George Bush

 

Campaign promise: “Read my lips, no new taxes” went unfufilled

 

Started a program to shut down and sell off  failing Savings and Loans

 

Advocated even more money for war on drugs than Reagan

 

Increased taxes on incomes, cigarettes, alcohol, and luxury boats to try and curb

            the deficit, which failed

 

Americans With Disabilities Act 1990 was passed to prevent discrimination against

            handicapped

 

Worked with state governors to institute national standards for education and

            proposed a “school choice” system

 

Appointed David Souter and Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, Thomas

            succeeded Thurgood Marshall as the second African American on the court

 

Clean Air Act 1990 was passed to fight effects of pollution

 

Foreign Affairs:

 

Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe and Reunification of Germany

 

Proclamation of the end of the Cold War and beginning of economic aid to former

            Eastern Bloc

 

Nicragua elected an American backed coalition government which ousted the

            Sandanistas

 

Invasion of Panama and “arrest” of Noriega in 1989

 

Encouraged open trade and worked toward NAFTA

 

Attempted to gain greater access to Japanese economy for American business as

            Japanese rivaled American business

 

Praised easing of apartheid and release from jail of Nelson Mandela

 

Persian Gulf War 1991 as part of an international coalition

 

Middle East Peace talks continued

 

Sent troops to Somalia  to protect relief workers who were providing food