George Bush Snr 1989-93 Flashcards
1
Q
George Bush Snr
A
- He had a reputation as a safe pair of hands who was willing to continue with Reagan’s domestic policies.
- He faced the problem of what to do with leftover deficits caused by the Reagan years. At $220 billion, it had grown to three times its size since 1980.
- During the election campaign Bush had promised to cut taxes. However, he was forced to go back on his word and increase indirect taxes as well as reduce the number of wealthy people exempt from tax.
2
Q
Significant domestic legislation
A
- The Americans with disabilities Act of 1990, which forbade discrimination based on disability in employment, public accommodations and transportation.
- The Clean Air Act of 1990 which built on previous legislation and focused on reducing urban smog, curbing acid rain and eliminating industrial emissions of toxic chemicals.
3
Q
Failures
A
- By the end of his Presidential term, interest and inflation were the lowest in years and the unemployment rate reached 7.8%, the highest since 1984.
- In September 1992, it was reported that 14.2% of all Americans lived in poverty.
- There were riots in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Birmingham, Seattle and Chicago in 1992 following the arrest and beating of a black man, Rodney King, who had been caught speeding by four white policemen.
