• humble roots, deeply religious

• NOT Nixon (outsider, man of people)

• trouble dealing with Congress (Gov.)

• open foreign policy (human rights)

• amnesty for draft dodgers

• Restores Panama Canal to Panama

• Camp David Accords get Egypt & Israel to agree to work for peace

The Rust Belt Grows

• "Steel Belt" across MW and NE

• Add the Oil/Energy Crisis & inflation, companies are forced into major cut backs and shut downs

• stagflation

• Econo-socio-psychoical depression hits, steel belt è Rust Belt

Iran Hostage Crisis

• Shah forced from power goes to US for medical treatment

• Students & Ayatollah Khomenei demand return of Shah, seize embassy & 66 Americans

• 4/24/80- failed rescue attempt aggravates the situation

• 1/20/81- Hostages released

• US left with wounded pride

Stagflation & Election of 1980

• inflation hits 18%

• unemployment as high as 19% in places

• combination=stagflation

• Carter’s approval rating drops to 26%

• rebounds with Iran Crisis

• Reagan: strong military & economy (make U.S. proud)

• John Anderson is 3rd Party Cand

Ronald Reagan

• feel good about America after being burned by Vietnam, Watergate, & Iran

• conservatism is an ideology

• domestic : against abortion, gun control, ERA, & Affirmative Action; for the death penalty

• only way he can effect social issues is SC nominations

• economy bounces back

• Reaganomics: tax cuts targeted at upper classes supposed to stimulate economy (trickle down)

• strong anti-Comm "The Great Cold Warrior"

• Pro-Military

• restores prestige to Presidency

• low point of Reagan Era

• U.S. makes arms deal with Iran to help free U.S. hostages in Lebanon

• $ from arms deal goes to help Nicaraguan Contras fighting the Anti-U.S. Sandinistas

• Congress had told Reagan not to fund the Contras (he’s spending without permission)

• Press & Senate investigate, Oliver North (Marine Col.) held responsible, many try to tie back to Reagan

• Hart forced out (SEX!!!)

• Bush vs. Dukakis (Mass. Miracle)

• Bush wins with 53% (snoopy photo, Willie Horton)

• "Kinder, gentler nation" and "Read my lips: No New Taxes"

• end of Cold War - new world order

• Savings & Loan scandal

• economic recession (slow down in defense spending)

• budget deficit

• Clarence Thomas

• War on Drugs (Noriega)

• Gulf War I: UN sanctioned coalition pushes
• Election of 1992: Bush, Clinton, and Perot? – “It’s the economy, stupid!”
• Clinton stumbles early (healthcare, gays in military)
• 1994 Midterm Election:  "Contract with America"
• Booming Technology (Technology Bubble)
• Middle East
• Environmental Concerns move to fore
• Conflict with Congress leads to smaller government and less spending
• Yugoslavia (break up, ethnic warfare, Kosovo, United States intervention)
• Immigration (Prop 187: deny illegal immigrants public benefits)
• Affirmative Action (Prop 209: end all racial quotas, etc. at public institutions in CA)
• International Trade (NAFTA creates free trade zone between U.S., Canada & Mexico)
• Clinton's Scandals (Whitewater, Lewinsky & Impeachment)

• 1st Tech bubble bursts in 2000
• Bush wins very close 2000 Presidential election, most see he and Gore as fairly moderate and similar
• Closest election ever, finally “decided” when Supreme Court ends Florida recounts
• Brought voting reform to forefront
• Promises deregulation, education reform, support for faith based initiatives, tax relief for upper middle and upper classes
• 9/11 reshapes agenda – security concerns move to the forefront
• Immediate war in Afghanistan (seen as primary breeding ground for terror)
• Patriot Act, TSA, etc.

• Saddam Hussein was a longtime antagonist of the U.S.
• Administration not satisfied with findings of UN inspectors, we go in unilaterally in March 2003
• Easy time removing Hussein, difficult time maintaining control & transitioning to Iraqi self government