the Economic Recovery Tax Act reduce personal income tax?

Answer 21

It reduced personal income tax by 25 percent.

Question 22

What was the growth rate of Real GNP between 1981 and 1984?

Answer 22

Real GNP grew by 11 percent, one of the fastest growth rates since World War II.

Question 23

What were some consequences of Reagan’s economic policies for poorer Americans?

Answer 23

Cuts to programs like Medicare and Medicaid affected the poorer sections of US society.

Question 24

What was the AFDC Program?

Answer 24

The AFDC Program (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) provided support to families in need.

Question 25

What economic conditions did the 1970s witness?

Answer 25

The 1970s witnessed both rising prices (inflation) and rising unemployment.

Question 26

What did Reagan aim to remove to stimulate economic growth?

Answer 26

Reagan aimed to remove obstacles to growth, such as trade unions and extensive government regulations.

Question 27

What was the economic situation from 1981 to 1983 under Reagan?

Answer 27

There was an economic recession from 1981 to 1983.

Question 28

What happened to the US economy for the rest of the 1980s after the recession?

Answer 28

The US economy experienced economic growth for the rest of the 1980s.

Question 29

What was the number of families receiving help under AFDC in the USA from 1955-92?

Answer 29

3.7 million families were receiving help under AFDC.

Question 30

How many people received food stamps during the same period?

Answer 30

About 20 million people received food stamps.

Question 31

What was the percentage cut in AFDC and food stamp support between 1982 and 1985?

Answer 31

The Omnibus Reconciliation Act cut support by approximately 13 percent.

Question 32

By what percentage were child nutrition programs cut?

Answer 32

Child nutrition programs were cut by 28 percent.

Question 33

What was the increase in the percentage of people defined as 'poor' from 1979 to 1982?

Answer 33

The percentage of people defined as 'poor' increased from 11.7 percent in 1979 to 15 percent by 1982.

Question 34

What was the budget cut for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) between 1981 and 1987?

Answer 34

The HUD budget was cut by 57 percent.

Question 35

What was the average annual rate of decline in social spending under Reagan?

Answer 35

Social spending fell by an average annual rate of 1.5 percent.

Question 36

What was introduced as part of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act regarding welfare?

Answer 36

The introduction of workfare, requiring families to do community service to receive AFDC.

Question 37

By January 1987, how many states had introduced welfare programs linking payments to work?

Answer 37

42 out of the 50 states had introduced such welfare programs.

Question 38

What did the Family Support Act of 1988 ensure?

Answer 38

It ensured that the approach linking welfare support to work became a permanent feature of American society.

Question 39

What was a significant aspect of Reagan's economic policies?

Answer 39

Large-scale economic deregulation aimed at promoting economic growth.

Question 40

What happened to the workforce of the Office of Surface Mining between 1981 and 1982?

Answer 40

It lost around 40 percent of its workforce.

Question 41

What was Reagan's confrontation with trade unions primarily about?

Answer 41

The deregulation of air traffic control.

Question 42

What happened to the Professional Air Traffic Controllers (PATCO) strike?

Answer 42

Reagan demanded they return to work or face termination, and when they did not, he sacked them all.

Question 43

What was the impact of Reagan's victory over the PATCO strike?

Answer 43

It emboldened large corporations to resist union demands.

Question 44

What was the economic outcome of Reagan's policies between 1981 and 1984?

Answer 44

The growth in the US economy increased the spending power of middle-class families.

Question 45

What was the federal debt when Reagan criticized Jimmy Carter in 1980?

Answer 45

$73.8 billion.

Question 46

By how much did the federal debt increase during Reagan's presidency?

Answer 46

It rose by $321 billion to more than a trillion dollars.

Question 47

What was a major cause of the budget deficit during Reagan's presidency?

Answer 47

The expansion of military spending.

Question 48

What was the annual defense spending at the end of Carter's administration?

Answer 48

$171 billion.

Question 49

What did annual defense spending rise to under Reagan?

Answer 49

$242 billion.

Question 50

What was the federal budget deficit during Reagan's presidency?

Answer 50

In every one of his budgets, Reagan had a deficit of in excess of $100 billion.

Question 51

What was the national debt by 1989?

Answer 51

$2.7 trillion.

Question 52

What was the trade deficit amount by 1986?

Answer 52

$170 billion.

Question 53

What act did Congress pass to deal with the federal budget deficit?

Answer 53

The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, also known as the Gramm-Rudman Act.

Question 54

What was the outcome of the Gramm-Rudman Act by the time Reagan left office?

Answer 54

It was far from reaching its goal of eliminating the federal budget deficit.

