Reagan presidency 1981-89 Flashcards
what percentage did Reagan win on compared to carter?
50.7% which is bare majority, but well ahead of carters 41%
when was reagans assassination attempt?
March 1981 where he was sot and severly injured
why was carter unpopular?
- energy crisis, economic decline and rising crime
- rising power of USSR
- iranian hostage crisis
reaganomics
reagan hoped to solve the problems of ‘stagflation’
what were reagans aims as president?
- cut taxes and domestic spending
- increase military spending
- reduce budget deficit
- less government intervention with economic matters
what did the economic recovery act 1981 do?
decreased taxes, mainly benefitting the wealthy
how much did the administration recommend be cut, mainly from welfare programmes?
$32.5
In 1982 how much did the government deficit rise to?
doubled to $110.6 billion
In 1982 how much did the total national debt rise to?
$1 trillion
Tax Equity and Fiscal responsibility bill1982
reversed some of the 1981 tax concessions to business and increased taxes on cigarettes and airline tickets
how much did inflation decrease by in 1983?
2%
how much did defence spending increase between 1981-1984?
$1.5 trillion
what did the tax reform act 1986 do?
- reduced number of tax brackets from 14 to 2
- reduced tax rates > highest tax rate went down from 50% to 28%
- exempted millions of low-income families from tax payment
how many jobs were created between 1983-1989?
18 million
what was reagans stance on energy?
- believed federal government should decrease participation
- desired to dismantle the Department of Energy
- removed the federal govt regulations on price of domestic oil and natural gas
what was reagans stance on welfare policies?
- reduction on spending on food stamps, school meals and childcare
- little help given to homeless
what did reagan do for civil rights?
- supported justice department in its efforts to undo the various affirmative action programmes that gave job or education preference based on race or gender
opposed the bussing of students to schools in other neighbourhoods - his appointments to the civil rights commission were undistinguished
- in the 1980s black males fell further than any group in terms of wages and jobs
what was reagans stance on abortion?
he was an outspoken opponent and encouraged anti-abortion organisations
The Iran-contra affair 1986-87
- In 1985 he secretly authorised the release of american hostages in the middle east
- there was a system that diverted some of the money to purchase military supplies for the contras, who were trying to seize power in Nicaragua
- reagan denied any knowledge of the illegal proceedings but many believed he’d been full aware of them
what was reagans popularity rating in 1989?
70%
how was the economy affected during reagans presidency?
- unemployment remained high
- rich got richer
less growth than 60s&70s
national debt tripled - USA became worlds biggest debtor nation
- trade deficit increased - 1990 per $150 billion a year
Reagans political legacy
- restored American’s faith in the imperial presidency
- USA shifted politically to the right
- Clinton arguably continued Reagans imperial legacy
Reagans economic legacy
- went from recession to prosperity
- the tax cuts, national debt and defence spending proved to have no negative impact as they remained prosperous through the 1990s and 2000s
Reagans social legacy: positives
- society became more diverse
Reagans social legacy: negative
- the gulf between the rich and poor had widened
- richest americans owned up to 40% of the USA’s wealth
- increase in crime, violence and drug addiction
Reagans international legacy
- contributed considerably to the eventual break-up of the USSR
- USA was the world’s lone superpower for two decades after 1989
