Social Impact Flashcards
How much did the funding for the drug war increase?
In 1981 it was $1.5 billion, by 1986 it was $2.75.
What percent of prisoners were drug offenders?
60%
What happened with the PATCO workers?
Over 12,000 air traffic controllers went on strike - complaints of stress, staff shortages and outdated equipment
Reagan didn’t listen and ordered them back to work in 48 hours, then fired them all when they didn’t go back. Helped plummet future PATCO strikes.
How much did the poverty and unemployment rate climb as a result of Reagan’s first term?
Poverty rate 12% to 15%
Unemployment 7% to 11%
How did Reagan ‘break the poverty trap’ with the Family Support Act?
Oct 1988
The Act created a Job Opportunities and Basic Skills program to assure families with children obtain the training and employment necessary to avoid long term welfare.
Reagan’s affect on Women/Ethnic Minorities/LGBT
BAD: No policies to improve equality for any
Did not support the Equal Rights Act (like every other President tho)
Openly discussed his views on overturning Roe v Wade
Offended the NAACP (and AA in general) in 1982 by stating that Federal Aid had created a ‘new kind of bondage’.
Reduction of Federal involvement meant administration was unwilling to extend Civil Rights Legislation.
Accused of not doing anything about the AIDS epidemic until his friend died of the disease in 1985.
GOOD: Appointed the first woman to the Supreme Court.
Appointed an African-American man to his Secretary of Housing and Urban development.
How much money was reduced from Welfare?
$140 billion
What was Workfare?
At least one parent had to be working to able to claim benefits.
Explain some of Reagan’s Welfare measures (4)
October 1982
Job Training Partnership Act: Shifted job training from federal hands to state and private schemes and removes any need for the trainees to have their incomes made up to minimum wage.
April 1983
Social Security Reform Bill: Delays the linking of payments to inflation and raises the amount the government takes from wages to cover the benefit; sets up a study of running the Social Security Agency as a privately run agency; makes benefit payments partially taxable; changes the earnings test for eligibility; retirement credits are now not fully payable until 1967 (before it was 1965).
July 1987
McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act: Sets up the Federal Emergency Management Food and Shelter Program.
Oct 1988
Family Support Act: Workfare basically - Only eligible for benefits if at least one parent is working. Single parents expected to finish education and undergo job training, the state to provide childcare.
What was the ‘White Flight’?
As industries expanded in the 80s many white Conservatives left the cities for Suburbia. Left a higher percentage ratio of AA in the cities.