Question 55

Who benefited from Reagan's economic policies despite their impact on the poor?

Answer 55

The military and corporations involved in military technology.

Question 56

What was Reagan's campaign slogan in the 1984 presidential election?

Answer 56

'Morning Again in America'.

Question 57

What was the margin of victory for Reagan in the 1984 presidential election?

Answer 57

Reagan won 54.4 million votes against 37.7 million for Mondale.

Question 58

How many Electoral College votes did Reagan win in the 1984 election?

Answer 58

Reagan won 525 Electoral College votes compared to only 13 for Mondale.

Question 59

What was a major cause of increased federal social spending during Reagan's presidency?

Answer 59

Military build-up and increased spending. ## Footnote Spending rose from $2 billion to $23.5 percent of the federal budget.

Question 60

What significant economic change occurred by 1986 under Reagan's policies?

Answer 60

The US economy transformed from a creditor to the world's greatest debtor. ## Footnote Reagan's economic policies led to a deficit of $7 trillion by 1989.

Question 61

What legislation did Reagan support to address the budget deficit?

Answer 61

The Balanced Budget Act of 1985. ## Footnote This act aimed to reduce the budget deficit until he left office in early 1989.

Question 62

Who was Reagan's opponent in the 1984 presidential election?

Answer 62

Walter Mondale. ## Footnote Reagan won with a significant majority, receiving 25 million votes compared to only 13 million for Mondale.

Question 63

What was George Herbert Walker Bush's relation to Reagan?

Answer 63

He was Reagan's Vice President and succeeded him as president in 1988.

Question 64

What notable achievement did Bush Senior accomplish regarding nuclear weapons?

Answer 64

He signed the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty with the Soviet Union in 1989.

Question 65

What was Bush Senior's most famous foreign policy success?

Answer 65

The formation of an international coalition that defeated Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait in 1991.

Question 66

What economic challenges did Bush Senior face upon taking office?

Answer 66

He inherited a national debt of $827 billion and significant budget and trade deficits.

Question 67

What was Bush Senior's campaign slogan regarding taxes?

Answer 67

Read my lips, no new taxes.

Question 68

What was the federal budget deficit by 1992?

Answer 68

The federal budget deficit had reached $400 billion.

Question 69

Who was George W. Bush?

Answer 69

He was the son of George Herbert Walker Bush and served as US president from 2001 to 2009.

Question 70

What was Jeb Bush's political role?

Answer 70

He became governor of Florida.

Question 71

What was the major crisis in the savings and loan industry during 1989?

Answer 71

There was a crisis in the savings and loan associations related to the housing market. ## Footnote This crisis led to a federal rescue plan by Bush Senior in 1989.

Question 72

What was the predicted expenditure of the federal bailout plan in 1989?

Answer 72

The predicted expenditure was $50 billion. ## Footnote By April 1990, the federal bailout bill had increased to $325 billion.

Question 73

What actions did Bush Senior take to address economic difficulties?

Answer 73

He implemented a combination of spending cuts and tax rises, which contradicted his election promise.

Question 74

What was the federal income tax rate raised to in 1990?

Answer 74

The federal income tax rate was raised from 28 percent to 31 percent.

Question 75

How much was military and domestic expenditure cut by?

Answer 75

$492 billion.

Question 76

What action did the Federal Reserve Board take to stimulate economic growth?

Answer 76

The Federal Reserve Board lowered interest rates to 3.5 percent.

Question 77

Did the interest rate change have a significant impact on the recession?

Answer 77

No, the rate change was not enough to counter the effects of the recession.

Question 78

Who were Bush Senior's main rivals in the 1992 presidential election?

Answer 78

Democrat Bill Clinton and independent candidate Ross Perot.

Question 79

How many votes did Bush Senior receive in the 1992 election?

Answer 79

Bush Senior received 38 million votes.

Question 80

How many votes did Bill Clinton receive in the 1992 election?

Answer 80

Bill Clinton received 44.9 million votes.

Question 81

What was the outcome of the Electoral College in the 1992 election?

Answer 81

Clinton won 370 votes, while Bush Senior received 168 votes.

Question 82

What was the result of Bush Senior's presidency after one term?

Answer 82

He lost the presidency, ending 12 years of Republican dominance of federal government.

Question 83

What does 'Reaganomics' refer to?

Answer 83

It refers to the changes in social and economic policy during Reagan's first term as president.

Question 84

What was emphasized in the article about Reagan's role?

Answer 84

The importance of President Reagan's personal role in engineering great change.

Question 85

What significant change did the Reagan Administration make regarding defense spending?

Answer 85

There was a reallocation of state value and a reduction in defense spending.