Presidency of Ronald Reagan

 

Defeated Carter in 1980 and Mondale in 1984 as the oldest President ever elected (69

            years old)

 

Revived the “New Federalism” of Nixon’s presidency: reduce federal government’s

            control over states

 

Cuts in social spending programs such as medicaid, food stamps, welfare

 

Income taxes on businesses and individuals were lowered significantly while payroll

            taxes (used for medicare and social security) were increased

 

These tax changes tended to hurt the working and middle class the most

 

Supply-side economics: reduce taxes on the upper classes to provide more money to

            encourage economic growth (see also trickle down economics: Hoover)

 

Income tax code was simplified and rates were reduced; many tax breaks and

            deductions were eliminated

 

Growth of federal deficit due to high defense

            spending and lower intake by the federal

            government

 

Omnibus Drug Act of 1988: allowed death penalty for  drug-related deaths and

            provided funding for education, rehabilitation, and the use of armed forces

            to find smugglers

 

Continued program of deregulating business as started under Carter (i.e. airlines)

 

Immigration Control and Reform Act: gave amnesty to illegal aliens living in the US

 

Continued to pay subsidies to farmers, and spending hit an all time high during a

            drought crisis

 

 

Appointed Sandra Day O’Connor (1981) and Antonin Scalia (1986) to the court and

            named William Rehnquist to Chief Justice when Burger retired in 1986

 

Overhaul of welfare require recipients to get jobs or training to get jobs

 

Foreign Affairs

 

Increase in military spending and “Star Wars” a space defense system

 

Soviet Union: hard line at first “the evil empire” but improved as Gorbachev

            made reforms and 1987 they signed the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF)

            treaty

 

Organized and equipped anti-communist forces in El Salvador and Nicaragua

 

Iran-Contra Affair: selling of weapons to Iran to procure release of hostages and then

            diverting the money to Contras (after Congress had banned military aid)

            John Poindexter and Oliver North were convicted of crimes related to Iran-

            Contra

 

Reagan Doctrine: U.S. will support “freedom fighters” that opposed left wing regimes

            including Angola and Afghanistan

 

Invasion of Grenada 1983 to oust a communist government there

 

Sending troops to Lebanon in 1982 to try and calm situation arising from Israeli

            invasion, withdrew troops after 241 died in a suicide truck bomb attack

 

Opened talks with PLO after they renounced terrorism

 

1986 bombing of Libya in retaliation for connections to international terrorism

 

Pressed for free-trade and tried to increase exports of American products (pressed

            for NAFTA for example)

 

Supported the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines and welcomed Corazon

            Aquino who succeeded him

 

Opposed apartheid and Congress placed economic sanctions against South Africa

            in 1986

 

Applied economic sanctions against Panama, accusing Noriega of drug smuggling