the nature and extent of social change 1981-96

Question 1

describe social change and conservative resistance to it in terms family values

Answer 1

-Reagan born again Christian=for consitutional amendments to ban abortion and restore prayer in public schools=appealed to new Right =Morning again in America=played on family values
-projected himself as apostle of nuclear family =despite being divorced
-values were threatened by high divorce rates teenage pregnancies gay promiscuity and working women 80 fewer than 50% women were full time homemakers=idea supermums damaging kids
-even as teenage pregnancy rose he persuaded congress to outlaw medicare funded abortions and to fund chastity clinics
-AIDS=associated with immorality=Reagan refused to advocate use condoms slow to speak publicly and provide funding=mid 80s=AIDS spread to blood banks haemophiliacs=90 100,000 died
-1986 gerogia supreme court upheld law criminalised sodomy

conflict between change and conserve=wanting constitutional amendments to ban A and prayer school=x get 2/3 majoirty failed to endorse family protection act= no abortion, prayer schools, tax breaks for stay at home mums, single sex sports, no teenage contraception unless parents know =didnt endorse as he new RR would vote for him anywyas

Question 2

describe Reagans war on drugs

Answer 2

around 40 mil used drugs=45% had tried marijuana at least once
-roughly 12,000 drug related deaths annually
conservatives saw drugs as incapsulating social disorder born from GS liberalism
-Nancy Reagan launched an anti-drugs just say no campaign despite her own addiction to perscription meds
-focused on apprehending and punishing people rather than rehab or on poverty
-fed gov expenditure on war drugs was 15 bil annually
-dramatically=increased number people prision 60% of people prision

Question 3

describe Reagan’s attitude towards judicary

Answer 3

Robert Bork nominated =conservative majority=Bork attacked lib sc decisions defended Connecticut law stop contraception for married couples opposed abortion claimed women’s rights not included in 14th amendment
-NAACP and NOW lobbyied against his appointment =lost 8 to 42 largest defeat ever
-setback for conservatives=underestimated public and congressional opposition
-on other hand rejection of bork atypical=20 of twenty century nominations failed to get approved

Reagans judicial strategy
-selected 3 associate judges 168 appeal and 211 fed district court judges
-Reagonised judiciary compensated for his failure to win congressional approval
-Reagan appointed 50% of fed judiciary and bush ensured 3/4 judges were R or B appointees by 1992
-although he didnt get congressional apporval for abortion, affirmative action busing porn or prayer =ensured fed judicary packed with judges who agreed with him
-SC=new state capital punishment,eroded decisions of police advising suspects of their rights
-webster v reproductive services missouri=could deny access for abortion clincs
however
-refused to dismantle barrier between church and constitution and didnt get rid roe v wade O connor appointed upset NR for he abortion stance

Question 4

Rich and poor

Answer 4

Nancy Reagans 25,000 wardrobe with 500,000 names deleted from disability pay role
-homelessness doubled 200,000 to 400,000
-wealthiest one percent possessed 8 of the national income in 1980 but 15 perent by 1990
-average income of poorest decreased by 1300 annum
-only developed nation with no universail health care
-around 14 lacked any health insurance

Question 5

Black and white

Answer 5

positive
-had black cabinet member
-new york chicago had black mayors
-Jesse Jackson had impressive run for 88 democrat nomination
-black middle class grew
-Hispanic rep at all levels increased=amnesty provision that legalised status of undocumented aliens in 86 immigration reform act
-reagan failed to stop MLK day as fed holiday

Negatives
-R criticised CRA VRA
-70s made much of welfare queen=black chicago who had excessive fed aid
-upset NAACP by calling federal aid new kind of bondage
-88 vetoed civil rights restoration act=undid sc ruling that limited anti-discrim laws but congress overrode
-only seven of 368 fed judges black
supported consitutional amendment to stop busing
-conservative appointments to sc limited affirmative action
cuts social programmes depiction of affirmative action as reverse discrimination camapaign for end welfare mentality

Question 6

women

Answer 6

• positives
  women earned 62 of men in 1980 but 72 by 1990
  -No reverse ROE V WADE
  negative
  while economic position improving earning capacity still lower than males
  -1988 operation rescue=sit ins to block access to clinics=killed medical practioneers and bombed clinics
  -sc ruling Bowen v Kendrick=denied fed funding to pro choice programmes
  -defeat of ERA 82
  -LaHayes concerned women for America had 500,000 members =more than NOW