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CONTEMPRORARY AMERICA. 1976 to Present. CARTER ADMINISTRATION. President Carter wins the election of 1976. The American people were in need of a President free of scandal. Carter’s Domestic Issues. Carter’s Domestic Issues.
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CONTEMPRORARYAMERICA 1976 to Present
CARTER ADMINISTRATION • President Carter wins the election of 1976. • The American people were in need of a President free of scandal.
Carter’s Domestic Issues • President Carter inherited an economic crisis when he took over office. • Inflation was at an all time high. • Carter felt the nations largest problem was our dependence on foreign oil. • He attempted to get control of our energy consumption by creating the Department of Energy. • Instability in the Middle East created fuel • shortages. Add that to the problems with • policy on taxing of domestic oil companies • and you have a national crisis!
Carter’s Foreign Issues • President Carter achieved success in foreign policy by helping to negotiate a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. This became known as the Camp David Accord. • Unfortunately, he also suffered a major defeat when Iranian rebels overtook the US Embassy and captured 54 hostages. Unable to negotiate their release and a failed rescue attempt, they were held hostage for 444 days.
Environmental Issues • In an effort to combat energy consumption issues, many promoted the use of nuclear energy, stating that is was cleaner and cheaper then fossil fuels (like oil). Others feared the effects caused by radiation. • People like Rachel Carson (who wrote the book, Silent Springs) fought to have cleaner food and water, wanting to eliminate things like pesticides. • In April of 1970 EARTH DAY became official.
REAGAN ADMINISTRATION • President Reagan (former actor and Governor of California) wins the election of 1980. • Like President Carter, Reagan inherited massive problems, both domestic and foreign.
Reagan’s Domestic Issues • Reagan faced stagflation when he took office (a combination of high inflation & high unemployment). • To combat this he combined two economic programs to create Reagonomics: • Monetarism – belief that inflation was caused by too much money in circulation – to combat this, they believed in raising interest rates. • Supply-side Economics – believed that the economy was weak because taxes were too high. • Reagan’s plan became known as “trickle-down economics”
Reagan & the Military • Reagan adopted a foreign policy that rejected containment and détente. • Reagan’s phrase regarding the Soviet Union was “peace through strength” • He launched the largest peacetime military build-up in American History.
Reagan & the Cold War • Reagan resumed meetings with the Soviets when Mikhail Gorbachev became the new leader of the USSR. • Gorbachev became known for his policies of Perestroika (restructuring) and Glasnost (openness). • The Soviet Union was also in massive debt. • It was these issues, along with pressure from other countries (like the Reagan Doctrine – undermining communism) that eventually leads to the collapse of the USSR in 1991 (ending the Cold War).
George HW Bush Presidency • In 1988 George Bush takes office and faces many domestic and foreign issues. He is President at the time the Cold War finally ends. • He continued to face other communist leaders such as China (Tiananmen Square), Panama (Noriega), Iraq (Saddam Hussein & Desert Storm). • He also faced downsizing of the military at the end of the Cold War which led to a recession and businesses downsizing.
Election of 1992 • In 1992 Bush ran for re-election. He went up against Bill Clinton (nominee for the Democratic Party) and Ross Perot (a 3rd Party Candidate). • Perot became an issue for Bush due to the fact that 3rd party candidates typically cause a split in votes. • Normally, a majority is needed to win an election, but due to Perot’s 3rd party candidacy, Clinton is able to win the election without a majority vote.
Clinton Presidency • Clinton was a very controversial President. While some argue that he left office with a booming economy, others argued that some of his decisions damaged the image of the office & that it was the Republican led Congress who balanced the budget. • Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in an effort to increase international trade. Canada, North America and Mexico joined in a free-trade zone and American manufacturers increased trade with these two countries. • Not everyone was happy with NAFTA – • some feared that due to lower tariffs • in these other two countries, American • manufacturers would lose jobs to them.
Clinton Presidency • While in office, Clinton enlisted the support of his wife, Hillary Clinton, to work on health care reform. While her program did not pass, healthcare became a major topic of political reform during the 1990’s and continues today. • Clinton was not free of scandal. Allegations were made that he had a personal relationship with a White House Intern, Monica Lewinski. • He was investigated and accused of committing perjury (he lied under oath), he obstructed justice, and abused his power as President. He was impeached by Congress but there were not enough votes to remove him from office.
George W. Bush Presidency • George W. Bush wins the election of 2000 under major controversy. The election was contested by Al Gore and a revote in Florida was required before the election could be called. • Soon after taking office, terrorists hijacked planes and crashed them into the World Trade Towers in New York, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. The events of 9/11 defined Bush’s Presidency.
George W. Bush Presidency • President Bush declared a war on Terrorism and began taking action immediately. He froze financial assets of several individuals and organizations suspected of terrorism. • He also created a new department in Washington, the Department of Homeland Security (they would coordinate the dozens of federal agencies & departments to combat terrorism). • The Patriot Act of 2001 was also passed by Congress in an effort to deter and punish terrorist acts in the U.S. and around the world. • Some felt it went • too far and took • away civil liberties
Obama Presidency • Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of the U.S. in 2008. • He becomes the first African-American to hold this office in U.S. history. • President Obama inherited massive debt due to the War on Terror. The debt has since increased due to President Obama government programs.
